Serving Hispanic Communities

Public media has a unique opportunity to serve Hispanic audiences by providing content and engagement efforts that are culturally relevant and responsive to the needs of these growing communities. However, public media organizations must be aware of the Hispanic community’s unique needs and perspectives. Hispanic audiences are diverse in terms of generations, ethnicity, culture, traditions, habits, and Spanish dialects, so it is critical to tailor content and engagement efforts accordingly.

Public media stations also need to be aware that many Hispanic communities historically have been misrepresented or underrepresented in mainstream media, leading to skepticism and distrust. Building trust requires consistent, accurate, and culturally competent reporting, as well as increased representation of Hispanic voices in both editorial decisions and newsroom leadership.

Latino, Latina, Latine, Latinx or Hispanic?

At America Amplified in 2024, we revisited how we refer to communities with ancestors or origins in Latin American countries. Terms like “Latinx” and “Latine” have been introduced as gender-neutral alternatives to “Latino” and “Latina.” However, their acceptance within the community remains limited. Although awareness of these terms has increased significantly according to a Pew Research Center study, 75% of U.S. Hispanics surveyed think the terms should not be used to describe the population, and 81% vastly prefer “Hispanic” and “Latino.”

The term “Latin” can be ambiguous, however, as it refers historically to cultures derived from Latin-speaking regions, including Italy, France, and Portugal. For instance, Italians and French are considered Latin due to their languages’ Latin roots. Yet, they do not share the same cultural and historical experiences as communities with ties to Spain.

The term “Hispanic” acknowledges the shared linguistic and historical connections rooted in the Spanish language and Spain’s influence across the American continent.

Most countries in North, Central, and South America have significant Spanish ancestry, which profoundly influences their culture and societal structures. Using “Hispanic” recognizes this shared heritage, providing a unifying identifier.

Therefore, using “Hispanic” as a descriptor is more culturally resonant for communities originating from Spanish-speaking countries. It respects their unique histories and identities and is also gender-neutral.

Obstacles and challenges

Diversity
First and foremost is the question of diversity. Hispanic communities are diverse in language, culture, and media consumption habits. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2023, the Hispanic population of the United States was 65.2 million people, making it the nation’s largest racial or ethnic minority at 19.5% of the total population.

63.08 million Hispanics identified as one race in 2023. The number of people of Hispanic origin who identified as multi-racial – two races or more – was 2.13 million in the same year.

There were 13 states with one million or more Hispanic residents in 2023 — Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington.

The median age of the Hispanic population in 2023 was 31 years old, up from 30.7 in 2022.

According to the latest U.S. Census, the Mexican population of 35.9 million people, was three times larger than the Caribbean Hispanic population, the second largest group among Hispanics. That group represents 16.2% of the total Hispanic population and includes Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican, and other Caribbean populations. This highlights that the Hispanic population is not monolithic and it reflects a tapestry of cultures and histories beyond Mexico. Keep that in mind when researching your communities and serving them. Here is a breakdown of Hispanic communities and their nationalities from the U.S. Census Bureau. Note: The Bureau cautions that comparisons of the 2020 and the 2010 census race data are difficult because of changes in the Hispanic origin and race questions in the 2020 national survey.

Source: US. Census Bureau

Do you want to learn more about who Hispanics are? Read this article by the Pew Research Center or this article by the U.S. Census: Eight Hispanic Groups Each Had a Million or More Population in 2020

Languages and dialects
While some Hispanics are bilingual and can understand English and Spanish, others may only be fluent in one language. Therefore, it is crucial to determine which language will be most effective in reaching the target audience. Depending on the target audience, content may need to be created in both English and Spanish or presented in a way accessible to both groups.

If your newsroom decides to reach the Spanish-speaking Hispanic audience, remember that they speak many different dialects, even if they belong to one specific country. Using the wrong dialect can cause the community to not understand the stories or feel disengaged from your newsroom projects.

