FIRST OFF . . .

The controversy swirling around KVEA Channel 52, the Los Angeles Spanish-language station targeted by Latino community protesters last week, took a new turn Monday when officials for the station’s parent Telemundo network agreed to talks next week with some of its critics. Network officials made the move after receiving a letter from the Los Angeles-based National Hispanic Media Coalition urging Telemundo to discuss its alleged failure “to meet the needs of the Latino community.” Among other complaints, the letter asserts that the directors of Estrella Communication Inc., KVEA’s license holder, has no Latino on its nine-member board and that there is only one Latino on Telemundo’s board of directors. The coalition had asked that its letter be answered by Friday.