Latino journalists will have the opportunity to exhibit their original content at the Hispanicize conference April 9-13 in Miami in a new initiative that is attempting to do away with the old rules of the media market.
Manny Ruiz, founder and director of Hispanicize, has hardly slept these last few days, what with organizing this most ambitious conference, in which Latin culture will be reflected in all its glory.
Social media, journalism, music, film, and much more in a display that will include dozens of leaders under the attentive gaze of marketing and Public Relations executives from U.S. companies.
Difficulties experienced by the Hispanic media
A former Miami Herald reporter, Manny Ruiz is thoroughly familiar with the difficulties experienced by the Hispanic media. In addition to the general crisis in the sector there are the difficulties Hispanic journalists encounter when trying to enter the mainstream media.
The new technologies and the impact of Social Media now make it possible for “journalists to promote their careers offering original content in multimedia formats”, said Ruiz to VOXXI.
“Journalism is being thoroughly transformed, and Hispanicize wants to pave the way for Latino journalists to demonstrate their creativity,” he added.
The big initiative has been received with surprise and finally with a enthusiasm response by bloggers and reporters ready to attend the conference.
Veronica Villafañe, Editor and Publisher of Media Moves, said “when Manny Ruiz first told me he was launching a journalism showcase I was skeptical, because there are already established journalism organizations that do their own yearly events. But I think his initiative is a promising one for many journalists who are considering building their own media platforms, where they can create what they want, when they want to”.
“Including sessions for journalists opens the door to exploring other aspects of media and connect with potential sponsors for entrepreneurial projects. I would describe Hispanicize as a cross-pollination hub of media ideas”, said Villafañe.
“There’s a lot journalists can learn from what bloggers are doing out there, how they can create their own media platforms and hopefully make it a sustainable business, particularly in this age of traditional media downsizing”.
“Hispanicize might not be for everyone, but right now, there’s a lot of excitement around the event. Many journalists I know want to be a part of it. And if you look at who’s sponsoring the event, including media companies Telemundo, MundoFox and ESPN Deportes, without a doubt, they must be considering that this is the way to move forward, otherwise, they wouldn’t be a part of it”.
Latino media will continue to evolve
Hugo Balta, director of the National Association of Hispanic Journalist (NAHJ), considers that Latino media will continue to evolve (similarly to all media), driven by new technology with new pro and cons.
“Advances make the access to and distribution of content much easier and faster. I think more journalists shaping content via traditional and new media is exciting and concerning”, he said.
“It’s exciting because more voices are always good for the community. It’s concerning because the filters to ensure fairness and accuracy in reporting are not as established as in traditional media. With that said, I encourage journalists to write blogs, create websites…use the digital platform to connect with and empower our community”, he added.
Excitement shares by Manny Ruiz who sees the Hispanicize 2013 edition as one of the most ambitious Latino events of the year.
Originally published on VOXXI as Hispanicize wants to pave the way for Latino journalists
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