El Sol (Stamford)
Encyclopedia
EL SOL News is a weekly Spanish-language newspaper based in Stamford, Connecticut
. Founded in 1982, it is the oldest newspaper in that language in that U.S. state
, and the dominant Spanish-language newspaper in Connecticut, serving a growing Hispanic population. It serves both lower Fairfield County, Connecticut
, and Westchester County, New York
.
Founder Arnulfo Arteaga has said the newspaper aims to inform the Hispanic community about such issues as health, education, and immigration. The publication has two reporters, and most of the 52 pages in a normal edition are filled with wire stories. Several pages of each issue are devoted to news from Connecticut
, New York and Latin America. The publication is written in Latin American Spanish and comes out on Fridays. The newspaper is supported by advertising revenue, and copies are free.
The family-run newspaper has a circulation of about 16,000 as of July 2008, when the newspaper's management said they wanted to increase circulation to 20,000 by the end of the year. As of 2005, the Hispanic population of stamfrod was 254,500, according to the American Community Survey; the city's total population in 2007 was 118,475.
The newspaper's longtime rival is La Voz Hispana, a weekly based in New Haven, Connecticut
which opened a Stamford bureau in September 2006. New York City-based Spanish newspapers El Correo
and Hoy
also compete for readers. As of October 2007, the newspaper was also competing with the biweekly Enfoque Latino, started by William Cacerces, a former sales executive for El Sol and La Voz.
The newspaper is run by several of Arteaga's children (ages as of early October 2007): Alvaro, 42, managing editor; Raul, 32, press operator and layout designer; Arnulfo Jr., or Alex, 26, distribution supervisor; and Monica, 38, occasional contributing reporter.
, originally with a circulation of only 300 copies, which he distributed from a shopping cart he found in a Dumpster. Arteaga already had 20 years of experience in journalism before he immigrated to the United States in 1980. In New York City, he freelanced for El Diario
and La Prensa, but couldn't get a permanent job with either because he didn't speak English well enough.
The newspaper began circulating in Fairfield County, Connecticut
, in 1995, and in 2002 moved its news operation to Stamford. At that time, circulation was at 10,000 copies. By 1997, the paper increased its frequency, becoming a weekly, and in 2001 it launched its Web site.
In September 2007, the newspaper celebrated its 25th anniversary with a gala at the Italian Center of Stamford. By October of that year, Arteaga, then 65, had recently retired as director of the newspaper.
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
. Founded in 1982, it is the oldest newspaper in that language in that U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
, and the dominant Spanish-language newspaper in Connecticut, serving a growing Hispanic population. It serves both lower Fairfield County, Connecticut
Fairfield County, Connecticut
Fairfield County is a county located in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The county population is 916,829 according to the 2010 Census. There are currently 1,465 people per square mile in the county. It is the most populous county in the State of Connecticut and contains...
, and Westchester County, New York
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
.
Founder Arnulfo Arteaga has said the newspaper aims to inform the Hispanic community about such issues as health, education, and immigration. The publication has two reporters, and most of the 52 pages in a normal edition are filled with wire stories. Several pages of each issue are devoted to news from Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, New York and Latin America. The publication is written in Latin American Spanish and comes out on Fridays. The newspaper is supported by advertising revenue, and copies are free.
The family-run newspaper has a circulation of about 16,000 as of July 2008, when the newspaper's management said they wanted to increase circulation to 20,000 by the end of the year. As of 2005, the Hispanic population of stamfrod was 254,500, according to the American Community Survey; the city's total population in 2007 was 118,475.
The newspaper's longtime rival is La Voz Hispana, a weekly based in New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
which opened a Stamford bureau in September 2006. New York City-based Spanish newspapers El Correo
El Correo
El Correo is the leading daily newspaper in Bilbao and the Basque Country of northern Spain. Its circulation, over 119,000, is the seventh-highest among general interest newspapers in Spain.- History :...
and Hoy
Hoy
Hoy is an island in Orkney, Scotland. With an area of it is the second largest in the archipelago after the Mainland. It is connected by a causeway called The Ayre to South Walls...
also compete for readers. As of October 2007, the newspaper was also competing with the biweekly Enfoque Latino, started by William Cacerces, a former sales executive for El Sol and La Voz.
The newspaper is run by several of Arteaga's children (ages as of early October 2007): Alvaro, 42, managing editor; Raul, 32, press operator and layout designer; Arnulfo Jr., or Alex, 26, distribution supervisor; and Monica, 38, occasional contributing reporter.
History
El Sol was founded in 1982 in Queens, New York, by Arnulfo Arteaga, a native of ColombiaColombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, originally with a circulation of only 300 copies, which he distributed from a shopping cart he found in a Dumpster. Arteaga already had 20 years of experience in journalism before he immigrated to the United States in 1980. In New York City, he freelanced for El Diario
El Diario La Prensa
El Diario la Prensa is the largest and oldest Spanish-language daily newspaper in New York City, and the oldest Spanish-language daily in the United States. Published by ImpreMedia, the paper covers local, national and international news with an emphasis on Latin America, as well as human-interest...
and La Prensa, but couldn't get a permanent job with either because he didn't speak English well enough.
The newspaper began circulating in Fairfield County, Connecticut
Fairfield County, Connecticut
Fairfield County is a county located in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The county population is 916,829 according to the 2010 Census. There are currently 1,465 people per square mile in the county. It is the most populous county in the State of Connecticut and contains...
, in 1995, and in 2002 moved its news operation to Stamford. At that time, circulation was at 10,000 copies. By 1997, the paper increased its frequency, becoming a weekly, and in 2001 it launched its Web site.
In September 2007, the newspaper celebrated its 25th anniversary with a gala at the Italian Center of Stamford. By October of that year, Arteaga, then 65, had recently retired as director of the newspaper.