La Raza is primarily Spanish-language newspaper that provides news about and for Chicago’s Hispanic community. During the Accelerator, La Raza defined two key priorities: reaching a younger audience and diversifying revenue streams.
Using a survey developed by Medill, La Raza gathered input from nearly 150 readers and potential audience members.
They found engagement with local news was high, with nearly 80% of respondents reading community news daily. Spanish-speaking readers displayed a particular interest in international news tied to their origins. While over half read in Spanish, one-third read in both languages, revealing a bilingual reader community and the potential to tap into English content.
change in newsletter article layout
increase in La Raza's self-reported leadership competency score at the program's conclusion
overall increase in subscribers since August 1
One of La Raza’s key strategies was revamping its email newsletter to serve all its digital readers. The newsletter went from a list of stories pulled automatically and chronologically from the website to a dynamic newsletter created by staff, with larger photos and engaging features, a letter from the editor and more.
The redesign of the newsletter is more than changing the template of the layout. We analyzed content, topics, frequency and timing.
Jesús Del Toro, La Raza Director General / General Manager & Editor in Chief
By the end of the program, La Raza had also created a pitch for multiplatform, bilingual sponsored/branded content that they plan to pursue. Empowered with new data about their target audiences’ interests, La Raza can better position itself to succeed in a digital future.