Latinx Files: How we consume the news

Here’s a fun tidbit that may not come as a surprise to the readers of this newsletter: The majority of Latinxs get their news in English.

That was one of the main takeaways from a Pew Research Center report published Tuesday on the news consumption habits of U.S. Latinxs. Of the 5,708 adults surveyed, 54% said that they get their news mostly in English, compared to 21% who said they consumed news in Spanish and 23% who said they consumed news in both languages equally.

These figures change dramatically when broken down by birthplace origin— 81% of U.S.-born Latinxs surveyed said they mostly get their news in English compared to 26% of immigrants who said the same.

The findings of the Pew report are consistent with ongoing trends that signify a decades-long demographic shift within the U.S. Latinx community, which currently stands at approximately 63.7 million people (or about 1 in 5 Americans). Since the turn of the millennium, people born in the U.S. have fueled much of the growth in the Latinx population— in 2021, about a third (32%) of all Latinxs were immigrants.

“The recent predominance of new births over immigration as a source of Hispanic population growth is a reversal of historical trends,” reads a recent Pew fact sheet. “In the 1980s and the 1990s, immigration drove Hispanic population growth.”

And while Spanish is still a key component of Latinidad and is still spoken by many Latinxs, English proficiency has also grown during this period.

The Pew report also found that most Latinx adults (65%) preferred to stay informed via their digital devices. Among digital platforms, social media (21%), news websites and apps (19%) and search (18%) were the most popular. Nearly a quarter of those surveyed said they preferred television as their main source of news. Radio and print (4% each) were the least popular platforms.

(I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that De Los not only has a website, but we’re also very active on Instagram and TikTok.)

Alarmingly, the report confirmed that Latinxs’ interest in news has declined in recent years. According to the survey, 22% of respondents said they follow news all or most of the time, a drop of nine points since 2020 (31%). According to Pew, “the high share of young adults within the Hispanic population plays a role, because young people are less likely to follow the news closely.” Latinxs are younger than other ethnic or racial groups — the average age is 30.

This drop in interest follows a broader trend nationally— in 2022, only 38% of Americans said they followed the news closely.

You can find the complete Pew report here.

(Jackie Rivera / For The Times; Martina Ibáñez-Baldor / Los Angeles Times)

¡Gracias Nancy!

On Friday, business editor Nancy Rivera Brooks retired after 42 years at The Times. She was part of the historic 1983 “Latinos” series that won the Pulitzer Prize for public service, one of the highest honors in journalism. The collection of stories sought to move away from stereotypes and aimed to paint a more complete picture. The series set the template for how to write for Latinxs, not just about them. Simply put, the Latinx Files wouldn’t be possible without the work that Nancy and the rest of the team did.

Nancy is a trailblazer who is known to be kind, empathetic and gracious with her time. She leaves behind big shoes to fill.

¡Felicidades, Nancy!

Things we read this week that we think you should read

De Los showcase at SXSW brings together love, family and Latinidad

The De Los showcase was among several at the 2024 South by Southwest Music Festival that focused exclusively on Latin music, which had a bigger presence at the event than in previous years.

The San Patricios deserted the U.S. Army to fight for Mexico. To this day, their legacy lives on

A small but mighty troop of mostly Irish-born soldiers would defend their faith and defy the United States, a country where they sought freedom. El batallón de San Patricio, defectors from the U.S. Army, stood in solidarity with Mexico during the Mexican-American War of 1846-1848. Nearly 180 years later, historians, scholars and writers still find themselves engrossed by the story of the San Patricios.

Camila Mendes wants more films about the Brazilian American experience, so she produced one

Camila Mendes says she was drawn to “Música” because it gave representation to the Brazilian American experience. The movie premiered at the 2024 SXSW Film and Television Festival.

Frida Kahlo’s story has been told and retold. A new doc captures the voice of the Mexican painter

In last week’s newsletter, we recommended “Frida,” a new documentary by Carla Gutiérrez now streaming on Prime Video. Frida Kahlo’s story has been told and retold, writes Times arts columnist Carolina Miranda, but there are still pieces of the late Mexican artists left to divulge.

Dodgers’ minor league team unwittingly rebrands with a NSFW name

The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, a Dodgers minor league team, chose “Chaquetas” as an alternate name, then learned of the word’s slang meaning.

Biden courts Latino voters and presses housing affordability, manufacturing in Nevada and Arizona

President Biden, trying to fend off former President Trump in the key swing states of Arizona and Nevada, courts Latino voters and highlights pocketbook issues.

How student housing around USC is transforming a historic Black and Latino neighborhood

Developers have been buying out longtime homeowners in South L.A., transforming a neighborhood west of USC away from single-family homes to modern student housing.

What’s next for the disputed Texas immigration law on hold after whiplash court rulings?

Texas’ controversial immigration law is on hold again after court moves that confounded the Biden administration and spurred outrage from Mexico’s government.

Guess who’s coming to dinner. ‘One of the Good Ones,’ an updated comedy of representation

“One of the Good Ones,” by Gloria Calderón Kellett, co-creator of the rebooted “One Day at a Time,” recently had its world premiere at Pasadena Playhouse. Review by Times theater critic Charles McNulty.