Univision today executed a series of layoffs at television and radio properties in several markets as part of broader changes announced today at the top executive levels.
Management and on-air personalities were among those who lost jobs in a company restructuring.
At New York’s Univision 41, the cuts impacted VP of News Esteban Creste and assistant news director Geraldine Cols Azócar. Also laid off were promotions director Luis Antonio Valera, editor José Acosta, and Ángeles Moncayo, from the sales department. According to reporter Alex Roland, his exit from the station is not related to the layoffs. He negotiated his departure in December due to personal reasons and is relocating to Miami.*
Alina Mayo Azze anchor at Miami’s Univision 23 and Houston Univision radio personality Renzo Heredia are also no longer with the company.
Univision would not address the total number of layoffs, but confirmed staff reductions were made across radio and TV stations nationwide, and issued the following statement:
“Today we announced some important changes to the Company’s structure. The changes reflect a reorganization of the way we work, and in some cases we are saying goodbye to some colleagues. These are difficult but necessary decisions for our company as we transform to position Univision for its next phase of growth. We remain dedicated to informing, entertaining and empowering the Hispanic community.”
Univision, now under new ownership and a new CEO, Wade Davis, brought in new executives to its leadership ranks, including former ViacomCBS international exec Pierluigi Gazzolo, who assumes the the newly created role of President of Univision Communications Inc. and Chief Transformation Officer.
Of particular note, ex Telemundo Networks president Luis Silberwasser was named to the newly created role of President of the Univision Television Networks Group to lead Univision’s national TV properties.
You can read more details about the executive changes on Forbes.
*Updated to include additional names of people impacted by layoffs and to clarify Alex Roland’s exit is not tied to layoffs.
I’m glad Esteban Creste is gone!!! He has ruined Univision 41!!! Hopefully with this new ownership they invest more in local news!!! As for Alina Mayo that really sad, will miss her the era of Gulliermo Benetes, is over officially:( Maybe she’ll crossover Telemundo.
This is the beginning of the end of locally-produced, Spanish language news in NYC. You may not have liked his style, but it’s an indisputable fact that Creste’s leadership and methods brought profitability and acclaim to the station during his tenure. More importantly, he was able to keep local news LOCAL. I wish the new administration luck in achieving that last goal. It’s easy to tear things down sometimes, especially when we have incomplete knowledge, or are nursing personal grievances. It’s much more difficult to build something and maintain it, and unless you’ve succeeded in doing so, you can’t begin to understand the effort necessary to do so. Good luck WXTV. I’m afraid it’s best days are behind them!
GREAT…Esteban and Geraldine need to learn their lesson…”NEVER spit up in the air, it will fall down on your face”…
It is true the Lord Esteban Creste, mistreatment and trampling on people who tried to work in New York Univision, in addition, he believed himself to be the owner of the station.
Humillo a muchas personas, las trato como basura. este señor maltrato muchas personas.
Esteban has sunk that ship and hire a mate Geraldine that had no clue what she was doing. She was the joke of being second in command. Everyone saw through that and they didn’t pay any mind towards her. “Clueless Geraldine”
A toxic newsroom that staff members had to walk on eggshells around Esteban.
A Newsroom Dictator that wanted to be called “Jefe” only the a$$ kissers called him that and we all know who they are. Good luck to them!!
He lost a lot of good staff members to other stations due to him being such a TYRANT!!
He had no respect for anyone’s opinion, you had to think like a socialist and regrettably that ruined the culture and the news format.
I’m sure that 41 is celebrating with these two departures.
