Spanish-languaged media getting the jump on English outlets?

[Nate Wesley]

(I also posted this on the 'Spanish' format board; apologies to the moderators if this one proves to be excessive.)

The following AP/Yahoo! News story suggests that mainstream English-language outlets were mostly caught off guard by how organized the immigration protests--protests publicized weeks in advance by Spanish-languaged media, including radio and television:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060328...tJQuk0A;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

To what extent, if any, was the mainstream media 'taking a siesta' with this topic? Could this signify some near obvious need for these mainstream outlets to employ journalists and broadcasters closer to Spanish-speaking audiences?<P ID="signature">______________
Let us live so that 100 years from now, someone may be proud of us.</P>

 

[davideduardo]

> To what extent, if any, was the mainstream media 'taking a
> siesta' with this topic?

Hard to really say, since many of the marches were organized by Spanish radio. The big (500,000 plus) LA march was the idea of the KSCA morning host, who invited his competitors at the other LA Spanish language stations to join him in getting out the markchers. Since the KSCA show is carried in about 20 markets, this spawned other marches in other cities.

The Chicago event earlier in the month was organized by Rafael Pulido, "El Pistolero," morning host on WOJO. It was also a station event.

In essence, the marches were radio station "events" and it is unlikely that general market stations would promote or recognize another station's protest march as newsworthy.

It is only in the aftermath that the outside media realized that the marches were so huge and that the mpornin gguys who put them together had recognized a need to voice a viewpoint and facilitated its happening.

 

[SaltyDog]

> In essence, the marches were radio station "events" and it
> is unlikely that general market stations would promote or
> recognize another station's protest march as newsworthy.

Huh? This wasn't considered newsworthy by other L.A. radio stations? Now that's a funny thought: Radio stations ignoring hundreds of thousands of people protesting because another station put them up to it.

Meanwhile, a couple of dozen war protesters are today's manufactured news du jour.
(Just thought I'd throw in a little French lingo for you Latinos.)<P ID="signature">______________
SD</P>

 

[davideduardo]

> > In essence, the marches were radio station "events" and it
>
> > is unlikely that general market stations would promote or
> > recognize another station's protest march as newsworthy.
>
>
> Huh? This wasn't considered newsworthy by other L.A. radio
> stations? Now that's a funny thought: Radio stations
> ignoring hundreds of thousands of people protesting because
> another station put them up to it.

It was not newsworth until it happened. Prior to the event, the item was on KFWB and KNX and KFI, and on their websites as well... but limited to saying that a march was being called.

Once the march started, and its dimensions known, all the news staitns and TV covered it, just as any other news item. But until the people started arriving, it was not a major news item. It was, simply, a call to march by a DJ at KSCA.
>
> Meanwhile, a couple of dozen war protesters are today's
> manufactured news du jour.
> (Just thought I'd throw in a little French lingo for you
> Latinos.)

An I will bet that the story achieved prominence after they appeared wherever they were going to appear, right? Same in LA and other markets the KSCA morning guy is in.

 

[SaltyDog]

> An I will bet that the story achieved prominence after they
> appeared wherever they were going to appear, right? Same in
> LA and other markets the KSCA morning guy is in.

Actually, I see no connection between the Latino protests and war-related protests. That was a wisecrack about reporters in general. In the case of "Anti-war" protest stories, the stories achieve prominence when the press releases get faxed out.<P ID="signature">______________
SD

"There is nothing more fatal to a man whose business is to think than to have learned the art of regaling his mind with airy gratifications".

- Samuel Johnson</P>