Don Browne, Telemundo president, is retiring on June 3, 2011 it was announced today by the network. Browne joined Telemundo in 2005 after NBC bought the network. Before that he was the president and general manager of NBC-owned WTVJ where he had been since 1993 when he was brought in to run after it also go acquired by NBC.
Don actually joined Telemundo in June, 2003. Under his TVJ reign, Channel 6 reached its heights as an NBC O&O, moving to the new facility in Miramar and the downtown Miami studio at the AAA. Upon first glance, it seemed like an odd choice for a non Spanish speaking, ex-news and station guy to head up Telemundo, but his success in transforming Telemundo can’t be debated. Tmundo was an also-ran, unprofitable network (derisively called “Moribundo” with virtually no in house production and is now ever strengthening with its highest ratings ever, It is highly profitable, and controls its own destiny with a production studio that exports its programming to the world. Univision has now copied this approach. Beyond that, he is an incredible passion for South Florida which has been measured by major economic and social contributions.
If he did such a good job why did Comcast push him out? Why did other high level local NBC execs around the country get “retired” in the same week?
WTVJ reached its height when it moved to Mirimar? Huh? They have never reached the heights they had in the 70’s. Not even close.
WTVJ was already in a deep descent by the time it moved. The studio is nice. The product, the ratings…not so nice.
WTVJ is a minor player in local news and has been for years.
How do you know Browne as pushed out? His is a different circumstance. He is 68 years old and leaving on an upswing. Regardless, at some point does he want to learn the new ways of the new regime? Other “retired” execs aren’t in fact retiring, are younger, with far less success. They were obviously pushed out.
I do agree that WTVJ has never been what it was in the 1970s but what local broadcaster is? It’s hard to compare that simpler media era where a local owner with complete control such as WOMETCO versus a major cooperation such as GE where local only had so much control. TVJ was in a good competitive state around 2000 relative to the market and the industry. Their fall from grace really accelerated in the post-Browne era. Good Night and be the Good News be yours.
actually it was “Good night and may the good news be yours”. Ralph and Ruth Sperling had complete control of the news dept., reporting directly to Mitchell Wolfson. that all changed in 1984 when the company was sold to KKR, who sold to NBC two years later. The station hasn’t been the same since, with all the switches from CBS to NBC and from 4 to 6.
You are both right with many of your points. I think we are seeing so many high level NBC execs leaving because Comcast wants to run things differently. In some cases, like Browne’s, it is probably better for him to retire now, with the NBC retirement package then it will be when Comcast fully absorbs the company and starts selling stuff off. I think we saw people like Paula Madison leave because se is a train wreck but also would probably be laid off eventually. Comcast knows that having a diversity director means you are interested in being racist. Diversity directors don’t look to employ whites, Jews or Muslims, they look to employ blacks and, in some cases, Latinos but often hire then at low pay and with no experience. Look at Kevin Corke. He’s barely making 100 thousand as the main anchor at NBC6 when the previous anchor there made between 400 and 750 per year. All the good NBC people still around know to get out while the getting is good. Those who remain risk being cut by Comcast.
You are right about diversity.
As soon as someone starts talking about or trying to administer “diversity” run.
You know everything is going to be about race, gender and ethnicity and not skill or ability.
With Comcast officially on board, you can bet many heads are going to continue rolling, especially those with extravagant salaries. Many of the people like Brown with a good retirement package opt to call it quits now rather than later when things might not be so good.
The business is not what it used to be, and stations across the country are adjusting. They know is a competitive business, but not enough to pay high salaries to help turn a station around. They have the “small town” mentality, do more with less. This is good for those starting out, and for those in small town, that want to move to bigger towns, they are cheap labor with some experience.
If you’re thinking of getting into this business….run and find something else!!!!!
I just heard about this and there is no doubt in my mind that Don had someone write the first comment. No question he was a savvy guy. His “Not size of the dog in the fight…” speech was great. Sadly, it was a harbringer of rapid decent into oblivion for the weakest O&O in the nation. Don was a corp guy through and through. He did NBC’s bidding to the point of obsequiousness. There was no one loyal to him he couldn’t betray to please NY. Just ask the finance guy who helped build the Miramar studio. Sure, he helped promote young talent to the net. But for the vast majority of us who worked around him, we were nothing but head count. One more suit. He could have been so much more.