• by Ray Schultz , April 3, 2024

El Diario Nueva York, the oldest Spanish-language daily in the United States, has joined the Empire State Local News Coalition, a group that seeks to foster local journalism in New York State.

The group, which has more than 150 members, urges passage of The Local Journalism Sustainability Act, a bill that would provide tax credits to news outlets for hiring local reporters.

El Diario Nueva York published a front-page editorial in support of the bill, saying it “represents a significant opportunity for New York to lead by example, demonstrating a commitment to the values of free press and informed citizenship.”

“As the oldest Spanish language paper in the United States, thousands of our Latino neighbors count on us to deliver the stories that matter most to them,” adds Iván Adaime, president of Impremedia, the publisher of  El Diario. “But we are not immune to the existential challenges many local newspapers face.”

The coalition notes that New York State has seen a 50% decrease in newspapers since 2005. It lost 30 local newspapers in 2022 alone. Moreover, 13 New York counties are news deserts.