Cultural context
As Hispanics in the U.S. have different ancestry and come from different cultures, one challenge is understanding what values and beliefs are important to Hispanics in your region. What topics are considered taboo? How can the content be culturally relevant and sensitive? It is also essential to consider how Hispanic audiences might react to certain types of content. For example, some might find humor in sarcasm, while others might not understand it. Becoming culturally competent will transform how you approach and engage with these communities and help your staff better reach Hispanic audiences with the proper message. Want to learn more about Cultural Competency? Read the Handbook by the National Association for Hispanic Journalists.

Generational and socioeconomic status
Public media may be a foreign concept for many Hispanics, especially for those who don’t speak English, so efforts should be made to educate the audience about who you are, what you do and your model.

Subscription costs and paywalls can deter lower-income Hispanic audiences from accessing news and information. Although public media does not use these models, a perception by Hispanic audiences that media outlets in general charge for accessing content could be a deterrent.

Also, lower-income Hispanic households may have limited access to high-speed internet, smartphones, or computers, which can restrict their ability to engage with digital content. Your newsroom needs to ensure these communities understand they have free access to critical news to ensure financial barriers do not limit engagement and ensure that content is available on platforms that they can access.

Additionally, older members of the communities may be less familiar with digital platforms and social media, requiring alternative strategies such as radio or print outreach. Care must be taken to ensure that content is accessible and understandable.

Core competencies for newsrooms

There are many ways that public media can serve Hispanic audiences. But to do so, your organization should take stock of what you have the bandwidth to do and can sustain. Competencies you should consider central to success include:

Staffing and time
Know your staff, the work hours they have available to do the work you envision, and how much time you can intentionally make for them to get initiatives completed.

Building a team of Hispanic reporters is also key to ensuring successful engagement with these communities. Hire staff that reflects the Hispanic communities you aim to serve to lead engagement journalism initiatives. If you want them to succeed, ensure they have decision-making power in the editorial process and are not just participants. From deciding which communities to go into to deciding how much time to dedicate to engagement or the storytelling format, ensure the engagement team feels supported and empowered. If you don’t have the appropriate staff, consult with people from the community to ensure accurate reporting and cultural competency.

Community partners
Many public media newsrooms partner with Spanish-language media to extend their products’ reach and find new audiences. Also, partnering with local nonprofits that serve Hispanic communities and co-hosting events and listening sessions will give you insights into coverage needs and interests. Lean into community leaders’ connections and make yourself visible to community partners. Make the events a safe and collaborative process with the communities.

Host inclusive and balanced community gatherings — review the generation, race, gender, background, affiliation, location, etc., of the people invited to the initiatives. Curate the event environment to make people comfortable — plan initiatives and sessions around traditions, music, arts, and food. Bring people together around these universal ways of expression to engage with them.

Translations
Translation work has emerged as the cornerstone of business strategies for many media outlets. Having access to automated translation services is more available than ever. However, engaging with Hispanic communities in Spanish is much more than using AI translation tools. If your newsroom cannot show up and have conversations in Spanish with your communities, earning their trust will be a challenge.

If you decide that Spanish stories are a key component of your news offering, remember that you also need to think deeply about the stories that you are going to translate.

For your audiences to relate and engage with your coverage, your newsroom will have to thoroughly edit those stories by adding or deleting specific content or information to make the story relevant to the community. Other editing components include working on link-building in Spanish to help communities easily access additional information in their language, to improve the story’s SEO and to repurpose and distribute previous content. Do not forget to include metadata in Spanish for accessibility and optimization.

On the other hand, we encourage you to consider what stories you are going to produce from scratch in Spanish for your Hispanic audience, which will be translated into English.

Also, keep in mind that translating your own news stories may not be the most effective way to reach all Hispanic audiences. Some communities may be English-speaking only. Learn about your communities, their languages and the dialects they use.

New types of content and platforms
Media consumption habits vary not only by generation but also by cultural background. For example, Mexican-American, Puerto Rican, and Cuban-American audiences may have different preferences for news sources and formats.

Provide Hispanic communities with news and information about issues that are important to them, as well as programming that highlights their traditions, culture and history. You might prefer to go digital or broadcast, but leverage your community partners to find out what is most interesting and relevant to these communities and what platforms they use. Many Hispanic communities use WhatsApp to get the news and engage.

