Jorge Ramos on his new digital series: ‘I have a few pending battles left’

Journalist Jorge Ramos is officially back in the spotlight following his departure from TelevisaUnivision in December.

“Journalists never retire and I have a few pending battles left,” said Ramos in a phone interview.

On Wednesday, the Mexican reporter announced his new independent daily news program, “Así Veo las Cosas,” on Instagram. Featuring interviews with notable figures and everyday people alike, his broadcasts will be accessible across multiple social media platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, X, Facebook and TikTok, beginning Monday.

While most of his segments will be filmed in a Miami-based studio, Ramos expects to be in the field, speaking with community members. “I want to be with the people, transmitting live,” he said.

“This is a dangerous and critical time for Latinos and immigrants,” he added. “There’s not enough spaces for immigrants’ voices to be heard and to counter all the lies told about us.”

Early last week, Ramos teased his comeback to broadcast journalism in the wake of the protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement sweeps across Los Angeles. “This is a grave moment, especially with the presence of the National Guard in Los Angeles,” said Ramos in an Instagram Reel, uploaded on June 8.

“We have to explain why so many immigrants feel betrayed, why so many immigrants feel persecuted,” he said. “Because what is happening in Los Angeles is a motive for frustration and desperation among the Latino and immigrant community.”

In the same clip, Ramos acknowledged his six-month hiatus. “I know that I have many months out of the news and screens for various reasons, but this is the exact moment that I must return to tell [you] what is happening,” he said.

On Dec. 13, Ramos concluded his 38-year run with “Noticierio Univision,” the most-watched Spanish-language newscast, along with his Sunday morning public affairs program, “Al Punto,” which he anchored for 17 years. Throughout his career, Ramos established himself as a fierce reporter known for pressing world leaders with tough questions, particularly on the topic of immigration.

“Never, never in my career has someone censored me or dictated what I say or don’t say in the U.S.,” Ramos told The Times.

Many may recall Ramos directly referring to former President Obama as “deporter-in-chief” during a 2014 interview aired on Univision, citing his mass deportation efforts and a failed campaign promise to pass comprehensive immigration reform.

Less than a year later, Ramos made headlines when he was ejected from a Donald Trump news conference in Iowa after refusing to sit down. Ramos had asked the Republican candidate about his promise to build a wall and deport millions of undocumented immigrants; in response, Trump told Ramos to “go back to Univision.”

News of Ramos’ departure came last September, when parent company TelevisaUnivision announced that both parties had “mutually agreed” not to renew Ramos’ contract at the end of the year. While no further details were disclosed, Ramos was the second major figure to leave after Televisa merged with Univision. León Krauze, who anchored Univision’s late-night newscast, resigned in 2023, notably less than a week after Televisa journalist Enrique Acevedo conducted a nearly hour-long, nonconfrontational interview with Trump.

Ramos’ exit from broadcast television came at a troubling time for network evening newscasts, which have struggled to compete with fast-paced content creator hubs like YouTube.

According to a 2024 Pew Research Center report about U.S. Latino news consumption, 65% of Latinos said they largely consumed news through their digital devices, a detail that Ramos seemed to acknowledge with the launch of “Así Veo las Cosas.”

“I’ve been fortunate enough to be a very privileged journalist,” he said. “I want to continue using that platform for other voices that need to be heard but aren’t.”

He jokingly referred to himself now as an avant-garde “content creator” but added: “I hope I can differentiate myself by the journalistic experience and credibility I have gained over 40 years.

“I think journalism is more important than ever, and my bet is that people who saw me on TV will follow me on social media.”