In the last two decades, the United States has lost much of its local journalism coverage. Before the year 2000, citizens could count on reporters covering schools, local businesses, municipal decisions, and community events. Today, that reality has changed drastically, according to the Local Journalist Index 2025 report by Rebuild Local News and Muck Rack.
At the national level, the situation is even more complex for the Latino community. There is a significant lack of Latino representation in newsrooms. This means our community often appears in major media outlets as a passive agent or as part of the problem—that is, as either a victim or a perpetrator. Rarely are we portrayed as protagonists in the development of the United States.
Shortage of Journalists
Recent data shows that the country went from 40 journalists per 100,000 residents to just 8.2 local journalist equivalents—a 75% drop. More than 1,000 counties, roughly one-third of the nation, lack even a single full-time journalist. In many other counties, which together are home to 217 million people, coverage falls below that critical average.
This means that in communities of 10,000 people, there are not enough reporters to cover schools, city councils, businesses, and community events. The crisis affects rural areas, large cities, and suburbs alike. For example, in North Carolina, there are only 7.5 local journalists per 100,000 people, which limits coverage mostly to serious crimes, leaving major gaps in education, health, leadership, and community development.
The lack of local journalism also leaves Latinos with limited information about their communities. This reduces the visibility of their needs and achievements, negatively impacting civic participation and access to services.
LatidoBeat: An Innovative Solution
In response to this landscape, the Local Media Association (LMA) launched LatidoBeat, a national platform created with the seven leading Spanish-language digital outlets in the country: La Opinión (Los Angeles), El Diario (New York), La Raza (Chicago), La Prensa de Houston, La Prensa de Orlando, El Comercio de Colorado, and La Noticia (Charlotte).
The project has received an initial investment of $300,000 from the Google News Initiative and aims to strengthen Latino local journalism through collaboration, innovation, and increased visibility. LatidoBeat will serve as a shared content hub, providing relevant Spanish-language news on politics, education, the economy, culture, and local events.
Objectives and Strategic Pillars
LatidoBeat is centered on four pillars:
- Equity: Ensuring Latino communities have access to reliable information.
- Engagement: Increasing participation from local readers and audiences.
- Infrastructure: Supporting collaboration among outlets and improving financial sustainability.
- Visibility: Strengthening the presence of Latino news in the national media landscape.
The Latino Community From Our Perspective
La Noticia joins LatidoBeat, a platform that ensures Latinos receive trustworthy, useful information. In addition, the participating outlets share experience, resources, and credibility, amplifying their impact both locally and nationally.
As Iván Adaime, former CEO of Impremedia, stated:
“These newsrooms are more than media brands — they’re civic institutions. They hold power, trust and local insight. But what’s even more important, is that together, through LatidoBeat, they will fill gaps in markets all over the country, providing valuable Spanish-language news and information on a wide range of topics.”
We invite you to visit: thelatidobeat.com
Find this article in Spanish here.