Univision Communications

The Wall Street Journal reports that Univision Communications is exploring a sale of Fusion Media Group, which houses websites including Gizmodo and Deadspin, as it pursues a companywide restructuring following a leadership change, people familiar with the matter say. The move would be a reversal for Univision, best known as the largest Spanish-language TV broadcaster in the U.S. Over the past several years, it has invested in digital assets and sought to diversify its audience by buying English-language websites that appeal to younger, bilingual Hispanic-Americans. Journal subscribers can read the full story here.

Two years after its splashy acquisition of the former Gawker sites,Univision’s Fusion Media Group is careening into a new era of belt-tightening and downsizing. Will Penske or Diller be enticed to help them unload what’s left?

The television company has, over the last week, tapped a new CFO, canceled a planned public offering and axed some high-level staffers. It turns out that the company has had some professional help in making these tough decisions. In December, Univision brought in management consulting firm Boston Consulting Group to help the company chart a path forward.

Twenty Univision staffers were laid off last Friday as part of cost-cutting measures, including high-level executives at the Univision-owned Fusion Media Group, which consists of the Fusion TV network, as well as digital publishers, including The Onion, Gizmodo and The Root.

Despite having extended CEO Randy Falco’s contract through 2020 last November, Univision has now confirmed that he will retire by the end of 2018. The accelerated retirement plan comes during a 24-hour period when the company ditched its long-planned IPO stratregy,

Univision Communications is canceling a long-in-the works plan for an initial public offering, and it has replaced CFO Francisco Lopez-Balboa, a former Goldman Sachs banker who was hired three years ago to help the Spanish-language broadcaster with its IPO. He’s been replaced by Peter Lori who has been a deputy under Lopez-Balboa.

Univision Communications today announced that it is collaborating with the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), Producers Guild of America (PGA), Screen Actors Guildâ€ÂAmerican Federation of Television and Radio […]

The new contract covers all the Spanish-language broadcaster’s stations and networks including the Univision Network, UniMás, Galavisión, Univision Deportes Network, El Rey Network, FOROtv, TLNovelas, Telehit, Bandamax, De Pelicula and De Pelicula Clasico.

The Hispanic-focused TV network wants a minority investor to put $200 million into its Fusion Media Group.

Randy Falco, who has been president-CEO of Univision since 2011, is tacking on at least another two years to his deal, taking him through Jan. 31, 2020. Falco’s extension comes as UCI, which is privately held, announced 3Q earnings of $778.2 million, up 5.9% vs. 3Q 2016. Net income was $104 million in the quarter, compared to net loss of $30.5 million in 3Q 2016.

Univision is ratcheting up its criticism of Verizon for deciding to “withhold Univision news, information and services from their Hispanic subscribers” by dropping the network’s signal from its FiOS service in a carriage dispute.

The Hispanic broadcaster is paying $2.55 million for the music video low-power outlet.

In a surprise move, Univision was dropped from Verizon FiOS Monday at about 5 p.m. ET, where most of the 5 million or so affected customers are. The sides had been negotiating, but being dropped appears to have caught Univision off guard.

The two most prominent media companies that program to a Spanish-speaking audience criticized the Trump administration’s decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, announced Tuesday morning.

Steven Mandala, whose ties to TV ad sales go back to time he would spend as a boy making rounds with his father as he worked to sell commercials for ABC, is getting some hefty new responsibilities. Spanish-language broadcaster Univision Communications today named Mandala president of advertising sales and marketing, effective immediately.

The Liberty Media chairman is discussing buying a “significant stake” in Univision, according to The Wall Street Journal. It says the owner of the dominant Spanish-language broadcaster in the U.S., has been fielding interest from potential bidders after the media company’s initial public offering was delayed, according to people familiar with the matter. WSJ subscribers can read the full story here.

Ramon Pineda is named SVP and regional GM; Roberto Yañez becomes SVP-GM of WFTY New York; while Alejandra Santamaria becomes VP-GM-sales director of Univision Arizona.

2016 Spot Revenue: $810.0 million Stations: 59 in 25 markets Coverage: 44.1% Ownership: Univision Holdings Inc., an investor group including Madison Dearborn Partners, Providence Equity Partners, TPG Capital, Thomas H. […]

The launch is part of a cross-platform agreement that includes carriage of Univision networks across AT&T and DirecTV platforms.

The two companies team up to offer a new premium on-demand movie service that will tap a base of more than 50 million Hispanic consumers in the U.S.

11. UNIVISION COMMUNICATIONS, New York  2015 Spot Revenue: $714.5 million  Stations: 59 in 25 markets  Coverage: 44.1%  Ownership: Univision Holdings Inc., an investor group including Madison Dearborn Partners, Providence Equity Partners, TPG Capital, Thomas H. Lee Partners and Saban […]

Univision Communications has acquired a controlling stake in the satiric news site The Onion, NPR is reporting. The agreement between two seemingly disparate media outfits was described to NPR by a person with direct involvement in the negotiations. A second person who was briefed on the deal by Univision executives also confirmed its broad strokes. Financials were not disclosed, though Univision will acquire a controlling 40% that includes Onion verticals The AV Club, Clickhole and its book and video projects, along with an option to buy the company outright.

The Spanish-language media company chooses Beau Ferrari, its EVP of operations, for the new position in which he will work with UCI’s division leaders on strategic business initiatives, investments and merger and acquisition efforts.

Univision Communications Inc. today promoted Jorge Dominguez to SVP of art and design. Dominguez will remain based in Miami and continue to report to Jessica Rodriguez, the company’s EVP-chief marketing […]

Tonia O’Connor is also the Hispanic group’s president of content distribution.

The Spanish-language network promotes Dominic Fails from its Chicago stations.

Univision Communications today named Laraine “Rainey” Mancini SVP finance-head of investor relations, effective immediately. She is based in New York and reports to Francisco J. Lopez-Balboa, chief financial officer. “Rainey […]

Jose Valle, the former head of Univision Radio, becomes president of political and advocacy sales.

Jessica R. Herrera-Flanigan joins the Hispanic broadcaster in a newly created position to oversee the company’s Washington office and lobbying efforts.

The Hispanic media company promotes Carlos Deschapelles to lead its network and digital sales teams across the country with a focus on sports sales.

The new single multi-platform entity will have just one general manager, as well as one sales director, in each the 12 markets where Univision has both TV and radio stations. As part of the move, WGBO Chicago’s Larry Sands and WLTV Miami’s Mike Rodriguez are out of jobs.

Univision is set to refocus its No. 2 broadcast network to target U.S. Hispanic millennials. UniMás will skew even younger than TeleFutura and aim more at male viewers.

The deal covers the Hispanic broadcaster’s Univision, TeleFutura, Galavisión, Univision Deportes, Univision tlnovelas, ForoTV,  Bandamax, De Película, Película Clásico, Clásico TV, Ritmoson and Telehit.

The Spanish-language broadcaster has tapped Keith Summa, the head of the CBS News Investigative Unit, to oversee its new partnership with ABC News.

Univision Communications has appointed Keith Norman vice president of political advocacy and government sales. In his new role, Norman joins a team of six marketing and sales executives led by […]

Univision Communications Inc. on Tuesday announced plans to offer all of Univision Network’s primetime novelas with English-language closed captioning on CC3. This will apply to the network’s complete weeknight block, […]

The former Journal Communications executive will now oversee KDTV, KSOL-FM and KBRG-FM in the Bay Area.