Working Group #2

while sales of salsa famously out-paced those of catsup. As the growth of general-market media stagnated, Hispanic-oriented media, whether English, Spanish or bilingual, thrived. Spanish-language radio stations became market leaders in top markets like Los Angeles and New York. An astronomical increase (2200%) in the sales price of the U.S.-based Univisión network between 1992 ($550 million) and 2006 ($12.3 billion) dramatically demonstrated the increased profitability of Spanish-language television broadcasting. Even during the market downturn since 2008 most Hispanic-oriented media and advertising agencies have suffered less than their general market counterparts (Kuznia, 2009). In light of some bleak prognostications for the future of public service media in the United States, the question arises whether more sustained outreach to Hispanic/Latino audiences might brighten the futures for National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting System (PBS). Of course beyond the economic benefits that might accrue lies the public service remit of meeting the needs and interests of a population that has grown from 35.3 million (12.5 % of the U.S. population) in 2000 to an estimated 47.8 million (15.5%) in 2010 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010). This paper take a first step toward addressing these questions b