Univision added Chicago to the list of beneficiaries awarded free on-air crisis management disguised as news. Take the network's coverage of Walmart's sudden closure of four of its eight Chicago stores where a number of excuses were given, except for the real one: the city's rampant and uncontrolled crime.
The report – which aired on Sunday – appealed to the audience via the "humble, low-income families" angle and mandatory teary-eyed, senior Latina shifting the attention from crime to "the lack of access for elders of medications at a lower cost."
For added flavor, reporter Enrique García Fuentes interviewed (fully masked) City Councilman Byron Sigcho-Lopez, who lamented – not the rampant crime – but the corporation breaking its promise to stay in Chicago:
GARCIA FUENTES: Two days ago Walmart reported the closure of four of its eight stores in Chicago, explaining that they are having losses of tens of millions of dollars a year and that the losses have almost doubled over the last 5 years. The four stores that are closing are located in minority neighborhoods.
(....)
GARCIA FUENTES: This councilman says that the way in which the local government grants permits and incentives to large corporations needs to be reviewed.
SIGCHO-LOPEZ: Not only have they received subsidies or grants to get in, but they made a promise to be here to stay. Unfortunately, what we see in such a short time (is that) many of these stores are already closed in the areas that need them most.
GARCIA FUENTES: The shelves are already being emptied. They are also removing the names of the corporation and what remains? What remains is mainly a concern of the people to find medicines at low cost.
“Two days ago Walmart reported the closure of four of its eight stores in Chicago, explaining that they are having losses of tens of millions of dollars a year and that losses have almost doubled over the last 5 years,” said García Fuentes. Amazingly, not one word was mentioned about the massive theft (shoplifting) reported at the four Chicago stores that will be closed.
Better to deflect all responsibilities from the liberal-run city: “This councilman says that the way in which the local government grants permits and incentives to large corporations needs to be reviewed,” García added, placing the blame not in the city's administration, but on Walmart.
To end the report, Univision closed in on the stores' half-empty shelves: the $64,000 question is: did the looters get there first? Probably.
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To read the complete transcript of the segment mentioned above, please press on “expand”:
Noticiero Univisión: Fin de semana
04/16/2023
6:44 p.m. EasternFELIX DEBERDUIT, UNIVISION: The closure of four Walmart supermarkets in Chicago has created great unease among its regular consumers, especially humble, low-income families. This is because their economy depends on these stores, including those at Las Villitas, to be able to stock up at reasonable prices. Enrique García Fuentes spoke to the community about their concerns.
YOLANDA VELÁZQUEZ, CLIENT: Very sad for me and for all the people in the neighborhood.
ENRIQUE GARCIA FUENTES, UNIVISION: With tears in her eyes and angry words, Yolanda Velazquez says the closure of the Walmart store in her neighborhood will make life harder for thousands of people because they will now pay more for their food.
VELÁZQUEZ: What am I going to do? Because everything is very expensive here right now. Food is expensive. Life here right now in Chicago is expensive. So, here the only one, Walmart, is cheap for me.
JOSÉ CALDERÓN, CLIENT: Bad because we didn't know until the last moment and that's bad.
GARCÍA FUENTES: A few days ago Walmart reported the closure of four of its eight stores in Chicago explaining that they are having losses of tens of millions of dollars a year and that losses have almost doubled in the last 5 years. The four stores that are closing are located in minority neighborhoods. It is estimated that the closure of this store in the neighborhood of La Villita will affect approximately 120,000 residents, many of whom will have to go shopping at the suburb of Cicero, Illinois. This councilman says that the way in which the local government grants permits and incentives to large corporations needs to be reviewed.
BYRON SIGCHO-LOPEZ, CHICAGO COUNCILMAN: Not only have they received subsidies or grants to get in, but they made a promise to be here to stay. Unfortunately, what we see in such a short time, many of these stores are already closed in the areas that need them most.
GARCÍA FUENTES: The shelves are already being emptied. They are also removing the names of the corporation and what remains - what remains- is mainly a concern of the people to find medicines at low cost.
BALTAZAR ENRÍQUEZ, COMMUNITY LEADER: That now all of a sudden they have to find another pharmacy, find ways to get to the pharmacy, and most of them are seniors.
GARCÍA FUENTES: In Chicago, Enrique García Fuentes, Univisión.
