La Opinión

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Despite the recession and fluctuations in the economy, the Hispanic media industry in the United States has grown dramatically in the last year. A new study found that television and radio saw the biggest gains.

    The report, released Monday by the Pew Hispanic Center, noted that even in print media — where newspapers printed in English have suffered heavy losses — Spanish-language newspapers were stable. Though the figures vary according to the type of publication (daily, weekly or monthly), they were more positive than the year before and better than their English-language counterparts. In addition, the report indicated that audited daily circulation for Spanish-language print media increased nearly 2 percent, reaching over one million readers. English-language newspapers, meanwhile, saw a 5 percent decrease in weekly circulation between March and September 2010. This sector also experienced a decline of 4 percent in earnings.

    “Overall it looks like there has been a lot of development and growth in Hispanic media. They are adapting to changes in a population that is becoming more bilingual and younger,” said Amy Mitchell, an analyst with the Pew Hispanic Center.

    The study also found a multimedia approach and the establishment of strategic partnerships were some of the most important advancements for Spanish-language print media in the U.S. It noted newspapers were moving toward products with bilingual content to expand their audiences. The report used the work of companies like Impremedia as an example.

    “We have successfully repositioned ourselves as a full multimedia company. Over the past six months, our audience grew by 22 percent, our print edition increased by 7 percent and we doubled our online growth, reaching 109 percent over the same period,” said Monica Lozano, CEO of ImpreMedia.

    “We are fundamentally a content company. Our intimate knowledge of the Hispanic community and its increase is a sign of a strong and prosperous future for us. We know that the Latino consumer is different and wants to receive content in a platform of their choice, which is why we are committed to creating and distributing printed material, digital telephone, video and social media,” added Lozano. “We are aware of the multi-generational and multilingual nature of our community, and that is why we have deliberately targeted the creation of content in English and in Spanish.”

    The Pew Hispanic Center report found sustained growth in the television and radio industries, which was partly due to the 3 percent increase in the number of Hispanic households with a television in February. Experts see a bright future for Spanish-language television. Univisión and Telemundo are projected to have an advertising revenue of nearly $1.5 billion between 2010-2011. Univisión’s total revenue alone reached over $2 billion last year, nearly 14 percent more than in 2009.

    “People who speak Spanish consume more television in that language, as well as 25 percent of bilinguals,” said Mitchell. “Another trend we’ve seen in newspapers, television and the Internet is a movement toward products with bilingual content to expand their audiences,” she said.

    The number of Spanish-language radio stations increased to 1,323, showing a growth of 8 percent from the previous year. For magazines, the study estimated a 5 percent increase in advertising revenue. Among online media, Univisión ranked as the most visited website, and ImpreMedia ranked tenth with 392,000 visitors.