Lusophone Media in the U.S.: Differences between the Florida and the Northeast Corridor Regions

Abstract

In this paper, we present a discussion of the ethnic media targeting the more than 2 million immigrants from Portugal and its former colonies (particularly Brazil, Cape Verde, and Azores) living in the United States. These groups compose what we refer to as the lusophone. The goal is to understand how media targeting the lusophone diaspora negotiates a landscape where consumers’ national origin is distinct, but different patterns of assimilation exist. In particular, we uncovered two interesting patterns of geographical distinction in the media. The first serves the northeastern portion of the United States, with a larger and more culturally diverse Portuguese population and the second in Florida, which serves a more recent community of Brazilian immigrants. New media, the Internet in particular, also plays a vital role in both regions. We found that radio stations and newspapers targeting these populations have a limited online presence, but seem to remain a vital source of information and possibly still aid in immigrant integration and assimilation, which has been historically documented in ethnic media.