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THE MIAMI HERALD
December 4, 2003
UNIVISION EXEC TO
START OWN FIRM
By Christina Hoag
choag@herald.com
Univision's top executive overseeing its successful
programming strategies is stepping down after 14 years at the nation's top Spanish-language network.
Mario Rodriguez,
president of entertainment who supervised programming at the company's three networks-- Univision, TeleFutura and Galavision--
said he is moving on to develop his own media company, New Skies Media, based in Miami.
Univision said in a statement
that Rodriguez will not be directly replaced. His role will be fulfilled by the three networks' current programming chiefs:
Otto Padron at Univision, Ronald Day at TeleFutura and Margarita Black at Galavision.
They will report to Ray Rodriguez,
president and chief operating officer of Univision Television Networks.
Through New Skies, Mario Rodriguez said
he will remain closely involved with Univision, as the network is expected to be his sole client on television-programming
matters. New Skies is set to launch operations next year.
Rodriguez said he decided to leave Univision to develop
"new professional challenges" in the next stage of his career.
A. Jerrold Perenchio, chairman and chief executive
of Univision Communications, praised Rodriguez as a "tremendous asset" to the company.
"In his new consulting role,
Mario will be able to leverage his extensive experience and insight for the exclusive benefit of Univision, as well as have
time for other interests," Perenchio said. "His remarkable ability to understand Hispanic audiences and develop programming
strategies to meet their specific needs have earned him the respect and admiration of his colleagues at Univision and throughout
the industry."
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TELEVISION BUSINESS REPORT
December 4, 2003
MARIO
RODRIGUEZ EXITS UNIVISION
Long-time programming chief Mario Rodriguez is leaving Univision to start his own company,
New Skies Media. However, he'll still be consulting Univision exclusively on television.
"Mario has been and will continue
to be a tremendous asset to Univision," said CEO Jerrold Perenchio. "His remarkable ability to understand Hispanic audiences
and develop programming strategies to meet their specific needs have earned him the respect and admiration of his colleagues
at Univision and throughout the industry. In his new consulting role, Mario will be able to leverage his extensive experience
and insight for the exclusive benefit of Univision, as well as have time for other interests. We thank him for his important
role in Univision's development and look forward to his continuing contributions in the years ahead."
With Mario
Rodriguez's exit, his post overseeing all programming for Univision's various networks will be left vacant. Rather the three
programming chiefs-- Otto Padron at Univision, Ronald Day at TeleFutura and Margarita Black at Galavision-- will report directly
to Ray Rodriguez, President and COO of the Univision Television Networks.
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TELEVISION BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL
December 4, 2003
RODRIGUEZ
TAKES ON NEW ROLE WITH UNIVISION
Mario Rodriguez will be assuming a new role with Univision. Rodriguez, who was the
Spanish-language network's president of entertainment, will become a consultant for Univision, leaving him time to develop
his newly formed company, New Skies Media.
"I am most excited about starting this new stage in my career," Rodriguez
said. "After nearly 14 years at Univision in programming and entertainment, I look forward to taking on new professional
challenges which will allow me to continue contributing to Spanish-language broadcasting in America."
New Skies Media
will be based in Miami and is expected to begin operations in 2004. On television matters, Rodriguez and New Skies Media will
be under contract to consult exclusively with Univision.
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