We saw the downturn before other markets in the U.S. but we have also seen a recovery before. General Motors is back in the market, Ford has been strong. There is lot of activity around consumer packaged goods, sports and entertainment as well as the financial sector and banks.” Lozano adds that “when you look at the national economy you are seeing a bottoming out in Southern California.”
The area’s Latino community is young, with 27% under 18 years of age. McClatchy’s Vida en El Valle publishes three of its five zoned editions there, distributing almost 95,000 copies each week among the three papers. The Sacramento edition is the largest, with 45,000 weekly copies, then Modesto, with 30,000, and finally Stockton, with 20,000. The paper has a diverse offering for advertisers: “Fresno specifically has had some success with special themed pages and specific category programs. Twice a month we publish a Health, Beauty & Fitness page geared for health professionals, gyms, beauty salons, etc.,” says sales manager Bill Gutierrez. “We also publish a Sociales page; readers can send in their wedding, anniversary, event and party photos. We print them free of charge, and we charge advertisers to be on the page. The advantage for advertisers is that their message appears on a highly visible page. Readers love to see photos of themselves and their neighbors.”