Texas Border Business
MCALLEN, TX – (May 2, 2017) – The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Fort Worth Professional Chapter awarded Telemundo 40 Rio Grande Valley / KTLM the “First Amendment Award” for the station’s four-part investigative series, “The Mystery of the Train” which revealed a high incidence of crime linked to the presence of parked railroad cars in local neighborhoods. The First Amendment Award honors individuals and organizations whose work preserves and strengthens the First Amendment, furthers public information or champions the powerless.
“We are honored to be recognized with this award. This recognition reaffirms our station’s commitment to delivering our viewers best-in-class journalism, including investigative reports that shed a light on questionable practices and inspire change in the communities we serve and call home,” said Jose Flores President and General Manager, Telemundo 40.
Led by Telemundo 40’s consumer investigative unit, Telemundo 40 Responde, the station’s investigations into parked train cars on railroad tracks in residential areas revealed a connection to an increase in criminal activity including assault, theft and drug use. As a result of the station’s investigation, the McAllen police department has agreed to increase security around the railroad area. Additionally, the city of McAllen has announced plans to install public street lights near railroad tracks and surrounding neighborhoods, which may help to decrease the high incidence of criminal activity in the area. To watch KTLM’s report, “The Mystery of the Train” click here, here and here. Tune in to Telemundo 40 on Thursday, May 11 at 10 PM to watch the last installment of the station’s investigative series.
Launched in May of 2016, Telemundo 40 Responde is KTLM’s local consumer investigative unit that is tasked with answering consumer inquiries and concerns. Since its launch, Telemundo 40’s consumer team has helped to recover thousands of dollars for consumers in the Rio Grande Valley and also helped to advocate on behalf of consumers who have been wronged, including a group of more than 70 viewers who were concerned they had been defrauded by a McAllen-based construction company. Earlier this year, Texas State Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against a local construction company, due in part to Telemundo 40’s investigative work into the consumers’ claims. To learn more about Telemundo 40 Responde, click here.
