Home > Departments > News: LA Emmys, Delayed by Arabic

Arturo Quezada of KMEX (Univision) won an Emmy Award for Outstanding News Videographer.

News: LA Emmys, Delayed by Arabic

Spanish TV Wins "Serious" L.A. Emmys, Plane Delayed When Arabic Spoken, Translators Needed for Neighborhood Meetings

For 'Serious,' Tune in Spanish

Do you wish television news in Los Angeles would get serious? Better learn Spanish quick. At the 59th annual Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards on Aug. 25, 2007, two Spanish-language stations carried off the only two awards for "serious news." KVEA (Telemundo) collected four Emmys, the third-highest overall tally at the event. It won in the category of Serious News Story–Single Report, for an "En Contexto" segment on day laborers, while KMEX (Univision) television's late-night news series "Periodismo Con Acento" took the honor for the best multi-part Serious News Story.

Do Not Joke in Arabic About Speaking Arabic

American Airlines flight 509 was delayed overnight in San Diego on Aug. 28, 2007, over a passenger's fears of six Iraqi and Iraqi American men who were speaking Arabic on board, according to the Associated Press and other news reports. Before and after boarding, a woman on the flight complained to security officers about the men's foreign language and "strange behavior." The pilot returned the aircraft to the gate, the passengers were ordered to deplane, and some of the Arabic-speaking men were questioned. By that time, it was too late for the flight to leave the airport until the next day. The men turned out to be employees of a defense contractor who were returning home to Detroit, Mich., (via Chicago) after training Iraq-bound marines at Camp Pendleton.

Translators Needed for Neighborhood Meetings

Ethnicity has little or no effect on Angelenos' participation in neighborhood councils set up by the city to address quality-of-life issues, but language barriers do. A survey commissioned by the Neighborhood Council Review Commission reveals that Latinos who speak only Spanish are less than half as likely to be aware of the councils as English speakers and that they very rarely attend meetings conducted in English. English-speaking Latinos and non-Latinos were about as likely to have attended at least one meeting. Along with other recommendations, the report containing the survey results calls for translated meeting materials and Spanish-language interpreters at meetings.

Send us tips and clips for news stories on language and Southern California.

Date Posted: 9/4/2007