Telemundo pesident and CEO Jim McNamara will exit the NBC-owned Spanish-language broadcast network and chief operating officer Don Browne will take over as top executive, Broadcasting & Cable has learned. McNamara’s contract is coming up, prompting his departure. NBC would not comment.
McNamara has been running the Miami-based network since 2000.
After NBC acquired Telemundo for $2 billion in 2001, the GE and NBC execs were clearly impressed with McNamara and kept the Panamian-born executive in place. Under his watch, Telemundo has ramped up original, U.S.-based production and improved its ad sales and programming performance.
However the network has struggled to chip away at Univision and faces new competition from Univision’s spin-off, Telefutura.
Now, it will be up to Browne to foster ratings and revenue growth.
Browne’s NBC roots run deep. He joined Telemundo in 2003 from NBC’s Miami owned-and-operated station WTVJ, where he served as president and GM. Prior to that, Browne worked for NBC News.
