'En contexto' gives viewers newsier late-night approach.

TELEMUNDO'S Los Angeles affiliate, KVEA-TV, Channel 52, is taking an unusual approach to its 11 p.m. news slot. They've made it newsier.

Anchor Ruben Luengas hosts a popular halfhour 11 p.m. news show called "En Contexto," a show that's a big departure from the lightnews format--typically a combination of entertainment, gossip and news--prevalent in Spanish-language news broadcasts, particularly the late-night editions.

"So much of what's out there is a combo of entertainment and information," Luengas said. "If we go back to real journalism, giving people the context of all these issues that are affecting their lives, that is the difference we can make."

Telemundo took a risk launching "En Contexto" in January, since the meatier menu of issues and their effect on the Latino community was unproven.

Luengas traveled to Mexico this month to cover the presidential elections there. He landed an interview with candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, and focused on U.S.--Mexico immigration issues, hoping to provide Southern California's Latino viewers with a different perspective. Obrador subsequently lost to rival Felipe Calderon in a historically tight vote.

"If you give people quality, it will be good for both the people and the station," Luengas said.

Some Telemundo execs doubted the show would catch on since it was such a departure from the typical network news-gossip fare. But "En Contexto's" ratings have been impressive. The ratings for the network's 11 p.m. time slot grew 71 percent in the adult 18 to 49 demographic in May compared to the same month last year. Viewership increased about 15 percent from March to May 2006.

"I try to use television to give viewers other tools, other possibilities," Luengas said. "The viewers should be interested in Israel and Iraq. We want to take them into the big leagues."

The station's formerly skeptical execs and advertisers are happy, since they can now target a more informed and enriched audience.

The station is pulling in record amounts of political advertising, and financial institutions such as banks and credit card companies are knocking on the door as well, according to Andy Barnet, general sales manager for KVEA-TV.

"We sell the currency of adults 18 to 49. Ninety-nine percent of our business is built on that demographic," Barnet said. "When we first went out there and said we're changing the format of our 11 o'clock news and doing something new, there were a lot of doubters. We had to prove ourselves, and people really came on in April and even more in May, which is a very important sweeps month for us."