Last Updated: December 29, 2000
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Diversity
Alabama newspaper aims De Nosotros pages at growing
Spanish-speaking population
Spanish-speaking residents of Franklin County, Ala., now have a reason
to read the TimesDaily on Fridays.
Beginning in May, the newspaper has inserted a two-page product called
De Nosotros (About Us) in papers distributed in Franklin County, where
health department officials estimate the Hispanic population has grown
to 20 percent in recent years. Workers and their families have been attracted
by jobs in the area’s poultry industry.
“The original idea first surfaced during newsroom discussions in the
wake of the Time-Out for Diversity project,” managing editor Noel Nash
said. “While everyone liked the idea, the trick was to find a way to do
it with existing resources.”
Nash made contact with a language professor at the local college who
agreed to translate the material as a public service to get the project
started. Sales representatives discussed the idea with potential advertisers
and a prototype was developed. The concept was to provide useful information,
so considerable space was devoted to community announcements.
So far, the response has been difficult to gauge, though local people
who work with Hispanic residents say it is reaching its targeted audience
and has been well-received. There even has been some interest in running
paid obituaries in Spanish as a part of De Nosotros.
Public officials, particularly those involved with social services,
have been enthusiastic supporters of the effort. They see a growing need
for a way to get important information to this segment of the community.
News articles in De Nosotros have touched on the 2000 Census, a new
state law requiring auto liability insurance and the value of prenatal
care. Most of the stories also appear in the regular newspaper, though
some have been written specifically for the Spanish-speaking audience.
Efforts are continuing to find better ways to reach potential Hispanic
readers. Right now, rack cards announce the Friday insert and fliers have
been placed at poultry plants, churches, social service agencies and government
offices.
“While this endeavor might be unique, it actually goes to the very heart
of our mission,” Nash said. “We want our pages to reflect the diverse community
in which we live.”
— K.S.