They had fear on his
Great to know Esteban Weinstein Creste and Geraldine Azócar were fired. He is an egotistical,insecure predator who seeks vengeance on those who complain about his lack of professionalism. He overlooks staff in positions and hires instead those who are friends or an interest to him. He hired Geraldine Azócar as Assistant News Director who is inept and has no knowledge or idea what is local news. She didn’t know what the hell was going on but sole purpose was to do Esteban’s dirty work and be a nuisance. Both unfortunately were backed by an HR Dept that is useless and diverts and suppresses complaints against these two instead of responding. A$$ kissers your Jefe as he wanted to be called are now free from the plantation he created.I commend the new administration for ridding themselves of these two diseases that were poisioning an institution that prides itself in integrity and quality of bringing people the News.
Se parece a Norma Morato solo que en esta ocasión lo sacó Roberr Yáñez quien.fue ND de Univisión 41 Nueva York y luego Sacramento y mas tarde director de operaciones en Univisión Los Angeles creo que son igual de tiranos….Univisión 41 es muy famosa por reclutar tiranos desde Cristina Swarts Norma Morato ect…parece que trabajar en NY se les va la humildad de donde vinieron y de Esteban que pena cuando el fue reportero de Telemundo 47 en Nueva York y fue escalando posiciones…viene desde muy abajo…
Exactamente Jane.
I dont get why or how, 41 always manage to hire the worse. Is like an obsession from the upper management. I dont know how many times both Morato and Creste, were write up in HR. And coincidentally, most of the times, by females as victims. It seems that the MeToo wave is only usable for and by the anglo market. About time for him to go. At least, he lasted less than his predecessor, La Morato.
But let me keep it on the downlow. The way this Hispanic business works, maybe we will see her coming back again as a reborn ND. We are a ridiculously revolving door of mediocre hirings.
Jane’s and Reena Marxgenls your both full of shit. I can tell neither one of you never worked with Norma. She was a real news director that made Univision 41 a force in NY. You believe all these lies from trolls that were either jealous of her or didn’t have the talent to be in NY.
She was no tyrant she was good human being and an excellent journalist.
As far as Creste goes, he is the scum of the earth. His integrity reeked more than his armpits. A complete micro-manager and dictator not to mention a LOSER. He completely destroyed morale at Univision and forced out all the top talent. His ideas were as old as he was. He was out of touch and a complete tool. The perfect example of failing upwards. Im sure he will end up somewhere else and destroy that newsroom as well. A common theme with him. GOOD RIDDANCE creste! You deserve what you got and so much more.
Esteban “Weinstein” should be erased from the Hispanic media for the good of the industry …. systematic stalker who only promoted a series of toxic people from anchors to cameramen, pathetic character !
6 floor be
More respectful…y dejame decirte una cosa idiotas como son los primeros alcahuetes que no deberían trabajar en los medios Norma Miorato muchos no la soportaban y si no pregúntale a Billi D que por años espero una posición y nunca se la dio a pensar de lo alcahuete que fue con ella y que tal de la demanda que le impuso a Norma la reportera Miruam Ayala por acoso laboral la cual ganó con bastante $$$$ y de Steve e Malave former ND que fue quien la contrató y terminó haciéndole la cama junto a Cristina Swartz para que lo botaran a pesar que cariñosamente le decía la MaMa y se me olvido decirte como persequian tras bastidores al personal para luego despedirlos…y peor aún la época en que dependiendo de tu nacionalidad se te contrataba o No …y por lo que escribiste tienes una agenda personal con Esteban Creste No serás tu de casualidad Jorge Viera y aún estás molesto de la manera en que te despidió Esteban porque entre ustedes dos bastantes veces que discutían los dos al punto casi de faltarle el respeto y por eso no te renovaron el contrato…No tengo nada personal ni con Norma ni Creste…se más responsable 6th floor…adiós Joge y se más respetuoso…y de hablar del favoritismo laboral.
