José Díaz-Balart Biography

Fast Facts

• The Hispanic Federation honored him with the 2014 Life Achievement Award
• Took home the Broadcasting and Cable/Multichannel News 2012 Award for outstanding achievement in Hispanic television
• Won a George Foster Peabody Award for his journalism and an Alfred I․ DuPont-Columbia University Award
• The National Council of La Raza gave him its Communications Award
• Graduated from New College in Sarasota, Fla․, in 1983
• Quote: "My father used to say: 'I don't care what you do for a living, as long as you embrace what you do as if it were secular priesthood․'"
• Over the course of a 30-year career, he carved out a place for himself as one of the most respected voices in Hispanic journalism in the United States
• Known for hosting news programs on MSNBC and Telemundo
• Was the only journalist to ever serve as news anchor on two national television networks in Spanish and English on the same day for a whole season