Key tips for reaching Hispanic audiences

Get to know the community
Talk with local nonprofits and consider partnering with Hispanic-serving organizations, hosting events and listening sessions that address specific issues affecting them. These relationships provide a sounding board for your public media organization to understand how your ideas resonate and to hear more about what community leaders feel they need from coverage and content. Ask about the cultural nuances when communicating with these communities. Test your content ideas and ask for feedback.

Set objectives
Establishing clear and measurable objectives is a crucial step in effectively engaging with Hispanic audiences. Begin by identifying what success looks like for your news organization when it comes to serving them. Are you aiming to increase Hispanic readership or viewership by a specific percentage within a certain time frame? Do you want to enhance trust and credibility among Hispanic audiences, or are you focused on increasing engagement with your social media platforms? Defining specific outcomes will provide a framework for measuring progress and adjusting your strategy as needed.

Consider the unique needs and preferences of the Hispanic community when setting goals. Hispanic audiences are diverse in terms of language, culture, and media consumption habits. Are you targeting Spanish-speaking audiences exclusively, or do you aim to reach bilingual households as well? Understanding these nuances will help you define realistic and culturally sensitive goals that align with the lived experiences of your audience.

Listen
It is essential to understand that there is no single “Hispanic experience.” Just as there is no monolithic “American experience,” there is no one-size-fits-all approach to serving Hispanic audiences.

Public media organizations can better serve Hispanics and build strong relationships with prospective members by understanding the key issues they face.

Immerse yourselves into the community, listen to internal and external stakeholders and learn from them. Seek input from Hispanic staff members, local community leaders and experts and trusted organizations that serve Hispanic populations. Their insights can help you identify gaps in coverage, uncover potential barriers to engagement, and shape goals that reflect the community’s true needs. Visit shops, parks and places where the communities live. Ask how you can help them and answer questions from their base. Explain your role and the work you do. And ask over and over again: How can we serve you?

Fortify
If your goal is to offer content relevant to Hispanic audiences’ lives and experiences, featuring stories about Hispanic culture, issues affecting these communities, and news from Latin American countries, do you have the staffing to make this happen? Hire and recruit for engagement not only bilingual staff with an eye to sustainability but also staff of Hispanic origin. Find out the tools they need to get this work done—partner with other Spanish-language outlets when needed and if possible.

Co-create
Avoid parachuting into communities and, instead, develop collaborative projects where their members have a key role in the editorial and production process. Offer training on journalism to the community members if possible.

Make content relevant and useful to the Hispanic audience — offer value that answers questions and/or addresses needs. Ask for communities’ feedback to improve your coverage and ask how it can be improved or expanded in the future.

Ensure you understand which platforms each community uses to get their news and information and tailor your content to those platforms.

Educate yourself
Outreach to Hispanic audiences is essential for public media organizations wanting to remain relevant and become trusted sources of information for this community. Discover this community’s information needs and provide resources to meet those needs.

Dialogue
Keep an open dialogue with your audience and staff. Listen to feedback and make improvements.

Additional Resources

The Industry at a Glance | The State of Latino News Media
How we reached Hispanic communities, hosted by Ernesto Aguilar of KQED, Maritza Felix, founder of Conecta Arizona, and bilingual podcast producer and America Amplified project manager Paola Marizan.
Your Latino engagement checklist, from OIGO.
6 Key Ways to Reach Diverse Hispanic Audiences
4 Ways to Reach the Spanish-Speaking Audience on YouTube
How to reach Hispanic Consumers Through Social Media
How to reach Hispanic audiences in Chicago
Setting the stage for bilingual content
America Amplified’s introduction to texting tools and guide to WhatsApp.
Here are tips from America Amplified for translating content and creating bilingual content.
How to best connect with your Spanish-speaking audience during an emergency
How to build equitable partnerships with other media, especially non-English media
Latinos and election coverage

From our stations

Stations have detailed their work around content for Hispanics and audience engagement. You are encouraged to learn from their examples and adapt their lessons to your community.