Here at MRC Latino, we often find similar areas of concern when pointing out the unique biases of our domestic Spanish-language news media. However, there are times when different networks will take such varied approaches to the same story so as to compel us to take notice. Memorial Day in Los Angeles was such an instance, as Univision and Telemundo both went out to cover the Memorial Day ceremonies at Cinco Puntos (Five Points).
Unfortunately, Univision embarrassed itself by trampling over the solemnities of the ceremony in order to inflame racial grievance, quickly switching from Memorial Day to Donald Trump in what has to be one of the more awkward pivots I've ever had the displeasure of witnessing:
JUAN CARLOS GONZALEZ, CORRESPONDENT, UNVISION: This Memorial Day event is conducted every year, in a place known as Cinco Puntos (Five Points). Since most of the residents and veterans from around here are of Mexican origin, they can't ignore the remarks made by Donald Trump.
The reporter basically stepped over the assembled veterans in a rush to grab a quote from the politicians present. Present were Attorney General and U.S. Senate candidate Kamala Harris, L.A. County Commissioner and former Congresswoman Hilda Solís, among others- all who obliged for the cameras. The reporter even went so far as to harrass a D-Day survivor with a random question about Trump. Thus ended Univision's shamefully politicized Memorial Day coverage.
Telemundo, on the other hand, displayed proper respect for the solemnity of the occasion. No politicos were asked for their steaming hot Trump takes. In fact, no politicos were asked anything, or even featured at all. The focus on the reporting was solely on those who perished in combat, and on their brethren and sisteren-in-arms who commemorated them.
The story opened with a mention of the presidential wreath-laying at Arlington, and then spoke to the same D-Day veteran featured in the Univision story. Only this time, he was asked about his harrowing jump into Normandy. The D-Day paratrooper gave a sobering response about the very high mortality rate within his company. This eventually segued into a solemn interview with a staff sergeant from a mortuary unit, who tearfully remembered having to recover the remains of some of his friends, and other remembrances of fallen heroes.
Kudos to Telemundo for keeping Memorial Day in its proper perspective, something we see less of within our media. Shame on Univision for disrespecting our fallen heroes in the name of a politicized news agenda.
