‘At Breakfast with Ethnic Media’ looks to connect community with media professionals

Next week, the L.A. Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America will host "At Breakfast with Ethnic Media," an event that looks to connect the community with ethnic and local media. The event, hosted at the SoCalGas Energy Resource Center, will feature a panel comprising media professionals, including journalists, producers, editors and other media leaders across Southern California.  

Behind the in-person event is the narrative that, in a time when Los Angeles has become one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world, its media landscape reflects that.

The L.A. Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, which is composed of over 300 public relations professionals representing L.A.-area corporations, academic institutions, government agencies and nonprofit organizations, shares the idea that ethnic media outlets play a vital role in informing, engaging, and advocating for the communities they serve.  

The panel will explore the often close relationships between public relations professionals and journalists or media creators. Panelists featured in the event will bring light to the strategies that could foster more inclusive, intentional, authentic and effective media partnerships between the two major media driving forces and move away from the idea that cultivating relationships with newsrooms is an afterthought or done with a one-size-fits-all strategy.

The panel session will feature leading voices in ethnic media across Southern California, including Roberto Ticona, news executive producer of Noticias Estrella TV; Cora Jackson-Fossett, managing editor for the LA Sentinel; and Brenda Fernanda Verano, local and news and community reporter for CALÓ News. The panel will be moderated by Raul Gordillo from SoCalGas. 

Ticona has also ledEstrella Media, the award-winning multi-platform and Spanish-language media company, which owns and operates 14 radio stations and the Don Cheto Radio Network with 35 affiliated stations throughout the U.S., featuring one of the nation’s most popular radio talents, Don Cheto. Estrella Media also produces large-scale music festivals, concerts, and special events throughout the country. In addition, Estrella Media produces podcasts for audio streaming, and its music division, Estrella Media Music Entertainment, helps develop the next generation of Latin music stars.

Besides being managing editor of the L.A. Sentinel, Jackson-Fossett is also the newpaper’s religion editor. She retired in 2014 from the City of Los Angeles after serving 15 years as public affairs director for the Department of Public Works. 

Verano is a journalist based in South Central, L.A., covering social justice, city politics and community news. She is the winner of the 2024 National Ruben Salazar Award, a 2023 USC Health Equity fellow and a 2024 L.A. Press Club grantee for reporting on systemic racism. She has previously written in EdSource and L.A. Blade. 

Before and after the panel, attendees will also be able to enjoy a guided tour of SoCalGas’ H2 Innovation Experience (Hydrogen Home), a first-of-its-kind model for clean energy living. 

Additional topics touched upon on the panel will include:

• Understanding the missions and audiences of ethnic media

• What makes a pitch resonate—and what gets ignored?

• Cultural competency in messaging and storytelling

• Opportunities for collaboration and long-term partnerships

• How ethnic media are evolving in the digital age 

The event will take place on September 10 at the SoCalGas Energy Resource Center, beginning at 8 a.m. 

To register for the event, visit: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/kwffgrm.