This Week on NewsNight
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The final part in our NewsNight Conversations series 'Challenges & Changes.' This week, an in-depth discussion on Central Florida’s transportation infrastructure and efforts to modernize rail, road, and other forms of transit in our growing region. Plus, the latest political developments including efforts in Florida to pass Texas-style abortion restrictions.
NewsNight airs Friday nights at 8:30 p.m. on WUCF. Join the conversation about the stories in your community.
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Improving diversity and racial equity in Central Florida
A discussion around the topics of diversity and racial equity in Central Florida.
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Will easing travel restrictions boost Central Florida's economy?
The Biden administration has announced it will ease U.S. entry restrictions for international visitors - offering up a potential boost to central Florida’s economy. NewsNight’s Steve Mort discussed the move this week with the President and CEO of Visit Orlando, Casandra Matej.
WUCF TV
First responder talks about the experience at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001
NewsNight’s Steve Mort spoke with Nancy Rosado, a Retired NYPD Sergeant and clinical social worker. Nancy was one of the first responders to the World Trade Center on September 11th, 2001.
WUCF TV
Rep. Mike Waltz reflects on the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks
On the 20th anniversary of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks, NewsNight’s Steve Mort spoke with U.S. Representative Mike Waltz, a Republican whose district includes Volusia and Flagler counties. Congressman Waltz is a former Green Beret and served multiple tours in Afghanistan after 9/11. He was also a defense and counterterrorism advisor in the Pentagon and the White House during the Bush administration.
Disney celebrates 50 years in Central Florida
NewsNight’s Steve Mort spoke with Rollins professor emeritus Rick Foglesong, author of ‘Married to the Mouse,’ about Disney’s 50 years in Central Florida.
Protestas en Cuba y en Florida Central
Steve Mort presentador de NewsNight habló con Luis Martinez-Fernández, Profesor de Historia en UCF y experto en asuntos cubanos, acerca de las recientes protestas en Cuba y en Florida Central.
Los mandatos de las máscaras en la Florida Central
Nancy Alvarez y Hazel Ortiz de Noticias Univision en Orlando discuten los mandatos de las máscaras en la Florida Central, incluso si los distritos escolares deberían continuar exigiendo cubrimientos faciales.
About the Show
NewsNight Wins FABJ Award
NewsNight is a weekly, taped 30-minute segment, featuring WFTV’s Nancy Alvarez as the moderator along with a team of journalists in radio, tv, newspaper, and blogs across Central Florida. The show is a weekly round-table discussion that highlights local journalism around important community topics. It is the story behind the story. The panel will break down the big story or stories of the week and discuss what and how they’ll impact the community.
Your community.
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Your journalists.
NewsNight airs every Friday at 8:30 p.m. on WUCF.
NewsNight Wins Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists
WUCF’s weekly news program NewsNight took home an award during the Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists virtual awards ceremony on Saturday, May 9. NewsNight won first place in the transportation and traffic category in the large television market division for its work on transportation reporting in 2019.
About Moderator Nancy Alvarez
Nancy Alvarez is a bilingual news anchor and reporter for Central Florida’s ABC affiliate, WFTV Channel 9, and host of NewsNight on WUCF, Central Florida's PBS station.
Over the last 20 years, she has played a role in covering every major story in the region including hurricanes, political events, and the tragedy at the Pulse nightclub in June of 2016.
Nancy began her career as a reporter covering the space program in Brevard County providing live coverage of countless launches and landings. She was on the runway in Florida waiting for the space shuttle Columbia when it broke apart over Texas during re-entry. She was among the first reporters on the air covering the tragedy from the Kennedy Space Center.
Nancy was also on the front line for the infamous 2004 Hurricane Season when three hurricanes hit Florida in less than two months.
More recently, Nancy was one of the first reporters on the ground in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria devastated the island in 2017. Over the course of multiple trips, she provided coverage of the impacts of the storm both on the island and in Florida as storm evacuees moved to the mainland. She was also there for the political unrest that led to the resignation of the island’s governor in 2019.
She also works as a public speaker and has used her reporting experience to advocate for issues including domestic violence and the challenges facing special needs kids in schools. Nancy is a first-generation Cuban American and lives in Orlando with her husband and two children.
Follow Nancy on Twitter here.