Jose Diaz-Balart to Receive NCLR's Salazar Award for Communication

The National Council of la Raza (NCLR) will honor acclaimed Telemundo journalist and MSNBC host José Díaz-Balart, with its Rubén Salazar Award for Communications at the closing gala of the NCLR annual convention in Los Angeles on Tuesday, July 22. The organization presents the Rubén Salazar Award each year to an outstanding communications professional dedicated to portraying news relevant to US Hispanics.

"This is a very special honor, coming as it does from an organization with the history of service of NCLR," Díaz-Balart remarked. "It reaffirms the idea that journalists can be a force for good, as Rubén Salazar did, and all of us who see our professions as a way to serve try to do every day."

Díaz-Balart will present a special one-hour edition of "Enfoque con José Díaz-Balart" live from Los Angeles on Sunday, July 20, 12 p.m./11 a.m. C. As part of his continuous efforts to inform and encourage civic participation in the debate on immigration reform and the Crisis on the border, Díaz-Balart will interview Hispanic community leaders in town to attend NCLR's annual convention. Díaz-Balart will also host his new morning show on MSNBC "José Díaz-Balart" at 10 a.m. / 9 a.m. C. live from Los Angeles, and co-anchor Telemundo's national newscast, "Noticias Telemundo," at 6:30 p.m./5:30 p.m. C.

In his three decades of informing the Hispanic community, Díaz-Balart has earned a place as one of the most accomplished and respected figures in US journalism. He currently co-anchors the "Noticiero Telemundo" daily newscast and hosts the Sunday public affairs program "Enfoque con José Díaz-Balart" on Telemundo, as well as the English-language network MSNBC's "José Díaz-Balart." Díaz-Balart is also an Education Champion for NBCUniversal Hispanic Enterprises and Content's new nationwide pro-social campaign, Aprender es Triunfar, aimed at closing the Latino student achievement gap, especially in STEM education.

Since 1984, Díaz-Balart has covered and reported historic events for prestigious media outlets such as NBC News, CBS News and Telemundo. His work has earned numerous accolades, including an Emmy™, George Foster Peabody and Alfred I. DuPont-Columbia University award, and in April of this year, the Hispanic Federation also honored him for his successful journalism career.

Viewers and online followers can participate in Telemundo's coverage of the National Council of la Raza's annual convention by submitting questions and comments on Twitter, hashtag #NCLR14 and @TelemundoNews, and the Noticias Telemundo Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/NoticieroTelemundoTV. Follow Díaz-Balart on Twitter @jdbalart.