Women Leaders Shaping a New Era in Media for Hispanics

An Interview with Mónica Gil, Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative & Marketing Offi cer, NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises

EDITORS’ NOTE Mónica Gil is respon- its national feed. Telemundo also Will you provide an overview of NBCUniversal sible for the operations, growth mar- owns WKAQ, a television station that Telemundo Enterprises and discuss what you keting and strategy and insights for serves viewers in Puerto Rico. feel have been the keys to its strength and NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises. Telemundo Deportes is the designated impact? Additionally, she oversees Corporate Spanish-language home of two of the NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises is a Communications, Corporate Affairs, world’s most popular sporting events: global media company and the #1 U.S.-based pro- Government Affairs, Corporate FIFA World Cup™ through 2026 ducer and distributor of Spanish-language con- Social Responsibility and Diversity, and the Summer Olympic Games tent for U.S. Hispanics and audiences around the Equity and Inclusion efforts. Prior through 2032. Telemundo Global world. Our growing multi-platform portfo- to Telemundo, Gil was Senior Vice Studios is the company’s domes- lio includes the Telemundo Network and Station President and General Manager of tic and international scripted pro- Group, Telemundo Deportes, Noticias Telemundo, Multicultural Growth and Strategy duction unit including Telemundo Telemundo Global Studios and Universo, our cable at Nielsen where she was responsible Mónica Gil Studios, Telemundo Internacional network. Our company is fueled by original con- for accelerating growth opportuni- Studios, Telemundo Internacional, tent made by U.S. Hispanics for U.S. Hispanics. ties for a wide range of blue-chip media clients. Underground Producciones, an internation- Recently, Telemundo redefi ned Hispanic media Earlier in her career, she was a senior member of ally renowned production boutique based in to become the #1 Spanish language broadcast net- Antonio Villaraigosa’s political campaign team Argentina, as well as all of the company’s work in weekly prime time for three consecutive and was part of his historic mayoral victory in Los co-production partnerships. As the #1 media years. In addition to our contemporary scripted Angeles in 2005. Gil has received multiple industry company reaching Hispanics and millenni- storytelling, we offer breaking news, world-class awards. Most recently, she was featured in Variety’s als online, the Revenue Strategy & Innovation sports events – including the FIFA World Cup™ 2020 New York Women’s Impact Report and inau- unit distributes original content across multi- through 2026 and the summer Olympic Games gurated into the 2020 class of Multichannel News ple platforms, maximizing its exclusive part- through 2032 – and highly-rated specials and Wonder Women. In 2019, she was named to the nerships with properties such as BuzzFeed, unscripted reality competitions. Adweek 50 and honored by Cynopsis as one of the Vox, and Snapchat. Through Telemundo Our strength has been to develop and execute “2019 Top Women in Media.” She was also named Internacional, the largest U.S.-based distribu- a content strategy across all platforms that represents one of People en Español’s “25 Most Powerful tor of Spanish-language content in the world, the Latino of today anchored on culture-centric nar- Women” in 2018 and was the recipient of City and Universo, its cable network, the company ratives that are both Latino and American. We have Year’s “2018 Business Leaders of the Year.” Gil is reflects the diverse lifestyle, cultural experi- made bold decisions at the network, taking risks a member of the Latino Advisory Panel to the ence and language of its expanding audi- and breaking stereotypes. As our audience contin- John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts ence. NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises ues to evolve and explore new ground, we’re shap- and is a board member of the National Women’s is a division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of ing a new era in media for Hispanics who look to History Museum. She is a former board member Comcast Corporation. connect with their ambicultural American journey. of ProAmerica Bank and Girl Scouts of the USA. Gil earned a B.A. in political science from the University of California, Berkeley, and an M.A. from the University of Southern California School of Public Administration. “Our strength has been to develop and execute

COMPANY BRIEF NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises (corporate.comcast.com/company/ a content strategy across all platforms that nbcuniversal/Telemundo) is a world-class media company leading the industry in the represents the Latino of today anchored on production and distribution of high-quality Spanish-language content to U.S. Hispanics and audiences around the world. This fast- culture-centric narratives that are both Latino and growing multiplatform portfolio is comprised of the Telemundo Network and Station Group, Telemundo Deportes, Telemundo Global American. We have made bold decisions at the Studios, Universo, and a Revenue Strategy & Innovation unit. Telemundo Network features original Spanish-language entertainment, network, taking risks and breaking stereotypes.” news and sports content reaching 94 percent of U.S. Hispanic TV households in 210 mar- kets through 30 local stations, 50 affi liates and 34 LEADERS POSTED WITH PERMISSION. COPYRIGHT © 2021 LEADERS MAGAZINE, INC. VOLUME 44, NUMBER 1 “As our audience continues to evolve and explore new ground, we’re shaping a new era in media for Hispanics who look to connect with their ambicultural American journey.”

