ALERTS WOULD AID SPANISH-SPEAKERS
Twitter tag #Noticias could help spread news
The gas explosions and fires in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover were alarming enough, but possibly even more so for Spanish-speakers and others who may have lacked access to the same news updates.
That communication gap can easily by closed by innovative uses of hashtags and Google translator.
Newspapers and websites should add #Noticias — meaning “news” — to news stories shared via Twitter that editors think Spanish-speakers need to know. Readers can then paste the articles into Google Translate and choose the language that suits them.
It can work just as smoothly for sports stories by using the hashtag #Deportes.
The Latino communities around Boston keep growing and it is important for them to receive media advocacy, especially for the non-English-speakers. The purpose of a hashtag is to facilitate the search of current events for Hispanic readers.
Many Lawrence residents may not have been able to quickly understand the reports of the gas explosions and fires that destroyed their homes. Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera spoke publicly in Spanish to reassure immigrants living in the area that they would get the help needed.
Diverse news coverage is beneficial for all communities because it provides people with greater knowledge of the world surrounding them.
There are several news sites that already publish stories in Spanish. NBC News has a feature section called “NBC Latino,” where photos and videos are posted alongside international and national stories affecting minorities.
The Miami Herald also created a separate website, named “El Nuevo Herald,” that simulates its English newspaper, containing all the main stories from around the world. If online journalism sparks a change, then the more diversity in news, the better.
Plus, maybe circulation, both online and in print, will reap the multilingual benefits.