Univision anchor Jorge Ramos is known for his direct and no-holds-barred approach when interviewing politicians running for office. But recently, he took to task his own network for its lack of challenge towards President Donald Trump.
In an op-ed piece published on Sunday, Ramos took to task Univision for its handling of an interview with President Trump. He wrote that the network’s interviewers did “precisely what Donald Trump wanted them to do: avoid a real debate and provide him with a platform to defend himself or attack his opponents without being confronted.”
Ramos argued that Trump’s interviews with Univision should have allowed for a “real debate,” citing several contentious topics that Trump refused to address during the interview. These topics included proposed changes to immigration policy, Trump’s comments on fellow Republicans and his controversial tweeting habits.
Ramos then pointed out the irony that conversations on a Spanish-language media network are still governed by the same basic rules as mainstream English-language media: “No real debate ever takes place; only superficial questions, and if there is any criticism it is often neutered and quite mild.” He added that Trump’s interviews with Univision should have been a moment of opportunity to impartially identify his positions, policies, and stances and put them to a more critical test.
The bottom line, according to Ramos, is that Univision shouldn’t feel an obligation to provide Trump with a “safe haven” from scrutiny. The network, as well as other Spanish-language broadcasters, has a critical role in ensuring that certain issues that disproportionately affect immigrants and minorities are discussed in an open and transparent way.
Ramos concluded his op-ed piece with a plea for his colleagues in the media to take their responsibility more seriously: “It is our duty to ask the tough questions and insist that our guests answer them, even if that includes the President of the United States. We have to question not only those in power, but also ourselves.”
Univision anchor Jorge Ramos is known for his direct and no-holds-barred approach when interviewing politicians running for office. But recently, he took to task his own network for its lack of challenge towards President Donald Trump.
In an op-ed piece published on Sunday, Ramos took to task Univision for its handling of an interview with President Trump. He wrote that the network’s interviewers did “precisely what Donald Trump wanted them to do: avoid a real debate and provide him with a platform to defend himself or attack his opponents without being confronted.”
Ramos argued that Trump’s interviews with Univision should have allowed for a “real debate,” citing several contentious topics that Trump refused to address during the interview. These topics included proposed changes to immigration policy, Trump’s comments on fellow Republicans and his controversial tweeting habits.
Ramos then pointed out the irony that conversations on a Spanish-language media network are still governed by the same basic rules as mainstream English-language media: “No real debate ever takes place; only superficial questions, and if there is any criticism it is often neutered and quite mild.” He added that Trump’s interviews with Univision should have been a moment of opportunity to impartially identify his positions, policies, and stances and put them to a more critical test.
The bottom line, according to Ramos, is that Univision shouldn’t feel an obligation to provide Trump with a “safe haven” from scrutiny. The network, as well as other Spanish-language broadcasters, has a critical role in ensuring that certain issues that disproportionately affect immigrants and minorities are discussed in an open and transparent way.
Ramos concluded his op-ed piece with a plea for his colleagues in the media to take their responsibility more seriously: “It is our duty to ask the tough questions and insist that our guests answer them, even if that includes the President of the United States. We have to question not only those in power, but also ourselves.”
