KMEX-DT - News Operation

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 KVEA 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)."