NBC, Telemundo Stations Add Consumer Units

NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations, a division of NBCUniversal, today announced the expansion of its NBC Responds/Telemundo Responde consumer units to Telemundo stations in Orlando, Fla. (WTMO), and El Paso, Texas (KTDO), on the heels of the units recovering more than $30 million for consumers.

In addition, Consumer Action, a nonprofit organization that has championed underrepresented consumers nationwide for nearly five decades, named NBC Responds/Telemundo Responde as winners of the “2019 Consumer Excellence Award” in the media category.

Every year, Consumer Action recognizes a U.S.-based media organization for their tireless work on consumer issues. Consumer Action selected the “NBC Responds / Telemundo Responde” consumer units for their impressive reach and ability to engage all audiences, including limited English-speaking consumers, and providing them with the tools and information they need to make smarter choices in a complex world. This is the first time that Consumer Action presents this recognition to a TV station group, including a Spanish-language local broadcast group.

“Lack of information, resources or limited English-speaking abilities should not stand in the way of consumers getting the information or services they need. I am pleased that consumers in Orlando and El Paso will be able to call on our Telemundo stations for help,” said Valari Staab, president, NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations. “I am also very proud of our consumer teams for helping to strengthen our communities through their exceptional work and can’t think of a more fitting honor than Consumer Action’s award to recognize what our teams do every day to help put an end to the headaches that consumers experience by trying to navigate their consumer issues on their own.”

Launched in 2014 to help fill a void in the marketplace, the NBC Responds/Telemundo Responde units are charged with speaking up for those who may have been wronged. The NBC and Telemundo owned stations’ consumer units are often the first resource that consumers turn to for help. Working with the units’ Consumer Investigative Center team of producers — who are tasked with answering every email and call that stem from NBC/Telemundo owned station markets — NBC Responds/Telemundo Responde units have answered more than 350,000 consumer tips across 18 markets.

This month, a new Telemundo Responde unit launched at Telemundo 31 in Orlando with Consumer Investigative Reporter Valezka Gil leading the station’s local unit. Telemundo 48 in El Paso will also debut a new consumer unit in May with Annie Tejada as KTDO’s Consumer Investigative Reporter. With the launch of these two new teams, the NBC Responds/Telemundo Responde units expand to 20 markets.

“The NBC Responds/Telemundo Responde units deploy a remarkable level of resources to assist consumers who feel they have been wronged in the marketplace, and have nowhere else to turn,” added Ken McEldowney, executive director, consumer action. “The NBC and Telemundo stations’ consumer teams answer every call and email they receive and see every consumer complaint and concern through to the end. Not only do the ‘NBC Responds/Telemundo Responde’ teams provide direct help, they deliver vital information to local and social/digital audiences through their units’ associated consumer news reports about the issues it uncovers.”

The NBC and Telemundo owned stations that feature a local NBC Responds/Telemundo Responde units include: New York (WNBC/WNJU), Los Angeles (KNBC/KVEA), Chicago (WMAQ/WSNS), Philadelphia (WCAU/WWSI), Dallas-Fort Worth (KXAS/KXTX), Washington, D.C. (WRC-TV), San Francisco Bay Area (KNTV/KSTS), Boston (WBTS/WNEU), Miami-Fort Lauderdale (WTVJ/WSCV), San Diego (KNSD/KUAN), Hartford (WVIT), Houston (KTMD), San Antonio (KVDA), Puerto Rico (WKAQ-TV), Phoenix (KTAZ), McAllen-Harlingen (KTLM), Las Vegas (KBLR), Denver (KDEN), Orlando (WTMO), and El Paso (KTDO).