No sea irrespetuoso 6 floor Norma Morato tenía varios problemas..a Billy D nunca le dio la posición prometida y Miriam Ayala le ganó la demanda por acoso laboral por varios $$$ y a Steve Malave quien la reclutó le hizo la vida imposible tras bastidores para que Cristina Swarts a quien tambien botaron lo despidiera además de que en un momento dependiendo de tu nacionalidad te contrataban en Univisión 41 el 3 de abril Jorge Viera quien llegó para sustituir al caballero Rafael Pineda fue despedido por los constantes discusiones con Creste …algo más Sr 6floor
Pero Viera I PERIODISTA ES…es simplemente un actor que le ha lambido el fundillo a ejecutivos en Miami…donde espero ver cambios también…
Increible…pasa el tiempo y el tema Morato sigue mas vivo que nunca.
No se quien la podria defender.
Humillante, solo promovia a quienes le eran serviles. Contrataba y luego maltrataba a los contratados, a quienes compraba con flautas de serpientes. Ya me habia ido cuando tantas denuncias fueron demasiado y sus aliados, se le torcieron. Y pa fuera.
Y ese HR, que le tapo miles de suciedades, es igual de culpable.
No llegue a trabajar bajo el sr Creste, no lo conozco y no opino de quien desconozco.
Pero dudo, que haya sido peor que NM.
yo te ayudo a opinar … era un clon desmejorado de Morato que promovió solo mujeres en puestos estratégicos para su sistemático acoso laboral para la muestra es que entre los presentadores solo había un hombre … (que raro)
puso de presentadora principal sin ningún mérito a una casi adolescente con poco talento sobre experimentados presentadores como Adriana Vargas y hasta Víctor Solano, ademad de darle espacios durante los noticieros a sus íntimos amigos ,,, patético acosador nocivo para la industria .
Por que no se deshacen de Jorge Ramos que no es un periodista imparcial?
Pretty simple.
Ramos the Operative fulfills the always and never dying multi strategy by Univision: do not think for yourself, watch Novelas 24/7 and always, blame the US Governments for the problems south of the border.
NY sounds like Chicago, and why hasn’t anyone reported on the Chicago layoffs?
Too bad that after so many years of working at Univision they have such a bad opinion of their peers and superiors. I want to remind you that under the administration of those people Univision NY won many Emmy’s and reaped many successes
I really don’t understand why they stayed at work under such bad conditions.
I left the most precious thing that I had, my family, to flee from a system that I could not bear and would have left any job if I had had the negative opinion that some here express.
Those who speak of such humiliating working conditions and despite that they remained at work only show their low self-esteem and how unprofessional they are. They show a total lack of courage and human quality by waiting for the moment when several of their bosses have been fired to rejoice and offend them.
I am sure that both Cristina Schwartz, Norma Morato and Esteban Creste are going to laugh at their opinions because they have all been people who have built a record of professional success for their intellectual capacity and their work.
If at any time they saw questionable actions they should have come forward and respectfully offer their point of view with the intention of cooperating. But the cowards and hypocrites applaud and then conspire.
Harboring these kinds of feelings will only bring you more difficulties in life. Envy, resentment, and insecurity are not good company either in personal or professional life.
Still, I wish you the best of luck.
I dont think that Norma,Creste y Swartz it is laughing…afortunetly behind her back have the expression of people,memos from corporate and the testimony from employees… this former News Directors make history and many breaking news during their tenures
…
Porque no despiden a Jorge Ramos,ese no es periodista es un activista, pongan periodistas imparciales, no se tiren tanto para el ala de la izquierda
I dont think that Cristina Swarts, Esteban Creste and Norma Morato laughing about this comments…afortunetly both Cristina and Morato have memos from UTG Corporate,lawsuits ect…in the case of Esteban Creste he was fired from Telemundo 52 LA…this people have negative background….the reporters,producer and anchor who win a Emmy’s is because the great job…but Emmy’s it doesn’t mean your job is secure..
It’s been a disruptive time for traditional media outlets the past several years and that creates a stressful environment for the employees. Hence, I can understand some of the passionate comments. But I liked some of the changes that Creste made to the Univision News and they certainly delivered on the ratings when overall ratings are going down for traditional nightly news due to all the technological disruptions.