KMEX-DT

KMEX-DT is a Spanish-language television station serving Los Angeles, California, and surrounding Southern California communities. Broadcasting on virtual channel 34, it is associated with the Univision network and is regarded as the network's West Coast flagship station. The station is owned and operated by TelevisaUnivision and shares facilities in the Westchester area of Los Angeles with KFTR-DT, the market's UniMás station. KMEX-DT transmits from Mount Wilson, providing coverage across a large and diverse regional television market. The station began broadcasting in September 1962 under the ownership of the Spanish International Broadcasting Company, a consortium whose investors included American and Mexican interests. Its launch was historically significant: KMEX was the first full-time Spanish-language television station in California and, for more than two decades, the only full-time Spanish-language television outlet serving the Los Angeles market. Its programming initially combined material supplied by Telesistema Mexicano, the predecessor of Televisa, with locally produced programming designed for Spanish-speaking residents of Southern California. This blend gave the station a distinctly cross-border identity while also tying it closely to the daily needs of its Los Angeles audience. Because UHF television was not yet widely available when the station launched, KMEX undertook a substantial public-awareness effort to encourage households to install UHF converters. The station delayed its formal launch test pattern so dealers and viewers could prepare their equipment. Early programming included news, sports, cultural material, coverage of Mexican and United States public events, and educational programs. One notable local service was Escuela, a recurring program that taught English to viewers and later added Spanish instruction in response to audience demand. These initiatives helped establish KMEX as more than a relay for imported programming. Community service and locally focused journalism became central to the station's identity during the 1960s and 1970s. Former professional football placekicker Danny Villanueva joined the station as a sports announcer in 1964, later becoming news director and station manager. Under his influence, KMEX developed an advocacy-oriented approach to news and public affairs, emphasizing community involvement and coverage of issues affecting Spanish-speaking residents. The station's journalism also became associated with prominent broadcasters including María Elena Salinas and Jorge Ramos, both of whom later held major roles at the national Univision network. KMEX was also an early innovator in local Spanish-language television, including the country's first hour-long local morning program. The station experimented with English-language programming in 1973 through NFB, an extended daytime rolling news, finance, and business program. Although the project was ambitious, it exceeded its budget and was cancelled after several months. KMEX otherwise continued to concentrate on Spanish-language programming and local service. Its success helped support the expansion of the Spanish International Network, later Univision, to other United States markets. During the 1970s and 1980s, KMEX became entangled in disputes over the ownership and control of the Spanish International Communications Corporation. The issues included allegations of self-dealing and mismanagement as well as questions about whether Mexican participation in the ownership structure violated United States foreign-ownership rules for broadcast licenses. In 1985, Federal Communications Commission staff recommended revocation of the company's station licenses. The dispute was resolved through a sale of the stations and network, with Hallmark Cards and First Chicago Ventures acquiring the operation and the Spanish International Network being renamed Univision. The FCC renewed the licenses in connection with the transaction in 1987. KMEX gained full-time Spanish-language competition when KVEA entered the Los Angeles market in the mid-1980s and became part of the emerging Telemundo network. Despite the competition, KMEX retained strong audience recognition and a leading position in local Spanish-language news. Univision's Los Angeles presence expanded again in 2002 when it acquired the USA Broadcasting stations, including KFTR. In the 2010s and afterward, KMEX continued updating its news offerings while competing with a revitalized KVEA and adapting to the broader changes affecting local television, Spanish-language media, and digital distribution.

