The Importance of Ethnic Media

This week, the New York City Council summoned a hearing to discuss the way the crisis in the media industry is threatening the existence of ethnic news outlets that are vital to minorities.

Because of its relevance and its 103-year trajectory, El Diario was the main focus of the meeting.

We are grateful for the space, preoccupation and respect that New York’s elected officials have granted to an institution whose only mission is to continue giving Latinos a voice, a community that comprises almost 30% of the city’s population.

At the forum, a report from the City’s Comptroller’s Office was released stating that between 2013 and 2015 the local government spent over $20 million in advertising, of which only $2.5 million reached ethnic media. This, in a city where 1.8 million people have limited English-speaking skills and are often the ones in most need of public services.

This is why revising these figures was among the alternatives for the survival of ethnic print media, aiming to allocate a more equitable share in future budgets.

Regarding the changes in strategy that our paper has made in recent years in order to continue operating with the same determination we always have, there was discussion at the hearing about fears that our coverage of local news affecting the Latino community will be affected.

We want to make it clear that, despite the changes we have implemented, El Diario has never lost its essence: The needs of Latinos in the five boroughs are – and will continue to be- our priority.

We have a team of extremely valuable journalists who know every inch of this city because, like most Hispanics, they have walked the same road as every immigrant.

It is no wonder that the National Association of Hispanic Publications gave us the gold medal for Best Spanish Newspaper in the U.S. in 2015.

We hope that hearings such as this week’s will yield concrete results that will allow us to continue our mission of integrity for our community.