A pioneer of Spanish-language broadcasting in New York City, Ramos began his television career in 1979 as the first field reporter of the station’s news program, then known as El Informador. In 1981 he was named co-anchor alongside his mentor, the legendary Cuban-born broadcaster, Eusebio Valls. Ramos eventually succeeded Valls as the station’s lead news anchor, a position he held until his retirement from Telemundo in 2018.
Throughout a career spanning an impressive four decades, Ramos became one of the most respected names in local New York journalism, recognized for his enduring commitment to telling the stories of the tri-state area’s diverse and expansive Latino communities. Known for a delivery style that is equal-parts elegant, warm, and reassuring, Ramos’s daily evening broadcasts filled a dual-role unique to Spanish-language news of both informing the viewers about breaking news of the day, as well as serving as a welcoming beacon and familiar touchpoint for millions of Spanish-speaking immigrants who made New York City their new home.
A native of Puerto Rico, Ramos was born on March 26, 1950 in the island’s capital of San Juan. He graduated from the University of Puerto Rico with a bachelor’s degree in Humanities, and made his entry into broadcast soon after, working as an announcer and producer at radio stations WKVM and WQBS, both located in Santurce, Puerto Rico. In 1976, Ramos took the leap and moved to New York City to pursue opportunities in theater and broadcast.
Throughout his years at Telemundo, Ramos covered hundreds of major local and national events including elections, papal visits, tragic natural disasters, and US presidential inaugurations. A gifted communicator, Ramos conducted interviews with luminaries across various fields, including former NY Governor Mario Cuomo, world-renowned Spanish opera singer Placido Domingo (whom Ramos credits for teaching him tips to protect his vocal chords), and Celia Cruz, the legendary Cuban “Queen of Salsa,” who as a NJ-resident, was also a self-professed regular viewer of Ramos and Noticiero 47.
With an ever-present commitment to keep the primarily-immigrant New York Telemundo viewers informed of important happenings in their home countries, Ramos’s role went beyond that of a traditional local news anchor. He traveled regularly serving as a correspondent for more extensive political specials like the presidential elections in the Dominican Republic and gubernatorial inaugurations in Puerto Rico, as well as documentary features exploring the heritage of places like the city of Puebla, Mexico, and the 15th century Inca citadel, Machu Pichu.
In November 2002, Ramos introduced a popular segment Crimines sin Resolver (Unsolved Crimes), an extension of the newscast’s unique ability to serve as an advocate for their viewers. Ramos’s investigative reports on this program led to the capture and conviction of four dangerous fugitives. An achievement for which Raymond Kelly, then-Commissioner of the New York City Police Department, awarded Ramos a special citywide recognition.
During the tragedy of September 11, 2001, Ramos and the Noticiero 47 news team stayed live on the air for six consecutive days with no commercial interruptions. The station was one of the few local New York stations that was able to continue broadcasting immediately following the attacks to the Twin Towers, providing an invaluable service to the community during those uncertain days.
In addition to seven Emmy awards, Ramos was honored by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences with an Emmy Silver Circle Lifetime Achievement Award in November 2016. To mark the occasion of his retirement in 2018, Telemundo New York permanently renamed their main news broadcast studio, The Jorge Ramos Studio.
Since his retirement, Ramos has remained a fixture among the NY and NJ Latino community, continuing his work as a mentor and public speaker. Ramos is happily married to Yolanda Ramos, a Puerto Rican-born psychologist and pastor. They are the parents of two adult children who have taken after their father with roles in the world of media and communications—Alejandra, a contributor to NBC’s TODAY Show and host of The Great American Recipe on PBS, and Gabriel, a Marine Corps Veteran and National Press Secretary for the organization New Politics in Washington, DC.
Ramos and his wife presently reside in Bergen County, New Jersey, and regularly travel to their hometown in Puerto Rico.