Before KMEX was built, channel 34 in Los Angeles had been the subject of several unsuccessful applications. An earlier construction permit known as KMYR was ultimately deleted in 1960, leaving the allocation available for a new proposal. On August 18, 1961, the Spanish International Broadcasting Company applied to construct a station on the channel. The FCC approved the application on November 1, 1961, in what was an important regulatory precedent because it authorized a station proposing all-foreign-language programming. SIBC's ownership reflected the early cross-border character of Spanish-language broadcasting in the United States. Mexican media entrepreneur Emilio Azcárraga Vidaurreta held a minority interest, while other investors included Los Angeles theater owner Frank Fouce and Julian Kaufman, a manager associated with the binational station XETV in Tijuana. Rene Anselmo came from Mexico City to manage the new station, and much of the initial programming was supplied by Telesistema Mexicano. KMEX-TV began service in September 1962. It was both the first regular commercial UHF station in Los Angeles and the first full-time Spanish-language television station in California. Since many local households lacked UHF reception equipment, the station promoted the installation of converters and worked with retailers in East Los Angeles to make tuning equipment available. The launch schedule included an inaugural broadcast, news, sports such as bullfighting, and film coverage of President John F. Kennedy's visit to Mexico City. The station's potential audience expanded rapidly as more households acquired UHF capability, although KMEX operated at a loss during its first year and did not reach profitability until several years after launch. Local service quickly became a defining part of the operation. Escuela, an educational program presented by Los Angeles teacher Ginger Cory, taught English and used mailed-in exercises to engage viewers. The station later added Spanish instruction after discovering that a significant portion of its viewers were not native Spanish speakers. KMEX also produced special coverage of major civic events, including the 1964 meeting in Los Angeles between United States president Lyndon B. Johnson and Mexican president Adolfo López Mateos. It carried Spanish-language coverage of the Tournament of Roses Parade and developed community programming alongside imported Mexican entertainment. Danny Villanueva joined KMEX as a sports announcer in 1964 while he was still active in professional football. After retiring, he became news director and eventually station manager. His leadership strengthened the station's public-service mission and encouraged what KMEX described as advocacy journalism: news intended not only to report events but also to address problems affecting the Spanish-speaking community. KMEX's newsroom later served as a training ground for influential Spanish-language broadcasters, including María Elena Salinas and Jorge Ramos. The station pioneered local formats as well, becoming the first Spanish-language television station in the United States to broadcast an hour-long local morning show. KMEX also participated in the growth of the Spanish International Network, which linked stations in major United States markets with programming from Mexico. The network expanded westward during the 1970s, including a Fresno operation that initially functioned as a satellite of KMEX and served as part of a regional western subnetwork. In 1973, KMEX attempted to broaden its audience with NFB, an eight-and-a-half-hour weekday-style rolling service focused on news, finance, and business. The project employed a large staff and included several recognized contributors, but it ran substantially over budget. Financing became difficult during a tight credit environment, and the program ended on October 26 after losing approximately $300,000. The experiment did not alter KMEX's central Spanish-language identity. The station's ownership became increasingly controversial during the 1970s and 1980s. Shareholders associated with the Fouce interests sued Spanish International Communications Corporation and related parties, alleging self-dealing, mismanagement, waste, and breaches of fiduciary duty. Separately, Spanish-language radio interests challenged the extent of Mexican influence over SICC, arguing that the structure raised impermissible foreign-ownership concerns under United States broadcast law. In 1985, FCC staff recommended that SICC's licenses be revoked, and an administrative law judge adopted that position while settlement negotiations continued. The dispute was resolved through a forced sale of KMEX and other directly owned SICC stations. Hallmark Cards and First Chicago Ventures acquired the network and stations, and the Spanish International Network was renamed Univision. The FCC renewed the licenses in 1987 as part of the transaction. This restructuring placed KMEX within the corporate framework that eventually became the modern Univision operation. The Los Angeles market changed at the same time. In the mid-1980s, KVEA was converted to a full-time Spanish-language station and later became a foundation of Telemundo. KMEX therefore moved from a largely unchallenged position to direct competition. Its long history and strong community identification helped it retain a leading role in local Spanish-language news. Univision expanded its local portfolio in 2002 through the acquisition of USA Broadcasting, including Ontario-licensed KFTR-DT. KMEX and KFTR now operate under common ownership, with studios in Westchester and transmission facilities on Mount Wilson. In the 2010s and subsequent years, KMEX continued refreshing its local news products while competing with KVEA and adapting to the fragmentation of television viewing across broadcast, cable, and digital platforms.

• 2002

  Univision acquires USA Broadcasting

  [1]KMEX-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The acquisition added KFTR to Univision's Los Angeles-area station group and created a co-owned relationship with KMEX.

• 1987

  Station becomes part of Univision

  [1]KMEX-DTen.wikipedia.org

  A sale to Hallmark Cards and First Chicago Ventures resolved the ownership dispute and placed KMEX in the renamed Univision network.

• 1985

  FCC staff recommend license revocation

  [1]KMEX-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The regulator's staff recommendation intensified the ownership and foreign-control dispute surrounding SICC stations.

• 1973

  NFB launches and ends

  [1]KMEX-DTen.wikipedia.org

  KMEX introduced an extended rolling news, finance, and business service, which was discontinued in October after financial losses.

• 1964

  Danny Villanueva joins the station

  [1]KMEX-DTen.wikipedia.org

  Villanueva began as a sports announcer and later became news director and station manager, helping shape KMEX's community-oriented journalism.

