Leopoldo Gómez, president of Noticias Univision, discusses the importance of Hispanics in the November elections
Por Miriam Gonzalez ·
Leopoldo Gómez, president of Noticias Univision, has one date in mind: November 3. On that day, when Republicans are fighting for control of the U.S. Congress, the news channel will air special programming for TelevisaUnivision—the world’s largest Spanish-language television conglomerate—which aims to establish itself as “the voice of Hispanics.”
“No other news outlet has that kind of connection with the Hispanic community,” Gómez points out in an interview with EFE in Miami.
This year, the executive took on the arduous task of putting together a news team that operates in local newsrooms, at the Doral headquarters in Miami, and at Televisa’s headquarters in Mexico, in order to launch its news unit, N+ Univision, as the leading source of current events in Spanish in the U.S.—a service that now even outperforms English-language news programs in viewership.
“We have always said that when it comes to the Hispanic community, we are not neutral. That is our mission and our commitment. Our slogan is to inform and empower Hispanics,” says Gómez, who has extensive experience in news management at Televisa and Univision.
“In a way, we serve as translators from the English-speaking world to the Hispanic community, especially to newcomers,” adds the executive, who now faces the challenge of unifying and modernizing a team that works throughout the country.
Gómez proudly shows off the renovated Doral newsroom, dotted with sets, screens, and new technology, where top-rated programs such as the morning show “Despierta América” and the Sunday program “Esta semana” are produced, on which Colombian host Ilia Calderón interviews guests in both English and Spanish, and which has featured personalities such as Vice President JD Vance and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
“Featuring major figures week after week isn’t easy, but for us it’s a challenge that really excites us (…) I’d say that, in terms of this election year, it’s the most important journalistic initiative we have,” explains Gómez.
The journalist emphasized that the approximately 120 local television and radio stations across the country have been responsible for explaining to the audience the political platforms of the candidates for Congress, the Senate, state governorships, and other local offices at stake in the midterm elections.
In Gómez’s view—whose bill requires traditional television audiences, social media, and streaming platforms such as ViX to be informed—the biggest complication is the false information circulating in a political discourse dominated by polarization.
“That’s something we have to deal with every day. We have to validate it, and it’s not always easy given the fast-paced nature of television,” he explains.
Leopoldo Gómez, President of Noticias Univision: The “Pragmatic” Hispanic Vote for the Elections
The president of Noticias Univision believes that, once again, the Hispanic vote will be key in the November 3 election, because it is the large demographic group that—as demonstrated by Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election—can shift its preferences and tip the electoral balance.
“It seemed like an almost certain Democratic vote, and there is still a majority that votes Democratic, but a large percentage of voters are switching. It’s not an ideologically or partisan vote. It’s an eminently pragmatic vote, one that cares about who best connects with voters and who offers to solve the problems that matter to them,” says Gómez, who is also overseeing the polls Univision is conducting during this campaign.
“What we’re seeing in the polls is that the issue of inflation and prices will be key, and that’s what’s driving the change,” he explains.
Gómez acknowledges that the issue of border security remains a concern for Hispanics and that there is still support for Trump’s policies to strengthen the borders.
“When it comes to raids, there is no support. It provokes outrage, and that has caused the Republicans and Trump to lose support,” the journalist notes.
Gómez believes that the midterm elections—in which Trump’s popularity will be put to the test and control of Congress and his ability to continue governing with the legislature’s support are at stake—are key to the country’s future.
To that end, they have prepared “the best election coverage (…) which is very powerful thanks to N+ and will ensure a presence throughout the United States.”
“People know that if you want to stay informed about politics, N+ Univision is the place to be,” he concluded, according to Agencia EFE.