Randy Falco
Randel A. Falco | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 26, 1953 |
| Occupation | Media executive |
| Years active | 1975–2018 |
| Known for | CEO of Univision Communications Inc., CEO of AOL, President and COO of NBC Universal Television Group |
Randel A. Falco (born December 26, 1953) is a prominent American media executive. He held the position of president and CEO at Univision Communications Inc. from June 2011 until his retirement in June 2018. Prior to his tenure at Univision, Falco was chairman and CEO of AOL between November 2006 and March 2009. Before joining AOL, he dedicated 31 years to NBC, where he occupied key leadership roles including president and chief operating officer.
NBC
Falco's career commenced at NBC in 1975, where he undertook a range of management positions spanning finance, technical operations, and strategic planning. Between 1986 and 1991, he served as Vice President of Finance and Administration for NBC Sports. In 1993, he ascended to the role of President of NBC's Broadcast and Network Operations division, overseeing global facilities and operational management. His responsibilities included leading the design efforts for the Today Show’s "Window on the World" studio, developing MSNBC’s broadcast infrastructure, and guiding NBC’s transition to digital networks. Additionally, Falco held a position as an officer of General Electric.
NBC-Universal
Falco was instrumental in orchestrating the merger that formed NBC-Universal and was appointed President of the NBC Universal Television Network Group in 2004. He introduced an innovative approach by integrating advertising sales across NBCU’s broadcast and cable platforms—marking a first for a major media company. In December 2005, Falco advanced to president and COO of the NBC Universal Television Group, overseeing commercial operations such as affiliate relations and managing Telemundo.
Reverse Affiliate Compensation
In February 2000, Falco engineered a groundbreaking reverse compensation agreement with Granite Broadcasting—a decade-long, $362 million contract that designated KNTV as the NBC affiliate for San Francisco and San Jose markets. This arrangement inverted the conventional practice by having the network pay the affiliate rather than vice versa. Falco facilitated this shift by identifying novel revenue opportunities that could be mutually shared between networks and local stations.
Olympic Games
Beginning with the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Falco played a critical role in NBC’s Olympic broadcasting achievements. Collaborating closely with NBC Sports Chairman Dick Ebersol, he helped secure exclusive rights for five consecutive Olympic Games spanning from 2000 through 2008. The landmark December 1995 agreement with the International Olympic Committee, valued at $2.3 billion for three Games, stood as the largest sports broadcasting deal at that time. Falco acted as COO for multiple Olympic broadcasts, earning several Emmy Awards in recognition of these productions.
AOL
Following his extensive career at NBC, Falco assumed the roles of chairman and CEO at AOL in November 2006. He guided the company through a strategic pivot toward an advertising-centric business model. During his leadership, AOL completed 16 strategic acquisitions, reduced expenses by $2.5 billion, relocated its headquarters to Manhattan, and executed three rounds of workforce restructuring. In recognition of his media leadership, he was honored with the Frank Stanton Award in 2007.
Under Falco’s direction, AOL purchased the social networking site Bebo for $850 million in 2008; however, its value sharply declined amid the financial crisis. Subsequently, AOL divested Bebo in 2010 to Criterion Capital Partners for reportedly less than $10 million. In 2009, Falco was succeeded as CEO by Tim Armstrong, formerly Google’s head of advertising.
Univision Communications Inc.
Since June 2011, Falco has held the roles of president and CEO at Univision Communications Inc. (UCI), having initially joined as executive vice president and chief operating officer in January of the same year. During his tenure, Univision has experienced revenue growth, leading to the extension of his contract through January 2018. In addition to his executive responsibilities, Falco is a member of UCI’s board of directors.
As chief executive officer, Falco prioritized transforming UCI into a deeply engaged media entity. He directed a comprehensive company expansion that introduced new channels including Univision tlNovelas, Univision Noticias, and Univision Deportes, which showcases soccer leagues such as Mexico’s Primera División and France’s Ligue 1. In 2013, Univision debuted El Rey, a network aimed at young adult viewers and developed under Robert Rodriguez’s leadership. That same year marked the rebranding of TeleFutura to UniMás, focusing on male audiences aged 18 to 35 with programming comprising telenovelas, soccer, classic television series, and films. Falco also orchestrated a joint venture with ABC/Disney to establish Fusion, a 24-hour cable news network broadcasting in English.