How has NBCUniversal Telemundo the right thing, it’s simply good business. When you campaign resulted from our long-standing commit- Enterprises adapted the way it works to address look across NBCUniversal’s portfolio, Telemundo’s ment to provide our community with objective the challenges and uncertainty brought about by employees are over 90 percent diverse, yet we rec- information and the resources to participate in the global pandemic? ognize there is always work to be done in order the electoral process. This national, year-long civic Our number one priority has been to keep to become a truly diverse and inclusive organiza- engagement initiative spanned across Telemundo’s our employees safe and healthy while continuing tion. We always want to make sure we represent national network and local stations. Under the cam- to serve 60 million Latinos at a time when they and look like the communities we serve. To that paign, we launched multiple national and local need reliable information and entertainment more end, we have launched a company-wide initiative polls, expanded our news coverage and launched a than ever. We quickly shifted our employees to called Diversity Now, which is designed to ensure myriad of civic engagement campaigns and events work from home. In the space of a week, we orga- we represent the wide diversity of Hispanics in our to encourage participation in the 2020 census and nized all our employees across the country to work employees, our content and our community efforts. voter registration. remotely and installed hardware to accommodate Our top goals are to provide a more equitable and Do you feel that there are strong oppor- increased connectivity, including for fi lm editors inclusive workplace by recruiting, developing, and tunities for women to grow and lead in the and show talent/anchors. Our employees adapted, retaining a diverse workforce, ensuring that our industry? pivoted and allowed us to continue running our content refl ects our viewers and the communities The reality is that there are still very few business and seamlessly stay on air under challeng- we serve, and to create a meaningful impact within women in positions of power not only in media, ing circumstances. our organization to address social injustice, issues but broadly across industries. For every 100 men In order to support our employees, we of colorism, gender, LGBTQ awareness and race promoted to manager, only 85 women were pro- increased the cadence and volume of our internal relations. moted according to this year’s annual McKinsey communications including weekly pandemic news- NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises and LeanIn.org annual Women in the Workplace letters and regular town halls with our executive places a major emphasis and commitment on study. We have seen some progress, but we still leadership. We also instituted a variety of employee corporate social responsibility. Will you dis- have a long way to go, especially when it comes to programs, including virtual wellness classes and cuss this focus and the areas that NBCUniversal hiring and promoting women. an easy to access online health platform for their Telemundo Enterprises supports? When you look at the representation of essential healthcare needs. Corporate social responsibility is part of who Latinas in traditional U.S. media, it is still lacking. On the production side, we implemented strict we are as an organization and our commitment There have been new, critically acclaimed Latino health protocols under the banner “Stay Healthy, to our viewers, our community, our clients and TV shows and movies bringing the Latino perspec- Work Safe.” We trained employees, put up new our employees. In 2016, we launched our award- tive to general market audiences, but Latinas hold directional and safety signage around our build- winning initiative El Poder en Ti (The Power in ever fewer positions behind the scenes working ing, and required personal protective equipment You), which informs, educates and empowers our as directors and producers and as an industry, on sets, including face shields and face masks, viewers to take positive actions in critical areas of we must address this. UCLA’s Annual Hollywood coupled with daily rapid testing and temperature personal growth, specifi cally focusing on four key Diversity Report has been tracking behind-the-cam- checks. Our studios rewrote scripts to reduce tal- pillars: education, health, fi nance and civic engage- era hiring data since 2014 and shows that white ent contact and interaction and moved scenes to ment. We’ve carried out a myriad of initiatives men still overwhelmingly dominate high-level TV outdoor settings. under the umbrella of El Poder en Ti that focus on executive jobs. In addition to our responsibility to our empowerment and knowledge to inform, inspire In addition, there still is a signifi cant pay dis- employees, crews and talent, we also had a duty and engage consumers across the Network and in parity for women and Latina women across all to our audience who was being disproportionately our local communities. industries. According to a white paper we launched impacted by the pandemic. For many in our audi- This year, due to the pandemic’s unprec- last year, Latinas earn 54 cents for every $1 a white ence, Spanish language television is a lifeline that edented challenges for Hispanic entrepreneurs, we male earns. That means it takes a year and 11 provides vital information to help them navigate launched the Nuestros Negocios (Our Businesses) months for a Latina to make the same salary as her today’s complex environment. We increased our campaign. Partnering with the U.S. Hispanic white male counterpart makes in one year. news coverage and added nearly 15 hours a week Chamber of Commerce, we used our multiplat- So, yes, there are opportunities, but they must of coronavirus-related stories, including prime time form portfolio to spotlight and promote small and be made available. For those of us in manager and specials and news segments in daytime program- medium-sized Hispanic-owned businesses to help executive positions, I feel that it’s our responsibility ming, as well as live coverage of the civil unrest in them stay afl oat. to play a key role in unlocking these opportunities, the wake of the George Floyd killing. We also implemented two major civic engage- not just by teaching the hard skills, but also the How critical is it for NBCUniversal ment initiatives this year. With Hazte Contar (Get softer, cultural notes that will make women stand Telemundo Enterprises to build a diverse and Counted), we teamed up with more than 50 out in a male-dominated workplace. I’m optimis- inclusive workforce in order to bring diverse Hispanic organizations to educate our commu- tic that more and more media companies will rec- perspectives and experiences to the table nity about the importance of participating in the ognize the tremendous value we can bring to the when making business decisions? 2020 census. The second initiative was our larg- table across all levels of organizations, from the As an organization serving the diverse Latino est multiplatform political news coverage and civic entry level, to middle management, and certainly community, having a diverse workforce is not just engagement program to date, DECISIÓN 2020. This in the C-suite.• VOLUME 44, NUMBER 1 POSTED WITH PERMISSION. COPYRIGHT © 2021 LEADERS MAGAZINE, INC. LEADERS 35