Inside Paola and Jorge Ramos’ new move
How the Ramos' intergenerational storytelling bridges Latino culture and heritage
Launched in September, The Moment with Jorge Ramos and Paola Ramos is one of the most unique Latino-led productions you’ll see. First, it marks the first podcast collaboration between iHeartMedia’s My Cultura Podcast Network and a public radio stalwart, Radio Ambulante Studios. It brings together two of the most influential Latino journalists in the U.S. —Univision news legend Jorge Ramos and MSNBC contributor and author Paola Ramos—for an unfiltered, proudly diverse, multigenerational conversation about politics, culture and identity.
The Moment is both a media experiment and a personal journey. For Jorge Ramos, it’s a return to reporting and his first foray into podcasting after decades as one of the most respected voices in Spanish-language television. For Paola Ramos, an acclaimed writer and journalist, it’s a chance to unite long-form storytelling with the political insight and cultural fluency she’s known for. As father and daughter, this project is deeply personal for both hosts.
In their words, the show is meant to be a “living room” for conversations with guests ranging from politicians to poets, activists to comedians. From actor John Leguizamo to ACLU leader Anthony Romero to author Isabel Allende, the Ramoses create a distinctly Latino space for unpacking the world with nuance as well as a bit of edge.
As you can guess, the news nerd in me was so honored to talk with Jorge and Paola about the show, how Latino audiences are leading the media shift, and why these dialogues are needed today. They reflect on what it means to reinvent media in a changing Latino landscape, and take seriously their responsibility of giving voice to underrepresented communities. Americans have complicated feelings about immigration, for example, and the Ramoses are intent on exploring the textures. Also, moving beyond TV for both of them toward long‑form, conversational storytelling embodies many of the shifts public media is facing. They also describe phenomena that Latine creators and journalists OIGO has featured have reflected on: how younger Latinos are straddling languages, cultures and media habits; and the search for media that is more personal and more inclusive.
Moreover, the Ramoses speak to something we’re experiencing, when traditional media like noncommercial broadcasting is coming to terms with no longer being enough, and then how we build authenticity and trust with people in our communities. Jorge, with decades of authority, and Paola, as a bridge to bicultural audiences, share their hopes and challenges in this engrossing conversation.
This is a new space you’re entering, something so different from traditional media. How do you view this shift, especially in terms of how Latino audiences are adapting?
Jorge Ramos: We realized that Latinos aren’t just adapting to new media. They’re leading that change.
Over the past 5–7 years, we’ve seen audiences leave legacy media—TV, radio, newspapers—and turn toward social media and mobile devices. People sleep by their phones, not waiting for a nightly newscast. There’s also a generational component: Paola’s generation grew up fluent in digital culture.
On a personal level, this project means something more: Paola lives in New York, I live in Miami, and for many years she lived in Madrid. This gives us a chance to finally collaborate and make up some lost time.
Paola Ramos: When you look at Latino demographics today, it’s very different than when I was younger or when my dad’s audience was younger. The fastest‑growing group of Latinos is U.S.-born, younger than 50, speaking more English than Spanish. Many of them feel a bit distant from the immigrant narrative we’ve long associated with Latino narratives.
What’s compelling to me is exploring whether we can meld worlds: the Spanish‑dominant, immigrant-rooted tradition and the more English-speaking, bicultural present.
How have your respective circles responded to this experiment? What have you heard?
PR: So far, feedback has been very positive. People often tell me they’re craving trusted voices in this chaotic media landscape. My dad brings long-established credibility, and I hope we bring freshness together.
People also seem to enjoy that our conversations are more expansive: 45 minutes instead of five or ten minutes. Listeners are saying they appreciate nuance, banter, debate, intergenerational friction. The intergenerational dynamic of father and daughter resonates with many people.
JR: I agree. We share opinions on many things, but we also differ in how we see other topics. People seem to find it very refreshing.
Over my decades in TV, I used to hear people say, “I watch your newscast,” then later, “My father watched it,” Then it was, “My grandmother watched it.” Now I hear from younger people saying they listen to my daughter’s and my joint work. That feels like a successful reinvention.
