Former Univision anchor keeps Spanish-speaking Oregonians informed with DIY newscast

Every weekday afternoon, Antonio Sánchez walks down to the Southeast Portland basement where he’s set up a makeshift television studio. He adjusts the lights, connects to the two iPhones he uses as a camera and teleprompter, and starts recording.

In a classic fast-paced newscaster delivery, he introduces himself, gives the date and lists the top stories of the day — all in Spanish.

Sánchez is a former anchor for Univision in Portland. When KUNP-TV announced in late 2024 it was dropping its affiliation with the network, Sánchez began the common task in broadcast journalism of looking for another town and another station where he could work.

That’s when he started hearing from viewers who were concerned they weren’t going to get news they trusted, especially with Donald Trump about to become the president again.

“That kind of shocked me,” Sánchez said. “That means I can’t really leave because I feel responsible for delivering the news that I know how to deliver.”

That’s when the idea of a DIY newscast that looks and sounds like a traditional evening news program was born.

“It was just like an epiphany,” Sánchez said. “Like, oh, I can start my own newscast.”

After gathering the necessary equipment, Sánchez launched "Noticias Noroeste" on Inauguration Day in 2025. Since he lost his job on Dec. 31, he had only 20 days to put the first episode together. But he was committed to launching on that date.

“My audience wanted to see what was going to happen during the inauguration, wanted to see what was going to happen on day one,” Sánchez said. “It was in a rush, but it aired.

“It was probably the most stressful time in my entire life.”

That first video tapped into the fear many Latinos were feeling with the new Trump administration taking over. In the year since, the program has evolved into something of a resource for his more than 8,000 daily viewers.

“I get tons of people reaching out to me, wanting me to refer them to people who might be able to help them,” Sánchez said. “I’ve become not only a journalist, but also like a 211.”

But that doesn’t mean Sánchez has adopted more of an advocacy role or allowed himself to editorialize. He still believes a straightforward traditional-style newscast is the best way to keep Spanish-speaking Oregonians informed.

“I can have my own platform where I can make my own videos and opine, but it will never be that because I still believe journalism has to maintain that line, that objectivity,” Sánchez said.

His objectivity was tested during the ramp-up in arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Oregon this past fall. Those arrests — and the protests they inspired — meant Sánchez’s heavy workload got even heavier during the holidays.

“I did not take a break,” Sánchez said. “Because I know that people needed the information. There’s been arrests, there’s been (ICE) sightings, and people want to be informed.”

“Noticias Noroeste” is all Antonio Sánchez. He’s the sole employee. He writes, records, edits and uploads every episode to YouTube himself. What little money he makes comes from sponsors. He relies heavily on reporting from other trustworthy sources, but he also adds nuance and color to the stories through his own original reporting. The project has taken over his whole life.

But with 20 years’ experience of working in understaffed newsrooms, Sánchez said the work isn’t that much different than he’s used to.

“I’ve done this for so many years and it’s nothing new, other than I’m doing it solo now,” he said. “Everything has been the same. The only difference is the responsibility falls on me.”