Broken Spanish: The television audience and the struggle for language and identity

Historically, Spanish-language networks have been able to secure a point of difference by defining their audience as “Spanish-speaking”, but as US Latinos have become a cultural and economic force, mainstream networks have been motivated to establish upstart networks of their own. In this talk I explore how the entry of dominant mainstream players is re-defining the very concept of Hispanic television. Spanish-language networks have traditionally allowed for the possibility of alternative forms of cultural production but the entry of dominant mainstream players poses the risk of greater homogeneity within the marketplace and the reification of social hierarchies. About the Lecturer: Christopher Chávez, Assistant Professor, School of Journalism and Communication, University of Orego