About

The Program

Issues has responded to the community’s need for in-depth representation of local concerns for over 30 years, bringing together local leaders and journalists to discuss the important topics facing South Florida. The weekly half-hour public affairs and news program provides the type of extensive and probing analysis that addresses the community’s continuous concerns.

By utilizing a roundtable discussion format, Issues offers a balanced blend of fact reporting and important perspectives. More than just traditional news reporting, Issues goes further, examining national, state and local topics and their effects on the South Florida community.

Award-winning journalist Helen Aguirre Ferré leads roundtable discussions on such topics as the state's foreclosure crisis, urban sprawl and the environment, gambling expansion and election reform. Each weekly exchange responds to the events that affect the community with in-depth analysis and thoughtful examination.

Issues airs on Fridays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 12:30 pm on WPBT2.

Host

Helen Aguirre Ferré is an award-winning, bilingual journalist in both print and broadcast media.  With over two decades of reporting, she is the Opinion Page Editor of Diario Las Américas, an independent, family-owned Spanish-language newspaper founded in Miami in 1953. Her commentary also extends to a Sunday column in Diario Las Américas, covering current, national and international affairs.

In the broadcast arena, Helen is the moderator of the weekly WPBT2 public affairs series Issues, reaching audiences from the Treasure Coast to the Florida Keys.  Helen also serves as host for many of WPBT2’s public affairs specials.  Recently, she has been contracted by Radio Cadena Univision to co-host a Spanish language national broadcast, Yo Cuento, which analyzes the political news of the week.  Additionally, she has been a political commentator for Hispanic Target Magazine and is an occasional guest on national news programs such as Aqui y Ahora for Univision, Telemundo newscasts and Gen TV.

She has extensive experience interviewing both local leaders as well as heads of state, particularly from Latin America, and some of the most important figures in American politics.

“I confess that apart from my family, journalism is my magnificent obsession,” says Ferré, who was recognized by Ocean Drive en Español Magazine, Poder Magazine, Hispanic Trend Magazine, El Nuevo Herald and Miami Today newspapers for her professional accomplishments.

Committed to community service, she is the first woman to chair the Board of Trustees of Miami Dade College, the largest community college in the country, and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB) in the United States and the Council of Board Chairs of the AGB.  She is a Member of the Board of WPBT2, a PBS affiliate in Miami; the Florida Chapter of the International Women’s Forum, a National Member of the Council on Foreign Relations, an Associate Member of the Inter American Dialogue; an Advisory Board Member of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics and the American Nicaraguan Foundation.

Through all her professional and community engagements, Helen has received many awards, including: and Honorary Doctorate Degree in Journalism from Saint Anselm College, the Chairman’s Award of the South Florida Chapter of the American Red Cross 2007; Women’s History Coalition Women of Impact Award 2007; Award of Distinction American Nicaraguan Foundation 2006; Distinguished Woman Professional Cuban Woman’s Club 2006; CAMACOL Woman Business Professional 2006; Distinguished Alumni Archbishop Curley Notre Dame Academy 2005; Barry University Outstanding Alumni of the Year Award 2000; Dynamic Woman’s Award American Cancer Society; Professional of Hispanic Media 100; as well as awards from Goodwill Industries and the Cuban Rotary Club. 

Aguirre Ferre co-founded Operation Saving Lives which was a humanitarian task force responsible for sending money, medicine, food and clothing to victims of Hurricane Mitch in Central America.  She was also appointed to the Florida State Committee of Higher Education Access Task Force in 2005 and the Florida Energy 2020 Commission, among others.

Helen Aguirre Ferré holds a B.A. in Political Science from Barry University and an M.A. in Inter American Studies from the University of Miami, Florida.  She is married and has three children.