Telemundo 39 Wins Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for Climate Change Special ‘Cambio Climático'

Telemundo 39 earned a regional Edward R. Murrow Award for News Documentary in the Region 6 (Oklahoma and Texas) large market television category from the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) for the half-hour special, Cambio Climático (Climate Change).

In Cambio Climático, Telemundo 39 Chief Meteorologist Nestor Flecha, along with Telemundo Station Group meteorologists and climate change experts, takes viewers along a unique visual journey through Alaska, California, Florida, New York, Canada, and Texas. The documentary gives scientific demonstrations of climate change through the eyes of experts in glaciology, hydrology, climatologists, economists, and marine biology.

“We appreciate RTDNA for recognizing Telemundo 39 for this educational documentary,” said Tom Ehlmann, NBC 5 and Telemundo 39 President and General Manager. “It’s gratifying to see the collective efforts in investigative research and excellent production of so many Telemundo stations.”

Cambio Climático aired across Telemundo owned stations in April 2020. Extended content can still be accessed online at Telemundo39.com, on the station’s app and across OTT platforms including Roku and Apple TV.

Cambio Climático was produced by team members across the Telemundo Station Group including: Ozzie Martinez, SVP, News, Digital and Standards, Telemundo Station Group; Freddy Oldenburg, Vice President of News Telemundo, WNJU and previously at KXTX; Gina Martinez, Executive Producer, KXTX; Edwin Mendez, Marketing Director, KXTX; Rafael Gonzalez-Vega, Creative Services Manager, KCSO and previously Creative Services Producer at KXTX; and Arnaldo Gines Rodriquez, Photographer, KXTX. 

Telemundo 39 / KXTX is one of 42 NBC/Telemundo owned stations within the NBCUniversal Local division of NBCUniversal. The division is home to nearly 100 meteorologists and weather anchors, including bilingual meteorologists. NBCUniversal Local also owns the largest private network of weather radars in the country; the fourth largest weather radar network in the U.S. The division’s exclusive weather radars deliver real-time weather information to local audiences across multiple digital platforms including the stations’ individual mobile apps.

Documentary Content by City

Anchorage, AK
The documentary kicks off in Alaska’s Matanuska Glacier, where KXTX Chief Meteorologist Nestor Flecha explains how warming trends have accelerated the melting of the glacier, and the risks associated to this fresh water source for 200-700 million people. Expert commentary contributed by glaciologist Dr. Sarah Kopcynski.

Santa Monica, CA
From Alaska, Flecha takes audiences to Southern California and is joined by Telemundo 52 (Los Angeles) Meteorologist Michelle Trujillo and Linda Escalante, Legislative Director for Natural Resources Defense Council, to take a deeper look into the potential causes around the frequency of California’s wildfires.

Fresno, CA
In California’s Central Valley, an area that produces 90% of all fruits and vegetables in the country, Flecha speaks with a farm owner and Dr. Tapan B. Pathak, a specialist in climate adaptation in agriculture, about the long-term impacts that droughts may have on U.S. food prices and the state’s agricultural industry.

Miami, FL
Flecha teams up with Telemundo 51 (Miami) Meteorologist Ariel Rodriguez and Dr. Ligia Collado-Vides, an expert in marine biology at the Department of Biological Sciences at Florida International University; Dr. Henry Briceño, research professor for the Southeast Environmental Research Center at the Institute of Water and Environment;  Amy Clement, research professor at the Department of Atmospheric Science at the University of Miami, and Dr. Christopher Landsea of the National Hurricane Center, to discuss how climate change is affecting rising sea levels in South Florida, among other topics.  

New York, NY
Joined by Telemundo 47 (New York) Meteorologist Pedro Montoro, both Flecha and Montoro explain how global warming is increasing the intensity of winter snow storms and coastal flooding in the New York tri-state. 

Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
Flecha takes audiences to Niagara Falls to discuss how climate change is resulting in erosion in communities that surround the Great Lakes, as well as a spike in lake temperatures.  

Houston, TX
Flecha is joined by Carlos Robles, meteorologist for Telemundo 47 (Houston) to talk about the significant increase in the intensity and frequency of severe flooding that Houstonians have experienced in the past six years. 

View the complete RTDNA, regional Edward R. Murrow Awards regional winner list here. 

The regional Edward R. Murrow Awards are presented annually by the RTDNA, the world’s largest professional organization devoted exclusively to electronic journalism, and now advance to the national round of the competition, with winners to be announced later this year.  For more information, visit RTDNA’s website. 

You can also access a special version of Cambio Climático, which includes an English language section at the end here: www.telemundo39.com/cambioclimatico.

For the latest information and access to Spanish language content, you can download the Telemundo 39 app via the following download links: iPhone, iPad, Android and Google Play.