Community Media Gets Creative to Connect Younger Audiences

Engaging a New Generation: Pivot-Backed Reporter Brings a Fresh Voice, Younger Audience to Chavez Media

With support from The Pivot Fund, Ernesto “Lego” Legorreta Rodríguez is helping Chavez Media’s Radio Campesina usher in a new era—one that speaks directly to younger audiences.

As media consumption shifts and younger generations look for information in new ways, Chavez Media is leaning into innovation. With Pivot’s support, they brought on Rodríguez, a seasoned journalist with more than a decade of experience, to extend their reach and spark dialogue with Gen Z and millennial audiences.

“Engaging younger audiences is essential to our mission—not only to build the future of Radio Campesina and El Malcriado, but also to fight the spread of disinformation,” said Maria Barquin, Radio Campesina Network Program Director & Executive Producer for Chavez Media. 

A Fresh Voice for a New Era

Rodríguez is redefining what community media can look like for younger generations. His daily radio segments keep La Campesina’s longtime listeners informed, but he’s also experimenting with new formats to meet audiences where they are.

At the center of this effort is his streaming video show, El Malcriado—a lively blend of culture, conversation, and journalism designed to resonate with younger Latinos.

Through El Malcriado, Rodríguez sparks dialogue around issues often overlooked by traditional outlets. The show amplifies diverse voices, highlights underreported stories, and creates a space where young Latinos see their own lives reflected. By pairing video storytelling with digital campaigns, he’s pushing Radio Campesina beyond the airwaves and onto the platforms younger audiences rely on every day.

“El Malcriado’s flexible, digital-first format allows us to connect with a younger generation of Latinos and allies who want to work together for the good of our community,” Rodríguez said. “It also provides a platform for emerging voices who often feel constrained by the limitations of traditional media.”

Combating Disinformation, Building Trust

Rodríguez’s work is also critical to fighting disinformation. His show builds on Radio Campesina’s longstanding commitment to truth—work that drew national recognition when the outlet was featured in The New Yorker for its service to Latino audiences during election season.

Beyond El Malcriado, Rodríguez contributes to the Conoce tus Derechos (Know Your Rights) campaign, which provides clear, accessible information on issues like immigration. By merging traditional journalism with digital tools, he’s helping younger audiences replace fear with knowledge—and giving them both the facts and the confidence to act. Together, El Malcriado and Conoce tus Derechos show how video and digital campaigns can work hand in hand to combat disinformation and build trust.

Youth Engagement is Key for Community Media

Rodríguez’s work reflects a broader trend across community media: finding creative ways to engage younger audiences to ensure community-rooted journalism thrives across generations.

For example, In Miami, Hy-Lo News blends entertainment and reporting with video storytelling, live podcast tapings, and HBCU festival outreach that has rapidly grown its Instagram following. In Baltimore, the Baltimore Beat has partnered with youth media groups to co-create youth voter guides and publish youth photography—ensuring young people help shape civic conversations. And in Kansas City, The Defender connects youth through Juneteenth cookouts, and youth-led cabarets, and its B-REAL Academy, a Freedom School that provides political education for youth and elders alike. 

“The Defender is not just reporting on change. It’s cultivating the people who will make it,” said Eric Ortiz, The Pivot Fund’s associate director of research.

What Comes Next

By blending timely reporting with digital innovation, Rodríguez is showing how trusted community media can evolve without losing its roots. His voice is becoming a familiar presence across La Campesina’s platforms, strengthening trust and widening reach.

This fresh approach is setting the stage for Chavez Media’s continued growth—and reinforcing its role as a vital source of information for marginalized communities nationwide.

“When we equip young people with trusted information and a platform for their voices, we strengthen both our communities and our democracy,” Barquin said.