Language and cultural identity in the new configuration of the US Latino TV industry

The gained visibility of US Latina/os as the largest social minority has resulted in the explosive growth of new media institutions within the television industry targeting Latina/ os as never seen before. Even though Spanish-language television corporations are growing and are consolidating their presence in the television landscape, the enthusiasm for the Hispanic market has opened the door for new players, such as new Spanish- and English-language Latino television networks and the incursion of mainstream and global television corporations. In this article we analyze and categorize the new configurations of the Latino-oriented television industry where language and Latina/o identity are a key source of symbolic capital for the national, regional and global players investing in this industry.