Youth, tech should shape your Latinx voter efforts

As public media evolves to meet the demands of a digital-first audience, leaders are grappling with ensuring culturally resonant content. From personalized news delivery to automated translations, public radio and television are at a critical juncture.

Streaming, social, digital, elections and AI are increasingly conversations in public media when it comes to diverse audience engagement. So, OIGO on LinkedIn will expand the focus a little more onto these topics, as public media leaders like you are grappling with these questions.

Two recent subjects of note for you. ??

?? Tech and diverse audiences

AI technology is increasingly being integrated into everyday products by major companies like Apple, Meta, and Google. This integration is transforming how news and information are consumed, necessitating a shift towards more interactive news delivery, as highlighted by Nikita Roy .

In a piece last week in Poynter, there are use-case encouragements, and a lot of promise for connecting with diverse audiences before November. There is peril as well. ??

Related: new Reuters research on public attitudes about AI in journalism.

AI's influence in journalism extends beyond mere content creation to include workflow optimization, analytics and enhancing audience engagement through tools like chatbots and summarizers. There is also an emerging focus on using AI for translation services, which holds significant promise for reaching diverse audiences effectively.

This is particularly relevant for the Latinx community, which is increasingly consuming media in Spanish. The cultural resonance of figures like Bad Bunny highlights the growing importance of Spanish for public media, offering new opportunities to connect with listeners, readers and viewers.

However, as the election year intensifies, the challenge of misinformation looms large. In AI-generated content, especially in languages other than English, maintaining nuance and context is critical. Organizations like Factchequeado are at the forefront of addressing these challenges.

How technology in an election year touches your Black, Asian and Hispanic communities will be something to watch, as well as scale your efforts to address.

?? Young Latinos and engagement

Speaking of campaigns, a Pew Research Center survey from April reveals that higher engagement in election coverage now than during the same period in 2020. The data is also important because it provides context for understanding the broader behaviors of Latine consumers, who are part of these national trends.

Latinos, as a significant and young demographic, show media engagement patterns influenced by age, cultural background, and bilingual needs. Latinx preferences can shift election narratives and influence media strategies.

Of note, how different age groups and political affiliations interact with election news indicate disparities. ?? Older adults are more engaged, with 82 percent of those 65 and older following closely, compared to only 34 percent of the 18-29 age group. Younger individuals are also less likely to actively seek out political news.

A couple of areas to keep an eye on. ??

A majority of younger adults are more likely to get their news from non-traditional sources like celebrities and social media personalities. There are also partisan differences in news consumption habits and perceived weariness of coverage, with Republicans less likely to feel overwhelmed by the election news compared to Democrats. The Republican/Democrat divide will be one to watch, especially as more Hispanics view election issues like border security as a crisis.

These trends should shape your diverse engagement, digital and social strategies as we ramp up for Election Day. ??

?? Finalmente

Thanks to everyone who attended my Listening Post Collective and Public Media Innovators talks on AI and journalism and DEI. I expect these communities will have slides and recordings posted shortly.