Community Engagement Journalism Playbook

Reaching Specific Communities

Spanish-speaking communities

Public media has a unique opportunity to serve Spanish-speaking audiences by providing content and engagement efforts that are culturally relevant and responsive to the needs of this growing community. 

But, public media organizations must be aware of the unique needs and perspectives of this community. Spanish-speaking audiences are diverse in terms of ethnicity, culture, language, and generation, so it is critical to tailor content and engagement efforts accordingly. 

Core competencies

There are many ways that public media can serve Spanish-speaking 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

Knowing 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. 

Community partners

Many public media newsrooms are partnering with Spanish-language media to extend the reach of their product and to find new audiences. Also, partnering with local nonprofits that serve Spanish-speaking communities and co-hosting events and listening sessions will give you insights into coverage needs and interests.

Language

Translations of your own news stories may not be the most effective way to reach these audiences. Some may be Spanish-dominant, and others English-speaking only. Learn about your audience and the language(s) they use.

New types of content and platforms

Provide this community with news and information about issues that are important to them, as well as programming that highlights Latine 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.

It is important to understand that there is no single "Latino experience." Just as there is no monolithic "American experience," there is no one-size-fits-all approach to serving Latino audiences. 

By understanding the key issues facing Spanish-speaking audiences, public media organizations can better serve this community and build strong relationships with prospective members.

Key tips for reaching Spanish-speaking audiences

  1. Get to know the community.

    Talk with local nonprofits and consider partnering with Latine-serving organizations, hosting events and listening sessions that address specific issues affecting Spanish speakers. 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 this audience. Test your content ideas and ask for feedback. Ask how you can help them or answer questions from their base. 

  2. Set objectives.

    Define your goals for reaching Spanish speakers - what do you hope to achieve?

  3. Listen.

    Research your target audience - who are they and what do they want? It is important to understand that there is no single "Latine experience." Just as there is no monolithic "American experience," there is no one-size-fits-all approach to serving Spanish-speaking audiences. Latine audiences may be English-dominant or Spanish-dominant, and may also be bilingual.

  4. Fortify.

    If your goal is to offer content that is relevant to Spanish-speaking audiences’ lives and experiences, featuring stories about Latine culture, issues affecting the Latine community, and news from Latin American countries, do you have the staffing to make this happen? Hire and recruit bilingual staff, with an eye to sustainability. Find out the tools they need to get this work done. Partner with Spanish-language outlets where possible.    

  5. Create.

    Make content that is relevant and useful to the Spanish-speaking audience — offer something of value, which answers questions and/or addresses needs. Make sure you understand which platforms this community uses to get their news and information and tailor your content to those platforms. 

  6. Educate.

    Outreach to Spanish-speaking audiences is essential for public media organizations wanting to remain relevant and become trusted sources of information for this community. Discover what information needs this community has and provide resources to meet those needs. 

  7. Dialogue.

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

Obstacles and challenges

There are several key matters that content staff will confront when trying to reach out to Latine audiences who speak English or Spanish, or who are bilingual.

Language

First and foremost is the question of language. While some Latines are bilingual and can understand both English and Spanish, many 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 particular audience being targeted, content may need to be created in both English and Spanish or presented in a way that is accessible to both groups.

Cultural Context

What values and beliefs are important to Latines in your region? What topics are considered taboo? How can the content be culturally relevant and sensitive? It is also important to consider how Latine audiences might react to certain types of content. For example, some might find humor in sarcasm while others might not understand it. Keeping these topics in mind will help content staff better reach Latine audiences with their message.

Generational and socioeconomic status

Some Latines may not have the same access to technology or media as those in other groups. Care must be taken to ensure that content is accessible and understandable. Public media may be a foreign concept, so efforts should be made to educate the audience about who you are, what you do and your model.

Content in non-English languages

Translating stories is a public service and a form of intentional engagement. Before you translate anything, do some research to learn what stories would be most useful to the community you’re trying to reach. Consider, too, whether translation is needed or if your newsroom needs to cover stories differently to better serve culturally diverse audiences.

“The best way to reach Hispanic/Latino audiences may not be in Spanish,” said Hugo Balta, President of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. “Start with understanding the diversity of the audience, [their] nuances the same way if reporting to African American or LGBTQ audiences.”

America Amplified partner stations translated English reporting on COVID-19 into Spanish. America Amplified provided the centralized support and funding to hire one full-time translation and interpretation professional and two full-time bilingual teachers.

Evaluate your translation work with your community partners and your translators. Include your translators in conversations about how to effectively reach Spanish-speaking (and other language) community members.

In addition to expanding the reach of essential health information, translation was a first step for some stations that wanted to cultivate relationships with bilingual or Spanish-only communities and media. KCUR in Kansas City collaborated with Hispanic KC, a bilingual weekly print and digital publication, to share translated content.

Learn about refugee or non-English speaking populations in your own community and find a way to provide translations of important stories and information. In Indianapolis, Side Effects Public Media partnered with Indiana University to provide translations in Hakha Lai for Burmese readers because reporters knew there was a large Burmese population in the city.