Hispanic television and internet / identity

[Coralita]

Hi there,

I am a german student and have to write an essay about hispanic television and internet.
Can you tell me, what those medias mean for you? Are they important concerning the construction of identity in generel and in a specific way? What is the significance of spanish speaking television and internet use for you, the latinos living in the USA?
Is watching television with you family important for you? ( What means family to you?)
What about internet communities and chats? Does it help you with something?

I would be really glad if somebody could tell me his point of view and experiences. If you want, you can post here or write an email.

Thank you very much!

Coralie.

[Chris]

Hi my name is Chris. Welcome to the forum.
I have to ask you something, You want informationt from Spanish ( Americans ) or from Spanish ( Europeans ) or from both.

[Art]

Hi, Coralie,

That's a pretty broad group of questions!

I live in the US. Many areas of the country do have Spanish-language TV. We have it here in Baltimore and DC. It's almost certainly directed toward a Latinamerican audience (Mexican, Guatemalan, etc.).

I'm probably not a good person to ask because I don't watch much TV. I have watched a little Spanish-language TV because it reminds me of my time in Spain and it's good language practice. I don't think most of the US members of the forum would identify with the Spanish-language TV we have here. (Tell me if I'm wrong!)

The internet is different. This forum has been important to me as a way to connect with the culture of my grandparents and to learn more about a country I feel very connected to (perhaps connected more in a spiritual way?). In the process of doing that, I've gotten to know some great people both here in the US and in Asturias, some of whom I've had the pleasure to meet in person, too. So the internet has been important tool for me in terms of cultural identity and learning more about my family's ancestors.

Hope that helps.

[A mis amigos asturianos... dime si precisas un traducción.]

[Bob]

Hi Coralie,

Like Art, I live in the US. Both in Connecticut and in Massachusetts we get several Spanish language TV channels on cable (as well as a Portuguese one in Massachusetts). I watch the news in Spanish as well as any movies in Spanish that look interesting. Most of the programming simply doesn't appeal to me (soap operas, game shows and talk shows are not something I watch, for example). Most of the Spanish language movies I watch are ones that are rented from Netflix, however. Too many of the ones on television are originally in English with the Spanish dubbed afterwards. When the sounds don't quite match the mouth movements, I find it hard to understand the dialogue.

My family usually consists of myself and my wife. Our kids are grown up and on their own. One or two days a week our granddaughters (ages two and a half and five) are with us. They both love a cartoon program called Dora the Explorer, which introduces them to some Spanish. My wife and I watch it with them (as we do any TV programs that they watch). I try to introduce them to additional Spanish words and phrases. They are intrigued by the idea that there is more than one language and are eager to learn.

I visit several Spanish language websites every day and spend a half hour or so reading articles from La Nueva España and other such websites. The American press reports too little of what is happening in Spain, let alone Asturias. I also read every single post on this website. The internet has been very important in helping me learn more about my Asturian background, finding books (such as Asturian dictionaries), etc.

By the way, I don't consider myself Latino (which In New England usually means Mexican, Central American or South American ancestry) because my grandparents came to the US directly from Asturias.

Bob Martínez

[Art]

I want to add one thought. Many or most of the descendants of those who emigrated from Asturias are not bilingual. We struggle with Castilian (or we know nothing of the language). So watching TV or movies in Spanish is not like watching them in English. I remember watching "Shakespeare in Love" in Spanish and then in English and being totally amazed that I had not understood the ending at all!

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Quiero añadir un pensamiento más. Muchos o la mayor parte del descendientes de los que emigraron de Asturias no son bilingües. Luchamos con el castellano (o no sabemos nada de la lengua). Entonces mirar la TV o las películas en castellano no es como mirarlos en inglés. ¡Me recuerdo de mirar a "Shakespeare enamorado" (no recuerdo el título en castellano) en español y luego en inglés y totalmente siendo asombrado que no había entendido el final en absoluto!