Telemundo Arizona Expands Local News to Better Serve the Spanish-Speaking Community in Phoenix and Tucson

Phoenix, AZ  – Telemundo Arizona today announced it is launching two hours of local weekend news to better serve the Hispanic audience in the Phoenix and Tucson markets. Starting this weekend, the station will air a half-hour of local news at 4:30 PM and at 10 PM (MST) on both Saturdays and Sundays, in addition to its current lineup of Monday throughFriday local news.

To support the new newscasts, Telemundo Arizona is hiring a dozen additional staff members to deliver local team coverage from breaking news events and live reports from multiple locations. In conjunction with the launch, the station is also premiering a versatile new set, uniquely designed to deliver the best news experience for its viewers, with high-definition monitors that create a modern look, combined with special lighting elements to inform and engage the audience. Additionally, Telemundo Arizona invested in new technology, including cellular backpack units that will enable the station to provide live reporting during the week and on weekends from breaking news scenes across the state and extending to the U.S./Mexico border.

“The investment in local news, resources, personnel and cutting-edge technology demonstrates our commitment to inform and serve the local Spanish-speaking community, which has been traditionally underserved with local news,” said Araceli De León, President and Regional General Manager, Telemundo Southwest.

The station has recruited and hired top-talent to build a strong, knowledgeable and competitive team. Daniel Aguirre, an experienced journalist with over 10 years in the news business, will anchor the weekend newscasts. Aguirre was most recently the lead anchor for Milenio Noticias in Monterrey, Mexico. Ivan Valenzuela joined the weekend team as Sports Anchor, covering sporting events and reporting on game final scores relevant to the Phoenix and Tucson markets. Most recently, Valenzuela worked at CNN Latino in Phoenix as Sports Anchor.

Along with the new weekend team, a major recent addition to the Tucson news team was the return of Karla Gomez-Escamilla to Noticiero Telemundo Arizona as Bureau Chief responsible for leading the Tucson local news team and providing daily news reports from Tucson and along the U.S./Mexico border. Henry Golac, the only Spanish-speaking meteorologist in the market, offers immediate, up-to-the minute weather warnings and conditions affecting travel and outdoor plans on the station’s weekday newscasts.