In recent years, the demand for accurate and reliable news in Spanish has grown significantly, especially in regions with substantial Hispanic populations. Two radio stations, Texas Public Radio (TPR) and Indiana Public Broadcasting (IPB), recognized this need and embarked on initiatives to provide high-quality news broadcasts in Spanish. Both stations faced the challenge of creating consistent and appealing Spanish-language news content to cater to their diverse communities.

Texas Public Radio (TPR): Filling the News Gap in Spanish

TPR, based in San Antonio, Texas, identified the lack of consistent and comprehensive Spanish news coverage in their region, especially during critical events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and local tragedies like the Uvalde shooting. Part of their coverage area is the Rio Grande Valley and, during COVID, the most popular story was a Spanish language digital story about where to get your vaccines in the valley.  

To tackle this issue, TPR launched a bilingual newscast in April 2020. They partnered with skilled translators and adopted a 'radio plus' approach, combining radio broadcasts with visual elements for social media platforms like YouTube. [Pull a screenshot from this YouTube video for art]

TPR Spanish language newscast on YouTube

Through their efforts, TPR discovered the importance of a balanced mix of news and cultural stories. They recognized the success of their translations but also understood the necessity of evolving their content. TPR is learning as they go along and is responding to what their audience says they want.  Inthe coming months they plan to introduce more free-form bilingual interviews to attract younger listeners.

Indiana Public Broadcasting (IPB): Consistent and Reliable Spanish News

IPB is a statewide public media network in Indiana. Through a series of conversations with bilingual community leaders in South Bend, they identified the lack of consistent local news in Spanish for,, a region with a significant Latino population. The community was not going to public media for their news and information – stories on public media were translated on a sporadic basis and had no place to live on local public media websites.  IPB heard over and over again, “If you are going to do something to serve our community, make it consistent, make it reliable.”  

IPB realized they needed local partners – they began working with a commercial Spanish-language radio station, Radio Sabor Latino and a digital publication, El Puente, to provide weekly Spanish news updates. After launching the weekly newscast in January of 2023, they’ve streamlined the process:

• El Puente chooses three stories to translate from a weekly IPB statewide newscast rundown

• IPB updates and revises the scripts and sends back to El Puente to translate and voice

• Audio files and Spanish scripts are sent to Radio Sabor Latino within 48 hours to air as a weekly Spanish newscast.  

IPB recognized the value of consistency and reliability. By maintaining a regular schedule and involving the community in the content creation process, IPB established trust and engagement. They also understood the need for ongoing evaluation to tailor their content to different generations within the community.

Challenges and Future Directions:

Both TPR and IPB News continue to face challenges such as limited funding for promotion, the need for more partners, and the importance of understanding their audience better. To address these challenges, both stations hope to secure dedicated funding, explore creative ways to showcase their content and conduct in-depth audience research.

Key Takeaways:

• Community-Centric Approach: Both TPR and IPB's success stemmed from their community-centered strategies. They actively engaged with local partners and community members to understand their needs, ensuring that their initiatives were tailored to the specific requirements of the target audience.

• Consistency Builds Trust: Providing consistent and reliable Spanish news content was crucial in building trust within the Hispanic communities. Regular updates and adherence to a schedule created a sense of reliability, leading to increased listenership and engagement.

• Balancing Cultural Relevance: Both stations recognized the importance of balancing news coverage with culturally relevant content. Combining news stories with cultural elements helped them connect with diverse age groups within the community, ensuring their content resonated with a wider audience.

• Adaptability and Continuous Learning: Both initiatives showcased the importance of adaptability. Learning from their experiences, TPR planned to introduce bilingual interviews to cater to younger listeners, while IPB emphasized the need for ongoing evaluation to refine their content based on audience preferences and changing community needs.

• Partnerships and Collaboration: Collaborating with local partners proved to be essential. By working closely with radio stations and translation services, both TPR and IPB not only enhanced the quality of their content but also extended their reach within the community. Such partnerships provided valuable resources and expertise, enriching the overall content delivery process.

• Sustainable Funding and Promotion: Securing sustainable funding sources was identified as a significant challenge. Both initiatives depended on grant funding, highlighting the need for dedicated funding streams for long-term sustainability. Additionally, investing in promotional efforts, such as social media campaigns and community outreach, was deemed crucial to increasing awareness and expanding their audience base.