Mapping the dynamic terrain of U.S. Latina/o media research

The contemporary Latina/o media landscape is a diverse, complex, and constantly shifting terrain. Three key factors have played a role in redefining Latina/o media and the scholarship that surrounds it: (1) the demographic shifts within the U.S. Latina/o population; (2) the global visibility of Latina/o performers and cultural forms; and (3) the profitability of dual-market transnational media. Consequently, once predominantly homogenous urban media markets such as Los Angeles, Miami, and New York are now increasingly defined by the heterogeneity of their Latino populations. Latina/o musicians such as Marc Anthony and Shakira move easily, albeit problematically, across national, racial, and ethnic borders. Emerging hybrid media genres such as Reggaeton and television programs such as Ugly Betty are popular across diverse linguistic, ethnic, racial, and gender categories. Additionally, the successful marketing of Latinas/os as a commodity audience is drawing unprecedented attention from both general-market and Spanish-language media. The chapter begins with a brief overview of the U.S. Latina/o media and contemporary changes within that landscape. Next, it briefly outlines traditional academic approaches to studying U.S. Latina/o media and discusses the contributions of contemporary Latina/o critical media studies to understanding the industry's dynamic shifts. Finally, the chapter concludes by discussing theoretical strategies for future research.