Spanish- and English-language Local Television Coverage of Politics and the Tendency to Cater to Latino Audiences

Abstract

Congressional mandates, federal regulatory policy, local broadcasters, and democratic ideals agree that local media should present local news in a way that adequately represents (and ideally unifies) local communities. But how do local broadcasters determine the composition of their local community? And is their portrayal of the community consistent with the ideals of representative democracy? Through one of the first systematic examinations of Spanish- and English-language local television newscasts, the authors find that general market media attention to Latino audiences is a function of the characteristics of the target audience, the size of the media market, the interaction of market size and market characteristics, and the degree of competition between local stations. The results, however, also indicate that even under the most optimal circumstances, general market outlets provide minimal coverage of minority interests. The implications for localism in broadcasting, democratic representation, and the nature and quality of political information reaching citizens and noncitizens alike are also discussed.