NBCU Telemundo Enterprises Taps TV Azteca Alum

NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises has appointed Sandra Smester as executive VP of programming and content development, a newly created role.

Smester joins the company beginning in August to oversee the development and execution of programming for the network. She will be responsible for prime-time and daytime programming, content acquisitions, program planning and scheduling, and the company’s cable network Universo. Smester will report to Ronald Day, president of entertainment and content strategy at NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises.

Most recently, Smester served as executive VP and chief content officer at TV Azteca, where she oversaw content and distribution across the network’s linear and streaming offerings and drove the growth of the company’s share in Mexico, Latin America, Europe and the U.S. Hispanic market. Previously, Smester was executive VP and general manager of Azteca UNO. Prior to that, Smester held a series of leadership positions at Univision Communications, including as executive VP of programming.

“Sandra is a world-class media executive and a savvy programmer with a keen eye for great content, a long history of programming innovation and a deep understanding of the U.S. Hispanic media space,” said Day. “She’s achieved impressive results at every stage of her career and is uniquely positioned to power Telemundo’s continued leadership, overseeing our best-in-class programming serving Latino audiences.”

“I’m thrilled to be joining the Telemundo leadership team in this new role to support the continued growth of the business,” said Smester. “For years, Telemundo has offered groundbreaking content, taking risks with innovative programming decisions and bringing a contemporary approach to our industry. I look forward to continuing in that tradition, deepening the connection with their existing audiences and creating new Telemundo superfans along the way.”