Newspapers are less popular than ever. Some point to the rise of internet media as the cause. Some say the recent scandals of invented sources and outright lying have damaged the credibility of the daily print media. And yet as “minority” populations grow, especially Latino populations, many big city newspapers have launched papers aimed at this audience both in English and in other Languages. Just looking at New York City, the New York Daily News has two separate weeklies, one in English and one in Spanish aimed at the Big Apple’s Latinos.

And just as quickly as Spanish language papers are born, they are being killed. Insiders will cite low advertising rates and a lack of real commitment to people of color communities. A recent East Bay Express article points the finger south of the U.S. border, at outsourcing.

Many Spanish language papers have been doing a sort of inside outsourcing. These offshoots of major city dailies generally have been unwilling to hire an independent staff, relying instead on low priced freelancers or on translated versions of articles already in their English language parent papers. This lack of commitment and investment to community reporting by Latinos and for Latinos is probably the real culprit of sagging numbers and lack of interest. After all if what someone is reading isn’t relevant to them, why read it?

The East Bay Express claims that “Everything that can be farmed out to the Third World eventually will be.” and in the global age we currently live in I agree that this is probably the case. However don’t blame the Third World or convenient brown scapegoats from countries most people forget when it suits them. Point the finger at the head of the editorial and advertising tables who want everything on the cheap so that they can line their pockets. Cultural relevancy is not on their agenda.

Via / East Bay Express