Hispanics, New Political Muscle, in Whatever Language

 

WASHINGTON (By Brian Stelter, NYT) November 1, 2010 — As part of the Democratic get-out-the-vote campaign, President Obama gave an interview to a Spanish-language radio show that was broadcast last Monday — and just for good measure, his wife, Michelle, followed up a few days later.

The Obamas’ twin appearances on “Piolín por la Mañana,” heard across the country on Univision Radio, are a testament to the ballooning political power of the Spanish language news media, and in particular to the power of Univision, which owns the biggest Spanish-language television and radio outlets in the United States.

Univision says it does not favor any political party. Regardless, analysts say the company is exerting significant influence both on local elections and on the national debate about immigration — in part by encouraging Hispanics to cast a ballot.

In commercials and on its Web site, Univision tells its audience, “Vota, es tu derecho,” or “Vote, it is your right.” Some of the commercials also promote a voter information phone line. Conversely, last month the network rejected an advertisement that urged Hispanics not to vote in the midterm elections.

César Conde, president of Univision Networks, said Spanish-language outlets had been focusing on the importance of voting because they had a responsibility to “make sure our community in the U.S. maximizes its potential.”

Federico Subervi, a communications professor at Texas State University and the author of “The Mass Media and Hispanic Politics,” said Univision bulked up its election coverage in 2008 — that year, it sponsored two presidential primary debates — and again in 2010. Univision’s chief (but much smaller) competitor, Telemundo, has done the same, with a get-out-the-vote campaign this year called “Tu Voto, Tu Futuro,” or “Your Vote, Your Future.”

Underscoring just how seriously it is taking the elections, Univision’s coverage is titled “Destino 2010,” or “Destiny 2010.” On Tuesday, it will run news updates every half-hour starting at 1 p.m. Eastern time, when polls are still open across the country. English-language networks generally do not start election news updates until 8 p.m.

Because there are relatively few Spanish-language outlets in the United States, Univision wields a more influential megaphone than its English-language counterparts.

Merely by spending more time on its newscasts on campaign issues like immigration that are especially meaningful to its audience, Univision affects the debate on those issues, Mr. Subervi said. Univision has heavily promoted itself as being, as it once said in a news release, on the “forefront of the national debate” about reform, particularly after Arizona passed a stringent new law to police immigrants. In May, the network devoted half a day to live protest coverage, held a prime time debate about the law and brought its Sunday public affairs program “Al Punto” to Phoenix.

On Univision, reporters never refer to “illegal aliens,” opting instead for “undocumented immigrants.” It is a matter of sensitivity, news executives say.

“We pride ourselves on presenting all points of view on immigration,” said Alina Falcon, the president of Univision News. “That said, we do look out for the interests of our community. We do provide a platform for the exposition of unique problems for our community.”

When Mr. Obama came on Univision Radio, the host Eddie Sotelo pretended to let him pick the first topic. The options he said, were “A, immigration reform; B, immigration reform; C, immigration reform; or D, all of the above.”

The president chose D, and proceeded to say that Republicans were unwilling to “step up” and help pass a comprehensive reform bill.

 

Mr. Obama called on the Univision listeners to vote, and in the process, gave some fodder to critics. “If Hispanics sit out the election instead of saying, ‘We’re going to punish our enemies and we’re going to reward our friends who stand with us on issues that are important to us,’ if they don’t see that kind of upsurge in voting in this election, then I think it’s going to be harder” to pass immigration reform, he said.

Conservatives like Representative John A. Boehner, the House Republican leader who hopes to be the next speaker, pounced on the “punish our enemies” line, and on Monday Mr. Obama said in an English-language radio interview “I probably should have used the word ‘opponents’ instead of ‘enemies.’ ”

Immigration is just one part of Univision’s news diet, and lately the network has been noticed for its campaign coverage. It has hosted the chairmen of both political parties on its Sunday morning public affairs program and sponsored news-making debates in the governors’ races in Florida and California.

Mr. Conde said a growing number of candidates had come to recognize the Hispanic electorate “is becoming a swing vote.” Democrats of all stripes have granted Univision’s interview requests, but so too have many Republicans, including Gov. Jan Brewer of Arizona and Carly Fiorina, the California Senate candidate.

Mr. Subervi noted Univision had given extensive coverage to a wave of campaign ads casting immigrants in a negative light. One ad, by the Republican Senate candidate in Nevada, Sharron Angle, showed men who appear to be Hispanic carrying guns, huddling against a wall and posing for mug shots. He said ads like Ms. Angle’s are “gaining the attention of Univision, Telemundo and other media, and infuriating Hispanics enough to vote against that person.”