KMEX Adds Second Hour of Local News
KMEX-TV, the area’s most-watched Spanish-language television channel, has doubled its morning news show with an extra hour of local news and weather that begins at sunrise. The 5 a.m. “Noticias 34: Primera Edicion” also introduces a question-and-answer segment with Dr. Luis Pacheco, who practices at California Hospital Medical Center, using questions culled from those viewers submit to the station.
“Primera Edicion” remains the area’s only early-morning Spanish-language local newscast. From 5 to 7 a.m. KMEX’s only Spanish-language competition, KVEA-TV, airs infomercials, the previous day’s 11 p.m. newscast and children’s programming.
A spokeswoman for KMEX called the lengthy newscast a “test” for possible additional news shows later this year.
“We’re not moving away from international news,” said Patricia Ramos of KMEX, “but we want to focus on local news.”
The new, two-hour newscast premiered Monday, drawing more than 48,000 Hispanic households, according to Nielsen Media Research, which measures viewership. Numbers were already on the upswing for the original 6 to 7 a.m. newscast. Ratings had doubled from November 1998 to November 1999, according to Nielsen.
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