Spanish-language channels in U.S. to embrace English subtitles
Spanish-language television stations across Southern California still serve as cultural and linguistic lifelines for immigrants, but in a bow to generational changes within the Latino community in the United States, stations are increasingly turning to English subtitles to attract and retain English-speaking audiences.
For growing numbers of second- and third-generation Latinos, English isn’t a second language — it’s their dominant language, and television stations are starting to accommodate the shift. And like immigrant groups before them, Latinos are grappling with the leveling force of American culture and what it means to their identity, particularly when it comes to language.
The use of subtitles has steadily risen over the past three years on bilingual MTV Tr3s as the network has acquired more Spanish programming. The station found that though its core audience is bilingual, the majority of teen viewers had a preference for English, according to the network.
The subtitle strategy is one way to stay in sync with the bilingual marketplace, executives explain. “I think it’s working,” said Jose Tillan, general manager of MTV Tr3s. “The whole market is shifting daily. Where we are today is not going to be where we are 10 years from now. From the research we’ve done, the negative connotations have been minimal.”