NBCU’s Telemundo hires Mediapro’s JC Acosta

NBCUniversal-owned Telemundo Studios has appointed Mediapro exec JC Acosta to lead its scripted output.

He departs the Spanish firm following a two-year spell and will become head of Telemundo Studios, reporting into Telemundo’s chief content officer, Javier Pons.

Acosta will lead all development and production at the Spanish-language outfit, overseeing its strategy for growth and monetisation of scripted output, including vertical formats and films.

He will also work with NBCU’s studio arm on co-productions, M&A and international distribution.

Acosta most recently oversaw North American operations for The Mediapro Studio, following a 15-year spell at Paramount, where he became president of its International Studios arm.

Pons said Acosta’s arrival came at “a pivotal time” as Telemundo looks to expand across platforms in the US and internationally.

“JC will bring his experience, strategic vision, and leadership to help us further drive the growth of our scripted content production capabilities for Hispanic audiences.”

Acosta added: “Telemundo has an extraordinary legacy of creating stories that deeply connect with Hispanic audiences, and I look forward to building on that strong foundation as we move toward the next generation of content.”

His exit from Mediapro follows a turbulent time for the company, which produces around 120 TV shows and films each year, but which has struggled with declining revenues over recent years.

Earlier this week Mediapro rebranded as Imagina, previously the parent of Mediapro, with the move following an overhaul that included months of restructuring.

Almost 200 roles were cut amid the changes, which saw senior execs departing including general manager Laura Fernandez Espeso and international boss Ran Tellem.

Founding partners Jaume Roures and Tatxo Benet were also ousted, with Sergio Oslé named exec chairman and Carlos Núñez becoming chief exec. The company is owned by China’s Southwind Media Capital.