Free Press Report Examines the Absence of Political Ads on Spanish-Language TV
WASHINGTON — On Friday, Free Press released Missing Out: Political Ads, Spanish-Language TV and the Latino Vote, a report analyzing political ad spending in the battleground states of Colorado, Florida and New Mexico.
Political ad buys have skyrocketed to record-breaking levels nationwide, and much of that money is being spent in swing states, particularly by Super PACs and other third-party groups. But in the three states studied, Free Press found that few political ads have aired on Spanish-language stations. Free Press inspected political files at Spanish-language stations in these markets and interviewed a variety of Latino leaders, media analysts and political experts.
Free Press Senior External Affairs Director Joseph Torres made the following statement:
“While Latino voters will play a critical role in the presidential race, both the campaigns and third-party groups have generally ignored Spanish-language advertising. This dynamic raises important questions about both the benefits and harms of these largely negative and misleading ads.
“English-language broadcast stations have consistently failed in their responsibility to report on the third-party groups pouring money into their coffers. If Spanish-language political ad spending increases in the years to come, what will it mean for Latino voters?”
Read the full report here:
http://www.freepress.net/sites/default/files/resources/Missing_Out_paper_final_11.2.12.pdf
