The Center for American Progress (CAP) and America’s Voice hosted a panel
entitled “Spanish-Language Media and the Issues that Move Latino Voters.” The event
included some of the major players from the Spanish-Language press: María Elena
Salinas, Co-Anchor for Noticiero Univisión; Teresa E. Frontado, Online Editor for
El Nuevo Herald; Henrik Rehbinder, Editorial editor for La Opinión; and Samuel Orozco,
Executive Producer and Host of “Línea Abierta” on Radio Bilingüe.
America’s Voice Blog [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=hlnfsnbab&et=1104790513929&s=18766&e=001Tmp4y3DLnmpSElctZjRYoX1SoGWlp23CvRbvmskVcvM3euIuzKHNp7VoJlYkq-iiH0ENGM1e-Eel66jpC4Pjz8LjM7CDTXGgmefxzsavEfcvtkKTslFG3aumhV-aMOxEwlcx_mpMc9BHPQmMoWeZ6H9of_I29cYMMEASYTZ7d9z3111eqEDjnuq14nG3IdMoILYGmh1pAU7pNvGM-3GR4Q==]
(February 28, 2011)
Frank Sharry [Founder and Executive Director of America’s Voice [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=hlnfsnbab&et=1104790513929&s=18766&e=001Tmp4y3DLnmoA1uvyWx4QiQYHCC7VY5MlnlX3j3zcHdCrAudNjTQZ7Nufdf1GpvyM-vckdJgBWjvNJBGVTfDWbRXBOBF4zLyCrDuN8VKnWBlF7cK-R5uv0Nw3YP5nwJIra216-J1WwDq6z-chmPgLMemyeDD_Ok82uUR93SJHOICdt2BUvW0qYGh20EROnRjL-MbetkIvpjY=]]
kicked off the event noting that Latino voters are not only the fastest growing
demographic in the U.S. – they are the fastest growing voting demographic. Spanish-language
media is “hugely influential” with this demographic, according to Sharry, yet many
in DC still fail to understand the reach and impact of the Spanish-language media.
Perhaps now would be a good time for some politicians to start paying attention.
Consider the facts:
1.Since the last Census in 2000, the Latino population in America has grown dramatically,
and Latinos have become the largest minority group in the United States. In fact,
Latinos are responsible for 51% of the United States’ population growth from 2000
to 2009.
2.While Latino Voters mostly vote democrat, there is a significant segment (foreign-born,
naturalized U.S. citizens, who represent [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=hlnfsnbab&et=1104790513929&s=18766&e=001Tmp4y3DLnmoA1uvyWx4QiQYHCC7VY5MlnlX3j3zcHdCrAudNjTQZ7Nufdf1GpvyM-vckdJgBWjvNJBGVTfDWbRXBOBF4zLyCrDuN8VKnWBlF7cK-R5uv0Nw3YP5nwJIra216-J1WwDq6z-chmPgLMemyeDD_Ok82uUR93SJHOICdt2BUvW0qYGh20EROnRjL-MbetkIvpjY=]
40% of the Latino voter population), which has proven to be a true swing constituency.
3.In the 2008 presidential election, approximately 10 million Latinos voted (around
9% of the electorate), an increase of roughly 2.5 million voters from 2004 and nearly
4 million from 2000.
4.In 2008, Latino voters helped swing four key states in 2004 to Obama (Colorado,
Florida, Nevada and New Mexico). In 2010, Latinos’ strong turnout, especially in
the West, was widely credited attributed [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=hlnfsnbab&et=1104790513929&s=18766&e=001Tmp4y3DLnmrUOQLut5vp3VireKWbGapltrHQ_PXbzSmKLE8PO00W3V3VE8gvV5wYdcto9uKjybj8K5WquJqIk1G9JX6rFTtpwzB9-r1RLNJ_hbtmghTuwiFoK_VZNE32n0_O13KCHu1U0sVdYGlbxxsF3K3UiPQz]
to saving the Senate and turning out in record numbers [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=hlnfsnbab&et=1104790513929&s=18766&e=001Tmp4y3DLnmpbRVxQ6D3AYBPWRgwRqPPK2IB_iFNlyLwF_WRY93d30B9CKf-w0MHI0v4ZZaKxM_68mvnP5ftsXF9JM2qBB3Z5W6mXq5siMbf2Pl-bX3qsBg9rD5PJMMsMCb3JUqUezvLwnJWdCl-fw-n5BmPj0ss9zno7yyCN8w-q9Ghz-0xXsjWNtWn-by_hVB3Fm0LDEhjslY9GSW6dLEQhAwLxL2WS].
