US anchor leaves long Univision post, seeks new audience
MIAMI — Spanish-language broadcasting in the U.S. is losing one of its most prominent figures as Maria Elena Salinas retires from Univision News after more than three decades of blending the role of anchor and advocate.
Salinas, who hosts the main news broadcast on Univision with co-anchor Jorge Ramos, has been weighing her departure for several years and says the time is right to pursue independent projects, including some in English.
“It’s time to go find other audiences,” the 62-year-old anchor said in an interview last week at the Univision studios outside Miami.
Her departure comes at a difficult time for many immigrants who view the nightly program as a lifeline for understanding current events. President Donald Trump campaigned on a pledge to crack down on illegal immigration, and his administration has increased enforcement efforts and announced plans to cancel several programs that have allowed tens of thousands of people without permanent residency status to stay in the U.S.