Election Raising Stakes for Spanish-Language TV
Latino voters could play a deciding role in this year’s presidential election, raising the stakes for Spanish-language television networks eager to solidify their role as the voice of a vital community.
For years, leading Spanish-language broadcasters Univision Communications Inc.and Telemundo, a unit of media giant NBCUniversal, have pushed for a higher profile and larger slice of the advertising pie. These broadcasters have approached past political election seasons with high expectations — only to be disappointed.
This year, however, could be their breakthrough moment.
“We are seeing more interest than we ever have in the past,” Univision Networks President Cesar Conde said in an interview. “The candidates want to proactively reach out and speak to this community. It makes sense: The path to the White House is through the Hispanic vote.”
With more than 50 million Latinos in the U.S., the TV outlets have become more relevant to candidates. An estimated 12 million Latinos are expected to vote in November, representing a 20% increase from four years ago. Polls show a majority prefer President Obama.