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After years of layoffs, closures, and declining ad revenue, struggling media publications may be getting a lifeline from a completely unexpected place: the nation’s vibrant immigrant communities. In search of new audiences, some media outlets are now publishing stories in an expanding array of foreign languages. And, in search of more engagement and reach, they are experimenting with new hyper-local social platforms where they can connect, share, and engage with these communities.
Documented: A brief case study
One media publication doing this very well Is Documented, which has embraced the idea of “immigrant-focused journalism.” After a comprehensive series of community feedback sessions, the publication settled on a new approach to journalism that reflects the current reality in America’s immigrant neighborhoods. Given the expanding Chinese immigrant population, they are embracing a Chinese-focused social media platform – WeChat – to share content. And given the surging numbers of immigrants from the Caribbean and Latin America, they are publishing content in both Spanish and Creole.
According to Documented, they are already seeing a huge boost in their metrics. They now have 100,000 users, and many of these are not English-speaking. And, given all their focus on the day-to-day economic concerns of immigrants – such as where to pick up prepaid debit cards being offered by the government – they are seeing a spike in engagement. While they acknowledge that they might not be running the types of stories that lead to Pulitzer prizes, they are serving a very real need in local communities.
Takeaway lessons
There are some good takeaway lessons here. First and most importantly, media publications can thrive by going hyper-local. And, secondly, they can thrive by going where their readers are. If these readers are using platforms like NextDoor for neighborhood-specific content, that’s where they need to be as well.
There’s a reason why small local newspapers have always had readers – everybody likes to read stories about local businesses, local business leaders, and local trends. They want to know when certain local organizations are meeting, or about local road closures. That’s the type of content that national media publications simply can’t offer.
Keep in mind – there have always been news publications offered in foreign languages. If you’ve ever lived in a city like New York or Philadelphia, you’ve probably seen these local newspapers all over the place. Back in the day, they were called “ethnic news outlets.” So maybe it’s just a matter of rebranding to “immigrant-focused journalism” to reflect the nation’s growing surge of new immigrants.
A new business model in the works?
In a best-case scenario, these changes will lead to a new, profitable business model for all media publications, and not just those focusing on immigrant neighborhoods and migrant communities. In this brave new world, an advertising-based model may no longer make sense. So keep your eyes on new steps that small media publications are taking. They may be the first of an entirely new breed of media publication.
