Univision said Friday that it will reduce its overall workforce by about 6%, part of an effort to make the struggling broadcaster more competitive.

The layoffs, which would number about 240 of Univision’s 4,000 employees, are the latest in several changes at the company. Last week it said it was exploring the sale of its Gizmodo Media Group, which includes several online properties like Gizmodo, Jezebel Deadspin, Lifehacker, Splinter, The Root, Kotaku, Earther and Jalopnik, and The Onion. The Onion portfolio includes The Onion, Clickhole, The A.V. Club and The Takeout. 

A handful of top executives have left the company in the past several months, starting with CEO Randy Falco in March, and followed by chief content officer Isaac Lee and chief revenue officer Tonia O’Connor earlier this month. Falco was replaced as CEO by former Media General chief Vincent Sadusky in June. 

“We have concluded a company-wide strategic review aimed at reorienting our operations to ensure we are positioned to most effectively compete in an evolving media marketplace,” Univision said in a statement. “We are implementing a plan to rejuvenate and reenergize the company with a rededication to our core mission of serving the US Hispanic community. As part of this plan we are both reducing our workforce in various divisions around the company, as well as adding resources and capabilities to strengthen our core business. While it is extremely difficult to lose valued employees, we are confident that our actions – along with our previously-announced process to explore the sale of the Gizmodo Media Group and The Onion portfolio – will enable us to focus on and invest in our core assets, which is necessary to ensure we remain the leading and unwavering voice, advocate and source of information for the Hispanic community.”

Spanish-language broadcaster Univision Communications said it has named former Media General chief Vincent Sadusky as its new CEO, replacing Randy Falco, who has already announced his intention to retire from the post. Sadusky will assume his new position on June 1.

Speculation that Sadusky, who will also become a member of Univision’s board of directors, was being considered for the job has been heavy for days. 

Falco will remain an advisor to Univision through the end of the year to ensure a smooth transition.

Sadusky served as CEO of Media General from 2014 to 2017, when it was sold to Nexstar Broadcast Group. Prior to Media General, Sadusky was CEO of LIN Broadcasting and has also held several executive positons with Spanish-language broadcaster Telemundo, including chief financial officer and treasurer.

“Vince is distinctly qualified to lead UCI through the next phase of its growth, given his impressive track record of leadership, vision, deep industry experience and relationships,” Univision chairman Haim Saban said in a statement. “This is a unique moment for UCI, and we believe that we have the right strategy and team in place to execute on the opportunities in front of us. On behalf of the entire Board, we look forward to working with Vince to achieve great success for UCI.”

Falco has spent the past eight years as Univision CEO, a tenure he said in a statement “has been one of the most personally and professionally rewarding experiences of my life.”

Saban praised the CEO for his leadership.

“Over the last eight years, Randy has led the transformation of UCI into a modern media organization with a diverse portfolio of assets, sterling brands and content that audiences and marketers want, backed by strong earnings growth, a significantly improved balance sheet and a team of motivated and purpose-driven employees,” Saban said in a statement. “Randy has always recognized and embraced Univision as an incredibly unique company with a mission and vision that goes well beyond traditional media. On behalf of the entire Board, I want to thank Randy for his leadership, commitment and partnership, and congratulate him on his retirement.”

A day after it said it would withdraw its plans for an initial public offering, Univision Communications could be in line for even more changes. The company confirmed late Wednesday (March 7) that long-time CEO Randy Falco has approached the board about retiring early – at the end of this year – amid reports that the Spanish-language content giant is mulling a restructuring that would drastically reduce costs.

Univision withdrew its IPO documents Tuesday (March 6), ending a three-year odyssey for the programmer. Univision set the IPO engine in motion in 2015, and even brought in former Goldman Sachs banker Francisco Lopez-Balboa as chief financial officer to head up the effort. Lopez-Balboa resigned on Tuesday. He was replaced by long-time Univision executive Peter Lori.

Falco was said to be on increasingly thin ice in the wake of the IPO withdrawal – it was seen as the main exit vehicle for the investors that took the company private in 2007 for $13.7 billion, including Providence Equity Partners, media mogul and Univision chairman Haim Saban, TPG Capital and Thomas H. Lee Partners.

In a statement, Saban confirmed that Falco had approached the board earlier about accelerating his retirement, and that the board “reluctantly agreed” to his request.

“There are multiple rumors out there and on behalf of the Univision Board I would like to set the record straight about our CEO Randy Falco,” Saban said in a statement. “Recently Randy came to us and told us that he would like to retire at the end of 2018 when he will turn 65 years old and end an outstanding 8 year tenure as the CEO of Univision.  Let me be clear we at the Board of Univision have reluctantly agreed to Randy’s wishes out of respect and the high regard we have for him as a partner.  During his time as CEO he has modernized the Univision organization, grown earnings and reduced debt at record levels and we could not be more pleased with his performance. We have asked Randy to work with us over the next year in restructuring the company and consult with the board on a transition to new leadership.”

