Miami – Telemundo announced the extension of its multiyear contract with acclaimed Hispanic journalist María Celeste Arrarás as host and editorial director of its afternoon news program, Al Rojo Vivo.  The contract extension confirms that the network will continue to feature María Celeste, one of the most influential figures in Spanish-language television in the United States, among its top talent. In this new phase of her career, María Celeste will focus exclusively on Al Rojo Vivo, where, in addition to her current position as an anchor, she will resume her role as editorial director. The change is part of a series of measures designed to strengthen the show, including the unveiling of the most sophisticated studio and the first 100% high-definition graphics package on Hispanic television.

The new studio, the first in the history of the Spanish-language entertainment industry to incorporate virtual reality technology, augmented reality, robotic cameras and a cutting-edge LED lighting system, will be premiered today in conjunction with the network’s announcement. To concentrate on Al Rojo Vivo, which will be celebrating its fifteenth anniversary on the air in 2017, María Celeste will end her participation as co-anchor of Noticiero Telemundo following the presidential elections.  She has played a key role in the newscast’s electoral coverage, interviewing Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton and becoming the only Hispanic journalist to participate in a Republican Party primary debate.  During her time as co-anchor, Noticiero Telemundo experienced a period of solid growth, consolidating its position as one of the most trusted news sources among Hispanic audiences.

The winner of three Emmy Awards, María Celeste Arrarás is one of the most influential journalists in the Hispanic television industry.  She serves as the lead anchor of Al Rojo Vivo con María Celeste, the news magazine that defines the news and entertainment agenda for Hispanic audiences in the United States and has millions of viewers in more than 40 countries.  Since 2013, she has also co-anchored Telemundo’s flagship daily newscast, Noticiero Telemundo. María Celeste is a familiar presence on English-language television as well, having served as guest anchor of NBC’s Today Show and a contributor to Dateline and NBC Nightly News. María Celeste has appeared on the cover of People en Español more than 14 times and graced the front of Newsweek’s special issue on “Women and Leadership: The Next Generation” in 2009.  She has been profiled in numerous prestigious newspapers, among them The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post and The Miami Herald.