Macarena Hernandez
Encyclopedia
Macarena Hernández is a United States
academic and journalist
best known for covering Latino
issues such as immigration
and education
.
Hernández became a news story herself, twice. In 2003, while writing for the San Antonio Express-News
her work was plagiarized
by a New York Times
reporter. And in 2005, after she accused Fox's Bill O'Reilly
of preaching hate, he retaliated by calling for a boycott of her employer, The Dallas Morning News
.
, and was awarded a Masters in Journalism by the University of California, Berkeley
.
She interned at The New York Times
and then became the Rio Grande Valley
Bureau Chief for the San Antonio Express-News
. In 2003, Hernández became a part of a national story when a New York Times reporter, Jayson Blair
was caught plagiarizing a newspaper article she had written, setting off a media scandal. The two knew each other, having interned together.
Hernández joined the staff of The Dallas Morning News
in 2005. Soon after she penned a column discussing the frequency with which illegal immigrants are the victims of crime in the United States, citing examples including a Georgia case in which six Mexicans were murdered. Some political commentators, including Fox's Bill O'Reilly
, were outraged that the Mexican flag was flown as a show of sorrow; Hernández accused O'Reilly of preaching hate. O'Reilly was angered and called for a boycott of the Dallas Morning News.
. She is co-founder and managing director of Centro Victoria, creating resources for Latino literature around the United States. She often speaks on issues of journalistic integrity.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
academic and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
best known for covering Latino
Hispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
issues such as immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
and education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
.
Hernández became a news story herself, twice. In 2003, while writing for the San Antonio Express-News
San Antonio Express-News
The San Antonio Express-News is the daily newspaper of San Antonio, Texas. It is ranked as the third-largest daily newspaper in the state of Texas in terms of circulation, and is one of the leading news sources of South Texas, with offices in Austin, Brownsville, Laredo, and Mexico City...
her work was plagiarized
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined in dictionaries as the "wrongful appropriation," "close imitation," or "purloining and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions," and the representation of them as one's own original work, but the notion remains problematic with nebulous...
by a New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
reporter. And in 2005, after she accused Fox's Bill O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly (political commentator)
William James "Bill" O'Reilly, Jr. is an American television host, author, syndicated columnist and political commentator. He is the host of the political commentary program The O'Reilly Factor on the Fox News Channel, which is the most watched cable news television program on American television...
of preaching hate, he retaliated by calling for a boycott of her employer, The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area, with a circulation of 264,459 subscribers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in September 2010...
.
Newspaper Work and Scandals
Hernández completed her undergraduate studies at Baylor UniversityBaylor University
Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:...
, and was awarded a Masters in Journalism by the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
.
She interned at The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
and then became the Rio Grande Valley
Rio Grande Valley
The Rio Grande Valley or the Lower Rio Grande Valley, informally called The Valley, is an area located in the southernmost tip of South Texas...
Bureau Chief for the San Antonio Express-News
San Antonio Express-News
The San Antonio Express-News is the daily newspaper of San Antonio, Texas. It is ranked as the third-largest daily newspaper in the state of Texas in terms of circulation, and is one of the leading news sources of South Texas, with offices in Austin, Brownsville, Laredo, and Mexico City...
. In 2003, Hernández became a part of a national story when a New York Times reporter, Jayson Blair
Jayson Blair
Jayson Blair is an American reporter formerly with The New York Times. He resigned from the newspaper in May 2003 in the wake of the discovery of plagiarism and fabrication in his stories. Since 2007 he has worked as a life coach in the field of mental health.-Background:Blair was born in...
was caught plagiarizing a newspaper article she had written, setting off a media scandal. The two knew each other, having interned together.
Hernández joined the staff of The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area, with a circulation of 264,459 subscribers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in September 2010...
in 2005. Soon after she penned a column discussing the frequency with which illegal immigrants are the victims of crime in the United States, citing examples including a Georgia case in which six Mexicans were murdered. Some political commentators, including Fox's Bill O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly (political commentator)
William James "Bill" O'Reilly, Jr. is an American television host, author, syndicated columnist and political commentator. He is the host of the political commentary program The O'Reilly Factor on the Fox News Channel, which is the most watched cable news television program on American television...
, were outraged that the Mexican flag was flown as a show of sorrow; Hernández accused O'Reilly of preaching hate. O'Reilly was angered and called for a boycott of the Dallas Morning News.
Academic Career
Hernández is the Victoria Advocate Endowed Professor in Humanities and teaches in the Communications Department at the University of Houston–VictoriaUniversity of Houston–Victoria
The University of Houston–Victoria is a four-year state university, and is a component institution of the University of Houston System. Its campus spans 20-acre in Victoria, with satellite locations at UH System centers in Sugar Land and Cinco Ranch...
. She is co-founder and managing director of Centro Victoria, creating resources for Latino literature around the United States. She often speaks on issues of journalistic integrity.