Just one month before launching its much-anticipated Fusion cable-network joint venture with ABC News, Univision Communications has lost one of its top executives.
Cesar Conde, who had been president and chief operating officer of Univision Networks since 2009, will join NBC Universal. As executive vice president, a new post, he will report directly to NBCU CEO Steve Burke.
In the wake of his departure, Conde’s post as president of Univision Networks has been eliminated in favor of a reorganized reporting structure within the company’s senior-management ranks, a Univision representative confirmed.
Under the new structure, Alberto Ciurana, president of programming and content; Isaac Lee, president of news; and Juan Carlos Rodriguez, president of Univision Deportes; will now report directly to Univision Communications president and CEO Randy Falco.
“Alberto, Isaac and Juan Carlos [...] are largely responsible for the recent success and tremendous momentum of our Network business,” Falco said in a brief statement issued to reporters Sept. 13. In the statement, Falco added that Conde was “resigning to pursue opportunities in English-language media.”
“We are appreciative of Cesar’s contributions to Univision over the last decade,” Falco’s statement added.
Ciurana, Lee and Rodriguez all previously reported to Conde. Falco, who will be inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame in October, spent much of his career at NBC.
Conde’s bio — and photo — was promptly removed from Univision’s corporate site featuring the company’s executive leadership.
Conde’s wife, Pamela Silva Conde is co-host of Univision’s popular daily magazine news show Aquí y Ahora, which airs daily from Miami, and at press time, she was to remain with the program.
An NBCU spokesperson confirmed Conde will join the company in October, but declined to elaborate on his personal plans or whether he will move to New York City or remain in Miami.
