KMEX-TV
Encyclopedia
KMEX-DT, "Univisión 34 Los Angeles", is the Univision
owned-and-operated station
in Los Angeles and the network's flagship station for the West Coast. KMEX, first broadcast in 1962, opened the way for other Spanish-language
stations and networks in the United States. KMEX-DT offers a Spanish-language programming format featuring news, talk shows, dramas, movies and other programming.
On June 12, 2009 at 11:59 pm, after transmitting some past KMEX broadcasts from 1962 onward and a brief countdown to "La Era Digital", KMEX discontinued its analog TV broadcasts and became a digital-only station. Following the analog-to-digital transition, KMEX moved its digital signal back to channel 34. Digital channel 35, currently used by KMEX-DT will be the final digital channel assignment for KRCA-DT. KRCA is required to abandon its pre-transition digital channel 68, as it lies outside of the post transition core channels 2 through 51.
As of 2010, KMEX has been transmitting its programming in HD. In June of 2010, they transmitted the 2010 FIFA World Cup
making it the first time ever that soccer games were transmitted in HD on this channel. Recently, they started to broadcast their newscasts in HD for the first time.
On December 5, 2010, KMEX-DT has begun Mobile DTV broadcasts of its own signal, and of sister station KFTR-DT. KMEX-DT has two Mobile DTV feeds, one of subchannel 34.1, labelled "KMEX-MH1", and of sister station KFTR-DT 46.1, labelled "KFTR-MH2", broadcasting at 3.67 Mbit/s. This is the highest bitrate of any Los Angeles television station mobile feed.
has improved the quality of their newscast). Currently, Noticias 34 has led the ratings in the 18-34 and 18-49 demographic at 6 p.m. for the last twelve years, a remarkable feat for any station. Part of the reason for this is that the Latino population in Southern California is younger than the non-Latino population.
KMEX has long been known for its news coverage. News director Rubén Salazar
was killed by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
Deputy in 1970 when covering the Chicano Moratorium
. Its news feature, El 15% de los Estados Unidos, which tells about the impact of Latinos on the United States, won a Peabody Award
in 2006, and the station has won its share of Emmys and Golden Mics in the Los Angeles market.
While many stations in the region have begun producing local newscasts and other locally produced programming in high definition, KMEX did not begin carrying its newscasts in high definition until January 1, 2010. Their Spanish-language rival KVEA
, KWHY, their sister station KFTR, as well as all English-language stations also produce local news in High Definition. KMEX had a fully equipped Bell Jetranger ENG helicopter for its aerial coverage of breaking news shown here with pilot/reporter Desiree Horton, but the contract expired in mid 2008 and it is not known when or if they will get another one.
In 2008, The Washington Post
compared Southern California English newscasts with KMEX's Spanish newscasts and concluded, "The sharpest coverage of state and local issues -- government, politics, immigration, labor, economics, health care -- is now found on Spanish-language TV." The article also quoted Josh Kun, a communications professor at the University of Southern California who closely follows Spanish TV as saying, "There's no comparison in the coverage. For people here, there are two places to look for better news: BBC News and Spanish-language news." The article adds, "But the most serious complaint about Spanish news is that the reporting and commentary often feel more like advocacy than traditional journalism. It's a fair point, and one that those who work in Spanish news don't dispute. The two stations' immigration coverage is deeply sympathetic to undocumented immigrants, with on-air reporters encouraging viewers to join national immigration rallies. Macin, the KMEX general manager, notes that her station's philosophy is "a su lado" (on your side)."
Weather
Sports
Reporters
Voz y Voto (local public affairs program)
Tu Tecnología (technology segment)
Univision
Univision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States. It has the largest audience of Spanish language television viewers according to Nielsen ratings. Randy Falco, COO, has been in charge of the company since the departure of Univision Communications president and CEO Joe Uva...
owned-and-operated station
Owned-and-operated station
In the broadcasting industry , an owned-and-operated station usually refers to a television station or radio station that is owned by the network with which it is associated...
in Los Angeles and the network's flagship station for the West Coast. KMEX, first broadcast in 1962, opened the way for other Spanish-language
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
stations and networks in the United States. KMEX-DT offers a Spanish-language programming format featuring news, talk shows, dramas, movies and other programming.
History
KMEX-TV first began broadcasting on September 30, 1962 as a Spanish-language television station. In the late 1960s, KMEX broadcast "Escuela," a four-times-per-week program that taught basic English to viewers of all nationalities. Ginger Cory, a Los Angeles school district teacher, was the host. Students mailed written exercises to her for grading. Many in southern California's non-English speaking community came to consider Ms. Cory a friend and counselor.On June 12, 2009 at 11:59 pm, after transmitting some past KMEX broadcasts from 1962 onward and a brief countdown to "La Era Digital", KMEX discontinued its analog TV broadcasts and became a digital-only station. Following the analog-to-digital transition, KMEX moved its digital signal back to channel 34. Digital channel 35, currently used by KMEX-DT will be the final digital channel assignment for KRCA-DT. KRCA is required to abandon its pre-transition digital channel 68, as it lies outside of the post transition core channels 2 through 51.
As of 2010, KMEX has been transmitting its programming in HD. In June of 2010, they transmitted the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
making it the first time ever that soccer games were transmitted in HD on this channel. Recently, they started to broadcast their newscasts in HD for the first time.
On December 5, 2010, KMEX-DT has begun Mobile DTV broadcasts of its own signal, and of sister station KFTR-DT. KMEX-DT has two Mobile DTV feeds, one of subchannel 34.1, labelled "KMEX-MH1", and of sister station KFTR-DT 46.1, labelled "KFTR-MH2", broadcasting at 3.67 Mbit/s. This is the highest bitrate of any Los Angeles television station mobile feed.
