The <IT>webnovela</IT> and immigrants in the United States

Tomás A. López-Pumarejo

doi:10.1108/19355181211217634

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American Journal of Business

ISSN: 1935-5181

Online from: 1986

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The webnovela and immigrants in the United States

Document Information:
Title:	The webnovela and immigrants in the United States
Author(s):	Tomás A. López-Pumarejo, (Department of Finance and Business Management, Brooklyn College School of Business, New York, USA)
Citation:	Tomás A. López-Pumarejo, (2012) "The webnovela and immigrants in the United States", American Journal of Business, Vol. 27 Iss: 1, pp.40 - 57
Keywords:	Hispanics, Internet, Marketing strategy, Narratives, New media, Serial drama, Spanish language, United States of America, Visual media, Webnovelas
Article type:	Research paper
DOI:	10.1108/19355181211217634 (Permanent URL)
Publisher:	Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Acknowledgements:	The author thanks those who made possible the presentation of this research at events that they organized: Federico Subervi-Vélez, Director of The Center for the Study of Latino Media and Markets, Texas State University-San Marcos and organizer of Assessing the State of Spanish-Language Media Conference (February 2009); Lorenzo Vilches, Director of the Graduate Program of Film and Television Scriptwriting of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) and organizer of the Seminar: New Markets and Fiction Content for the Crisis, UAB School of Communications Sciences (April, 2009); and Nora Mazziotti (Universidad Nacional De la Matanza, Buenos Aires) and coordinator of the academic division of the International Television Festival and Market (fymti.mdp), Mar del Plata, Argentina (September, 2010). The author also thanks Professor Linda and Hershey Friedman (City University of New York's Baruch College and Brooklyn College's Schools of Business, respectively) for their insights on business and the new media, and Charles Edward Oliver, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Pace University, New York, for his editorial assistance.
Abstract:	Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to focus on the webnovela, a new type of marketing genre and sentimental serial drama which is popular among immigrants, pivotal to the future of the US Spanish-language media and informative about its past. No academic research currently exists on this topic. Design/methodology/approach – This paper applies cultural studies, management, new media and marketing theory to the study of the first three webnovelas launched from 2006 to 2011. It analyzes how this new genre fits into the history of sentimental serial drama; how it appeals to Hispanics and to immigrants at their home countries and at their host country as well; and how the US Spanish-language television and new media address their $900 billion Hispanic consumer market. Findings – This study revealed that although webnovelas are likely to continue being popular as romantic fiction for the new media and profitable as a marketing system, they are unlikely – as operationally defined by this analysis – to be produced independently from the Univision media group in the foreseeable future, even when the entry barriers for competitors are low. Originality/value – This paper should be of value to those interested in the latest developments in ethnic marketing, narrative theory, interactive marketing, and international business and communications.