Lolita Ayala

Dolores "Lolita" Ayala Nieto[1][2] (born May 20, 1951) is a Mexican journalist and philanthropist from Mexico City. She began her career in television journalism in the early 1970s, at a time when no woman headed a news or informational program in Mexico. In 1974, she was asked to host a segment of the then popular news show 24 Horas, hosted by Jacobo Zabludovsky, who became her mentor. In 1987, she became the main anchor of her own news program, now called El Noticiero con Lolita Ayala which has been on the air since. She also does health information videos for television. She is a member of ten social/charity organizations, with the most important of these being Sólo por Ayudar which she founded in 1985 and Comité Pro Animal which she co-founded in 1992.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Ayala and the second or maternal family name is Nieto.
Lolita Ayala
Ayala in 2012
Born
Dolores Ayala Nieto

(1951-05-20) May 20, 1951
Mexico City, Mexico
OccupationBroadcast journalist
Years active1971–2017
OrganizationSólo por Ayudar
TelevisionEl Noticiero con Lolita Ayala, La Línea de la Salud
Children2

Early and personal life

Dolores Ayala Nieto,[2] better known for her nickname Lolita Ayala, was born on May 20, 1951, in Mexico City.[3] She came from a medical family. Her father, grandfather, uncles and cousins were doctors.[4] She says she was taught by her parents to give to others as they organized charity works.[5] She began college by studying medicine in the United States and then studied radio and television journalism in Rome.[3][4]

She has been married three times but is single now.[5][6] She has two children Anibal and Maria Luisa.[5]

Career
Interview with Lolita Ayala at the charity auction "Arte en Barricas" (Art in Barricas) sponsored by Tequila Herradura in Mexico City.

Ayala's journalism career began at Teleperiódico, part of the Notimex agency, working with them for sixteen years.[3] In 1971 she appeared on television for the first time on Channel 8 in Mexico City.[5] At that time there were no women in Mexico who headed a news or information show.[7] From 1972 to 1974 she collaborated on news programs such as “En Punto” and “En contacto directo” as well as other kinds of programs such as “Adivine me chamba” and “Cada noche.”[3]

In 1974 she was asked to anchor her own segment on the news show 24 Horas with Jacobo Zabludovsky, an important news show at that time. She worked with Zabludovsky and others on the show for the next twelve years.[5][8] That year, she also presented, alongside Raul Velasco, the third edition of the OTI Festival, which was held in Acapulco.

In 1987, Zabludovsky retired and then president of Televisa Miguel Alemán Velasco offered Ayala the head anchor position for a news show originally called Muchas noticias, later renamed El Noticiero con Lolita Ayala.[3][8] This made her the first woman head anchor of an information show in Mexico.[8] The show has been on the air since airing Monday to Friday for a half-hour in the afternoons.[9][10] She has worked for Televisa for over forty years.[11]

Her journalism work has been described as truthful, simple and avoiding yellow journalism and tabloid like scandals. It is also noted for promoting a number of social values.[8][11] In 2001, she hosted a special program for children to discuss the 9/11 attacks in the United States.[12] In addition to Zabludovsky, she was also worked with Emilio Azcárraga Milmo, Luis Spota and Paco Malgesto.[7] She has covered stories such as the fall of the Berlin Wall, the death of John Paul II, the Zapatista uprising, and the assassination of Luis Donaldo Colosio.[9]

She also hosts a series of short informational videos for television called La Línea de la Salud, which deals with various health topics of concern to Mexico such as self-medication.[4][13] These generally consist of her interviewing one or two experts on a subject as well as short segments on important points and life stories.[14]

Philanthropic work
Ayala (right) representing Sólo por Ayudar organization at the Arte en Barricas event in Mexico City

Ayala is also noted for her philanthropic and social work similar to that done by other journalists such as Rita Gánem, Virginia Sendel and Patricia Suárez.[3][15] She states that it is her mission in life to work on social causes.[6] She participates in ten such organizations such as Fondo para la Salud.[16]

Her most significant philanthropic work is with the organization Sólo por Ayudar, which she founded in 1985 after that year’s major earthquake in Mexico City[10] to provide for various economic needs of Mexico by working with ten major programs such as “Pro Ciego” in collaboration with other social organizations.[9][10][17] It provides food and medical attention including medicines and facilities to detect breast cancer.[13] Ayala mainly acts as a spokesperson for Sólo por Ayudar's fundraising needs.[17][18]

She is also a founder and the president of the Comité Pro Animal, which works to combat animal cruelty, to provide access to vaccines and to promote sterilization of pets in order to cut down on the number of animals euthanized in shelters.[3][15]

