Latino USA
Encyclopedia
Latino USA is a nationally syndicated public radio program produced by KUT-FM
radio in Austin, Texas
and distributed nation-wide by National Public Radio (NPR). As a radio magazine
, the weekly, half-hour radio program focuses on issues of concern to the Latino community while maintaining the technical standards and format of an NPR program. The program is hosted by Maria Hinojosa
.
Maria Emilia Martin, Latino USA was born following several failed attempts by NPR to create Latino-oriented programming for public radio. As early as 1991, Dr. Gil Cardenas, director of the Center for Mexican American Studies at the University of Texas at Austin, co-wrote a grant proposal to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
(CPB) that eventually led to the creation of Latino USA, which premiered in April 1993. In 1992, Maria Emilia Martin was an editor at NPR in Washington, D.C. She left that post to become Latino USA's founding Executive Producer and secured Maria Hinojosa as the Program Host. Dr. Cardenas co-wrote the grant for LUSA with KUT Radio. The idea for the program came from KUT Radio. KUT approached CMAS for a partnership in the production of the series. The initial funding came from the Ford Foundation, not CPB.
Latino USA has won journalism awards, including: The Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award
; the Radio-Television News Directors Association's Edward R. Murrow Award; The Scripps Howard Foundation
's National Journalism Award; The Gabriel Award; The Gracie Allen Award; and numerous awards from the National Federation of Community Broadcasters
.
Kut
Al-Kūt is a city in eastern Iraq, on the left bank of the Tigris River, about 160 kilometres south east of Baghdad. the estimated population is about 374,000 people...
radio in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
and distributed nation-wide by National Public Radio (NPR). As a radio magazine
Radio magazine
Radio magazine, a radio broadcasting trade publication, covers the technology side of radio broadcasting. The publication's focus is to deliver in-depth technical expertise while observing high standards of editorial content. Radio magazine is targeted at radio broadcast engineers, technology ...
, the weekly, half-hour radio program focuses on issues of concern to the Latino community while maintaining the technical standards and format of an NPR program. The program is hosted by Maria Hinojosa
Maria Hinojosa
Maria Hinojosa is a Mexican American broadcast journalist. She was Senior Correspondent for the PBS news magazine, NOW on PBS....
.
History
According to founding Executive ProducerExecutive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
Maria Emilia Martin, Latino USA was born following several failed attempts by NPR to create Latino-oriented programming for public radio. As early as 1991, Dr. Gil Cardenas, director of the Center for Mexican American Studies at the University of Texas at Austin, co-wrote a grant proposal to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a non-profit corporation created by an act of the United States Congress, funded by the United States’ federal government to promote public broadcasting...
(CPB) that eventually led to the creation of Latino USA, which premiered in April 1993. In 1992, Maria Emilia Martin was an editor at NPR in Washington, D.C. She left that post to become Latino USA's founding Executive Producer and secured Maria Hinojosa as the Program Host. Dr. Cardenas co-wrote the grant for LUSA with KUT Radio. The idea for the program came from KUT Radio. KUT approached CMAS for a partnership in the production of the series. The initial funding came from the Ford Foundation, not CPB.
Today
Many of the early personalities responsible for the creation of Latino USA are no longer associated with the program. In the year 2000, responsibility for the administration of Latino USA was transferred from the Center for Mexican American Studies at the University of Texas at Austin, to KUT-FM, based at the College of Communication, University of Texas at Austin. In 2002, founding Executive Producer Maria Martin left the program. In 2006, program Host Maria Hinojosa had the title "Managing Editor" added. She has been the voice of Latino USA since its inception.Latino USA has won journalism awards, including: The Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award
Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award
The Robert F. Kennedy Awards for Excellence in Journalism is journalisms award named after Robert F. Kennedy and awarded by the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights. The annual awards are issued in several categories and were established in December 1968 by a group of reporters who...
; the Radio-Television News Directors Association's Edward R. Murrow Award; The Scripps Howard Foundation
Scripps Howard Foundation
The Scripps Howard Foundation is the corporate foundation of the E. W. Scripps Company, an American media conglomerate which owns newspapers, television stations, cable television networks, and other media outlets...
's National Journalism Award; The Gabriel Award; The Gracie Allen Award; and numerous awards from the National Federation of Community Broadcasters
National Federation of Community Broadcasters
The National Federation of Community Broadcasters is a national membership organization of community-oriented, non-commercial radio stations, producers, and other organizations and individuals committed to community radio in the United States....
.