Romano to head Telemundo

A former Grupo Televisa and Univision Communications executive has been appointed president of US Hispanic broadcaster Telemundo, replacing Don Browne.

Emilio Romano will begin the new role in October and will oversee Telemundo’s 14 broadcast networks, its entertainment division and production unit Telemundo Studios, among other duties.

He replaces Browne, who stepped down in June after eight years with the company, following parent NBCUniversal’s merger with US cableco Comcast earlier this year. Romano reports into Lauren Zalaznick, chairman of NBCU’s entertainment and digital networks and integrated media arm.

“Emilio is the ideal executive to lead Telemundo as we continue to build on our record breaking performances this year,” said Zalaznick.

Romano has a background in the Hispanic media, internet and aviation industries and has brokered several major transactions in the region. In the late 1990s, he was Grupo Televisa’s director of mergers and acquisitions and later VP of international operations. He was also a board member for Telemundo rival Univision Communications between 1995 and 1998.

More recently, he was CEO of aviation firm Grupo Mexicana de Aviacion between 2004 and 2007.

Zalaznick said Telemundo would particularly benefit from Romano’s knowledge of the Mexican market, “as we continue to broaden Telemundo’s overall appeal in the vibrant and diverse Hispanic community.”

The broadcaster’s US Hispanic cablenet mun2 is the fastest growing lifestyle channel of its kind for young bicultural Latinos, the broadcaster claimed. Romano noted the US Hispanic TV market had seen “explosive growth” and predicted Telemundo was well-placed to exploit this.