Recognitions

Over her career, Ayala has received numerous recognitions in Mexico and abroad.[3] One major award was the Women’s Cross of the Order of Malta in 2001.[19] Recent awards include a bust of her at the Parque de los Periodistas Ilustres in Mexico City (2008),[20] the Mujeres de Excelencia award (2010)[18] and the Vida Vibrante and Corazón de Plata awards for her philanthropic and journalism work (2012).[13][21]

Solo por Ayudar was recognized for its work by the Casa de la América Latina in Monte Carlo.[5]

References
  1. "Diario de los debates de la Asamblea Legislativa del Distrito Federal" (PDF). Mexico City Government. April 27, 2013. p. 2. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  2. Rojas, Paola (December 3, 2013). "A las Tres". A las Tr3s (in Spanish). Mexico City. Televisa. FOROtv.
  3. "¡Felicidades a Lolita Ayala!" [Congratulations to Lolita Ayala!] (in Spanish). Mexico City: TVyNovelas magazine. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
  4. Angelica de Leon (September 6, 2003). "Inicia 'Linea' de Lolita" [Lolita’s "Line" begins]. Reforma (in Spanish). Mexico City. p. 18.
  5. Adriana Garay (July 23, 1999). "Ayudar la convierte en ser privilegiado" [Helping converts her into one of the privileged]. El Norte (in Spanish). Monterrey. p. 5.
  6. Nayet Torres (March 7, 2012). "Lolita Ayala no está cerrada al amor" [Lolita Ayala is not closed to love] (in Spanish). Mexico City: TV Notas magazine. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
  7. Minerva Hernández (March 31, 2007). "Celebra Lolita Ayala abrir camino a comunicadoras" [Lolita Ayala celebrates the opening of paths to female broadcasters]. Palabra (in Spanish). Saltillo, Mexico. p. 5.
  8. "Lolita Ayala destaca la veracidad y sencillez de su noticiero" [Lolita Ayala stands out for her truthfulness and simplicity in her news work]. El Informador (in Spanish). Guadalajara. March 31, 2012. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
  9. "Lolita Ayala cumple 25 años al aire" [Lolita Ayala completes 25 years on the air] (in Spanish). Mexico City: Caras magazine. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
  10. "Noticiero con Lolita Ayala" [Newsperson with Lolita Ayala] (in Spanish). Mexico City: Televisa. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
  11. "Lolita Ayala vivirá un intenso y emotivo Homenaje acompañada por nuestra Primera Dama, Margarita Zavala" [Lolita Ayala will experience an intense and emotional homage accompanies by our First Lady, Margarita Zavala]. Uniendo Voces (in Spanish). Mexico City. August 20, 2012. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
  12. Ivett Rangel (October 19, 2001). "Lolita Ayala contestara" [Lolita Ayala will answer]. Reforma (in Spanish). Mexico City. p. 4.
  13. "Lolita Ayala recibe reconocimiento por su labor filantrópica" [Lolita Ayala receives recognition for her philanthropic work]. El Informador (in Spanish). Guadalajara. August 24, 2012. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
  14. "La Línea de la Salud" [Health Line] (in Spanish). Mexico City: Galavision. March 7, 2012. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
  15. "Nosotros" [Us] (in Spanish). Mexico City: Comité Pro Animla. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
  16. "Convoca Lolita Ayala a participar en labores sociales: [1]" [Lolita Ayala calls to participate in social work]. Notimex (in Spanish). Mexico City. September 21, 2011.
  17. "Festeja Lolita Ayala 25 años de la Fundación Sólo por Ayudar" [Lolita Ayala celebrates 25 years of the Sólo por Ayudar Foundation]. El Informador (in Spanish). Guadalajara. October 14, 2010. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
  18. "Reconocen a Lolita Ayala por su trayectoria y labor altruista" [Lolita Ayala recognized for her career and her altruistic work]. El Informador (in Spanish). Guadalajara. December 3, 2010. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
  19. Juan Carlos Garcia (June 14, 2001). "Lolita Ayala y Virginia Sendel: Damas de la caridad" [Lolita Ayala and Virginia Sendel: Ladies of charity]. Reforma (in Spanish). Mexico City. p. 6.
  20. "Develará Lolita Ayala busto en el Parque de los Periodistas Ilustres" [Will unveil bust of Lolita Ayala at the Parque de Periodistas Ilustres]. Notimex (in Spanish). Mexico City. April 23, 2008.
  21. "Premian a Lolita Ayala por su labor filantrópica" [Lolita Ayala receives award for her philanthropic work]. El Universal (in Spanish). Mexico City. August 24, 2012. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
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