As you pointed out, given demographic shifts—more English‑dominant Latinos, more diverse identities—how do you see yourselves serving as voices or connectors for that audience?
PR: It often comes down to belonging. People are looking for a place to belong amid changing political and cultural norms. We try to do that by inviting them into conversation, by offering pride in having immigrant roots while also embracing diversity. One advantage younger Latinos hold is not having to choose one identity. They can be both.
Representation matters. Latinos are nearly 20 percent of the U.S. population, but we don’t see that reflected proportionally in media, politics, leadership. We hope this platform gives voice to people who’ve lacked one.
JR: Even after 40 years in the U.S., I still feel like an immigrant. My goal is to help give voice to those who come after me. This is a difficult moment for many Latino and immigrant communities. We want to be a space where issues affecting the Latino/Hispanic community can be openly discussed, seen and heard.
There are many Latinos who want to create media, to become voices for their communities. What advice would you offer them?
JR: Use social media. It’s the easiest time ever to amplify a message. You don’t need big infrastructure or permission. You can film something with your phone, share it, and find your audience. Most importantly: find who you are, use your voice, don’t try to impersonate someone else. Be authentic.
PR: And I’d add: look at what people like Bad Bunny represent. He embodies authenticity. He blends Spanish, English, Spanglish. He shows that you can carry multiple identities.
In a saturated media environment, authenticity goes a long way. Within established media structures, don’t wait for permission. You deserve to create content that matters to your community. 🟢
Cafecito: stories to discuss ☕
El Tiny. Alt.Latino announced that it will do another Tiny Desk Concerts collaboration for Hispanic Heritage Month. 🎷
Disinformation. The International Center for Journalists posts new research indicating the importance of ethnic media in stopping the spread of false information in communities. 👀
Miami stall. The Latino Media Network made a splash a few years ago when it purchased broadcast licenses. WLRN looks at what now appears to be a faltering transformation. 😣
Wow. President Trump, who has had run-ins with Univision in the past, took to Truth Social to support Univision in its campaign to be included again in the core YouTube TV package. 📺 I noted the dispute in a past OIGO.
Book bans. NPR spotlights new PEN America warnings about libraries removing more and more books, including those with Hispanic characters and stories. 📚
El radar: try this 📡
Highlight ofrendas. The WBEZ-owned Chicago Sun Times has a good story about the upcoming Dia de los Muertos recognition locally. 💀 Altars to remember the dead are a tradition during this period, and Chicago stories abound in this piece.
Go deep on local Latine event history. OPB has a fantastic episode of The Evergreen on the region’s annual Fiesta Mexicana. 🎊 While there’s a lot of framing around current events (something many outlets are doing), the history of the event as it relates to Oregon is quite engrossing, and could be a good idea to borrow.
Ask how Hispanic neighborhoods see National Guard deployments. President Trump’s sweeping efforts around crime have been at the center of national debates. 🪧 WPLN covers the views of Latinx residents in Memphis, one of the many cities under the crime microscope.
Investigate Latino business response to current events. LAist unearthed the decision of a restaurant owner to paint over a mural honoring Latine baseball icons after the team didn’t take a stronger position on ICE. 🌶️ Though it’s an unusual story, I expect local Hispanic entrepreneurs could be making similar moves.
Share conservation views. KUNR has a brief but impactful audio segment on initiatives to engage Latinx residents around conservation in the state. 🏞️
Report on Latinos and local blood supplies. I was intrigued by this Arizona TV story on how Hispanic donors are key to bolstering the nation’s blood supply. 🩸 Given the importance for surgeries, such is a story that has resonance everywhere.
This newsletter marks OIGO’s fourth birthday! Huge thanks to all of you for your time, attention and kind words. 🥹 Extra special thanks to those who have contributed and gotten paid subscriptions to help. You can buy me a coffee if you’d like to support the newsletter.
The next OIGO arrives Oct. 24. 📬 If you’re in the Bay, I’ll be part of an Oct. 30 Bay Area Storytellers of Color panel on public media’s future. Drop in and say hi.