Cynthia Hudson from CNNE: Inclusion and equality are good business strategies

With clear decisions to ensure adequate representation of women across various ranks within an organization, gender inequality in the industry can be reversed, according to Cynthia Hudson, Senior Vice President and General Manager of CNN en Español and Hispanic Strategy for CNN.

“This requires, for certain positions, saying ‘if we find a woman as qualified as a man, in this case, we’ll go with a woman’ to continue increasing the number of women who participate significantly, in decision-making, in strategies, within the organization,” she pointed out, emphasizing that these are things that need to be taken into account.

“Sometimes people ask, so, are there going to be quotas? Perhaps quotas are the way to achieve inclusion and equality more quickly. Moreover, it’s good for business. It’s an important business strategy,” she said.

Hudson believes that women are important in the audiovisual world because they bring a perspective “that represents the audience. This should apply not only to women but to all different communities, ethnicities, and races because ultimately, we should try to find ways for people to identify with the content, with the brands, to feel represented. I believe there are enough examples where this is a fundamental part of the future. It’s a topic that isn’t up for debate.”

Hudson commented that the industry benefits from female empowerment. “The industry, for its interests and knowing that the female audience is important for any medium – be it TV, podcasts, digital, streaming – should always offer opportunities for women to enter managerial levels, to actively participate in content concepts because the female perspective is crucial for the success of any product, company, business. I believe that executives themselves have to find ways to foster the growth of women within their teams.”

She indicated that the next generation comes with different ideals that are much more open. “I think thanks to the many years and the many women who have come before – some of us have been the ones who have opened the doors – I believe that the new generation is already coming with a different mindset, it’s something so positive and powerful. I see it with all the young people who come to work at CNN, who come with a much broader attitude, without as many conditions as before, and I think this is an absolute plus.”