Listening to Latina/o Youth

Moran (communication studies, University of San Diego) draws on in-depth interviews with young people to report on her respondents' media consumption patterns, within the context of the attention paid to Latina/o youth from mainstream media conglomerates and the impact of this attention on youth. She critiques the tendency of the mainstream media to reify and contain a Latina/o identity that is then sold back to youth in ways that limit Latina/o agency. In contrast, the young people interviewed articulate a hybrid identity highlighting their bicultural experiences. The book introduces current demographics of Latina/os, then discusses the Spanish-language television industry, new bilingual and Latino-themed networks, and bilingual children's programming. Interviews reveal that youth see TV as a way to connect with the culture of Mexico. Annotation c2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Kristin C. Moran is Associate Professor at the University of San Diego in the Department of Communication Studies. She holds a PhD from the University of Washington. Her articles have appeared in the Journal of Children and Media, Journalism: Theory, Practice, and Criticism, Global Media Journal, and others.