Zel Out at Telemundo

Hispanic Network Not Renewing Contract of Cable and Digital-Media Chief

By Anne Becker -- Broadcasting & Cable, 10/16/2007 6:22:00 PM

Telemundo cable and digital-media chief Antoinette Zel is out at the company after three years. Staffers were informed in a meeting early Tuesday.

Telemundo President Don Browne says Zel informed him that she wanted to pursue other opportunities in the industry.

Zel, who came from MTV Latin America, had overseen both youth-targeting cable channel mun2 and new media strategy for the NBC Universal-owned company.

During her tenure, she made some big moves, including physically relocating mun2 from Miami to Los Angeles and partnering with Yahoo to increase Telemundo's online reach to compete with Hispanic market giant Univision.

But while mun2 has seen some momentum with its tiny base and increased its video-on-demand, home-entertainment and licensing efforts, it hasn't seen big increases in ratings or distribution, and Telemundo still lags far behind Hispanic-TV giant Univision in reach.

While sources have characterized Zel's relationship with Browne as tense, the Telemundo chief tells B&C that the two had a "great working relationship." Browne says he courted Zel for a year and that, once on board, she was "a huge breath of fresh air to Telemundo," making the network stronger and "helping it get on the cutting edge of the future." And he says there is no truth to an account of Zel's attempt to position herself as his successor by appealing to his boss, then NBCU executive Randy Falco, soon after her arrival.

Zel joined Telemundo in 2004 after having helped to found and lead MTV Latin America. She started her career as a lawyer at Manhattan entertainment-law firm Reid & Priest, where she represented clients such as Viacom and record label Def Jam.

At press time, Zel had not responded to a request for comment.