Con Acento Latino - Español para extranjeros

(June 16, 2011).- Social media — with its emphasis on connecting communities — is helping the growth of Spanish-language media, said a panel of broadcasting executives at the NAHJ Newsmaker Luncheon on Thursday.

There are currently 400 Spanish-language newspapers and magazines in print, and that number is growing, said the panelists at “A View from the Top: The Impact of Spanish-language News Media.”

When asked by the moderator if that trend would continue, Monica Lozano, CEO at Impremedia, answered, “I’m optimistic… the Spanish language will persevere over time.”

Lozano, who said her company would be expanding and hiring, said it is important to have local talent in order to produce rich content. But it is also important to seek talent from all over.

Eduardo Zavala, president of ZGS Group, said that it is crucial to be committed to the audience that news organizations serve.

His company produces the only Spanish-language news station in El Paso, Texas, that broadcasts in high definition. He attributes the success of the news station to the conflict in Juarez, Mexico. ZGS’s next stop will be producing a Spanish-language station in San Antonio.

Lozano said that Spanish-language media should continue to focus on social media platforms. “This is where our community is going,” he said.

According to the panel, 30 million U.S. Hispanics use online media, 30 percent of whom speak Spanish at home.