Ethnic Media As Advocates -- Is There a Problem Here?

The success of the demonstrations has prompted a question: Should the media, in this case, Spanish-language news outlets, take on such an unabashed advocacy role?

The answer: Why not? This so-called "advocacy" role is nothing new in the world of ethnic media, which has always served a different purpose and audience than mainstream media.

The ethnic media have always acted as advocates, helping readers navigate life in a new country, mobilizing them, and counteracting racist and other negative images of ethnic communities in the "mainstream" press.

This debate over journalistic ethics was sparked after last weekend's demonstrations were promoted by DJ Eddie "El Piolin" Sotelo, who brought together his on-air competitors. Univision, the Spanish-language television giant, also featured some of its on-air personalities, including anchors, in a promo that ended with the group joining arm in arm, saying in unison, "Unite. Unite. Unite."

The results of the call to action by the Spanish-language media were astonishing. What police thought would be a modest protest March 25 ballooned to an estimated 500,000 people, becoming what may have been the largest demonstration in Los Angeles' history.

Although the success of the call to demonstrate surprised many, ethnic media's "advocacy" has a long and storied history. Hundreds of foreign-language newspapers were published in the United States during the mass migration from Europe to the United States between the late 1880s and early 1920s. These newspapers, among other things, aimed to present their communities in a positive light and to get their readers politically involved.

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