Luis Fernández, president of Telemundo: ‘The US Hispanic market is too big to be marginalized’ 

The 2026 World Cup has revolutionized the landscape of TV in the United States as Telemundo emerges as one of the country’s media powerhouses. Broadcasting in Spanish, the network has achieved record viewing ratings thanks to careful, dynamic programming, which has even won over Americans who do not speak Spanish. Its broadcast of the World Cup has become the most watched in the history of Spanish-language media in the U.S., with an average audience of 6.3 million during the 104 matches of the competition, 143% more than the World Cup of four years ago in Qatar. In fact, the Telemundo broadcast became a talking point as major American media outlets highlighted the success of the network, which managed to connect the Spanish-speaking market to its passion for soccer.

At its helm is Luis Fernández, 69, an executive with an extensive career in broadcasting. Born in Spain’s La Rioja region, he has worked both in private channels and as president of Spain’s state broadcaster RTVE during the latter institution’s heyday. Originally, Fernández came to Telemundo as head of the news division. He retired but returned to take over the reins of this subsidiary of the NBC Universal group.

Fernández is especially pleased with the company’s success regarding its broadcast of the World Cup, as he is passionate about soccer. One of the walls of his office features the stands of the Santiago Bernabéu stadium in Madrid. He meets EL PAÍS at Telemundo’s modern facilities in Miami, where he talks about the television industry and journalism.

Question. What has the broadcasting of this year’s World Cup meant for Telemundo?

Answer. A success – not unexpected, but fundamental. We have broken audience records. But we have also achieved something more difficult, which is putting Telemundo front and center of the conversation in the U.S. We have elevated Telemundo’s brand to a level of relevance that we had never reached before.

Q. Would you say this is a turning point for the company?

A. I’m realistic, but I think it could be. With the success of the World Cup and confirmation that we have acquired the rights to the Champions League, I think the market and the entire media industry are saying, “Look out, these guys are a force to be reckoned with.”

Q. Many Americans switched to Telemundo to watch the World Cup, even though they didn’t speak Spanish. Why was that?

A. I think that was due to our strategy regarding creativity, planning, execution, together with the merits of an impeccable team and, above all, to a constant drive to innovate. The other element is how we dealt with the hydration breaks. During those, we offered footage of Ancelotti giving instructions to Vinicius; or Luis de la Fuente talking with Rodri and Pedri. That was very different from what was shown in English.

Q. Are you worried that this could be an isolated episode of success given that the World Cup is only played every four years?

A. The issue of audience retention is complicated. It happens with the Super Bowl. You don’t care which channel it’s on, you tune in and watch, but when the tournament is over, you go back to your routine. The same thing happens with the World Cup. What do we need to do to improve retention? Be creative, work and do it again with the Champions League. In this country there are two franchises that interest football fans: one is the World Cup and the other is the Champions League. The national team tournament and the club tournament. They have fallen in love here with Haaland, Bellingham, Mbappé, Lamine, Kane. And those are all signed for the Champions League that Telemundo has the rights to.

Q. Have Telemundo’s audience figures turned a profit for the company?

A. We have made money – we know what the 2026 World Cup has cost us and we know what we made from it. It has been a success in terms of profitability. But also a success of linear [traditional] television. If you look at linear TV before the World Cup, the five most-watched Spanish-language games were all on Univision [a rival Spanish-speaking U.S. network]. And that is despite the fact that we broadcast the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. But we have been doing something right so, after 2026, the most watched, the third most watched and the fifth have been broadcast by Telemundo.

Q. Consumer habits are changing. Young people watch TV on their mobile phones and there are many streaming platforms. Despite this, Telemundo has found a niche. What is the secret?

A. There is a key, but it is all in the work. Nothing is accidental, everything is causal. Everything adds up: strategy, creativity, innovation, planning.

Q. Do you think advertisers are correctly grasping the importance of the Hispanic market in the U.S.?

A. No. I think that for the U.S. and for advertising agents it has been a major blow. They have been saying, “Wait a minute, this World Cup has been the most watched ever, with record audience numbers on TV.” Importance can’t just be measured by ratings... I think what’s really interesting is what it has revealed about the U.S: it has demonstrated the magnitude, the passion, the influence, the purchasing power of Latinos. Latinos influence music, gastronomy, sports and culture. Advertisers have a significant amount of work to do here.

Q. There are about 65 million Spanish speakers in the U.S., so presumably the Hispanic market has potential?

A. Absolutely. I think it is too big a market to be marginalized and that it must be factored in. I think that the advertising market and the big brands realized that with this World Cup.

Q. How does Telemundo en Español compete in a market as fragmented as what exists in the U.S.?

A. With live television. Two years ago, we brought up the Live TV strategy, because I, as someone who is very competitive, thought that we had to defend ourselves against the streamers. How? With Live TV because they’re not doing that yet. So we have boosted the hours of live television and see it as the key.

Q. More than 70% of Telemundo’s programming is already live. Is it more cost-effective?

A. If you do it right, yes. If you do it wrong, no. An hour of live television is no more expensive than a production or a film you buy. It depends. In general terms, it is more profitable. 2025 has been the best year in Telemundo’s history and we have extended live hours. We have also invested in two FAST (Free Ad-supported Streaming Television) channels, Noticias Telemundo Ahora and Telemundo Deportes, which have had a magnificent result.

Q. You say that when you returned to Telemundo, the network was known as the home of reality shows. How has that changed?

A. It is now known for its live television.

Q. Aren’t you afraid that other large American networks will copy this model?

A. Yes, they could. But he who gets there first, gives twice over. When that day inevitably comes, we will have to continue innovating. Our Anglo competitors are already nervous. We had a great World Cup compared to our Anglo rivals. But we are going to keep winning because we are very competitive and we are going to do very well.

Q. Telemundo is aimed at a Spanish-language audience, which is very heterogeneous in the U.S., spanning several generations, various nationalities and interests. How would you define the Spanish-speaking market in the US?

A. If the Latinos in the United States were a country, we would be the fourth or fifth largest economy in the world. We are very, very powerful. We influence the gastronomy, culture, sports and the media. I think that Latinos should have more clout in this country, but we have to earn it.

Q. Telemundo’s news has been gaining audience share. They are also leaders in several time slots. How do you operate in a country where democracy seems under threat?

A. I am a journalist, it is my calling but also my passion. Being a journalist is one of the best things you can do in this country. When I was head of news at Telemundo, I used the slogan: ‘Things as they are’. I believe in absolute and total editorial independence. Our motto today is: ‘Now more than ever, things as they are’. I am thrilled with the editorial independence of NBC News and Telemundo. Ours is the most rigorous, honest and independent journalism. We are speaking about what’s happening with immigrants, the problems they are having, the attacks they suffer. We cover it every day and we are not going to give up

Q. You have agreements with the big streaming platforms: Netflix, Amazon, Disney. They sell you content, but you also compete with them. What is that ambivalent relationship like?

A. Magnificent. It would be a mistake if it were not. They are not rivals or enemies, they are competitors, but also collaborators. The media industry has changed and now you must seek to be profitable and resilient. Our goal is not to destroy the competitor; on the contrary, it is to work and collaborate with him.

Q. What challenges do you have left at the helm of Telemundo? Where do you see the company in five years?

A. We have just finished the World Cup. But I insist on the litany: work, work, work particularly with an innovative, courageous and challenging approach.

Q. You insist on the importance of hard work, but everyone does that. It is part of the deal, isn’t it?

A. No, not everyone does it. There are many companies that do not make that a priority. Now we have to start preparing for the Champions League that brings with it another great window of opportunity for Telemundo and for Latinos.

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