We are 16 years old…!!!

Here we go again…!!!

by Hugo Acosta

Another editorial talking about a commemorative celebration… we are celebrating sixteen years with this edition… I guess in the United States we are celebrating what is called “sweet sixteen”.

Well, the truth is there is not much different to say about our 16th birthday, than what was said in our previous 15th (Quinceañero), or for the 14th, and even the 13th anniversary (I know, possible disappointment for our readers – and my coworker/colleague/girl-friend who is every year looking for this editorial); the last 3 or 4 years have been pretty much the same with respect of progress, work, problems, etc., maybe last year we had more usage of our monthly “bilingual” newspaper (more people have taken our newspaper than ever before), and last year also we increased the amount of visitors and views for the online version of our publication (at www.cnylatinonewspaper.com). And that’s only with respect to the newspaper division of our organization (remember, around 2010 we became a “Media Consortium” because we have several Hispanic Media Outlets with the Newspaper, Radio, Web, TV1, Podcasts, Social Media, Events, Emails Blasts), we also had progress with our weekly “Spanish” Radio Show (which we are considering to increase to a two-hour weekly show), and aside from the “Media” part of it, we have increased income from our “Translation Services” division, and “Marketing and Advertising” agency.

But this editorial is for the newspaper, and to talk about this 16th year anniversary.

So, I was trying to think what 16 years mean? 16 years is 192 editions… 1,152 articles*… 2,880 ads*… 28,8000 words*… 5,320 pages*… 11,5200 miles**… 192 last-and-first week-of-the-month of hecticness, pressure, stress, anxiety, and hassle to produce (during the last week of each month) and distribute (during the first week of each month) each edition. But it also means 16 years of interacting and relating with the local community (Latino and non-Latino community), of negotiating with Business Owner and Director of Organizations, of preparing, planning, and designing the content and outcome of the paper, with passion, love, dedication, and hard work. And even though we are talking of 16 years of hard work, we were also experiencing fun and enjoyment, with our employees (all 3 of them), associates, partners, interns, clients, advertisers, writers, readers, and even with our competitors.

As for the industry, we are still dealing with the changes and transformations of the digital era all the media is experiencing (or should I say suffering?), and we are still progressing and adapting to those changes. Contrary to what other publications have experience, we are still doing ok, we are more than surviving, and even though there have been some variations on readership and advertisement demand, we are profiting. For how many years is this going to be..? we are not sure, but the market trend indicates that we should start soon, with the digital modifications many media companies are (and have been) doing, because, whether we like it or not, and whether we want to accept it or not… the newspaper industry is going to change soon.

But the good thing is… our culture is growing in the USA…!!! More and more Latinos are not only coming (migrating) into America, but also are procreating here (please, I apologize for the choice of words here, but I could not find another way to say “increasing the family/population” without using words like procreating, breeding, or reproducing, that sounds like “farming talk”). Not only the suddenly increase of population could guarantee or ensure the existence of the CNY Latino newspaper, but also open more opportunities to create and offer new Products and/or Services. Respectively, the “bad thing” is now that, our Culture is also losing our native Language, and that makes me think that our monthly “bilingual” newspaper might one day in the future, not being… “bilingual”.

So… here we are… 16 years after my crazy decision of starting an ethnic publication, following a tragedy in my personal life, being a single parent (parent of 2 young girls, I have to say), with little money, by myself, and now enjoying life with a great partner (in work and life), financially stable, with 2 great grownup mature settled (one married) women as my daughters, with good friends, and getting ready to face and confront more years coming. As long as our Culture is here, and there is a use and a demand of our monthly “bilingual” newspaper, we are going to celebrate more commemorative anniversaries.

*average calculation
**estimated for newspaper distribution along

16 years
192 editions
1,152 articles*
2,880 ads*
28,8000 words*
5,320 pages*
115200 miles**