Lenders Promote Homeownership in a Spanish Soap Opera

Between Talk like a Pirate Day and this press release, it seems like every day is Funny Money Friday this week!

This is one of the weirder real estate stories I've heard recently: Freddie Mac, Bank of America and Bank of Texas Mortgage have collaborated to create a Spanish soap opera that promotes financial education. This "edutainment" show is called Nuestro Barrio and will start broadcasting next week in Texas, Florida, Georgia and Arizona:

Nuestro Barrio subtly spreads educational messages in a culturally-sensitive manner. Educating consumers about smart credit choices, helping them understand the importance of building and maintaining good credit, and demystifying the homeownership process will empower them with the skills and information necessary to get on the path to homeownership.

I am wholeheartedly for educating consumers about smart credit choices (I am a credit blogger after all) but something seems really fishy about this whole idea. First of all, Freddie Mac and these banks aren't just doing this out of the goodness of their hearts. They certainly have a vested interested in promoting borrowing and this relationship isn't fully explained on the show's website. Secondly, is this "subtle" telenovela going to be watchable at all? The episodes read like bad after school specials on personal finance:

Fedi receives his credit card statement and sees firsthand the consequences of using his credit card irresponsibly and is informed that he should pay off his debt before it grows larger. Javier opens a checking account and a savings account. Miguel's real estate agent declines to show him a house in a neighborhood he prefers, and he learns that he can protect his rights by alerting the local Fair Housing agency. A reputable real estate agent explains how a former restaurant owner went bankrupt after failing to use good accounting practices.

This show covers all the bases! The first 13 episodes include lessons on insurance, loans, banking, credit scores, credit cards, predatory loans, housing counselors, car loans, check cashing, college, real estate agents, debt, fair housing, bankruptcy, diabetes, racism, unemployment, foreclosure, debt counseling, budgeting and self esteem.

What do you think about Nuestro Barrio? Is it a cool way to promote financial education or weird  propaganda from financial institutions? Share your feedback in the comments section below!