The tendency to exaggerate how ‘bad’ things are has long plagued the practice of journalism. This common failing of the profession, however, was further compounded by Telemundo, when at the top of a national newscast coinciding with the first year anniversary of the Trump presidency the sister network to NBC made several highly irresponsible – and patently false – characterizations.
Although the vast majority of the United States’ 54 million Latinos are not unauthorized immigrants - and although almost the entire population is benefiting from growing economic prosperity (including record low unemployment levels) - veteran Telemundo anchorman José Díaz-Balart had the audacity to essentially proclaim, at the outset of his network’s newscast, that under Trump most Latinos in the U.S. are under attack:
JOSÉ DÍAZ-BALART, ANCHOR, NOTICIAS TELEMUNDO: One year of Trump: fear, threats and anxiety, that is how the majority of Latinos have lived the first 12 months of Trump's government.
Díaz-Balart´s declaration is even more disconcerting upon examining the actual report on the subject that was presented later in the newscast. The report itself also doesn’t square with Díaz-Balart’s doomsday headline.
In the story, correspondent Cristina Londoño interviews one Trump sympathizer, one person opposed to Trump and another person that still hopes Trump will end up being the President who permanently saves ‘Dreamers’ from being deported.
In the actual report, Trump supporter Lili Arauz even has the opportunity to emphasize the improving economic conditions and achievements of the Trump administration.
CRISTINA LONDOÑO, CORRESPONDENT, TELEMUNDO: Today, in a totally divided country, her support is still firm, but she says the price has been high.
LILI ARAUZ, TRUMP SUPPORTER: I was insulted, they even called me a prostitute.
LONDOÑO: Arauz does not deny that Trump sometimes has a slip of the tongue.
ARAUZ: He speaks hastily, but he talks very honestly.
LONDOÑO: She emphasizes the stock market records, new jobs and tax cuts and doesn´t believe in the racist comments attributed to him nor the polls that point to a rock-bottom impopularity.
ARAUZ: His base, us, we don’t believe the media.
Below is the transcript of the entire above-referenced report, as broadcast on the January 17, 2018 edition of Noticias Telemundo.
JOSÉ DÍAZ-BALART, ANCHOR, NOTICIAS TELEMUNDO: Donald Trump is about to celebrate his first year in the White House and Telemundo wanted to take the pulse of three immigrants who were with us on the day of his inauguration. We now interview them again, their words all a thermometer of the 12 months. Cristina Londoño has the before and after.
CHIKI BOMBOM: This is my daddy, he is my daddy, my love.
CRISTINA LONDOÑO: One year ago Lizzette Eduardo was nostalgic about President Obama´s farewell.
BOMBOM: Donald Trump, always stone-faced.
LONDOÑO: Also known as Chiki Bombóm the Panther, she reluctantly said that she would give the new government the benefit of the doubt.
BOMBOM: Life tastes like fruit to me, and I hope after all this change it keeps on tasting like fruit.
BOMBOM [SINGING]: Working with Chiki Bombóm…
LONDOÑO: But nothing of fruit. Though she has not lost her cheerfulness, she assures that Trump’s government has been much more bitter than she had expected.
BOMBOM: The man has done, my love, whatever he wants with us, he hurts us verbally, he hurts us, and makes us feel like nothing.
LONDOÑO: And to make matters worse, he talks too much, she says worriedly, about the tension and exchange of threats with North Korea.
BOMBOM: That guy scares me with his stare… and why is Donald Trump dealing with this man?
LONDOÑO: A nightmare for some, the inauguration was a dream come true for Lili.
LILI ARAUZ: We are only one heart; we are only one home.
LONDOÑO: Today, in a totally divided country, her support is still firm, but she says the price has been high.
ARAUZ: I was insulted, they even called me a prostitute.
LONDOÑO: Arauz does not deny that Trump sometimes has a slip of the tongue.
ARAUZ: He speaks hastily, but he talks very honestly.
LONDOÑO: She emphasizes the stock market records, new jobs and tax cuts and doesn’t believe in the racist comments attributed to him nor the polls that point to a rock-bottom impopularity.
ARAUZ: His base, us, we don´t believe in the media.
LONDOÑO: And we return again to the past. Goodbye, Obama! To the oath over the Bible during the inauguration that Marcos Rosales watched with his mother while taking her to work.
MARCOS ROSALES: I hope he remembers the words of Jesus when he said strangers need to be protected.
LONDOÑO: As a Christian he confessed he would have voted for Trump, but he worried about his mother´s fear.
MOTHER OF MARCOS ROSALES: I am very scared of mass deportations.
LONDOÑO: Today he painfully says his mother was right. Has it been worse that you hoped?
ROSALES: Yes, I give him the benefit of the doubt and he has tested our faith.
LONDOÑO: What hurts him most is the hatred he feels in the streets, the fear in his community, but just like Chiki Bombóm and Arauz, as opposed to other Trump followers, they expect that at the very least, the President will save the Dreamers.
ROSALES: I am still hopeful that he will have a change of heart and will help us.
LONDOÑO: Some for better, some for worse, they emphasize this is only the President’s first year. There are still three more to go. Cristina Londoño, Telemundo News.
