Even if you were not a buyer of the “whole self to work” mantra, you know how diverse professionals in public media have been encouraged to bring our insights and knowledge into the workplace. There are intangible benefits to public media. We bring perspectives that might otherwise be missing from the room, helping organizations better understand their audiences and approach the work in new ways.
But I’ve also heard plenty of stories about what happens when those cultural experiences aren’t welcome in the office. Plus, at a time when racial profiling by ICE is fueling anxiety, simply being Latino can feel fraught. That’s why the firestorm over NPR censoring Félix Contreras’ recent remarks hits so close to home.
I’ve written for OIGO’s always-kind paid subscribers about the Los Tigres Del Norte Tiny Desk controversy as it unfolded and NPR’s subsequent account of how the organization handled the fiasco. For this edition of OIGO, I want to focus on what public media leaders and diverse professionals can learn from it.
Erasure is an easy way out 🪦
Public media leaders should remember that cultural knowledge is not always tidy or easy to fit on a slide. Hiding that part risks insincerity.
“We all know it’s a tricky subject in this country,” Anamaria Sayre said of Latinos in the media on the Oct. 23 episode of Alt.Latino. And she’s right. People have plenty of feelings about Hispanics, who we are, our experiences, and how we live in the world.
You don’t even have to talk about mass deportations in the 1950s. Speaking Spanish in public or expressing concern about authorities in your community can carry its own history of discrimination and consequences. For Latinos, these issues are part of our shared memories.
As someone who works in public media, I understand how expression is a challenging subject. However, if public media wants to serve diverse communities, its leaders need to understand that cultural expression often carries historical meaning. Removing that meaning to avoid dustups can fundamentally change what an audience is being offered.
Historical references are not above scrutiny. Conversely, we should not treat a subject as prohibited simply because it has implications around politics. At the very least, it’s important to have a discussion openly and transparently about the subject at hand.
Standards fail in silence 🔇
What else can public media leaders learn from NPR’s fumble? To me, this botch demonstrates how important it is to communicate what standards specifically are related to an issue, as well as where one’s organization is at often and during a crisis.
On Alt.Latino, Sayre gave a professional, though perhaps politic, response that accentuates this. People reacted to the edit, she said, “without understanding what was happening behind the scenes at NPR.” When an organization fails to explain as it’s happening, people will fill in the blanks. As Sayre observed, audiences concluded that NPR was “cutting out facts about histories of Latino oppression,” or that it was lying to them.
That’s not the audience’s fault. Trust in institutions is already brittle, and public media doesn’t get the benefit of the doubt. The responsibility falls on the organization to explain its decisions and take accountability immediately when it gets things wrong.
Beyond that, public media leaders can help prevent situations like this one by reviewing real examples with staff. Direct communication also helps prevent rumors from filling the void. Employees want guidance about what they can say in their professional roles. They also want leaders who speak plainly, both in everyday editorial decisions and when a crisis hits.
Culturally diverse professionals should also have a meaningful role in these conversations. Their responsibility shouldn’t be limited to explaining a reference after an editorial decision has caused a dispute. Our knowledge can help editors understand the material in advance and make better-informed decisions.
Transparency matters because trust depends on whether decisions are consistent with the principles organizations claim to uphold. Good leaders want to ensure that scrutiny is informed and proportionate to the actual issue.
The high cost of caution ⚠️
If you’re a leader in public media, situations like this require you to evaluate what someone actually said, the context and specific editorial standards. One shouldn’t mistake the subject matter itself, as NPR did, for a violation.
I’d argue there’s a difference between taking a political position and acknowledging a community’s history. Treating the two as interchangeable turns cultural expression into a problem simply because it touches on a contentious subject. There are nuances.
And for diverse professionals in public media, I’d offer one more bit of advice: Be thoughtful about what you share at work and in public, and don’t assume your organization understands the difference between cultural expression and political advocacy, applies its standards consistently, or will always be able to explain its decisions.
I understand why, in a difficult job market, people are becoming more cautious about sharing their knowledge. Sadly, that comes at a cost. If people feel they have to leave part of their awareness outside of the station, public media loses some of the ideas it needs, not to mention misses out on what it claims to want.
I can’t help but wonder whether NPR’s handling of this situation will have a chilling effect beyond its walls. We’re in a moment where many Latinos express worries about safety, and this sort of handling of high-profile professionals only lends to fears of how fragile Latine life, speech and expression are today. If NPR’s move does seemingly inhibit other diverse professionals, the real damage is deeper than a high-profile error. Diverse public media professionals being unable to share new approaches will only compromise our audience service. 🟢
Cafecito: stories to discuss ☕
Series return. The bilingual podcast La Prensa HABLA!—a collaboration between Toledo’s public media station WGTE and La Prensa, Ohio’s largest bilingual Latinx newspaper—is back for a new season.
New podcast. A series by Latino USA and Colorado Public Radio on immigration enforcement is out now. 🎙️
Diverse hiring. The Pivot Fund offers ideas for hiring staff who look like and can engage communities you serve. 🤝🏽
But stall. The Radio Television Digital News Association has issued its latest survey and minority hiring has plateaued. 😞
Major Spanish-language newspaper cuts. McClatchy recently slashed many Spanish-language news outlets with layoffs, gutting coverage in some states. 🙀 The Objective has details.
Feud brewing. Spanish Broadcasting System post-bankruptcy restructuring has ignited a battle with programming advocates. 💰 SBS disagrees that the FCC should require preservation of its Spanish-language programming as a condition of approving a change in ownership. Inside Radio lays out the arguments.
Coyotec. Wired highlights a Spanish-language AI “DJ” paired with a human DJ on a Los Angeles radio morning show. 📻 Commercial radio has been experimenting with AI voices as hosts for a minute.
El radar: try this 📡
Examine food outside of detention centers. KUT’s Tacos of Texas series traveled to Dilley, Tex., near a South Texas detention center, to look at the restaurants feeding and supporting the families of those held by ICE. 🌮
See how officials are challenging enforcement actions. KVPR tracks to story of a small California town’s mayor, who is confronting ICE officers in her city. 📱 Maria Pacheco’s videos have gone viral.
Don’t forget health. I love KUNR’s Al Aire content, which provides Spanish-language journalism to the community. 👨🏽⚕️ The latest edition is focused on women’s health and more.
Share Dia de los Muertos celebrations. Always a great holiday to share people’s stories. 💀 Check out Hawaii Public Radio.
Investigate ICE surges before the midterms. KQED reports on fresh enforcement actions across California as Election Day nears. 📞 KCLU covers efforts to reassure Hispanic voters of safety before November.
WLRN reports two-thirds of Florida Latinos are unhappy with the country’s direction. 👀
The next OIGO arrives Nov. 13. I’ll connect you with Colorado journalist Rosanna Longo-Better, whose bilingual work at KGNU is sure to inspire you. 🎤
Speaking of Colorado, I’ll be in Boulder in just over a week for the Rocky Mountain Community Radio regional gathering. I look forward to seeing you if you’re in the area. If you’d like to meet up, I’m always game to talk.
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