Family
Multi-Generational Latino Families Spur Economic Growth
By
Aug 20, 2005, 15:16

(ARA) - As the numbers of multi-generational, bilingual Latino families grow in the United States, so will the demand for the products and services most appropriate to their tastes and needs.
For instance, according to James Johnson, a professor at the University of North Carolina, an uptick in Hispanic homebuyers is expected to drive the nation’s overall future housing growth. An estimated 10 million immigrants will reach their peak home-buying age of about 35 to 44 by 2015. And because Hispanic families often remain tightly knit with grandparents, parents and children of all ages under one roof, many of these homebuyers are requesting finished basements, first floor master bedrooms and accordion-style additions.

Hispanic families are also seeking television programs that blend Spanish and English programming while at the same time satisfying their cultural interests in art and music and their need for local news and international sports.

But lodging a generational spectrum of both Spanish- and English-speaking family members together presents several key challenges, such as finding suitable entertainment options for the entire household. Companies like DISH Network satellite TV are addressing this need and helping extended families stay connected to their heritage.

“More and more Hispanic families will be settling into multi-generational homes over the next few decades,” said Eric Sahl, senior vice president of Programming for DISH Network, which has 11.2 million U.S. customers. “Whether it’s Azteca America’s hit novellas ‘Los Sanchez’ and ‘La Otra Mitad Del Sol’, Gol TV’s soccer or Galavisión’s popular family program ‘El Chavo,’ our DISH Latino programming speaks to the cultural and entertainment needs of the entire family.”

According to a recent Census Bureau report, Hispanics accounted for half the 2.9 million U.S population growth from 2003 to 2004. That trend is expected to continue due to immigration and a Hispanic birth rate that surpasses other minorities and whites.

Launched in August 1999, DISH Latino has expanded its reputation as a pioneer of Hispanic programming in the pay-TV industry and remains the leader in the nation’s Hispanic TV-viewing market while cable companies are still struggling to catch up.

DISH Latino’s bilingual television options enhance viewers’ entertainment experiences and, perhaps more importantly, encourage a multicultural look at current events. With more than 30 purely Spanish channels and nearly 200 English-language Hispanic channels, every member of the household can enjoy programming that matters most to them – including a family-sized lineup of news, sports, sitcoms and musical entertainment – in their preferred language.

A recent survey conducted by the Pew Hispanic Center in Washington, D.C., reports a growing number of Hispanic viewers switch between English and Spanish to get their news. In fact, even fluent English speakers rely on Spanish language media to get news from Latin America and Hispanic communities in the United States, the survey indicated.

“As the number of bilingual Hispanic households surge in the U.S., our subscribers can continue to look to our DISH Latino programming to build a virtual bridge over the world’s cultural map,” Sahl said.

For more information on DISH Latino programming, visit www.dishnetwork.com or call 1-800-333-DISH. Courtesy of ARA Content


Courtesy of ARA Content

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