For the Hispanic community, the Spanish Language media serves as a powerfully influential
guide by providing Latino Voters with information to the issues that they care about
– one of which happens to be immigration. Recently, polling by impreMedia and Latino
Decisions shows that 47% of Latino voters rank immigration as their top issue. The
economy and education follow with 34% and 20%, respectively. What politicians shouldn’t
be forgetting, but so often do, is that consumers of Spanish language media may
be, in part, immigrants, but they also happen to be voters. As panelist Henrich
Rehbinder pointed out:
Latinos are socially conservative, economically liberal. But GOP rhetoric is pushing
them away, and Democrats ignore them once in power.
Teresa Frontado of ElNuevoHerald.com impressed upon the audience the numbers, pointing
out the large number of Latino voters who are paying attention. Her outlet alone
has a readership of 230,000-280,000 readers in an area where 60% of the population
is Hispanic – and pointedly let us know that the number is growing. Samuel Orozco
also pointed out that more than 800 radio stations across USA cater to Latinos in
Spanish. That’s been a 1000% growth over the last 25 years.
On the issue of politics, Orozco explained that Latino support for Obama is complicated
because his administration is deporting so many people. As America’s Voice has reported
[http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=hlnfsnbab&et=1104790513929&s=18766&e=001Tmp4y3DLnmraGHVKcszEQlw4g7bNZxOWnB0OafhTGezv37Fkq8Zr6K4x-UPOPa_ZwGQsyXveU3yGQGAtLkeuKYz-g5lmA7nTBFYbtzqC6oFiKnNT1Oblvx14VEMVFOtJaDcelZItvLkTRZDREq0YP0zwrjiMQ6GnWXa8TGlLpf1vLUd52qPvjmsrPPRVMe-GMZx6GgO6T3hWppeU7rAuIbGlEsEG__EQv0v_JEv0tfE16xjHAmzaAg==],
the number of deportations in 2010 totaled over 400,000 a year, which is more than
the previous administration’s number. Orozco thinks its the issue of deportation
makes “them waver” with Obama and Democrats.
María Elena Salinas, one of Univision’s most distinguished anchors, noted the growing
influence of Spanish-Language media by relating to the audience about her own life
as a journalist. Twenty years ago, as a young Hispanic-American anchor, she was
always told to make a career working at an English network. There was “no future”
in Spanish Language Media, she was told. Today, that’s not the case. As Salinas
points out, major US publications and [smart] politicians are all catering to their
Hispanic audiences by producing material in Spanish. When it comes to the political
clout Spanish Language Media carries, she points out:
“The doors of the White House are open to us and they come knocking at our doors.”
There’s been a growth of the Latino community “in so many ways” – not just size,
but political power. She also said, hopefully one day the influence of Latinos
will translate into the respect the community deserves.
For a play-by-play of the conversation, check out our live tweets [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=hlnfsnbab&et=1104790513929&s=18766&e=001Tmp4y3DLnmrVKuOcnwvqrHTlQ5GaE4sG1HGe0iCK4SKh2ukEyDPjsh6TBDXr318IjGTr-YeW47XhXjN0Nbmciq4FyXOVcAk8EtzAYT6aYEWd4UPPdgGtFSOLbL7iAC72]
of the event.
By Mahwish Khan
This information was posted by the National Institute for Latino Policy (NiLP)
101 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10013
800-590-2516
info@latinopolicy.org [mailto:info@latinopolicy.org]
www.latinopolicy.org [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=hlnfsnbab&et=1104790513929&s=18766&e=001Tmp4y3DLnmpBS2997n3TZ_nVJ6sJXGz-XV5d-EpOa8if_a-5zsyw3CAeYk7wGKhTrjaX_3TEu4ohTaltS0SkUpJptJbEJVSbxPWmFctP5t5qSouhumkixg==]
José R. Sánchez
Chair
Angelo Falcón
President