If ever there were doubts that Univision is an activist organization passing itself off as a journalistic entity, then look no further than its reporting on the jobs report for June 2020.
Watch below as the network hides one big piece of news with relevance to the Hispanic community, then completely and blatantly misrepresent another:
JORGE RAMOS: And after so much bad news, I’ve got some good news for you. 4,800,000 new jobs were created in June...4 million. This brought the unemployment rate down to 11.1 percent. Economists warn that the new coronavirus outbreak could trigger a new wave of closures. But for now, President Donald Trump is celebrating the progress, as Peggy Carranza tells us.
PEGGY CARRANZA: President Trump patted himself on the back today over the latest jobs report.
…
Nearly 5 million jobs were created in June, and the unemployment rate fell to 11 percent. The unemployment rate is highest, precisely, among Hispanics at over 14 percent.
…
Those who don't receive unemployment benefits would be worse off. Just take a look at the lines at the food banks.
At his morning press conference, President Donald Trump related what the jobs report had already made crystal clear: that job growth within the Hispanic community accounted for nearly a third of the 4.8 million jobs created in June 2020- a historic figure. We anticipated the networks would not cover this during the day’s news programming, and called them out on it:
The jobs report has been out since 8AM but Spanish-language media have not reported that Hispanics account for nearly 1 in 3 new jobs in June pic.twitter.com/v87YzVs4xw
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) July 2, 2020
When Univision got around to covering the jobs report, they left out the huge growth in Hispanic employment- which one would think is relevant information that could be of interest to Univision’s audience. Then, New York correspondent Peggy Carranza made the wild assertion that the Hispanic unemployment rate was the highest. Had anyone bothered to read the report or exercise basic editorial diligence at the network level, they would’ve found that African-Americans were unemployed at a higher rate than Hispanics. But as is often the case at Univision, the purpose is not to report but to inflame.
A jobs report that reflects positive employment growth within the Hispanic community does not advance the network's activist agenda, and as MRC Latino's research has shown, this is a very uncomfortable issue for Spanish-language media.
We call upon Univision to retract this report (brought to you by AT&T), or at a bare minimum, issue a correction.
Click “Expand” to view full transcript of the aforementioned report as aired on Noticiero Univision on Thursday, July 2nd, 2020:
JORGE RAMOS: And after so much bad news, I’ve got some good news for you. 4,800,000 new jobs were created in June...4 million. This brought the unemployment rate down to 11.1 percent. Economists warn that the new coronavirus outbreak could trigger a new wave of closures. But for now, President Donald Trump is celebrating the progress, as Peggy Carranza tells us.PEGGY CARRANZA: President Trump patted himself on the back today over the latest jobs report.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Today’s announcement proves that our economy is roaring back…
CARRANZA: This proves that the economy is roaring again, coming back very strongly, he said. Nearly 5 million jobs were created in June, and the unemployment rate fell to 11 percent.
JORGE SUAREZ-VELEZ: That’s a sign that the sector is effectively going back to work, which is positive. But on the other hand, I believe we’re seeing the effect that the new outbreaks will have on unemployment, which will be significant.
CARRANZA: In California, Texas, and Florida, bars were closed again. And in New York, restaurant service was restricted.
BAN BETANCOURT: What does it mean not to open for inside (dining)? (It means) also to refrain from hiring additional personnel. And to leave more people unemployed at this time.
CARRANZA: To be precise, the unemployment rate is highest among Hispanics, at over 14 percent, which makes Francisco Genao anxious, (having been) temporarily laid off as a baggage handler.
FRANCISCO GENAO: Until I’m told otherwise and get the last word I’m still confident that I’ll get called. I’m anxious to start.
CARRANZA: Those who don't receive unemployment benefits would be worse off. Just take a look at the lines at the food banks.
WORKER: Business is slow, and besides, the boss doesn’t want to give me more hours for the same reason...there isn’t enough work.
CARRANZA: Economists warn that the only way to permanently recover the jobs that have been temporarily lost is that the pandemic be under control, and businesses reopened or at least having a fraction of the sales volume they had before. In New York, Peggy Carranza, Univision.
