The year in public media Latinx content
The year in public media Latinx content
2022 was an exceptional year for public media Latina/o/e/x content and engagement efforts. 🔘 And it appears 2023 offers much more.
As the Latina/o/e/x population in the United States continues to grow, there is an increasing demand for content that reflects and speaks to the community. 🕬 While there are a number of Latino-focused radio stations already in operation, such as Radio Bilingue’s network, many public media organizations are beginning to produce Latino-themed content as well. This is a great development, as public media offers a powerful platform for stories and voices that might otherwise go unheard.
Traditionally, there have been many different types of Latine content available in public media. This includes documentaries, music, news, talk programs and digital/social endeavors. Such initiatives have offered public media an opportunity to provide a unique perspective on the Latino experience in America. ✨ This perspective can help audiences — including our core older, white one — understand the complex issues facing Latinos today, from immigration to education opportunity to economic inequality.
Let’s talk about some of the effective programming that has served the needs of our growing community in 2022. ✅
Latinx content can help public radio stations better serve their local communities. By providing news and information that is relevant to Latinos, public media can become an essential resource for this growing population.
What are some of the bigger public media stories this year related to Latino content and engagement? 💭
Spanish-language news services. 2022 was a big year for Spanish-language news content from public media. Local newsletters, social media, WhatsApp, podcasts, programming, translations and making the move have all been on public media’s agenda. 📰 The Corporation for Public Broadcasting summarized many of the successes this year.
The return of AltLatino. I heap praise on AltLatino for a good reason: it is one of public media’s first, and still most recognizable, brands geared to Hispanic audiences. Whether it is El Tiny or creating a forum to help audiences, AltLatino hass long done something special. AltLatino came back this year, and appears poised for big things in 2023. 📻
DEI’s long march. Joy Mayer’s Trusting News essay this week on how criticisms of bias can spark reflection reminds me of the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion in public media. ↗️ Talking about implicit bias can still be controversial in some quarters, yet prompts a valuable conversation on impact vs. intent. And building trust with audiences is an ongoing process. Still a long way to go.
America Amplified. The CPB-funded effort saw many successes this year in Spanish-language collaboration and content. Tips on translating content, webinars on assessing content, and a how-to on WhatsApp for Spanish-speaking audiences are among the notable efforts for stations. 📱 Credit goes to a good team, particularly Paola Marizan, and CPB for prioritizing this effort.
Fact-checking in Spanish for midterms. Reports covered the spread of misinformation in Spanish-language networks, and the challenges in combating it. Public media organizations responded with translations and fact-checking for this year’s midterm elections. 🗳️ Factchequeado launched with a range of collaborations, including those in public media. Natalie Van Hoozer discussed some of this effort in a previous OIGO.
It was a data-centric year. The Edison Research podcast report on Hispanic audiences was one of many efforts this year to better understand our community more. It will take time and attention to aggregate the many studies and get a deeper profile. 📊
The challenges of creating Latina/o/e/x content in public media are many and varied. First and foremost, there is the question of funding. Latinx content is sometimes seen as a niche market, and therefore it can be difficult to secure the necessary funding to produce high-quality programming. 💰 Additionally, there can be language barriers when it comes to creating Latine content. Many Latinos are bilingual, but not all are fluent in English or Spanish. This can make it challenging to communicate with potential audiences, know where to invest, and to find appropriate on-air talent. Finally, public media may not have the infrastructure in place to support the creation of Latino content. For example, organizations may not have access to Hispanic market research or the necessary Spanish-language resources.
What are the big questions for public media? A few issues jump to mind.
☛ Articulating a long-term strategy openly and locally. Most organizations creating Spanish-language content, for example, see it as an extension of their service. 🔭 However, more organizations need to discuss the long-range plan. What does this service look like, if successful (or not), in five years? Ten years? Let’s articulate this future as we see it more.
☛ A conversation about music/cultural service. Public media, and public radio especially, tends to focus on news and public affairs content for Spanish-speaking Hispanic communities. Public television has extended this more into Latinx arts. 🎵 Maybe this is the year we start discussing serving a cultural/musical role for the radio/audio audience, such as music that has been a foundation at stations.
☛ Securing more than anecdotal data. First-hand accounts of public media’s impact on Hispanic communities can be compelling. They are also a missed opportunity to make a more cohesive case for more Latina/o/e/x content. 👀 Digging into regional data can be very helpful here. In addition, the KQED study, an important one for public media, may prove instructive for organizations seeking to understand their audiences more.
☛ More leadership on the national level. There’s a mix of Hispanic c-level and middle managers at stations, but Latino representation on the national scene as far as leadership staff and boards of directors is astonishingly low. 🔽 Here’s hoping 2023 sees more commitment to bringing Latino public media leaders to the front of major organizations.
Many other challenges face Latinx content and engagement in public media. For example, it is important that this content is handled sensitively and with respect for the diverse experiences of Latinos in the United States.
The title for this review is a small misnomer. The Gemini in me knows I likely missed some great items, and some obstacles before us. Offer a comment or hit Reply. I’d love to hear from you. 🟢
La próxima ⌛
The next OIGO is in your inbox January 6. 📅 We are back for regular posts. Thank you for your support in 2022. I welcome your recommendations on how to make OIGO better. ¡Feliz Año 2023!
-- Ernesto
Cafecito: stories to discuss ☕
Pew Research dropped new figures on the increase in immigrant naturalizations in America. 💯 Mexicans continue to represent a big group, but so do Cubans. Naturalization is less prevalent than those pursuing citizenship, but remains to be a trend to watch.
Here is how a volunteer-run low-power radio station is providing news in Spanish. 🎤 Not uncommon, but a model to note.
The City and ProPublica offered insights on how to report on young people and anonymity. 🧒🏽 Such might be helpful as your organization reports on under-18 Latine sources.
Although Black critics have raised appropriation concerns in popular culture for generations, this NPR essay did not acknowledge such history. Nevertheless, here’s hoping the new piece will contribute to the discourse. 🗨️
Felicidades a Samantha Guzman. 🥂 She’s been named the lead for a partnership between KERA and the Dallas Morning News.
El radar: try this 📡
Ask about Hispanic political representation. KUHF reported on a Houston lawsuit over a lack of Latinx representation on its City Council. 🏛️ Plenty of public media has covered the growth of Latino leadership in local politics, but what about when the growth never happens?
Investigate the crypto crash’s impact on Latines. Speaking of Houston, a Texas-based company has drawn federal scrutiny for allegedly scamming Latinos out of millions. 💸 With the FTX probe ongoing, this may be a smart time for public media to question how communities of color may have been targeted for cryptocurrency fraud.
Talk with area Dreamers. President Biden promised movement on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals when he was running for office. However, with Democrats handing over control of the House of Representatives, a DACA deal appears dead. ☠️ Instead of DACA, the Texas Tribune notes Republicans are poised to make border security part of their focus. How do your region’s Dreamers feel?
Look into local car washes. 🚗 The Los Angeles Times just reported on an Inglewood car wash that was fined $900,000 for underpaying workers. It has prompted me to wonder how many of these establishments are monitored in your community. What are the experiences of workers there? What are state regulations? Public media could connect with audiences by exploring these seemingly low-profile businesses.
Reassess Twitter Spaces. It turns out media in Latin America is using Twitter Spaces for many creative journalism ideas.
🥤 You can buy me a coffee to end the year if you’d like to support the newsletter.