Mexican cartels, the lure of soccer, and Latin rock music explored in launch of new edition of CCTV America's AMERICAS NOW.

News provided by

CCTV America

Apr 11, 2014, 02:09 ET

WASHINGTON, April 11, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- On Sunday April 13th (8pm US Eastern time) CCTV America's weekly magazine program Americas Now debuts in a new one hour format. Hosted by anchor Elaine Reyes and featuring correspondents in nearly every major city in Central and South America, Americas Now explores the economic, political, and social dynamics of one of the world's fastest changing regions.

Elaine Reyes is the host of a unique weekly Sunday magazine program from CCTV America, the production arm of China Central Television. AMERICAS NOW - 8pm Eastern Sundays on the CCTV News channel - focuses on the politics, economics, arts and social issues of Central and South America. The program begins a new expanded weekly one hour series starting April 13th. check listings for the CCTV News channel. (PRNewsFoto/CCTV America) (PRNewsFoto/CCTV AMERICA)
Elaine Reyes is the host of a unique weekly Sunday magazine program from CCTV America, the production arm of China Central Television. AMERICAS NOW - 8pm Eastern Sundays on the CCTV News channel - focuses on the politics, economics, arts and social issues of Central and South America. The program begins a new expanded weekly one hour series starting April 13th. check listings for the CCTV News channel. (PRNewsFoto/CCTV America) (PRNewsFoto/CCTV AMERICA)

The premiere program begins at the US-Mexico border, where Mexican cartels are using an increasing number of child 'mules' to smuggle small batches of drugs to the United States. Correspondent Mike Kirsh reports on the cartel's strategy of keeping US law enforcement focused on juveniles – 'the small fish', while large drug shipments enter the country.

Later, in a new weekly feature called 'Game Changers,' Americas Now profiles Colombian trainer Alfredo Tilves who believes soccer can change the world.

Elaine Reyes interviews Uruguay's Foreign Minister Luis Almagro. They discuss diversity, legalization of marijuana, same-sex marriage, abortion, and the future of the most progressive country in the region.

On a lighter note, Reyes also talks to Latin rock star Pau Dones, lead singer of the Spanish band Jarabe de Palo currently on tour in the U.S.

Americas Now – is a unique series highlighting a region other news broadcasters ignore. The program draws on an array of veteran correspondents including Michael Voss in Havana, Franc Contreras in Mexico City, Stephen Gibbs in Rio De Janeiro, Martin Markovits in Caracas, and Michelle Begue in Bogota.

The series is a production of the American division of China Central Television. It airs around the world on the CCTV News channel reaching more than 100 million households.

In the United States, CCTV News is seen on DISH Network Channel 279. It airs in the Washington D.C. area on Comcast 273, Cox 472, RCN 32, Verizon FiOS 458 and digital broadcast channel 30.3. Viewers in New York can watch on Time Warner 134 and FiOS 277. In Los Angeles, on Time Warner 155 and Charter 562.  Check local listings in other regions.

Live streaming is available at  http://www.cctv-america.com/livenews/

Americas Now is seen across ASIA: China, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines at 8 am and again at 2 pm and 11 pm every Monday. 

Video - http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/PRNA/ENR/FX-MM03765-20140411-1.mp4
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140411/MM03765

SOURCE CCTV America