María Elena Salinas
Encyclopedia
María Elena Salinas is the co-anchor of Noticiero Univision
with Jorge Ramos, the most watched newscast by American Hispanics. She is considered one of the most recognized and influential female Hispanic
journalist
s in the United States
.
Her parents immigrated to the United States from Mexico
in the 1940s. She was born and raised in Los Angeles
, California
.
After a humble beginning as news reader at Radio Xpress XEPRS, a radio station broadcasting to Baja California
, Mexico, and Southern California, USA, she promptly jumped into the ranks of KMEX Channel 34 in Los Angeles, California as TV news reporter.
Salinas has interviewed some of the world's most politically influential figures, ranging from U.S. President Jimmy Carter
, Mexican President Vicente Fox
, Zapatista Army of National Liberation
spokesman Subcomandante Marcos
and U.S. President Bill Clinton
.
Salinas is one of the founders of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists
. She sponsors the Maria Elena Salinas Scholarship for college students interested in Spanish news broadcasting. She also was inducted into the association's Hall of Fame in 2006.
She is also a columnist
whose work in both English and Spanish is distributed by King Features Syndicate
. Salinas has 2 daughters. Julia Alexandra and Gabriela Maria and has lived in Miami since 1991.
Since 2000, she has been a co-host on Aquí y Ahora (Here and Now) which is a 20/20 news type program on Univision
.
On April 11, 2006 her autobiography
, Yo Soy la Hija de mi Padre (I Am my Father's Daughter) was released as a hardback edition. The title word, Padre is a double entendre
as Father can mean a Catholic
priest
. As an adult, María Elena Salinas discovered that her father had been a former priest and was understandably stunned.
Salinas is a Board Member at the IWMF (International Women's Media Foundation).
Salinas was married to local Miami news anchor Eliott Rodriguez, most notably of WFOR, until 2007.
Noticiero Univision
Noticiero Univision is the nightly 6:30 p.m. ET/PT/5:30 p.m. CT/MT newscast on United States Spanish language television network Univision. It is produced by Noticias Univision, the network's news division....
with Jorge Ramos, the most watched newscast by American Hispanics. She is considered one of the most recognized and influential female Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
s in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Her parents immigrated to the United States from Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
in the 1940s. She was born and raised in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
After a humble beginning as news reader at Radio Xpress XEPRS, a radio station broadcasting to Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
, Mexico, and Southern California, USA, she promptly jumped into the ranks of KMEX Channel 34 in Los Angeles, California as TV news reporter.
Salinas has interviewed some of the world's most politically influential figures, ranging from U.S. President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
, Mexican President Vicente Fox
Vicente Fox
Vicente Fox Quesada is a Mexican former politician who served as President of Mexico from 1 December 2000 to 30 November 2006 and currently serves as co-President of the Centrist Democrat International, an international organization of Christian democratic political parties.Fox was elected...
, Zapatista Army of National Liberation
Zapatista Army of National Liberation
The Zapatista Army of National Liberation is a revolutionary leftist group based in Chiapas, the southernmost state of Mexico....
spokesman Subcomandante Marcos
Subcomandante Marcos
Subcomandante Marcos is the spokesperson for the Zapatista Army of National Liberation , a Mexican rebel movement. In January 1994, he led an army of Mayan farmers into the eastern parts of the Mexican state of Chiapas protesting against the Mexican government's treatment of indigenous...
and U.S. President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
.
Salinas is one of the founders of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists
National Association of Hispanic Journalists
The National Association of Hispanic Journalists is a Washington, D.C.-based organization dedicated to the advancement of Hispanic journalists in the United States and Puerto Rico...
. She sponsors the Maria Elena Salinas Scholarship for college students interested in Spanish news broadcasting. She also was inducted into the association's Hall of Fame in 2006.
She is also a columnist
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
whose work in both English and Spanish is distributed by King Features Syndicate
King Features Syndicate
King Features Syndicate, a print syndication company owned by The Hearst Corporation, distributes about 150 comic strips, newspaper columns, editorial cartoons, puzzles and games to nearly 5000 newspapers worldwide...
. Salinas has 2 daughters. Julia Alexandra and Gabriela Maria and has lived in Miami since 1991.
Since 2000, she has been a co-host on Aquí y Ahora (Here and Now) which is a 20/20 news type program on Univision
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...
.
On April 11, 2006 her autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
, Yo Soy la Hija de mi Padre (I Am my Father's Daughter) was released as a hardback edition. The title word, Padre is a double entendre
Double entendre
A double entendre or adianoeta is a figure of speech in which a spoken phrase is devised to be understood in either of two ways. Often the first meaning is straightforward, while the second meaning is less so: often risqué or ironic....
as Father can mean a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
. As an adult, María Elena Salinas discovered that her father had been a former priest and was understandably stunned.
Salinas is a Board Member at the IWMF (International Women's Media Foundation).
Salinas was married to local Miami news anchor Eliott Rodriguez, most notably of WFOR, until 2007.