HispanicBusiness

Broadcasting & Cable and Multichannel News have announced that Telemundo news anchor Jose Diaz Balart will be the 2012 recipient of their distinguished award for Outstanding Achievement in Hispanic Television.

Diaz Balart said, "After nearly 30 years working as a journalist, this recognition constitutes a profound honor. I have long believed that unless people are aware of their rights, they cannot exercise them. What we in Spanish language television do, while connecting viewers to their past, is to open the doors to their futures by informing them of their rights and responsibilities today."

The award will be presented to the nightly news anchor of Noticiero Telemundo and Telemundo's Sunday morning program, Enfoque, during the awards luncheon at the 10th annual Hispanic Television Summit, to be held at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square in New York on Oct. 3.

"Mr. Diaz Balart is being recognized for his extraordinary commitment to communicate news to both English and Spanish speakers and, especially for his ability to focus on news of importance to all Latino television viewers," Louis Hillelson, group publisher for the two publications, said.

Diaz Balart "has even performed double duty as anchor of a live midday English language news program on the MSNBC network, while also providing the evening news, live, to Spanish-speaking audiences on the Telemundo network," Hillelson added. "That is a truly outstanding accomplishment."

The award for Outstanding Achievement in Hispanic Television is historically presented at the Hispanic Television Summit. The award acknowledges a single individual who has demonstrated his or her ability to support the growth and development of the Hispanic television industry.

Previous recipients include TV legend Don Francisco, talk-show hostess Cristina Saralegui and P&G advertising executive Edgar Sandoval.

The Hispanic Television Summit has been presented annually since 2003. It has become a "must attend" event for those in the business of television and digital video targeted to the US Hispanic and Latin American viewing audience. It attracts about 500 attendees from across the country, Latin America and Spain.