Telemundo has named María Celeste Arrarás as the co-anchor of evening newscast “Noticiero Telemundo.” Arrarás, known as “María Celeste” on her Telemundo newsmagazine “Al Rojo Vivo con María Celeste,” will appear alongside current anchor José Díaz-Balart. She will continue to host “Al Rojo Vivo.”
The addition of María Celeste is meant to help bolster Telemundo’s evening newscast, which–while growing–is still a distant second among Spanish-language viewers behind Univision’s “Noticiero Univision.”
Univision’s newscast also has a two-person anchor team, led by Jorge Ramos and María Elena Salinas. Until the addition of María Celeste, Diaz-Balart was flying solo on Telemundo’s evening newscast.
María Celeste has also appeared on NBC News programming, including “NBC Night;y News,” “Today” and “Dateline.” NBC is the parent company of Telemundo.
“María Celeste will contribute her years of experience and knowledge to ‘Noticiero Telemundo,’” said Sylvia Rosabal, Senior Vice President of Network News at Telemundo in a statement. “‘Noticiero Telemundo is known for offering truly relevant information to the Hispanic community. Viewers feel a close connection to María Celeste that will strengthen the special ties we have to our audience.”
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TELEMUNDO MEDIA ANNOUNCES MARÍA CELESTE ARRARÁS AS THE NEW CO-ANCHOR OF “NOTICIERO TELEMUNDO” ALONGSIDE JOSÉ DÍAZ-BALART
Miami – May 14, 2013- Telemundo Media announced that Emmy®-winning journalist María Celeste Arrarás will co-anchor “Noticiero Telemundo” alongside the newscast’s current host, José Díaz-Balart. The addition of María Celeste is the latest development in a strategy that has consolidated “Noticiero Telemundo” as the national newscast with the fastest growing audience on both Spanish and English-language television. María Celeste will also continue hosting the news magazine show “Al Rojo Vivo con María Celeste.”
“María Celeste will contribute her years of experience and knowledge to ‘Noticiero Telemundo,’” said Sylvia Rosabal, Senior Vice President of Network News at Telemundo. “‘Noticiero Telemundo is known for offering truly relevant information to the Hispanic community. Viewers feel a close connection to María Celeste that will strengthen the special ties we have to our audience.”
María Celeste is one of the most respected journalists in Hispanic television. Since beginning her career in her native Puerto Rico, she has reported on some of the most important events in recent history for networks such as Telemundo and Univisión. Her career transcends Spanish-language television to include nationwide programming such as “NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams,” “Today” and “Dateline.”
“I am very excited to officially join ‘Noticiero Telemundo,’” said María Celeste. “I began my career in journalism reporting on local and international stories and traveling around the world to cover the news. This move marks a return to something I have in my blood: straight and objective reporting of the news.”
María Celeste is the recipient of numerous journalism awards and was the first Latina to win an Emmy®. Most recently she was honored with a Silver Circle award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in recognition of her contribution to the television industry.
“It will be a real pleasure to work alongside María Celeste,” remarked José Díaz-Balart. “In addition to the fact that she is one of the most prominent figures in the industry and a leading protagonist in the history of Spanish-language journalism, María Celeste and I have a long friendship.”
“Noticiero Telemundo,” the national newscast with the fastest growing audience, airs Monday through Friday at 6:30PM/5:30 C.