Claims against Univision began as soon as its interview with Donald Trump aired. One month later, they have not ceased.
For critics of Univision, the November 9th interview – with its easy questions and few follow-up questions from interviewer Enrique Acevedo – has confirmed their fears since the traditionally left-leaning network merged with Mexican network Televisa last year in a $4.8 billion deal. They argue that the network was taking a concerning right-leaning turn with its new owners, who are known for cultivating relationships with top politicians in Mexico, where Televisa has been a feared influencer for over 50 years.
Univision’s last-minute maneuvers raised even more suspicions. Just hours before the interview aired, the network withdrew its invitation for the Biden campaign to air ads during the one-hour special with Trump, citing what appeared to be a new company policy. Just an hour later, Univision abruptly canceled an interview with the Hispanic media director of the Biden campaign.
But the reasons for the changes at the network cannot be solely explained by political considerations, according to interviews with over a dozen current and retired Univision journalists and executives, including Acevedo and Daniel Coronell, the network’s news president.
Hispanic media outlets are susceptible to the same concerns affecting other American newsrooms. Spanish-language TV news audiences are declining, adding to the pressure of an unequal economy. And the dilemma of how to cover Trump – whether to have comprehensive coverage, minimal coverage, or none at all – worries Univision as much as its English-language counterparts.
Univision executives have stated that they are shifting towards the center, a strategy that reflects the divided political preferences of the Hispanic electorate and the need to expand their audience.
“I think they saw the reputation that Univision had as a Democratic megaphone,” said Acevedo about the network’s new owners, in his first interview about the criticism. Univision’s new approach is an effort to be more balanced and offer diversity not only in terms of race, gender, and sexual orientation, but also in viewpoints, he said.
“I think they understood that in 22 years, we hadn’t had a Republican president in office or previous ones sitting with us,” Acevedo added. “If anything, they are being criticized for that.” No one told him what to ask or not to be tough on Trump, he said.
Although Univision’s shift may upset some Democrats, it reflects the political and business reality: to grow, Univision’s leadership believes the company needs to change its programming to better serve the Hispanic voting population, which according to recent elections and polls, is leaning right.
“If you have been the beneficiary of media bias for the past 30 years, then balance starts to feel like a betrayal,” said Mike Madrid, a Republican consultant highly critical of Trump, who also believes Democrats have taken the Hispanic vote for granted.
“But they have to adapt,” he said about Univision. “They have no choice but to seek another audience.”
Even for a casual viewer, there is no doubt that Univision has been more friendly towards Republicans recently. Conservatives appear more frequently on air. Coverage of immigration – long a staple of the network – has become more skeptical of President Biden’s policies. Regular programming has been interrupted to cover Trump’s statements live, something that Fox News usually avoids. The network’s livestreaming platform, ViX, has recently introduced several shows with decidedly conservative hosts.
The network’s course correction is not a trivial concern for either side. Univision, which has a larger presence than any other Spanish-language network in the United States, is a crucial entry into the homes of one of the country’s most important and fastest-growing demographic groups.
It represents around 60 percent of the Hispanic media market in the United States. In addition to its main channel, its portfolio includes dozens of local TV stations, from Bakersfield, California, to Raleigh, North Carolina. Historically, Democrats have far outspent Republicans on advertising on the network during elections. However, Republican spending on Univision increased significantly in 2022 with $18.1 million, compared to $12.7 million in 2020, according to AdImpact.
Within the company, the repercussions of the Trump interview have unsettled experienced journalists, who have wondered – as many at CNN did when accused of being too soft on the former president during a town hall in May – if Univision decided to be less tough when the stakes could not be higher.
Acevedo defended his approach in the interview, which he acknowledged was “soft.” He said he wanted to give Trump the space to speak, so the audience could listen and judge for themselves. He claimed the interview was newsworthy because it got Trump to say things he had not said before. Trump said he would consider using the Department of Justice to go after his political enemies. He also insisted – among other false claims that Acevedo did not challenge – that Mexico had paid for the construction of the wall along the southern border during his presidency and suggested he had received double or triple the counted votes.
Acevedo said he regretted one thing: not reacting when Trump compared some migrants to fictional serial killer Hannibal Lecter. Many migrants crossing the border, the former president said, are “very, very disturbed, with many mental problems.”
Many critics of the interview, including journalists at the network, compared the interview to the way Latin American media – and Televisa in particular – support the ruling party with fawning coverage. Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus requested a meeting with the network. And one of Univision’s top presenters, Jorge Ramos, wrote on his website that the interview had “called into question the independence of the news department.”
Additionally, Jared Kushner, the former president’s son-in-law, helped negotiate the interview with one of TelevisaUnivision’s top executives, Bernardo Gómez. Both were off-camera in the Mar-a-Lago room where Acevedo spoke with Trump. Within Univision, many employees complained that experienced Univision journalists in Miami were overlooked for the assignment. Acevedo anchors the evening news for Televisa in Mexico City.
Despite their concerns, few Univision employees have been willing to speak publicly for fear of retaliation or even being fired, a concern that heightened after the abrupt departure of León Krauze, a popular news personality at Univision, less than a week after the interview with Trump. A TelevisaUnivision official, who was not authorized to speak about personnel matters, said his position was eliminated for cost-cutting reasons.
At least one Univision journalist received an email from management asking them to promote the interview on their social media, a request that had never happened before, the person said. Through its various television and online platforms, Univision dedicated three days of extensive coverage to the interview. Several employees said they were surprised that the network did not use that time to fact-check Trump’s lies.
Coronell, Univision’s news president, said he understood that not everyone would agree with Acevedo’s approach to the interview. But he defended it and vehemently denied any suggestion that Televisa executives had played a role in shaping the tone or questions.
“The picture they paint is laughable,” said Coronell, a journalist originally from Colombia. “Univision, as a serious media outlet, has a clear separation between corporate interests and its news department.”
And he added: “Having that interview with Trump doesn’t…