Documentary: The Rise and Fall of La Estrella de Tucson

Tucson, a city with deep Mexican roots and a 40% Hispanic population, has become a "Spanish-language news desert" following the closure of La Estrella de Tucson in April 2023. La Estrella, once a thriving, journalism-driven Spanish-language publication under the Arizona Daily Star, was founded in 2004 by Jose Merino to provide newly arrived immigrants with information to navigate life in Tucson. Originally a vibrant newsroom producing original Spanish content and community coverage, La Estrella gradually declined due to corporate cost-cutting, dwindling staff, reduced original reporting, and broader trends affecting the journalism industry.

Despite strong community support and profitability, corporate owners Lee Enterprises and Gannett ultimately dismantled La Estrella as part of broader cuts across the newspaper industry, prioritizing financial savings over community needs. Its closure left Tucson’s Spanish-speaking residents without a reliable local news source, increasing the risk of misinformation.

Today, hope lies with independent, digital Spanish-language news startups like El Foco de Tucson, Conecta Arizona, and Arizona Luminaria, which aim to fill the void left by La Estrella. Although challenges remain, a surge in local, philanthropic journalism is helping sustain Spanish-language reporting in the region.

Read the accompanying feature-length article to understand more in depth the players that led to the clousre of La Estrella.