News operation
KMEX's newscast, Noticias 34, is the top rated newscast among Spanish-speaking viewers in Southern California and often draws more viewers than any of the English speaking newscasts (although that has changed recently as KVEAKVEA
KVEA is a Spanish-language television station in the Los Angeles area owned and operated by NBC Universal and the West Coast flagship station of the Telemundo network. It was the first mainland U.S. station owned by Telemundo at the network's launch in the late 1980's...
has improved the quality of their newscast). Currently, Noticias 34 has led the ratings in the 18-34 and 18-49 demographic at 6 p.m. for the last twelve years, a remarkable feat for any station. Part of the reason for this is that the Latino population in Southern California is younger than the non-Latino population.
KMEX has long been known for its news coverage. News director Rubén Salazar
Ruben Salazar
Rubén Salazar was a Mexican-American journalist killed by a Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy during the National Chicano Moratorium March against the Vietnam War on August 29, 1970 in East Los Angeles, California. During the 1970s, his killing was often cited as a symbol of unjust treatment of...
was killed by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is a local county law enforcement agency that serves Los Angeles County, California. It is the fourth largest local policing agency in the United States, with the New York City Police Department being the first. The second largest is the Chicago Police...
Deputy in 1970 when covering the Chicano Moratorium
Chicano Moratorium
The Chicano Moratorium, formally known as the National Chicano Moratorium Committee, was a movement of Chicano anti-war activists that built a broad-based coalition of Mexican-American groups to organize opposition to the Vietnam War...
. Its news feature, El 15% de los Estados Unidos, which tells about the impact of Latinos on the United States, won a Peabody Award
Peabody Award
The George Foster Peabody Awards recognize distinguished and meritorious public service by radio and television stations, networks, producing organizations and individuals. In 1939, the National Association of Broadcasters formed a committee to recognize outstanding achievement in radio broadcasting...
in 2006, and the station has won its share of Emmys and Golden Mics in the Los Angeles market.
While many stations in the region have begun producing local newscasts and other locally produced programming in high definition, KMEX did not begin carrying its newscasts in high definition until January 1, 2010. Their Spanish-language rival KVEA
KVEA
KVEA is a Spanish-language television station in the Los Angeles area owned and operated by NBC Universal and the West Coast flagship station of the Telemundo network. It was the first mainland U.S. station owned by Telemundo at the network's launch in the late 1980's...
, KWHY, their sister station KFTR, as well as all English-language stations also produce local news in High Definition. KMEX had a fully equipped Bell Jetranger ENG helicopter for its aerial coverage of breaking news shown here with pilot/reporter Desiree Horton, but the contract expired in mid 2008 and it is not known when or if they will get another one.
In 2008, The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
compared Southern California English newscasts with KMEX's Spanish newscasts and concluded, "The sharpest coverage of state and local issues -- government, politics, immigration, labor, economics, health care -- is now found on Spanish-language TV." The article also quoted Josh Kun, a communications professor at the University of Southern California who closely follows Spanish TV as saying, "There's no comparison in the coverage. For people here, there are two places to look for better news: BBC News and Spanish-language news." The article adds, "But the most serious complaint about Spanish news is that the reporting and commentary often feel more like advocacy than traditional journalism. It's a fair point, and one that those who work in Spanish news don't dispute. The two stations' immigration coverage is deeply sympathetic to undocumented immigrants, with on-air reporters encouraging viewers to join national immigration rallies. Macin, the KMEX general manager, notes that her station's philosophy is "a su lado" (on your side)."
Weekdays
- Noticias Univision 34: Primera Edicion - 5:00 - 7:00 a.m.
- Noticias Univision 34 A Las 6PM - 6:00 - 6:30 p.m.
- Noticias Univision 34 Solo A Las Once - 11:00 - 11:30 p.m.
Saturdays
- Noticias Univision 34 Fin De Semana - 6:00 - 6:30 p.m.
- Noticias Univision 34 Fin De Semana - 11:00 - 11:15 p.m.
- Accion Deportiva 34 - 11:15 - 11:30 p.m.
Sundays
- Noticias Univision 34 Fin De Semana - 6:00 - 6:30 p.m.
- Noticias Univision 34 Fin De Semana - 11:00 - 11:15 p.m.
- Accion Deportiva 34 - 11:15 - 11:30 p.m.
News team
Anchors- Rolando Nichols - weekends at 6 and 11 p.m.
- Raul PeimbertRaul PeimbertRaul Peimbert Diaz is a Mexican/American newscaster, who also served as General Coordinator of Media Affairs for the Government of the Mexican State of Veracruz....
- weeknights at 6 and 11 p.m. - Francisco Pinto - weekday mornings Primera Edicion
- Teresa Quevedo - weeknights at 6 and 11 p.m.
- Gabriela Teissier - weekends at 6 and 11 p.m.
Weather
- Guillermo Quiroz - lead meteorologist; weeknights at 6 and 11 p.m.
- Gisela Gilbert - weekends at 6 and 11 p.m.
Sports
- Bernardo Osuna - lead sports anchor; weeknights at 6 and 11 p.m.
- Enrique Gutierrez - weekends at 6 and 11 p.m.
Reporters
- Karina Dalmas - general assignment reporter
- Pepe Barreto - general assignment reporter
- Cecilia Bogran - general assignment reporter
- Oswaldo Borraez - general assignment reporter
- Claudia Botero - general assignment reporter
- Norma Roque - general assignment reporter
- Francisco Ugalde - general assignment reporter
- Antonio Valverde - general assignment reporter
- Luis Zaragoza - general assignment reporter
Voz y Voto (local public affairs program)
- Xochilt Arellano - host
Tu Tecnología (technology segment)
- Ariel Coro - feature reporter