During the Trump administration Hispanic unemployment has hit five all-time record lows, but the nation’s number one Spanish-language television newscast, Noticiero Univision, once again blew off the latest blockbuster economic news for the country’s largest minority group, which participates in the American labor force at a higher rate than any other segment of the U.S. population.
The latest 4.2% Hispanic unemployment rate, announced on May 3 by the Labor Department, coincided with the overall unemployment low of 3.6% (a number not seen since 1969) and the creation of 263,000 new jobs across America.
Though it certainly was great news for tens of thousands of Latinos and their families benefitting from those jobs and a roaring economy, the principal national evening newscast at Univision, anchored by Jorge Ramos, had no time for it. Ramos and his co-anchor Ilia Calderón did have time, however, to tell their audience about the upcoming auction of a Darth Vader costume.
JORGE RAMOS, ANCHOR, UNIVISION: And a rare and authentic Darth Vader costume, from the movie Star Wars, will be auctioned this month in Los Angeles. The item will be sold with gloves, boots and a pair of capes, among other objects from the character. The auctioneers estimate the selling price between one and two million dollars. How about that?
ILIA CALDERÓN, ANCHOR, UNIVISION: That’s a lot of money (laughing).
RAMOS: I think so, for a cape.
CALDERÓN: Exactly.
In sharp contrast, Univision’s arch-rival, Telemundo, led off their principal national evening newscast on May 3 with the jobs boom.
The Spanish-language sister network of NBC dedicated nearly three minutes to the news, with anchor José Díaz-Balart noting that “the country's economy is showing strength that surprises even the experts” and correspondent Francisco Cuevas interviewing various Latinos on the job, talking about how they are “able to maintain the family really happy” and how average wages are also up by 3.2 percent:
JOSÉ DÍAZ-BALART, ANCHOR, TELEMUNDO: Among Latinos, unemployment also fell to 4. 2%, five tenths of a percent below last month’s. Francisco Cuevas tells us which sectors have the most jobs.
FRANCISCO CUEVAS, CORRESPONDENT, TELEMUNDO: After difficult times José Álvarez is bursting with happiness. Today like many of his colleagues in this construction, he is working more than ever.
JOSÉ ÁLVAREZ, WORKER: Well, thank God he is doing something well because one is getting ahead, able to maintain the family really happy.
CUEVAS: Experts say this low level of unemployment has not been seen since the year man landed on the Moon, 1969.
CLAUDIO LOSER, ECONOMIST: The interest rate has fallen and all of that has led to more consumption at this time.
CUEVAS: Among the sectors that generated the most jobs in April are services such as hotels and restaurants, along with construction and jobs related to the field of health such as child care and the elderly. And most important: more money is going into the pockets of workers; the average salary grew by 3.2%.
ISRAEL GARCÍA, WORKER: We have had work every day, we work 40 hours and well, we’re good working.
The new low in Hispanic unemployment was also covered, but with considerably less vim and vigor, by CNN en Español, which dedicated a minute to the subject during its principal U.S. evening news program, Directo USA. NTN24's headline evening news program, Informativo, dedicated 31 seconds to the topic.
Like Univision, far left-leaning Noticiero Estrella also ignored the historic Latino unemployment news.
Below is the full transcript of the above-referenced Univision and Telemundo reports, as aired on the May 3, 2019 edition of Noticiero Univision and Noticias Telemundo, respectively (click “expand” to read):
JORGE RAMOS, ANCHOR, UNIVISION: And a rare and authentic Darth Vader costume, from the movie Star Wars, will be auctioned this month in Los Angeles. The item will be sold with gloves, boots and a pair of capes, among other objects from the character. The auctioneers estimate the selling price between one and two million dollars. How about that?
ILIA CALDERÓN, ANCHOR, UNIVISION: That’s a lot of money (laughing).
RAMOS: I think so, for a cape.
CALDERÓN: Exactly.
TELEMUNDO
Headliner, May 3, 2019
JOSÉ DÍAZ-BALART, ANCHOR, TELEMUNDO: Record employment. The unemployment rate falls to 3.6 percent, the lowest level in almost 50 years. Among Latinos, unemployment also fell and is at historic levels. Good afternoon, just last month 263,000 new jobs were created. The sectors that need workers the most are construction, health and services. This is our top news
[…]
Complete report, May 3, 2019
JOSÉ DÍAZ-BALART, ANCHOR, TELEMUNDO: The country's economy is showing strength that surprises even the experts. The unemployment rate released today exceeded economists’ forecasts and stood at 3.6% generating in April a total of 263,000 jobs. The rate, the lowest in the last 49 years. Among Latinos, unemployment also fell to 4. 2%, five tenths of a percent below last month’s. Francisco Cuevas tells us which sectors have the most jobs.
FRANCISCO CUEVAS, CORRESPONDENT, TELEMUNDO: After difficult times José Álvarez is bursting with happiness. Today like many of his colleagues in this construction, he is working more than ever.
JOSÉ ÁLVAREZ, WORKER: Well, thank God he is doing something well because one is getting ahead, able to maintain the family really happy.
CUEVAS: Experts say this low level of unemployment has not been seen since the year man landed on the Moon, 1969.
CLAUDIO LOSER, ECONOMIST: The interest rate has fallen and all of that has led to more consumption at this time.
CUEVAS: Among the sectors that generated the most jobs in April are services such as hotels and restaurants, along with construction and jobs related to the field of health such as child care and the elderly. And most important: more money is going into the pockets of workers; the average salary grew by 3.2%.
ISRAEL GARCÍA, WORKER: We have had work every day, we work 40 hours and well, we’re good working.
CUEVAS: The numbers are encouraging and exceed expectations. The happiness of President Donald Trump in his most recent tweet summed it up in three words: Jobs, Jobs, Jobs. Karen Lazo is already feeling the positive effects.
KAREN LAZO, LOS ANGELES RESIDENT: If they have a lot of work, we also have work. That´s how it is. That is good for us.
CUEVAS: President Donald Trump has already taken credit for the good state of the economy, however, the health of the labor market has been good for the past eight years, and unemployment has not fallen in the last three.
LOSER: In the long run, the increase in the deficit will create problems
CUEVAS: Experts say that there is reason to celebrate, but like everything in life, the party won’t last forever. In Los Angeles, California, Francisco Cuevas, Noticias Telemundo.
