Rebecca Aguilar

Rebecca Aguilar (born 1958), a television commentator, news consultant, social media trainer and freelance reporter in the Dallas area.

Career

Rebecca Aguilar is currently a freelance reporter, television commentator, news consultant, social media columnist and motivational speaker. Aguilar has worked for several television stations around the country, including KTXD-TV (Dallas) where she was a TV commentator. She has worked as a television reporter at WDHO-TV in Toledo Ohio, KRIS-TV in Corpus Christi, TX, KENS-TV, San Antonio, TX, USA Today on TV in Washington, DC, KPNX-TV in Phoenix, AZ, KNBC-TV in Los Angeles, CA, and KDFW-TV, Dallas, TX.

Her first reporting post in 1981 was at ABC in Toledo. She has won 50 awards and nominations for her journalism work, including several Emmys. Her last Emmy nomination happened in 2014 when she was nominated for her work on the TV show, The Texas Daily. In 2005, Texas AP named her reporter of the year.[1] The National Association of Hispanic Journalists named her Broadcast Journalist of the Year in 2007,[2] and she has been a member of their board since 2010 as the general at-large officer.[3][4]

Aguilar was suspended by KDFW-TV, a Fox affiliate, on 16 October 2007 following an interview the previous day with a 70-year-old salvage merchant."[5][6][7] Aguilar told Uncle Barky, a media critic in Dallas that the news managers gave her the assignment and approved the interview to air on KDFW, but made her the scapegoat when numerous viewers complained to the station.

She received threats for the report.[8] Although news management assigned her to the elderly man's interview, they would later claim it was "overly aggressive". Following her firing in March 2008, Aguilar filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.[9] She unsuccessfully sued Fox for wrongful dismissal, losing the jury trial in December 2010.[10]

Aguilar continues to freelance in journalism but now has one of the largest Latina virtual groups on Facebook and LinkedIn. Facebook.[11][12]

Aguilar has also been recognized with two national social media awards from Latinos in Social Media also known as LATISM. It has awarded Aguilar in 2011 and 2013 as "Social Network Leader" of the year. Today Wise Latinas Linked has a following of more than 8,000 women.

Personal life

Aguilar was born in Napoleon, Ohio. Her parents were undocumented workers who came to this country from Mexico. Her parents eventually obtained green cards. Her father was a union organizer at United Auto Workers. Her mother became a migrants rights advocate. Together her parents worked on civil rights issues. Aguilar grew up picking vegetables in the fields of Ohio and Michigan.

Aguilar graduated from Napoleon High School and got her Communications degree from Bowling Green State University, minoring in journalism.[1]

In 2015, the Napoleon High School Alumni board honored Aguilar with the Hall of Fame award for her achievements in journalism.[13]

References
  1. Stewart, Graeme (April 2007). "Rebecca Aguilar: news reporter Fox Television Network". Latino Leaders: The National Magazine of the Successful American Latino. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  2. "Rebecca Aguilar Receives 07 NAHJ Broadcast Journalist of the Year Award". NAHJVideos. YouTube. 24 October 2007. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  3. "Rebecca Aguilar". National Association of Hispanic Journalists. 1 May 2010. Archived from the original on 2010-10-24. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  4. Associated Press (28 June 2010). "AP's Michele Salcedo new NAHJ president". Businessweek. Retrieved 17 May 2011.
  5. Wilonsky, Robert (17 October 2007). "KDFW Suspends Rebecca Aguilar After Controversial "Ambush"". Unfair Park. Dallas Observer. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  6. "A matter of ethnicity and journalistic ethics". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. 21 October 2007. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  7. Tenore, Mallary Jean (26 November 2007). "Tough Questions: Deciding When a Story Has 'Gone Too Far'". Poynter. Retrieved 17 May 2011.
  8. Rogers, Tim (19 October 2007). "Hispanic Journalists Come to the Defense of Rebecca Aguilar". FrontBurner. D Magazine. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  9. Blow, Steve (23 April 2008). "Rebecca Aguilar is fighting back". Metro Columnists blog. Dallas News. Archived from the original on 6 May 2008. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  10. Prince, Richard (13 December 2010). "Rebecca Aguilar Loses Suit Against Fox". Maynard Institute. Archived from the original on 2011-03-16. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  11. Bello, Marisol (4 October 2009). "Latinas using social networking sites to share experiences". USA Today. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  12. Castro, José Luis Castillo (5 January 2010). "Las 'sabias' se conectan en la red". Impre.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 May 2011.
  13. http://www.northwestsignal.net/news/article_b8ba39e8-a93f-5ff7-a4e9-e6c49f933563.html/
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