Veteran journalist Jose Diaz-Balart, the longtime anchor of “Noticias Telemundo” is hosting a daily new show on MSNBC, the network announced Tuesday.
On Sept. 27, Diaz-Balart will take over the 10 a.m. weekday slot in the cable news network. He’s replacing NBC News’ senior Washington correspondent Hallie Jackson, who is moving to a 3 p.m. slot.
The Cuban American anchor will step down from his role as anchor at Telemundo’s nightly weekday newscast, “Noticias Telemundo,” a show he has anchored since 2009.
Diaz-Balart, who was one of the five moderators for the first Democratic presidential primary debate back in 2019, will continue to anchor NBC Nightly News on Saturday, as he gets ready to expand his role at Telemundo, anchoring monthly specials and breaking news across different platforms, including the network’s streaming service Peacock.
“I’m privileged to anchor MSNBC’s 10 a.m. hour to report on the issues that matter to all communities across America,” Diaz-Balart said in a news release.
“It has been my honor to serve as the anchor of ‘Noticias Telemundo’ where we rigorously cover the most important news for the Latino community. I look forward to this unique role where I can reach different audiences in English and Spanish across the NBCUniversal News Group and Telemundo,” he added.
The National Association of Hispanic Journalists celebrated the announcement noting that Diaz-Ballart will be the only journalist on U.S. television to anchor both cable and broadcast television networks simultaneously delivering breaking news to both English-speaking and Spanish-speaking audiences.
“Jose is a beacon for our members and the next generation of Latinx journalists,” Nora Lopez, the organization’s president, said in a statement.
“His rigorous preparation and commitment to covering stories about the Latino community in Spanish and English exemplify what it means to serve others — especially on network television where so many people and their communities benefit from seeing such visibility with regard to issues they face every day,” she added.
Diaz-Balart is the son of Cuban exiles, a nephew of the late Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, and the brother of U.S. Rep. Mario Rafael Diaz-Balart, a Republican from Florida.
In July, during a virtual chat for the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, he told Axios that he has always had to battle preconceived notions that he couldn’t be fair because of his relatives.
“You don’t choose your family,” he said.
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