The idea that the onetime home of Walter Duranty should be taken seriously on anything pertaining to an editorial shift, or concern over an editorial shift at any other media outlet, is laughable. But, alas, here we are. The Old Grey Lady is the latest to weigh in on the Acela Media’s collective panic over Univision’s interview of former President Donald Trump specifically, and over a perceived editorial shift at Univision generally.
The Times’ article, titled “Conundrum of Covering Trump Lands at Univision’s Doorstep” opens with a paragraph that is wholly reflective of the overall tone of the media on this particular manner:
The howls of protest against Univision began as soon as its interview with Donald J. Trump aired. A month later, they still haven’t stopped.
This much, at least, is accurate. There is a broad array of articles and MSNBC segments that arrests to this fact. The howls haven’t stopped, and won’t stop because of the magnitude of the perceived loss of Univision as a reliable Democrat talking point regurgitator.
The most interesting thing in this piece, though, once you get past the howling, are the admissions.
Univision executives have said they are making a pivot toward the center — a strategy that reflects the split political preferences of the Hispanic electorate and the need to broaden their audience.
“Pivot toward the center” implies away from the left. Which is where Univision has always been, and still is- bluster about a shift notwithstanding.
There is also this nugget- the acknowledgement that the left has always felt entitled to air supremacy on Univision:
“We were dumbfounded,” said Felix Sanchez, a co-founder and the chairman of the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts, a nonprofit that focuses on Latino representation in media. “It sent shock waves through the community, because the whole incident was so off brand.”
Representative Joaquin Castro, a Texas Democrat and member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, said Univision had a civic duty to push back against Mr. Trump’s distortions because of its unique role in the community,
“Univision serves as a main source of information for the Latino community and has a real responsibility to vet information from any campaign,” he said, “particularly Trump’s, given how he’s handled that community.”
One thing that the Univision freakout exposes- which the Times chronicles better than most- is the extent to which the left feel that they own Hispanics, and their viewpoints, and the means by which they consume information. That Congressional Hispanic Censorship Caucus member Joaquín Castro weighed in is important because that caucus has a history of trying to stifle dissent and control what information makes it to the Hispanic community.
As with the other pieces, this article conveys the left’s sense of mourning over an ongoing Hispanic shift away from the Democrat Party. Is Univision’s shift real? As I’ve stated before, personnel is policy, and it’s hard to imagine Univision completely shifting to the center with the personnel that are currently in place- chief among them Jorge Ramos.
Univision’s so-called shift may come down to that old Michael Jordan proverb: “Republicans buy sneakers, too”. It turns out that they also buy ads.
Mr. Paxman said he did not think Univision was “shifting” to Republicans, but was looking to attract more political advertising next year. “They want Republican cash as well as Democratic Party cash,” he said.
That may be the most accurate assessment of the happenings at Univision yet.
