By Michael Reyes
NAHJ Staff Member

NEW SPANISH DAILY:

The Dallas Morning announced that it will launch a new daily Spanish-language newspaper this year as a result of the growth of the Dallas-Fort Worth Hispanic population.

According to the 2000 Census, the DFW metropolitan area is the tenth-largest Hispanic metro area in the United States, with a population of 810,000.

Gilbert Bailon, executive editor and vice president of the Morning News, is spearheading the launching of the new and still unnamed publication.

The Morning News is a Belo Corp. newspaper. Knight Ridder currently publishes La Estrella, a biweekly Spanish-language paper that serves the Metroplex region.

OWNERSHIP HEARING: The Federal Communications Commission will hold its first official public hearing on media concentration in Richmond, Va., Jan. 30 as the commission, chaired by Michael Powell, prepares to rewrite the nation's broadcast ownership regulations.

The FCC is expected to announce the new rules this spring.

MOVING UP:

Emilio Garcia-Ruiz will take over as assistant managing editor for sports at The Washington Post June 1. Currently the newspaper's deputy sports editor, he will replace George Solomon, who is retiring after holding that position for 28 years.

Garcia-Ruiz, 41, previously worked as sports editor at the St. Paul Pioneer Press and assistant sports editor at the Orange County (Calif.) Register and The Los Angeles Times.