Organizations Call Out Univision’s Disturbing Interview With Indicted Former President

Editor’s Note: Following Univision’s recent biased and unchecked disinformation interview of Donald Trump, and given renewed questions about the network’s new direction, over 80 organizations sent a letter on November 17, to Univision executives—Mr. Wade Davis, CEO, TelevisaUnivision; Mr. Alfonso de Angoitia Noriega, Co-CEO, TelevisaUnivision Mexico Mr. Bernardo Gomez; Martinez, Co-CEO, TelevisaUnivision Mexico—demanding accountability and higher journalistic standards:

Dear Mr. Davis, Mr. de Angoitia & Mr. Gomez: Univision has played a unique and important role in the Latino community as an integral source of information. By its own account, Univision’s mission is to “inform and empower” the Latino community, and it is that mission that has enabled it to become a trusted source for news among millions of Hispanics. The confidence bestowed on Univision is built on the understanding that the network is committed to telling the real story about Hispanics in the U.S. while adhering to the highest journalistic standards and reporting integrity, and doing what true journalists do best — speaking truth to power.

This trust has been betrayed. It is beyond alarming to learn that Univision’s leadership is giving former president Donald Trump— the most anti-Latino and anti-immigrant president in modern American history— unquestioned access and allowed him to spread falsehoods unchecked.

As we indicated in our assessment of his early presidency, former President Trump pursued an extreme agenda detrimental to the Latino community, aimed at reducing access to healthcare, targeting immigrants, exacerbating environmental harm, and drastically slashing federal funding for domestic programs. He also called Mexican immigrants “rapists” and drug smugglers, used racist rhetoric echoed by a domestic terrorist who murdered members of our community in El Paso, and separated immigrant kids from their parents among many other harmful and dangerous words and deeds.

The Latino community expects transparent and unbiased reporting, free from external influence.

Furthermore, as a recent New York Times article detailed, Trump’s second term would not only turbocharge the failed xenophobic policies that bred cruelty, but would fundamentally change who we are as a nation. He is now pledging to bring more hate and division with plans for rounding up millions of undocumented immigrants, mass detentions and mass deportations.

Trump would revive family separations, reinstate the Muslim ban and take away birth-right citizenship. These policies will inflict harm on all communities and our entire economy and specially on Latino families, the very audience Univision purports to serve.

Our communities know the consequences of a press corps that is tainted by overt political and business interests, and the pernicious outcome of an electorate kept in the dark. Many of our own families had to escape political persecution and a crackdown on the free press. The role of the press in a democracy is paramount and critical so that the government is accountable to the people. Media functions as a watchdog, informs citizens, and sounds the alarm on corruption, criminality and wrongdoing. With disinformation on the rise, and bad actors targeting our communities, we cannot afford to have one of the most powerful media companies for Hispanics fall short of the highest journalistic standards.

The Latino community expects transparent and unbiased reporting, free from external influence. Upholding the principles of journalism, including fact-checking, balanced reporting, and avoiding sensationalism or free-passes on the tough issues, are all essential for the credibility and trustworthiness of Univision.

We demand Univision conduct a thorough internal review, take corrective measures, and reaffirm its commitment to unbiased reporting and to keeping the Latino community informed and up-to-date with facts and truth. Unfiltered, unaddressed and unrestricted disinformation does a disservice to all communities in the U.S. and will destroy Univision’s reputation as a credible network that informs an important electorate.

César J. Blanco, Texas State Senator – SD 29; Cecilia Gonzales, Nevada state assemblywoman; Selena Torres, Nevada State Assemblywoman; National: AFGE National HISCO legislative subcommittee chair; Alianza Americas; American Federation of Government Employees National Hispanic Coalition Chair; Autononomy Strategies; CASA; CASA in Action; Catalist; Center for American Progress; Center for Common Ground; Climate Power En Accion; DemCast USA; Democratic Messaging Project; Fourth Branch Action; Greenpeace USA; Immigrant Legal Resource Center, Immigrants Rising, Immigration Hub; Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society; La Mesa Boricua; Labor Council for Latin American Advancement; Latino Political Avenue; Local Majority, Make the Road Action; MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund); MANA, A National Latina Organization; Mi Familia Vota; MomsRising; MountainGem Advocacy & Communications; MoveOn; National Conference of Puerto Rican Women, Inc; National Hispanic Council on Aging; National Hispanic Federation of for the Arts; National Hispanic Media Coalition, National Immigration Law Center; National Partnership for New Americans; NextGen America; NILC Immigrant Justice Fund; People Power United; Present.org; Pulso; Secure Elections Network; Social Security Works; The Media and Democracy Project; UnidosUS Action Fund; United States Hispanic Leadership Institute; United We Dream; Venezuelan American Caucus; Voto Latino; State and Local: ACLU People Power Fairfax; Alianza for Progress; Alliance San Diego; Avondale ACTion; Centreville Immigration Forum; Coalición de Derechos Humanos; Coalition for Humane immigrant Rights (CHIRLA); Culianary Union; East Area Progressive Democrats (EAPD); Flic Votes; Florida Watch; Hispanic Media; Just Neighbors; La Union del Pueblo Entero; Latina Initiative of Colorado; LUCHA; LULAC Florida; LUPE Votes; Mesa de Trabajo NY/NJ; Miami Freedom Project; Nevada Latino Legislative Caucus; Nevada State AFL-CIO, NH Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees; Organización Hijos de Livingston; Poder NC Action; Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada Action; Regalias Digitales LLC; SEIU-United Services Workers West; Ankura; Catalino Productions; marciportales.com.