UNIVISION RESPONDS TO CRUCIAL HISPANIC ELECTORATE AND DELIVERS MOST
EXTENSIVE MULTIPLATFORM ELECTION COVERAGE EVER
Including Live
Reports From Inside Both Conventions and Wall-To-Wall Election Night
Coverage
NEW YORK, NY, AUGUST 18, 2008 - With Hispanics poised to play their
most important role yet in a presidential election, Univision
Communications Inc., the leading Spanish-language media company in the
U.S., has announced its plans to provide the most complete campaign and
election coverage in its history through its television, online, mobile
and radio platforms.
Having already hosted the first live Spanish-language presidential
forums in television history during the primary season, and co-hosting
a debate with CNN, Univision will continue to lead the way in providing
Hispanic America the most complete and trusted campaign and election
night coverage available anywhere.
According to the Pew Hispanic Center, Hispanics comprise approximately
nine percent of the eligible electorate, but their impact will be much
greater because they are heavily concentrated in states such as
Florida, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada, which are expected to be
battlegrounds on Election Day.
"Univision is committed to delivering comprehensive convention and
election coverage through our television, radio, online and mobile
platforms," said Joe Uva, chief executive officer, Univision
Communications Inc. "As Hispanic Americans get ready to elect the 44th
president of the United States, Univision will be there informing and
empowering our viewers so they can make decisions based on the issues
of most importance to them, including education, the economy and
immigration."
Univision Network
On the network side, coverage will begin with a special edition of its
critically acclaimed Sunday morning talk program, "Al Punto" (To the
Point) hosted by network news anchor Jorge Ramos, which will air the
Sunday before the start of each National Convention. He will host a
panel of three leading political experts - political analyst and
journalist, Arnoldo Torres; former Assistant Secretary of State and
Latin America Advisor for Senator John McCain, Ambassador Otto Reich;
and senior fellow and director of The Americas Project at American
Progress and current Latin American Advisor for Senator Barack Obama,
Dan Restrepo - providing analysis and insight focused on the Hispanic
vote.
The network will bring its viewers live reports from inside both
party's conventions, as well as dedicated segments throughout the day
on its most popular shows. Starting with its morning program "Despierta
América" (Wake Up America), special campaign news briefs
throughout the day, and coverage on the network's Emmy Award winning
daily newsmagazine "Primer Impacto" (First Impact), Univision will also
broadcast its nightly "Noticiero Univision" network news program live
from inside both convention halls. In addition, the network will air
special nightly editions of its late-night newscast, "Noticiero
Univision: Ultima Hora," with anchor Enrique Gratas providing
up-to-the-minute recaps of the day's political events with analysis
from Torres. On the evening of the acceptance speeches, network anchors
Jorge Ramos and Maria Elena Salinas will report live.
In between and following the conventions, Univision will continue its
extensive coverage of both candidates' campaigns leading up to Election
Day.
Local Coverage
Rolando Nichols from Univision's flagship station in Los Angeles - KMEX
- and Fernando Pizarro - Washington DC correspondent for the Univision
stations - will be providing coverage for the local stations. In
addition, special editions of the California, Texas, and Puerto Rico
political roundtable programs produced by the Univision Television
Group, each called "Voz y Voto" (Voice and Vote), will be produced from
the site of each convention.
Univision Radio
In addition to the network and individual station's regular election
coverage, political expert and journalist Helen Aguirre will attend
both conventions to cover first-hand the points of view of each
political party, interview representatives from both parties, and
develop in-depth reports that will run in special editions of the
weekly Saturday radio program "Yo Cuento" (I Count).
Univision Online
Univision.com has a dedicated elections microsite (keyword: Destino
2008) that features interviews with party leaders and Hispanic super
delegates. The extensive online coverage provides updates on the
Hispanic vote and major issues such as education, the economy, Iraq,
and immigration. In addition, users can directly access blogs
from the convention sites with the latest commentary on the ins and
outs of these important events. On the mobile front, convention
followers can also access breaking news from Univision Móvil.
Election Day
On Election Day, Univision Network's coverage will start in the morning
on "Despierta América," and continue with special live news
briefs every hour and as events unfold throughout the day, reporting
not only on the presidential race, but on key congressional and
gubernatorial contests, as well. In local markets, Univision stations
will provide in-depth local election coverage during their scheduled
newscasts. Then, starting with the network's "Noticiero Univision"
newscast, coverage will continue uninterrupted throughout the evening
live, from coast to coast, as polls close and results come in, until
the outcome is decided.
In addition to its extensive campaign and election coverage, Univision
will continue its efforts to facilitate community involvement through
it's Peabody award-winning "Ya es Hora" (It's Time) initiative, a
national civic engagement on-air and community outreach campaign
developed to inform, educate and motivate Hispanics to participate in
the American political dialogue by leveraging the power of a coalition
of the nation's largest and most established Hispanic organizations and
the country's largest Spanish-language media companies.
Univision Communications Inc. is the premier Spanish-language media
company in the United States. Its operations include Univision
Network, the most-watched Spanish-language broadcast television network
in the U.S. reaching 97% of U.S. Hispanic Households; TeleFutura
Network, a general-interest Spanish-language broadcast television
network, which was launched in 2002 and now reaches 85% of U.S.
Hispanic Households; Galavisión, the country's leading
Spanish-language cable network; Univision Television Group, which owns
and operates 63 television stations in major U.S. Hispanic markets and
Puerto Rico; Univision Radio, the leading Spanish-language radio group
which owns and/or operates 70 radio stations in 16 of the top 25 U.S.
Hispanic markets and 5 stations in Puerto Rico; and Univision Online,
the premier Spanish-language Internet destination in the U.S. located
at
http://www.univision.com
Univision Communications also has a 50% interest in TuTv, a joint
venture formed to broadcast Televisa's pay television channels in the
U.S. Univision Communications has television network operations in
Miami and television and radio stations and sales offices in major
cities throughout the United States.