Fans of popular Univision Fresno show still in the dark over cancellation. ‘The worst decision’
Latino residents and leaders in the Central Valley want to know why the network that aired Fresno’s “Despierta Valle Central” abruptly canceled the beloved Spanish-language morning show.
Officials at Univion Fresno and its parent company TelevisaUnivision have not publicly commented on the decision to end the morning show’s 35-year run on local television, which last aired Jan. 17.
“This is the worst news for our community. At a time when people are living in fear, angst and confusion, eliminating a trusted voice in our region is the worst decision that could’ve happened,” Fresno County Supervisor Luis Chavez wrote on Facebook.
Chris Morris, regional president and general manager of the Northern California region for TelevisaUnivision has not commented on the show’s cancellation.. Univision Fresno has kept quiet on the change, as well.
TelevisaUnivision did not respond to emails or calls from The Bee inquiring about the changes at the local level.
Chavez went on say in his post that the move may have been economical but it’s result was disastrous.
“Cost cutting measures at this time is the wrong message to send to our community,” Chavez said.
Univision Fresno closed the curtains on the popular morning show after 35 years on air providing news and entertainment to the Central Valley’s Latino community.
The show aired Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. before airing its last prerecorded show Jan. 17 with long time host Lupita Lomelí.
Lomelí, who has had several co-hosts through the years, had been a fixture on Spanish-language television in the Fresno region for more than three decades.
KFTV Channel 21 launched the show in 1990 as “Arriba Valle Central.” The hour-long show was replaced with “Noticias Univision California,” a Sacramento-based newscast that provides local news from Sacramento, Stockton and Modesto, followed by the nationally syndicated show, “Despierta America,” according to the TV Tonight listings guide.
“I miss my girl Lupita Lomelí and Jose Anaya. Super entertaining and made our morning a little (less stressful),” Esmeralda Magaña of Fresno wrote on Facebook. “They need to bring them back. They were replaced with more news like if there’s not enough news show during the day.”
Assembly Member Joaquín Arámbula called the show’s cancellation “disheartening news.”
“So many Spanish speakers depend on this trusted morning program for reliable information about national and — more importantly — local issues that impact them,” Arámbula said.
Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval expressed his concern that the Valley won’t have the local information now that Despierta Valle Central is being replaced by a Sacramento-based newscast that focuses on Sacramento and the Bay Area.
Chavez said Lomeli has been “a pillar in our community and people watch Univision because of the trust they have in her and the journalists that work there.”
The show coming to an end didn’t surprise some.
Last month, UnivisionTelevisa announced structural changes and layoffs throughout the company “aimed at strengthening our position for 2025 and beyond.” Univision merged with the Mexico-based Grupo Televisa in 2022.
“It truly doesn’t surprise me considering how many of their news anchors as well as reporters have been let go from Univision as a whole. So sad to see her go,” wrote Blanca Garcia on social media.
This story was originally published February 3, 2025 at 11:50 AM.
