Jacqueline Hernández, COO, Telemundo

Community builder sees growth by connecting viewers with each other -- and advertisers -- on all screens

By Tim Baysinger -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/27/2011 12:01:00 AM

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Telemundo’s Jacqueline Hernández is all about bringing people together, whether it be English- and Spanishspeakers, viewers and advertisers. With her, it’s about “connection on all screens.”

Hernández credits her passion for what she does as the main reason for her success. “If you want to be successful, you shouldn’t like what you do, you should love what you do,” Hernández says. “You get further along, and faster, when you have that affinity for your job.”

Hernández, who labels viewers as “users,” since they are all also online, is consistently looking for new ways to reach Telemundo’s audience and use that to bring in advertisers “who are looking to connect with culturally relevant content.”

One of the ways she has done that recently can be found in Club de Noveleras, Telemundo’s official telenovela fan club, which Hernández created and launched. “It’s really [about] bringing together a community of our viewers 365 days a year,” says Hernández. She was also responsible for brokering a deal with L’Oreal USA to sponsor the launch. Aside from interacting with other viewers and telenovela stars, users can also ! nd beauty content, which includes a blog dedicated entirely to it.

Telemundo, who during May’s upfront touted itself as one of the few broadcast networks to experience viewer growth, unveiled “The Shift,” a concept aimed at servicing the heavy growth in U.S. Hispanic population. Hernández mentioned that part of the concept was about recognizing that both American and Hispanic influences play a role.

Hernández applies that aspect of community to her team as well, “so they get behind that one vision,” she says. “I’ve got a great team, so it’s not that hard.” She also believes in helping, nurturing and rallying her team, preaching that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Hernández, who came to Telemundo as COO in 2008, boasts more than 20 years of experience. She is on the Women@NBCU board, the nominating committee for the Emmys en Español and most recently was appointed to the New York City Latin Media and Entertainment Commission.

Going forward, Hernández sees continued growth for Telemundo, which includes the network as well as its sister cable net mun2, having a larger role across all of NBCU. “I look forward to the next five years. I see this market, which used to be a minority [one], becoming more and more a majority,” she says.