Why The Spanish Language Is Here To Stay

January 23,2006      
By Jose Cancela

A quiet shift is taking place across the United States, marked by the launch of a Spanish-language radio station in Iowa, a Georgia television channel's first broadcast, the appearance of a weekly newspaper in North Carolina.

The musical language may come from Mark Anthony, Shakira, or Luis Miguel; the images could be those of Don Francisco, Jorge Ramos, or Thalia; and the rhythms may be Reggaeton, Salsa or Norteñas. But the impact is undeniable. These are the voices, beats and images shaping America's new media.

And they are doing it in Español.

Once considered a niche market with limited reach, Spanish-language media is now one of the most influential players in the U.S. media world. Its success is largely linked to its ability to connect with the fastest growing demographic in the nation.

At 40 million, Hispanics are the largest minority in the United States. Those numbers translate into more than $900 billion-that's billion with a "b"-in buying power by 2009. And that kind of power has produced an economic clout that has been steadily growing in places as unlikely as North Carolina where the Hispanic population grew nearly 400 percent from 1990 to 2000, according to the Pew Hispanic Center, a Washington D.C.-based Latino think tank.

These developments are enough to capture the attention of media executives to get their share of this exploding market.

But this new media landscape is not simply populated by Latinos who are drawn by language. Whether newcomers setting down roots in the South or second-generation Hispanic Americans in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley, they are all tuning in for more than the comfort of the language, but for an equally important reason--content.

That powerful combination of language and content is the secret behind Spanish-language media's irresistible appeal.

Indeed, Spanish-language media reaches 90 percent of this country's adult Spanish-speaking population, more than 24 million people--greater than the combined populations of New York and Connecticut, according to a recent survey conducted by Sergio Bendixen for New California Media and the Center for American Progress and Leadership Council on Civil Rights.

Moreover, nearly a third of U.S.-born Latinos prefer Spanish-language media, accessing it on a daily basis. That preference swells to more than half of all Hispanics, and among the foreign-born it balloons to seven in 10, according to the report.

The study dispelled any notions that Spanish-language media's future is limited because it caters to monolingual Hispanics.

Instead, it confirmed the majority of adult Latinos living in this country rely on Spanish-language media as their primary source for news and entertainment. Maria Elena Salinas, Pedro Sevcec and Cristina may be unfamiliar to most Americans, but they are household names in the Spanish-speaking community.

Spanish-language television grew from 206 stations in July, 2001, to 342 four years later. The number of cable networks more than doubled.

Even with 24-hour cable news cycles on English-language television, Hispanics in America find that the minute-30 or less given to Latino news simply is not enough. Not enough information, not enough context.

For a more complete story of, say, Mexico's continuing political drama, regional soccer championships such as Copa America, or even emerging musical trends bubbling up in Puerto Rico or New York recording studios, Latinos in this country turn to Spanish-language networks and cable services.

English-language networks may reduce Latin American political figures to convenient labels-foe or friend, leftist strongman or military leader. But Spanish-language media provides a broader context for political coverage, exploring beyond black and white to more subtle shades of gray.

Similarly, Spanish-language print media are defying industry trends-showing impressive growth while English-language dailies continue to disappear. Spanish-language dailies quintupled in the 30 years ending in 2003. And readership jumped from 440,000 to over 1 million, according to the Latino Print Network, a California group that tracks the growth of Hispanic publications.

The audience-whether for print or broadcast--ranges from new immigrants looking for
news from home to generation ñ who want to stay plugged into the latest music and cultural trends.

The growth is just as dramatic on the airwaves. Spanish-language radio grew from 562 stations in 2000 to 775 in 2005. The number is expected to increase over the next year as radio executives push to attract young Latino listeners. One major radio chain recently announced it planned to switch some 20 stations from English to Spanish, featuring Hispanic Urban, or "hurban" formats that blend reggaeton with pop and hip hop.

As conclusive and impressive as the demographic data are--ultimately they are only numbers. For Latinos, the attraction to Spanish-language media springs from a fundamental reality. In Spanish Language Media Hispanics can find what no one else provides--stories about themselves in their own language. When you understand this, then understand how the medium is also helping to preserve and promote the use of the Spanish language beyond first and second generation Hispanics. And you come to the quick realization, why the Spanish Language is here to stay.

Source: Hispanic Ad