Toll of Alcohol

Your excellent summary of the national movement to pressure the second-largest Spanish-language network into discontinuing its shameless, renewed practice of advertising hard liquor on the public airwaves in Morning Report (Calendar, June 14) missed two important points. First, Univision, the nation’s largest Spanish-language TV network no longer debases itself and its viewers with distilled spirits advertising in violation of a 50-year voluntary ban by both distillers and broadcasters. Univision deserves great credit and support for its public-spirited policy.

However, should the bottom-liners at Telemundo prevail in their latest efforts to push ever more booze on their Latino audience, we will all continue to pay the price for escalating Latino alcohol-related problems. What we fear the most is that the vast majority of presently not-on-TV distiller advertisers may decide that their bottom lines need to entice the growing Latino population into buying their products--”voluntary ban” notwithstanding.

RAY CHAVIRA

Member, L.A. County

Commission on Alcoholism

Palmdale