New Political Muscle, in Whatever Language

A look at the ballooning political power of the Spanish language news media, and in particular Univision, which owns the biggest Spanish-language television and radio outlets in the United States.

Because there are relatively few Spanish-language outlets in the United States, Univision wields a more influential megaphone than its English-language counterparts. Univision says it does not favor any political party. Regardless, analysts say that the company is exerting significant influence both on local elections and on the national debate about immigration -- in part by encouraging Hispanics to cast a ballot. César Conde, president of Univision Networks, said Spanish-language outlets had been focusing on the importance of voting because they had a responsibility to "make sure that our community in the U.S. maximizes its potential." Federico Subervi, a communications professor at Texas State University and the author of "The Mass Media and Latino Politics," said that Univision bulked up its election coverage in 2008 -- that year, it sponsored two presidential primary debates -- and again in 2010. Univision's chief (but much smaller) competitor, Telemundo, has done the same, with a get-out-the-vote campaign.