TELEMUNDO RESHAPES ITS CONTENT PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION TEAMS

NBCUniversal’s Telemundo Enterprises is currently restructuring its top management, content production and distribution teams, mirroring the overhaul implemented over the past few months at the rest of the company’s television units and at other media giants. The restructuring will allow the conglomerate to organize itself into four divisions: Global Studios, Entertainment and Content Strategy, Network News and Sports.

Former Telemundo Networks programming chief Ronald Day has been promoted to president of entertainment and content strategy for NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises. Romina Rosado, who had been Telemundo’s head of digital, is upped to executive VP of entertainment and content. Peter Blacker, longtime ad sales leader and business strategist for the Spanish-language network group, has an expanded role in monetizing Telemundo content around the world as executive VP, chief commercial officer and head of DTC licensing. Day and Blacker report to Beau Ferrari, the Univision alum who was promoted to Chairman of NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises in July after previous chief Cesar Conde was enlisted to run NBCUniversal News Group.

The goal of the reorganization is to expand Telemundo’s capacity to produce original content focusing on entertainment, news and sports that can travel widely in a world of streaming platforms and on-demand services. NBC’s broadcast and cable operations have been through a similar top-to-bottom overhaul. Telemundo Enterprises’ current channel roster includes the Telemundo broadcast network, distributed by 30 O&O stations and dozens of affiliates around the country; the NBC Universo cable network aimed at younger Hispanics; and the Telemundo Deportes sports outfit. Universo and the sports channel are likely to face linear MVPD distribution pressure in the coming years.

Telemundo Studios, headed by President and former producer Marcos Santana, is set to be the main driver of content production for the networks and downstream buyers. Ferrari’s key players also include CFO Amanda Calpin, network news chief Luis Fernandez and marketing and administration chief Mónica Gil. Now Telemundo has a clear content-driven path ahead, NBCUniversal leaders believe, because the company’s telenovelas, game shows and reality shows can also be licensed widely to content-hungry outlets in the Spanish-speaking world and beyond. “We’re in a good position to capture the opportunities in this evolving landscape,” Ferrari said. “When you look at demand on direct-to-consumer SVOD and AVOD platforms for the unique scripted content that we produce for U.S. Hispanics by U.S. Hispanics.”