FEATURE STORY

A New Voice in
Missouri Journalism

By Jenny Jones

Julio Urdaneta didn’t even know the Missouri School of Journalism’s Spanish/English monthly newspaper, Adelante, existed. Living in Venezuela, he gained his love of writing from his father, who was a journalist. In becoming a journalist in his homeland, he followed a typical path. After graduating college, Urdaneta worked as a reporter at a newspaper in Venezuela for two years. Afterward he went on to become a chief press officer working in Venezuelan city government. Still, he felt he was missing something. That’s when, via a chance Internet encounter, a former student of his father’s told him about Adelante.

“He told me about the Tina Hills Fellowship program, which allows postgraduates to report and instruct at Adelante for a year. It sounded like a great opportunity,” Urdaneta said.

Unfortunately Urdaneta didn’t make the deadline, but he contacted Tracy Barnett, managing editor of Adelante, who suggested that he submit stories and help translate from Venezuela. After working for the paper from his home country for a year, Urdaneta was invited to come to Missouri as a visiting professional.

Urdaneta recalls his first six months in Columbia as being tough. The reporting style he was accustomed to in Venezuela clashed with the Missouri method and he was forced to learn a new kind of journalism from the ground up.

“Reporting is very different here,” said Urdaneta. “Here there is a lot more research and in-depth stories. In Venezuela it was more straight facts and a different style of narration. The approach is different here.”

Barnett helped him through his feelings of despair and served as his mentor. Urdaneta said she taught him the reporting methods of Adelante, such as spending time in the Latino community and learning first-hand what issues are important to the paper’s readers.

“Even though I felt very confused, Tracy had faith in my abilities,” Urdaneta said.

Urdaneta isn’t the only journalist from Latin America on the Adelante staff. Every year new reporters come to the newsroom and find a way to sharpen their skills as well as bring fresh perspectives to the publication. Barnett said although it was tough for Urdaneta, his situation isn’t uncommon.

“We had a visiting journalist from Mexico who experienced some of the same style adjustments Julio did, but I’ve found that adjustment varies from country to country,” Barnett said.

Adelante has become a haven for cross-cultural journalists to learn and grow. When the paper began in 2000, its circulation of 8,000 was confined to mid-Missouri. Now in its third year, Adelante’s circulation has grown to 14,000 with a strong demand in St. Louis and Southwest Missouri, and a partner publication in Kansas City, Caramba!, that republishes its stories. The paper has built a reputation throughout the state for its in-depth coverage of Latino issues.

Although Adelante targets the Latino community, it also attracts readers from a diverse array of cultures and backgrounds.

“A lot of non-Latinos are interested in the culture, music and international issues that Adelante provides,” Barnett said. “It gives a different perspective than you would get at a conventional news source.”

Assistant editor Marina Walker joined the Adelante staff in July 2003 from Argentina. She said what first impressed her about the Columbia newspaper was how well the paper used Spanish.

“Most Spanish-speaking papers in the United States still lack reporting and writing quality,” Walker said. “Not only is Spanish usage at Adelante among the best, the in-depth treatment of topics and professionalism of the staff is also very impressive.”

Walker admits when she first started at Adelante, she was a bit anxious about meeting its readers. But after she gathered the courage to venture outside of the newsroom walls, she said it changed her entire approach as an editor.

“Now I have a greater commitment to the newspaper,” Walker said. “I understand the role that Adelante plays in the adjustment of the Hispanic population to a new life and in building bridges with the Anglo community.”

Barnett said Adelante differs from mainstream papers in many ways. Not only is it the sole bilingual newspaper in mid-Missouri, it offers an extremely diverse staff, creating a final product that spans cultural boundaries. In addition, the paper’s budget meetings are open for community members to attend and present story ideas or simply listen. The paper is beginning a new project this year in which staff members are strongly encouraged to attend events in the Latino community. These events can range from volunteering at the Central Latino to dancing salsa at a local restaurant.

“We don’t want our staff to simply report Latino issues, we want them to immerse themselves in the culture,” Barnett said. “We’re working hard to accomplish a grass-roots level reporting.”

Part of Adelante’s success can be attributed to the passion of the paper’s staff. Whether writers come from professional backgrounds in Latin America or have student status at MU, everyone has a unique and interesting story about their experience at Adelante.

Columbia’s Spanish-language paper has acted as a jumping off point for many successful reporters. Some veterans include James Reed of the Boston Globe, Cristina Elias of the Orlando Sentinel, and Rebecca Rivas who is in Peru on a Fulbright Scholarship. In addition, Assistant Editor Mariana De Maio was recently hired by Gannett to launch a new Spanish-language weekly newspaper in Vineland, NJ. And Urdaneta will be heading to Racine, Wis., in June to help the Racine Journal-Times with its Spanish-language weekly, Mundo Latino.

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Last Update: November 15, 2007