"Build It and They Will Come"
An Editorial
By Larry J. Rodarte
Mi Gente News
Recently I interviewed Angelo Figueroa, Editor-in-Chief of People en
Espaņol, a veteran journalist who was raised in Detroit. "If you write
stories and cover their community, they will support your publication," he
said. Build it and they will come -- the famous words from the movie "Field
of Dreams." This is the strategy behind the success of Mi Gente.
Although Mi Gente began with Saginaw as its focus, due to overwhelming
response and interest, our focus has broadened to include practically the
entire state of Michigan. Latino communities outside of Saginaw realize the
tremendous power a "community newspaper" can yield as an informational vehicle
by promoting our culture, providing professional advertisement, and helping to
foster unity among Latinos. They, too, want to see coverage of their cities,
events, and people.
Recently, our readers have noticed the extensive coverage of the
Southwestern area of the state - specifically Detroit. Some have questioned
why our focus has shifted so drastically. In fact, the change is not drastic
at all. It has been a gradual, welcome challenge. More importantly, it
encourages us to work harder to create a newspaper worthy of your support.
The southwest Detroit area is now our largest distribution market.
In order to continue providing our readers with the quality they have
come to expect from Mi Gente, we have had to search out new advertisers for
financial support. This does not mean, though, that we do not value our
Saginaw market. After all, they are the ones who got us off the ground. We
know where our raices are planted - but we cannot ignore these opportunities
for growth. Expanding our market only makes good business sense.
As we approach our third anniversary, Mi Gente will continue to feature
stories of our community -- on a local, state, and national level. We are
committed to making an important impact for Latinos. The job is not easy, but
with your help, we know we can make a difference.
Please send us your comments, questions, and suggestions. We enjoy
receiving letters from our readers. We want to know what you want to see.
Only with your support can we continue to be "Michigan's Premier Hispanic
Newspaper."
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