• 1962

  KMEX-TV begins broadcasting

  [1]KMEX-DTen.wikipedia.org

  KMEX launched in September as California's first full-time Spanish-language television station and Los Angeles's first regular commercial UHF outlet.

• 1961

  FCC grants channel 34 construction authorization

  [1]KMEX-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The Spanish International Broadcasting Company received approval to build a Los Angeles station proposing all-Spanish programming.

A community-oriented Spanish-language broadcast station serving the Los Angeles Latino audience, combining local news and public-service programming with national Univision content.

• Television news · 1962

  KMEX-DT local news

  The station's local news operation covers Los Angeles and Southern California for Spanish-speaking audiences. Its editorial identity developed around community advocacy, public-service reporting, and issues affecting Latino residents. The newsroom has historically been associated with nationally prominent Spanish-language journalists and has remained a core reason for the station's market relevance.

• Educational television

  Escuela

  Escuela was an early locally produced educational program that taught English to viewers through recurring lessons and written exercises. Presented by Los Angeles teacher Ginger Cory, it reflected KMEX's effort to provide practical services to immigrant and non-English-speaking communities rather than relying only on imported entertainment.

• Business and news programming · 1973

  NFB

  NFB, short for News, Finance, Business, was an experimental extended daytime service introduced in 1973. It used a large staff and a rolling-news format to present financial, commercial, and general news coverage. The format was an early attempt at continuous television news but was cancelled after exceeding its budget and recording substantial losses.

• Spanish-language television · 1987

  Univision network programming

  As a Univision-owned station, KMEX carries network programming alongside its local output. The broader schedule has included Spanish-language news, entertainment, sports, and special-event coverage, with the local station providing the Los Angeles-market connection to the national network.

• 1976

  SICC shareholder and foreign-ownership disputes

  Fouce-related shareholders sued Spanish International Communications Corporation and associated parties, alleging self-dealing, mismanagement, waste, and breach of fiduciary duty. A separate regulatory challenge questioned whether Mexican influence in the ownership structure violated United States broadcast restrictions. The disputes ultimately contributed to the forced sale and restructuring of the stations.

  Source

Read more

• 1964Community education and public-service programming

  Los Angeles · Southern California

  KMEX expanded practical educational programming, including English lessons and later Spanish instruction, while producing civic-event coverage and local public-service features.

  Outcome. The initiative strengthened the station's identity as a community institution for Spanish-speaking viewers and other language learners.

  Source
• 1962UHF converter awareness campaign

  Los Angeles · East Los Angeles

  Before launch, KMEX promoted the purchase and installation of UHF converters so households could receive the new channel 34 signal. The effort included public awareness activity and cooperation with local retailers.

  Outcome. The campaign helped build a receivable audience for the new UHF station and supported rapid growth in the number of equipped households.

  Source

• 2002

  Expand the Los Angeles station portfolioM&A

  Background

  Univision sought to strengthen its local broadcast presence and add a second station in the Los Angeles market.

  Action taken

  Univision acquired USA Broadcasting, including Ontario-licensed KFTR-DT.

  Aftermath

  KMEX and KFTR became co-owned stations, sharing facilities and complementing Univision's Spanish-language and UniMás offerings.

  Source

• 1987

  Restructure ownership under UnivisionM&A

  Background

  SICC faced shareholder litigation and regulatory objections concerning corporate control and foreign ownership of its broadcast licenses.

  Action taken

  The stations and Spanish International Network were sold to a Hallmark Cards and First Chicago Ventures partnership, with the network renamed Univision.

  Aftermath

  The FCC renewed the licenses, and KMEX continued as a principal Univision station while facing direct competition from Telemundo-linked KVEA.

  Source

• 1973

  Introduce NFB rolling news serviceProduct launch

  Background

  KMEX sought to broaden its programming and experiment with a continuous daytime format focused on news, finance, and business.

  Action taken

  The station launched NFB, an eight-and-a-half-hour service staffed by a large team of anchors and contributors.

  Aftermath

  The program was cancelled on October 26, 1973, after exceeding its budget and incurring reported losses.

  Reported loss. $300,000 (1973)

  Source

• 1962

  Launch as a full-time Spanish-language UHF stationStrategy

  Background

  Los Angeles had no established full-time Spanish-language television outlet, but UHF reception was limited and the prospective audience needed to acquire converters.

  Action taken

  KMEX combined imported Mexican programming with locally produced news, education, sports, and community features, while promoting UHF reception equipment.

  Aftermath

  The station became California's first full-time Spanish-language television operation and established a durable community presence.

  Source

1. 1KMEX-DTen.wikipedia.org