Lack of Diversity in Mainstream Latino Media

According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the nation’s Latino population is the largest –nonwhite minority group, up approximately 46.3 percent since 2000, increasing to more than 50 million, which is more than double its size in 1990. It is also the nation’s youngest ethnic group with the largest bilingual capacity. However, despite the increasing population, and an increasing interest in Hispanic media, a lack of diversity in terms of what is actually presented in the media is certainly a reason to question the appeal of the media to Hispanics born and those not born in the United States.

On Television: 

According to Nielson Co., the number of Hispanic households with TV sets increased 3.1% in February 2011 from the year before. However, despite this increase and an overall increase in Spanish-Language TV ad spending, there seems to be a lack of attention to the different interests of the diverse Hispanic community. For the most part, there seems to be little room between the novelas (Spanish soap operas), talk shows, news channels, and the occasional movies. Of course, this does not apply to all networks, but those that accompany a classic cable or satellite system often do not provide the population with much media diversity. According to StateoftheMedia.org, “Univision, now the fifth-largest network in primetime audience in the United States…invested heavily in news, increased cross-content partnerships and amplified bilingual offerings”. However, larger investments and increased bilingual offerings do not satisfy the need for different content that caters to all Hispanics in the United States.

On the Radio:

According to StateoftheMedia .org, “by the most recent count (Fall 2009), there were 1,323 Spanish-language stations, up 8% from 1,224 in fall 2008. News talk remains a small part of that, with 96 stations using that format, up by three from the year before.” Like with the Television networks, there seems to be increased attention in tapping into the Hispanic market in order to attain larger revenues for the individual companies. However, one may question the reasons why they are truly profitable: perhaps it is simply because there is simply nothing else on. One individual particularly expresses his concern for the lack of variety on the radio, “Lost in the translation are more classical Latin music, genres and styles. Where on Sirius XM can you chill out to some nice mariachi or jam and dance to some Shakira? Simply stated, there is no way two Latin based channels, one being Reggae, can service the vast spectrum of Latin music and the potential Latin audience. With the new diversiy channels being announced, we have learned that a new Latin music channel from Eventus will be debuting on Sirius XM. The question is whether that will be enough”. This concerned writer for the ‘Sirius XM Radio Buzz’ website is certainly representative of many concerned viewers and listeners desperate for a change.

On the Internet:

According to the Pew Hispanic Center, “bilingual and English-dominant Hispanics are more digitally attuned than those who are Spanish-dominant….About two-thirds of Latino (65%) and African American (66%) adults went online in 2010, compared with 77% of white adults. And only 45% of Latinos have broadband access at home, compared with 52% of blacks and 65% of whites. Just over three-quarters, 76%, of Latinos owned a cell phone in 2010, compared with 79% of blacks and 85% of whites.”
However, online and digital media access is certainly increasing among the nation’s largest-growing minorities, and social media networks and other online resource sites are certainly aware of that and rapidly working to cater to the Hispanic community. Unlike television and radio, consumers have a larger amount of control over what they access, and usually provides them with the diversity not found on other media outlets.
According to Andy Checo, a writer for HispanicCMO.com, “Yes, we are Hispanics, and many of us speak Spanish, but guess what? Many of us speak and prefer English too! Why would you choose to purposely alienate those of us that do? … In my opinion, most organic conversations in Hispanic social media are happening in English. Even Univision and Telemundo are servicing social media in both languages. … I believe that for the best engagement you must incorporate a mix of both languages. Note: I am not talking about Spanglish here”. His concern is certainly one which Google and other internet websites have increasingly become aware of, acknowledging the difference between a simple language connection and an overall cultural connection.
Google is certainly focusing more on the cultural identification than on the language connections. This attempt is headed by Mark Lopez, who is in charge of Google’s U.S. Hispanic unit. He maintains, “There’s a cultural differentiation in consumption of media. The segmentation of the language is not enough and we must fully enter into the Hispanic world’s digital market (although) we don’t yet understand how it works”.

Google is certainly not the first to try this strategy. Telemundo also attempted to focus on the cultural identity of the Hispanic market by launching the bilingual mun2 cable channel directed at Hispanic young people. However, with more Hispanics having access to the internet than Television, one can certainly predict an increase in diversity in Hispanic media, pioneered by an online revolution.