A report in the Wall Street Journal late Wednesday said the board of directors was considering replacing Falco. The report added that the Univision board also is contemplating making drastic cost cuts – up to $200 million – which could result in significant layoffs, to prepare itself for a sale. Univision had fielded several offers in the past – including one from Liberty Media chairman John Malone – but rejected them as too low.

Univision has struggled to pull the trigger on the IPO – it has postponed the offering several times due to unfavorable market conditions. The decision to finally scrap the offering could mean that it is willing to pursue a deal.

President-elect Donald Trump will meet with top Univision executives Monday, according to transition team spokesman Sean Spicer.

On the morning press call, Spicer went through the President-elect's meeting lineup for the day (Jan. 9), which he said would include Univision president Randy Falco and Isaac Lee, chief news, entertainment and digital operations.

He did not say what they would be talking about, but Univision and Trump butted heads during the campaign, with Univision dropping Trump’s Miss USA beauty pageant after he called some Mexican immigrants rapists, followed by Trump suing Univision, a suit that was eventually settled, with Trump saying: "I have known Univision's president and CEO, Randy Falco, for more than 20 years and I'm glad we are able to put these differences behind us."

Univision anchor Jorge Ramos was also an outspoken about Trump’s stance on immigration and was ejected from a Trump press conference.

Trump will also meet with Fox News' Howard Kurtz Monday, Spicer said.

NATPE on Tuesday unveiled the recipients of the 14th annual Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award.

The honorees are Dana Walden and Gary Newman, chairmen and CEOs of Fox Television Group; Susanne Daniels, global head of original content at YouTube; Randy Falco, president and CEO of Univision; Josh Sapan, president and CEO of AMC Networks; and actress, director and producer Eva Longoria.

The honorees will receive their awards at a reception on Jan. 18 at Fontainebleau Miami Beach during NATPE Miami 2017.

Read more at broadcastingcable.com.

Tonia O’Connor has been promoted to chief commercial officer and president of content distribution at Univision Communications. 

In her newly created position, O’Connor -- a 2010 Multichannel News Wonder Woman -- will remain based in New York and will continue to report to CEO Randy Falco. 

Under O’Connor, Univision has been putting greater emphasis on diversifying its portfolio of assets by bringing together its corporate development and enterprise groups under one Enterprise Development unit. This unit will focus on enhancing Univision's market position to help incubate and launch new products and businesses.

O’Connor will also continue to be responsible for content distribution, including online and mobile, as well as creating new business models with emerging outlets. 

“Tonia is an innovative leader and influencer in our industry, who has played an essential role in expanding and deepening our relationships with both new and longstanding partners," Falco said.

Read more at broadcastingcable,com.

Univision President Randy Falco came strongly to the defense of veteran Univision journalist Jorge Ramos, saying his treatment by presidential candidate Donald Trump was "beneath contempt."

Ramos was escorted out of the room by security during a Donald Trump press conference in Dubuque, Iowa, Tuesday night after he peppered the GOP front-running candidate with questions/statements about immigration and refused to stop asking them when Trump repeatedly pointed out he had not called on him. "Go back to Univision," Trump said dismissively.

Trump later defended the treatment, saying Ramos had been "ranting and raving like a mad man." who was ousted initially from a Donald Trump press conference for pressing the candidate on his immigration policy without first being called on.

"The recent treatment that Jorge Ramos received at Mr. Trump's press conference in Iowa is beneath contempt," Falco said. "As a presidential candidate, Mr. Trump is going to get tough questions from the press and has to answer them."

Trump has already hammered Fox anchor Megyn Kelly over what he has said were disproportionately tough questions during the first Republican presidential debate.

"Jorge Ramos is one the most professional, dedicated and respected journalists I have seen or worked with in my 40 years in media," Falco continued  "He always asks hard questions of candidates and elected officials, regardless of party or issue. Mr. Trump demonstrated complete disregard for him and for the countless Hispanics whom Jorge seeks to represent through press questions that are at the heart of the First Amendment. I remain grateful for the first-rate journalistic work that Jorge and all of his news colleagues at Univision and Fusion do to bring all points of view to the 57 million Hispanics in this country."

Univision Communications reported a loss in the second quarter as revenue fell compared with last year, when its networks covered soccer’s World Cup.

The company lost $23.9 million in the quarter, compared with net income of $98 million a year ago.

Revenue fell to $696.3 million from $833 million a year ago. The company said the World Cup generated $115.5 million in incremental revenue a year ago. Excluding the World Cup, revenue decreased 1.7%.

“During the 2015 second quarter, we continued to execute on our strategy to deliver a Univision branded experience and target bilingual and millennial audiences with tailored ‘must-see’ content across platforms, which included signing a deal with Netflix to stream top Univision and UniMás content,” said CEO Randy Falco.

Read more at broadcastingcable.com.