An international treasure

Spanish-language network Telemundo gives items to Smithsonian.

Telemundo is now part of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

The Miami-based, Spanish-language network has donated items to the Washington, D.C., museum’s “Escuchame: The History of Spanish-language Broadcasting in the U.S.” initiative.

The items, donated last month, included more than 30 press badges from Noticiero Telemundo anchor Jose Diaz-Balart as well as the red Telemundo jacket he wore recently during hurricane coverage in Miami and earthquake coverage in Mexico. WSCV-Ch. 51 senior political reporter Marilys Llanos contributed TV microphone cubes, scripts, photographs, and a Florida Emmy Award she won after WSCV launched in 1985.

More than 40 current and former employees donated items.

“Spanish-language television is a way of life for the Hispanic community,” said Monica Gil, executive vice president of corporate affairs at NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises. “We are thrilled to partner with the Smithsonian to bring awareness to the important role it has played in American broadcast television history and to collaborate in this effort to capture our rich legacy for future generations.”

The National Museum of American History is working on a display about Spanish-language broadcasting that will be part of the museum’s “American Enterprise” exhibition in later 2018.