Houston Media Helping 2010 Census

Houston

Since 2000, the population of TEXAS has changed significantly -- with the Latino population up 30%. In HOUSTON, the African-American population has increased by 15%. To deal with those changes, U.S. 2010 CENSUS Associate Dir. ARNOLD A. JACKSON has enlisted the help of ethnic media to help.

"Ten years ago the census counted only 64% of TEXAS’ population -- three points below the national average," JACLSON told NEWAMERICAMEDIA.COM. He said "the challenge in 2010 will be to significantly increase the number of people who return the census questionnaire. And since minority populations historically have been undercounted, he said ethnic media outlets will be critical to this."

"I don’t think we in the ethnic media have done a good enough job in educating the government on how ethnic media work, and how they work effectively," commented UNIVISION/HOUSTON SVP/Regional Mgr. MARK MASEPOHL.

MASEPOHL requested the 2010 CENSUS "seek out leaders and media personalities from ethnic communities in order to increase trust." NEWMEDIAAMERICA writes this "could help counter a longtime fear that census data might be used to crackdown on undocumented immigrants. CENSUS officials have invested heavily in efforts to inform communities that none of the 10 questions ask for immigration status or personal information. The trust ethnic communities have in their media and leaders would help spread that message."

Added RADIO ONE/HOUSTON's ROXANNE MORRISON, "Our on-air DJs are like celebrities -- if they say something, it is trusted. If [people] have a problem, they don’t go to the company. They go to the radio station."

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