ABSTRACT
Families in the United States have adapted to the ways in which media technologies have created new rituals of daily life. Media can help families organize activities and allow parents and children to keep in constant contact, as well as facilitate entertainment and relaxation. The Latino population represents 55.8 million people in the US and continues to grow, with new births currently adding more to this demographic than immigration. In California, Latino families are located across the demographic spectrum and are as diverse as the general population. In July 2013, the number of Latinas/os living in California outnumbered non-Hispanic Whites, and the Hispanic population was projected to become the relative majority by 2014. The Latino families interviewed here identified various ways that their media use served their families’ needs, including opportunities to bond, learn language, and regulate routines. In the case of Latino families, the media serve multiple purposes that stabilize rituals and offer a mechanism for cultural maintenance.
