TelevisionUnivision’s chief executive defended the network’s recent interview with Donald Trump amid criticism from Democratic lawmakers and others that the influential Latino network gave the former president a softball platform.
Wade Davis wrote in a memo to the US. Employees today that “interviews with the current Republican front-runner according to opinion polls, the sitting president and all other candidates are our responsibility if we want to present the entire landscape of ideas.” The interview with former President Trump was the first in 22 years by a current or former Republican president. During the same period, there were many interviews with a current or former Democratic president. Additionally, we hosted and welcomed an interview with President Biden in return, and we believe our viewers will greatly appreciate hearing from the President. “
The Trump interview itself was considered non-confrontational After He points to instances where Trump has not been challenged on certain key facts. The interview, conducted by Enrique Acevedo, also contrasted Univision’s coverage of Trump under previous owners. Perhaps most famously, in 2015 the Trump campaign kicked Jorge Ramos, perhaps the network’s best-known personality, out of a press conference. Ramos pressured Trump with his anti-immigrant rhetoric.
Moderator León Krauze resigned last week after reports of staff criticism of the interview. According to Semafor, TelevisaUnivision executives attended the interview at Mar-a-Lago The Washington Post reported that Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner was involved with the organization. Actor John Leguizamo called for a boycott of the network, citing the decision to remove campaign ads for Joe Biden that would have appeared during the Trump interview. More than 80 groups, including MALDEF and America’s Voice, signed a letter to Univision objecting to the interview and expressing concern about the network’s direction. The Post also reported that the Congressional Hispanic Caucus was preparing a letter requesting a meeting with the network.
In his memo, Davis wrote that Univision “made the decision to pursue a strategy that differs from that of some other major networks and has been labeled biased.” Univision’s news strategy is unbiased and objective. We serve our audiences by welcoming competing issues, ideas, candidates and parties. We are here to serve our public, not any political party, any candidate or any partisan group.”
He added: “Univision is an independent news organization and we are not deterred by partisan interests and targeted advocacy.” Our responsibility is to our audiences; We are committed to that and staying on track.”
The full memo can be found below:
Team,
First of all I want to thank everyone!
I hope you are all preparing to have some quality time with family before the Thanksgiving holiday here in the United States. For those of you in our newsroom: we know very well that you never stop. There was continued press coverage surrounding our interview with former President Trump, which led to further questions and discussions among our staff. For this reason, I think it makes sense to explain the evolution of our messaging strategy in more detail.
Recent events reflect a clear recognition of the importance of Hispanics as the strongest deciding vote in the upcoming 2024 presidential election. This is made possible by the fact that the Hispanic population is large and the fastest growing demographic group. There is now a well-documented consensus among political analysts of both parties that the Hispanic vote could determine the outcome of the presidential election.
Cooperation with the entire Hispanic community in all areas is the foundation of TelevisaUnivision’s mission. We are here to inform and empower the Spanish speaking public. We understand our community very well and know that Hispanics are diverse, dynamic and certainly not uniform in their political views.
We have decided to pursue a strategy that is different from some other major networks that are labeled as partisan. Univision’s news strategy is unbiased and objective. We serve our audiences by welcoming competing issues, ideas, candidates and parties. We are here to serve our public, not a political party, candidate or partisan group. In the realm of politics, where opinions can be passionate and diverse, providing space for diverse voices reflects a commitment to the values that underpin civil life in a democracy. It is a recognition that the strength of a democracy depends on its ability to manage differences through dialogue and ultimately make informed decisions that shape the future.
To that end, it is our responsibility to interview the current Republican front-runner, the current president, and all other candidates, if we want to present the entire landscape of ideas. The interview with former President Trump was the first in 22 years by a current or former Republican president. During the same period, there were many interviews with a current or former Democratic president. Additionally, we hosted and welcomed an interview with President Biden in return, and we believe our viewers will greatly appreciate hearing from the President.
Univision will continue to uphold this clear vision by giving Democrats, Republicans and Independents an equal voice in the coming months, and I hope we will be judged on all of our coverage of the 2024 election.
At the same time, we must understand that Univision’s unprecedented reach among Hispanics will attract additional attention and criticism, especially among partisan groups. We accept responsibility to provide our audiences with the information they need to make decisions based on accurate reporting of the election process. We will reject all attempts to destabilize this vision, including those of partisans within the press or the political apparatus. Univision is not a tool of each party or organization. Univision is an independent news organization and we are not deterred by partisan interests and targeted advocacy. Our responsibility is to our audience; We are committed to it and stay on track.
In large companies, the views of shareholders and employees coincide. From the top, we stand behind Univision News President Daniel Coronell and the rest of the news organization to execute this strategy. Ensuring that this vision is properly implemented requires the focus and attention of all stakeholders within TelevisaUnivision. I hope and trust that you share this important mission and vision for our company.
Wade
Source: Deadline
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
