SEATTLE — The Seattle area is home to more than 60,000 members of the Hispanic community. After Univision went off air locally last year, there was no Spanish-language newscast available.
“I just couldn’t live without having news,” said Jaime Mendez, news anchor and owner, Se Habla Media. “Me and my wife, we, started a company called Se Habla Media. We produce Monday through Friday newscasts in Spanish just to fill in the void and keep people informed. It’s very important.”
Comcast recently announced a partnership with Se Habla Media to support and expand the Jaime Mendez News Spanish-language newscast. By partnering with a news outlet created by Latinos for Latinos, Comcast is working to keep the Spanish-language community informed about local events and raise awareness of important issues.
“When we saw the opportunity to partner with Jaime and Se Habla Media, we jumped on it,” said Rodrigo Lopez, Comcast’s Pacific Northwest region senior vice president. “As he pointed out, there was a void in the Spanish TV side of news, so it was just a great fit for us.”
Before the partnership with Comcast, Jaime Mendez News was limited to online broadcasts. Not everyone has access to internet connection and social media, and TV is sometimes the only source of information for them.
“Latinos and immigrants are vulnerable just because of their circumstances,” Mendez said. “Without this information, we would be even more vulnerable, so for us, it is crucial.”
Comcast’s support has helped Mendez’s newscast gain wider viewership on Xfinity channel 79 in King and Snohomish Counties. This partnership also includes a grant for operational and technological needs.
“Having a big company with a great reputation and good social responsibility wanting to be your partner, makes us very proud,” Mendez said.
To learn more about the partnership and how to access the Spanish-language newscast, visit the Comcast website.
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Segment Producer Joseph Suttner. Watch New Day Northwest 11 a.m. weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day.