Prepare for your career in Hispanic Media Broadcasting!

M&SMediaPrepareCareerHispanicMediaBroadcasting In many ways, Hispanic media outlets are no different than non-Hispanic media outlets. The broadcasting process is the same. Radio stations and television news are organized the same. The same laws that apply to other broadcast or media outlets still apply to Hispanic ones, too.

Yet, it’d be incorrect to say that Hispanic media is exactly the same as other TV, radio, or digital outlets. That’s because the culture and history of Hispanic broadcasting set it apart. The challenges of bilingual or Spanish-language broadcasting also help to differentiate Hispanic media from others.

Those who build a career in Hispanic media or broadcasting often feel a fuller connection to their culture. They can become a centerpiece to their community in ways that those in non-Hispanic media careers cannot. To better understand how you can build your career in Hispanic broadcasting, it helps to know the history, the modern trends, and the necessary skills that will allow you to grow personally and professionally.

A Brief History of Hispanic Broadcasting and Newspapers

The history of Hispanic media in the United States dates back to the early 1800s with the first bilingual newspaper. This began a boom in bilingual and Spanish-language publications, and these newspapers were key factors in the exposure of racism and oppression the Hispanic community faced.

As an increasing number of immigrants from Spanish-speaking countries arrived in the country, the number of newspapers and publications grew exponentially. Soon, there were over 200 newspapers available throughout the United States, many of which were published daily.

This led to many English-language newspapers realizing there was an untapped audience. To expand their base of readers, it became common for publications to start their own Spanish-language edition of the news or include sections in their daily newspaper specifically written for the Hispanic community.

You can see the same historical trend lines in Hispanic radio stations and, later, digital media outlets. Spanish-language radio stations started in Los Angeles and San Antonio in the 1920s, only for the number of stations to explode throughout the mid-century.

Modern Hispanic Media Trends

The modern trends that define media, such as the slow-rolling decimation of newspaper and magazine publications, apply to Hispanic media, too. For instance, over the past decade, the largest Spanish-language daily publications have seen massive declines in their circulation numbers.

Yet, digital media is quite picking up the slack as it is with English-language readers and media consumers. While major online outlets like BuzzFeed and YouTube have established channels or partner websites to attract Hispanic consumers, these new additions to the media market are still largely written or produced in English.

This hits one of the two key divides facing the future of Spanish-language digital media: a preference for the younger members of the Hispanic community to consume media in English and a significant lack of older Spanish-language speakers to regularly utilize the internet.

However, if the trends of TV, radio, and news continue with digital online publications, this means there’s a real opportunity for growth within the industry. Those in younger demographics will age and create a more unified Hispanic presence on digital and social media.

With a career in Hispanic broadcasting, it’s possible for those looking to grow their careers and be a community resource that continues to fight hatred and racism. There’s also the ability to help cross the gaps between English and Spanish-speaking members of the Hispanic community. Young members of the Hispanic community can help drive the future of Hispanic digital broadcasting and media, as long as they have the necessary training to do so.