Vocabulary and grammar are the foundation of language learning. But what good is learning a language like Spanish if you aren’t able to engage with the many cultures behind it?
Reading the news in Spanish can help you stay tapped into current events while expanding your vocabulary and refining your reading skills. Whether you prefer to read, watch, or listen, there are plenty of options for Spanish-language news sources. We’ve made a list of some of the biggest and best to help you find your new favorite.
Of course, reading the news can’t replace learning with a dedicated language program. For that, look to Rosetta Stone. You’ll learn Spanish naturally with a unique immersive approach to learning, and the Rosetta Stone app lets you keep practicing on the go. Plus, you’ll have the option to choose between Latin American or European Spanish to ensure you master the right nuances of each dialect!
U.S. news sources in Spanish
La Opinión
Originally created in the 1920s as a newspaper for Mexican immigrants in Los Angeles, La Opinión (The Opinion) has grown to be the largest Spanish-language newspaper in the U.S. It publishes daily, reporting on stories from the U.S. and Latin America, and also releases a short daily news podcast.
Noticias Univision
Noticias Univision is the news division of the Spanish-language television network Univision. Broadcasting a variety of television programs, including two nightly newscasts, Noticias Univision focuses on stories that are of interest to Hispanic and Latino Americans. Univision is available via cable and streaming, and it’s broadcast over the air, so you may be able to watch it for free with a TV antenna.
Noticias Telemundo
Another Spanish-language television network, Telemundo, is owned by NBCUniversal. Its news arm Noticias Telemundo covers events in the U.S. and the wider Spanish-speaking world. There are a lot of options for how you can consume Noticias Telemundo’s journalism, including its television programs, its YouTube channel, articles on its website, and its official app.
El Nuevo Herald
El Nuevo Herald (The New Herald) is the Miami Herald’s Spanish-language sister newspaper. More than just translating Miami Herald stories into Spanish, El Nuevo Herald has its own reporters and breaks its own stories. The paper primarily serves south Florida, which has the third-largest Spanish speaking population in the U.S. El Nuevo Herald principally covers U.S. news (especially Florida news), but also has some stories about Latin America.
News in Slow Spanish
This news source was explicitly made to help people practice Spanish. News in Slow Spanish uses presenters who speak slowly and clearly, and puts out weekly podcasts at three different levels of Spanish: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. It has both a Latin American Spanish and Peninsular (European) Spanish version, and each episode comes with a transcript. Listening to more than a few minutes of an episode requires paying a monthly subscription.
CNN en Español
The titanic 24-hour news network CNN’s Spanish version, CNN en Español, covers world news with a focus on the U.S. and Latin America. CNN en Español has its own television channel, free articles and videos on its website, and a live audio-only feed.
People en Español
Like its English-language counterpart, People magazine, People en Español covers entertainment, fashion, beauty, and human-interest stories. It mostly features original content along with a small number of translated articles from the English edition of People, and pays extra attention to the Hispanic entertainment world. Its print version was discontinued in 2022, leaving it an entirely digital publication.
ESPN Deportes
For the sports fans out there, ESPN Deportes is essentially the Spanish version of the massive sports network ESPN. Many of its programs are even adapted from ESPN’s English-language programs, such as SportsCenter.
There is one major difference, though: ESPN Deportes focuses more on fútbol (soccer) than English ESPN. Fútbol is incredibly popular in the Spanish-speaking world, to the point that there are many national and international Spanish publications that exclusively cover it.
Radio Ambulante
If you enjoy podcasts like Reveal and This American Life, Radio Ambulante (Traveling Radio) may be right up your alley. This NPR-distributed show combines storytelling with investigative journalism to tell Latin American stories that are not typically covered in news. Episodes are between 30 and 60 minutes, and come with a transcript so you can read along while you listen.\Latin American news sources in Spanish
Milenio
With both a national newspaper and a 24-hour news network, Milenio (Millenium) is a news giant from Mexico. In addition to covering Mexican and international news, it also publishes editions with local news in 11 Mexican cities, including Monterrey, Toluca, and Guadalajara. The written articles on Milenio’s website are available to read if you register for a free account, and it has a livestream you can watch if you’re in Mexico.
Clarín
Clarín (Bugle), a daily newspaper from Argentina, is the second most-circulated paper in the Spanish-speaking world. You’ll need to pay for a subscription if you want unlimited access to all of its content, but you can read a generous 40 articles for free each month without one.
El Tiempo
A Colombian daily newspaper with the largest circulation in its country, El Tiempo (The Times) publishes six regional editions with local news for different parts of Colombia. You’ll need to pay for a subscription to read El Tiempo’s articles online, though the subscription comes with some other perks like access to the automotive-focused magazine Revista Motor and PDF versions of El Tiempo’s newspapers.
El Comercio
The oldest newspaper in Peru, El Comercio (The Trade or The Commerce) covers Peruvian news and world news, as well as topics like technology and the economy. You can only read a few articles before you have to register for a free account. Some articles, typically analysis, profiles, and interviews, require a paid subscription.
El Mercurio
This Chilean newspaper is the oldest daily Spanish-language newspaper that’s still publishing. El Mercurio (The Mercury) has a fairly unique digital version; instead of each article having its own page, El Mercurio’s website features scans of its print edition. This could be a positive or a negative depending on your preferences. El Mercurio requires a paid subscription to read.
Reforma
Another Mexican newspaper, Reforma (Reform) is based in Mexico City and reports on local, national, and worldwide news, as well as other topics like justice, science, and automotive news. Reforma’s videos are free to watch, but you’ll need to pay for a subscription to read its articles.
European news sources in Spanish
El País
El País (The Country) is a Spanish daily newspaper that publishes a Spain edition, a Latin American edition, and an English edition. This makes it especially helpful as a learning resource, as you can reference the English version of an article to get an idea of what a story is about before reading the Spanish version. You have to create an account to read full articles, and some premium articles require a paid subscription to view.
BBC News Mundo
The international Spanish version of the British Broadcasting Corporation’s news division, BBC News Mundo covers current events in Spain and Latin America, as well as science, health, technology, culture, and the economy. It also releases free video content via its YouTube channel.
Vogue España
While Vogue España may be an international edition of the American magazine Vogue, it’s based in Madrid and has Spanish staff. Vogue España primarily covers fashion and beauty, but also has articles and short videos on lifestyle, celebrities, and entertainment. It features many cover models who would be familiar to English-speaking audiences, in addition to Spanish models and actresses.
Radiotelevisión Española (RTVE)
Radiotelevisión Española (Spain Radio and Television), also known as RTVE, is a state-owned public broadcaster in Spain. RTVE covers Spanish news, international news, finance, culture, and science. It also airs and streams Spanish television and films, though you need to be in Spain to access them.
Other news sources in Spanish
SBS Español
The SBS is the Special Broadcasting Service, an Australian public broadcaster. SBS Español publishes articles and videos covering Australian and Latin American news in Spanish. It also has an hour-long daily news program in Spanish, which is free to access.
Expand your cultural knowledge with Rosetta Stone
While you’re exploring Spanish culture, get a guided tour through the Spanish language with Rosetta Stone! Start by learning foundational words and phrases, reviewing the essential basics for learning Spanish, or exploring Oaxaca, Mexico through everyday conversations.
Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion approach can help you learn a language faster and more confidently than you would if you studied on your own. Plus, TruAccent can help you sound amazing from your very first lesson.
