• by Karla Fernandez Parker , Columnist, November 12, 2020

Univision News has become the leader in viewership growth, according to Nielsen. In the second and third quarters of 2020, news viewership jumped 20% over the same period from 2019. ABC was second with 17% growth and NBC came in third with 8% growth.

These growth numbers are for all adults 18- to 34-years-old, not just Hispanics. This is also regardless of language preference.

When looking at U.S. adults 18-49, Univision has a 37% larger audience share for news compared to cable providers, besting both Fox News and CNN. Generally, local news has the biggest average weekly reach of people over 18 at 54% while national news comes in at 42%. So why the big jump for Univision?

There's no question that every American is watching more news than ever between the pandemic, elections, and local, civil unrest. But what’s interesting about this data, especially the statistics about younger viewers, is that Spanish only/mostly Spanish speakers among the 18- to 34-year-old segment make up 39% of this Hispanic segment. Looking at the 18- to 49-year-old group, 46% of Hispanics are Spanish only/mostly Spanish speakers. For Univision to have this big of an increase, it must be tapping the bilingual segment as well.

Election and campaign coverage grew toward the end of the third quarter, but up to that point, most news was focused on COVID-19. The pandemic has been of particular interest among Hispanics, who represent a higher percentage of essential workers and have seen their communities disproportionately affected. The Hispanic community accounts for one-third of all coronavirus cases in the U.S. yet Hispanics are 18% of the U.S. population. 

Deaths among Hispanics are disproportionate as well. In a report from the CDC called "Health Disparities:Race and Hispanic Origin," a weighted population of all U.S. COVID deaths puts the Hispanic death rate at 32.5%. 

Hispanics are turning to a trusted source for news and information that reflects their communities. They are seeking a compassionate voice that understands what is happening in their daily lives.

Marketers need to recognize the value the Hispanic community sees in Univision News. The growth in audience makes it a valuable outlet for cause marketing or brand outreach. 

Brands have an opportunity through Univision to demonstrate how they’re taking care of their audience, thinking about life through and after the pandemic, and being a resource for the Hispanic community. They have a means. Do they have the right messaging and the will to see it through?