NAHJ to Induct Univision's Maria Elena Salinas and Pioneering Journalist Henry Alfaro into Hall of Fame

NAHJ to Induct Univision's Maria Elena Salinas and Pioneering Journalist Henry Alfaro into Hall of Fame

WASHINGTON, June 5 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Association of Hispanic Journalists will induct Maria Elena Salinas, a founding member of NAHJ and a veteran anchor of Noticiero Univision and Henry Alfaro, one of the first Mexican-American TV reporters who worked for 35 years at ABC7 in Los Angeles, into the association's Hall of Fame during its annual convention in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., June 14-17.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050512/DCNAHJLOGO )

Created in 2000, NAHJ's Hall of Fame honors those journalists and industry pioneers whose efforts either nationally or locally have resulted in a greater number of Latinos entering the journalism profession or have helped to improve news coverage of the nation's Latino community.

Salinas and Alfaro will be inducted into NAHJ's Hall of Fame during a gala ceremony to be held at the Fort Lauderdale Convention Center on Saturday, June 17 at 7 p.m.

Maria Elena Salinas

Maria Elena Salinas is an Emmy-award winning anchor of Noticiero Univision. She has covered some of the most challenging assignments in modern day journalism. Salinas began her career as a reporter for KMEX-34 television in Los Angeles in 1981 and assumed the anchor chair of Noticiero Univision in 1987.

Salinas has earned several journalism awards. Her coverage of Hurricane Mitch helped win Univision a national Emmy Award in 2000, the first for a Spanish-language network. She also earned an Emmy for a network broadcast town hall meeting she moderated with Mexican President Vicente Fox. Salinas was also part of the Univision news team that received the Edward R. Murrow Award for the network's coverage of the Atlanta Olympic Park bombings.

Salinas is also a radio commentator and one of the few Hispanic syndicated columnists in the country. She is a founding member of NAHJ and former vice president of the association. She established a broadcast scholarship in her name with NAHJ in 2002 for student journalists pursuing careers in Spanish- language media. Salinas donates $5,000 annually to the scholarship which is matched by Univision. In February, she announced that she is increasing her annual contribution to $10,000.

"Before becoming a household name, Maria Elena Salinas worked hard to get to where she is today," said NAHJ President Veronica Villafane. "A founding member of NAHJ, she's not only a consummate professional, she's a believer in giving back. Thanks to her generosity, several students have benefited from a scholarship she personally funds. If there's someone who's deserving of this honor, it's certainly Maria Elena."

Henry Alfaro

Henry Alfaro is an award winning newscaster and founding member of the California Chicano News Media Association. Alfaro retired from ABC7 in Los Angeles after a 35-year career at the station. He also co-hosted Vista L.A., the first public affairs TV program in Southern California about Hispanics for English speaking viewers that debuted in 1994.

When Alfaro began his career at ABC7 in 1970, he was one of the first Mexican-American reporters in the nation. He served as a role model and inspiration to many in the Latino community.

Alfaro was named one of the 100 most influential Latinos in the United States by Hispanic Magazine and was also the recipient of the famed Eagle Award for excellence in the field of television reporting by Nosotros. He has been honored by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Los Angeles City Council and the Orange County Board of Supervisors.

Alfaro has earned five Golden Mike Awards, four Emmys, and a coveted Peabody award nomination for both news coverage and for Vista LA stories.

"Henry Alfaro is a Los Angeles institution," said Villafane. "As one of the first Latino reporters, he was a true pioneer in this business. He may have retired his mike, but his legacy will live on as both he and Maria Elena will be inducted to NAHJ's Hall of Fame."

Salinas and Alfaro will be NAHJ's 15th and 16th Hall of Fame inductees. Other honorees include such pioneering journalists as Ruben Salazar, a columnist for the Los Angeles Times and the news director of KMEX, who was killed while covering the Chicano Anti-Vietnam War Moratorium in East Los Angeles and Ignacio E. Lozano, Sr., who founded La Opinion, the nation's oldest Mexican American daily newspaper.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050512/DCNAHJLOGO
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Source: National Association of Hispanic Journalists

CONTACT: Joseph Torres of National Association of Hispanic Journalists,
+1-202-662-7143, jtorres@nahj.org

Web site: http://www.nahj.org/

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