Latino USA: Constructing a news and public affairs radio program

The development of Latino USA, a news and information public radio program about Latino issues, is the focus of this paper. From a Gramscian theoretic al framework three primary factors-economics, demographics and technology-a re examined which may have contributed to the creation of Latino USA. The n eed for public radio, at both the network and local level, to increase its funding in the 1980s led to more diverse programming. Simultaneously, a red istribution of income within the Latino community in the U.S. created a seg ment of the Latino population attractive to public radio managers. Finally, changes in communication technologies made possible the production of a ma gazine format program at lower costs.