ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to explore the phenomenon of intergenerational co-viewing around ethnic media, which to date has not been studied to the extent of coviewing around mainstream US media. It does so by examining two Latino-themed television programs—Dora the Explorer and the telenovela La Rosa de Guadalupe—and why and how the families in our study interacted around them. The chapter reviews the cases which comprise two parts: an examination of the history of the TV-based boundary object, including producers' intentions for the show, and an analysis of how the program served to support intergenerational learning and interaction within a particular family. Ethnic media powerfully connect immigrants to their lives left behind: to hear Spanish spoken in one's native dialect or cheer on the home country's futbol team can instill a sense of comfort and belonging in a family still adjusting to a foreign environment.
