Don Browne, former Telemundo Communications Group president, died August 29 at age 80. He had been battling a brain tumor.
NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises said on X, as Twitter is now known, “We honor the legacy of our former president, Don Browne, whose leadership and vision championed Spanish-language media and Hispanics at @Telemundo and throughout the industry.
“Our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends during this time of loss.”
Browne was born in Toms River, New Jersey, and attended the University of South Carolina on a football scholarship.
He joined NBC in 1979 as Miami bureau chief of NBC News and spent more than 30 years with the network.
Browne was executive VP of NBC News from 1991 to 1993. He was executive in charge of Today, was involved in the creation of newsmagazine Dateline, and was acting president of NBC News. Browne played a key role in NBC acquiring Telemundo in 2001.
He was president and general manager of NBC-owned WTVJ Miami before he was named Telemundo president in 2005. With that position, he had oversight of the network and 16 owned and operated stations.
“His work ethic, drive and passion catapulted him to the top of the NBC leadership hierarchy,” WTVJ said on NBCMiami.com.
He was inducted into the B+C Hall of Fame in 2008.
Browne’s wife Maria died of cancer in 2021. Soon after, doctors discovered he had a brain tumor.
