Mass Media Orientations among Hispanic Youth

Abstract

This five-city survey of southwestern Mexican American youth focuses on media behaviors, functions and preferences, comparing media orientations of Hispanic boys and girls in the 5th and 10th grades. Both Spanish and English-language media orientations are assessed. Access to media, media use, and media content preferences for television, radio, records and tapes, newspapers, magazines, comic books and movies are detailed, as well as television and newspaper functions. The pattern of findings among these youngsters seems to parallel major external findings regarding boy-girl and age group mass media experience comparisons. The amount of media experience cumulates to about nine hours each school day Spanish-language media are little liked and seldom used.