Univision declares its intention to abstain from fact-checking contestants throughout the Harris and Trump town halls.
The two events, scheduled for October 10th and October 16th, will be overseen by Enrique Acevedo, renowned anchor of Televisa's primary nightly news program "En Punto." Acevedo, who faced criticism for his supposedly gentle interview with Trump last year, has gained prominence as the primary representative of the merged Mexican and American broadcasters, TelevisaUnivision.
In a statement, Univision declared, "He will serve as a timekeeper, regulate the tempo, and emphasize the inquirers."
However, Univision plans to scrutinize the candidates' assertions following the events and during an October 17th special titled "Después de las respuestas," or "Post-Responses."
Despite publicly announcing no real-time fact-checking, a source close to the situation revealed that Acevedo might correct any inaccuracies during the event itself. A spokesperson for TelevisaUnivision confirmed to CNN that fact-checking wasn't a prerequisite for any candidate's participation.
Fact-checking has become a contentious issue during the 2024 election, with both Trump and his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance, expressing discontent towards fact-checks during debates, alleging bias against Republicans when addressing falsehoods.
Acevedo's interview with Trump in November sparked controversy for its gentler tone and absence of fact-checks, according to many within and outside the network. Outspoken Univision anchor Jorge Ramos, who announced his departure from the network after 40 years, publicly criticized the interview, describing it as "extremely risky to refrain from challenging Trump."
Acevedo, on the other hand, defended his approach in a Washington Post article, citing it as the first time a current or former Republican president sat for an interview with the network in 22 years.
"In granting Trump ample opportunity to express his views, which are popular with a growing segment of Televisa-Univision's viewership, I intentionally provided him with ample space," Acevedo stated. "It was a gentle interview, not due to oversight or force, but by design."
Former employees voiced concerns over unchallenged claims during the events. However, a senior Univision executive rebutted these concerns, emphasizing that fact-checking would still take place post-broadcast.
"We believe in this format as a means to foster interactions between voters and candidates," the executive asserted. "These town halls offer Latino voters an unparalleled chance to interact with the candidates. No other national platform has previously provided this critical dialogue for Latinos."
As the dominant Spanish language broadcaster in the U.S., Univision is viewed as instrumental in reaching Hispanic voters. The network has been vocal in challenging and clashing with Trump, particularly Ramos, who was outspoken about what he perceived as Trump's "racist" language. In 2015, Univision severed ties with Trump and publicly reprimanded him for "derogatory" statements regarding Mexican immigrants, who he claimed were bringing "drugs" and "rapists" into the country.
For voters, these town halls might serve as one of the last significant forums to engage and debate both candidates. Trump has declined to participate in further debates, while Harris agreed to a CNN town hall on October 23rd.
In preparation for the upcoming town halls, Univision's business strategy involves prioritizing audience engagement and fostering candidate interactions, rather than implementing real-time fact-checking during the events. Despite criticisms, media analysts argue that these town halls provide a unique opportunity for Latino voters to engage directly with the candidates, positioning Univision as a key player in reaching Hispanic communities.
