NBCUniversal names new Telemundo president

NBCUniversal has added a key member to its Spanish-language media team, announcing that Luis Silberwasser, a former Discovery Communications executive, will become president of the Telemundo network later this summer.

Silberwasser will be responsible for the Miami-based broadcast network and its Telemundo production studios, the company said in a statement Tuesday.

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FOR THE RECORD

A previous version of this post stated that new Telemundo president Luis Silberwasser would be involved in the network’s international expansion efforts and would work with NBCUniversal executive vice president Cesar Conde. Silberwasser will not work on Telemundo’s international expansion with Conde. Marcos Santana continues as president of Telemundo International, working on foreign business opportunities.

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Silberwasser is expected to join the network in August. He will report to Joe Uva, chairman of Hispanic enterprises and content.

Silberwasser replaces Emilio Romano, who stepped down as Telemundo president last year.

“Luis is a world-class operating executive,” Uva said. “His deep understanding of the U.S. Hispanic and Latin American markets, coupled with his strong track record in successfully building global brands and developing and producing high-quality content make him the ideal leader.”

Silberwasser most recently served as executive vice president and chief content officer for Discovery Networks International in London. He oversaw the international rollout of the TLC channel.

Telemundo is scheduled to unveil its newly refined business strategy and programming lineup to advertisers in New York on Tuesday night.

The company has spent the last year retooling its operations and leadership team with an eye toward expanding its international footprint.

The company also is planning a heavy push into sports.

Telemundo is to take over rights to World Cup soccer beginning next year. The company outbid its chief rival, Univision Communications, by agreeing to pay $600 million to the FIFA organization for the rights from 2015 to 2022. It also has plans to add NASCAR to its mix of programming.