Jorge Ramos has anchored his final newscast at Univision, ending a four-decade career with the company.
His departure was announced in September for the end of the year, and that time has now arrived.
This is how the longest-running network news anchor in U.S. television bid farewell to viewers live at the end of the Friday, December 13 newscast:
“This is my last newscast. I have spent more than 38 years in this place. I started when I was 28, without any gray hair, and now, at 66, here I am. Over the years, I have had the privilege of presenting about 8,000 newscasts. García Márquez was right: journalism is the best profession in the world. I can’t imagine any other career that would have given me such an intense life filled with satisfaction and adventure.
I arrived in the United States in 1983 and have had the opportunity to travel around the world several times in pursuit of news. This journey would have been impossible without the love and understanding of my family and the support of my colleagues. That is why I am so grateful to Univisión.
For more than four decades, this company has been like a second home to me. I won’t deny that this is a difficult moment, but the expressions of gratitude I have received in recent days confirm that I always did what I was meant to do.
For me, journalism is a true calling. I don’t know yet what I’ll do next, but I’m convinced that true journalists never really retire. I have already done what I needed to do. And now, Ilia it’s your turn. I am confident that I leave this newscast in the best hands.”
The segment concluded with him handing over to Ilia Calderón, who was named Noticiero Univision’s first solo anchor in November. He then stepped away from the desk to applause from colleagues gathered to witness his final newscast, all while the camera continued to roll live.
Previously, Ramos had pre-taped “Al Punto,” marking the final episode of his weekly program on Sunday, December 15.
Ramos’s exit comes amid a year of layoffs that began in January along with a CEO shakeup that resulted in the departure of Wade Davis and appointment of Daniel Alegría.
Cuts continued into December affecting on-air talent such as Ricardo Arambarri and Maity Interiano, among many others. Longtime correspondents Luis Megid, Blanca Rosa Vilchez took retirement buyouts, while the company shut down bureaus in San Francisco and Mexico City and restructured leadership at TelevisaUnivision.