Falco steered Univision through significant strategic adaptations in response to shifts within the media landscape. In 2016, UCI acquired Gawker for $135 million, purchased a 40.5% stake in The Onion’s parent company for $27 million, and entered into a video streaming partnership with Lionsgate. These strategic investments expanded Univision’s reach to more than 100 million unique monthly visitors across the United States. The company’s production division, Story House, created the critically acclaimed television series centered on "El Chapo," which was licensed by Netflix while retaining a secondary broadcast window on Univision.
Under Falco’s leadership, Galavisión has maintained its position as the leading Spanish-language cable network. Additionally, Univision established collaborations with Hulu; launched UVideos for digital streaming; secured exclusive multi-year broadcasting rights for Mexican football team Chivas de Guadalajara; and rolled out new applications and websites to broaden content accessibility.
In 2012, Univision marked its 50th anniversary by unveiling a refreshed logo and adopting the slogan “Hispanic Heartbeat of America.” By mid-2013, quarterly earnings had increased by 28% to $40.7 million, reflecting gains in market share against English-language competitors. Falco also introduced the UCI Total Reach Score ratings system, which identified an audience growth of 45 million consumers—a 10% increase compared to 2013.
In 2013, Falco initiated the award-winning Univision Contigo program aimed at supporting the U.S. Hispanic community with information on education, health, economic advancement, and civic engagement.
Although his contract was extended through 2020, Falco declared his intention to retire by the end of 2018 following Univision’s decision to cancel its IPO plans and replace its CFO in March 2018.
Univision News
During Falco’s tenure, Univision significantly expanded its news division focused on Latino audiences with an emphasis on investigative reporting. The news unit garnered numerous prestigious awards including the 2012 Peabody Award and IRE Award for its investigation titled “Fast and Furious,” two Emmy Lifetime Achievement Awards, two Cronkite Awards recognizing excellence in political journalism, as well as multiple honors for documentaries produced by its Investigative and Documentary teams. Falco also led the organization of the first Presidential “Meet the Candidates” forums tailored for Hispanic viewers featuring Barack Obama and Mitt Romney in 2012. Furthermore, Univision’s coverage of the crisis involving unaccompanied minors at the border earned both a Cronkite Award and a second King of Spain International Journalism Award.
Univision audience rating achievements
Univision reached notable viewership benchmarks in 2013. During the February sweeps period, it ranked fourth among key adult demographics, surpassing NBC's performance. In both the July 2013 and 2014 sweeps, Univision claimed the top position—marking an unprecedented occasion where an English-language American broadcast network was overtaken during sweeps. This accomplishment highlighted Univision’s expanding influence within the U.S. television landscape across essential demographic segments.
Advocacy
As CEO of Univision, Falco championed various initiatives advocating for U.S. Hispanic communities. In August 2012, acknowledging that over 20 million Hispanics could impact the presidential election outcome, he called on the Commission on Presidential Debates to introduce a debate specifically addressing this crucial demographic. After the request was declined, Univision independently organized candidate forums featuring President Obama and Mitt Romney.
In June 2016, in response to Donald Trump’s offensive remarks about Hispanics, Falco terminated Univision’s contract to broadcast the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants owned by Trump, reinforcing Univision’s role as a defender of its Spanish-speaking viewers.
Falco renewed his appeal to the Debate Commission in September 2016, openly criticizing the absence of Hispanic moderators as a failure to adequately represent one of America’s largest communities.
Following the 2017 Charlottesville events, Falco publicly denounced the White House’s reaction and urged corporate executives to stand against hate and safeguard vulnerable communities, emphasizing business leadership responsibilities.
Beginning in September 2017, Falco actively advocated for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. He affirmed Univision’s dedication to supporting Dreamers, underscoring their critical contributions to both the economy and society. In January 2018, Univision introduced an interactive platform designed to enable advocates to contact lawmakers in support of Dreamers and immigration reform efforts.
Falco also led Univision’s disaster response initiatives in 2017. The seven-hour telethon Unidos por los Nuestros generated over $3 million to assist victims of Mexican earthquakes as well as Hurricanes Maria, Irma, and Harvey. Moreover, Univision staff collaborated with business and community organizations to deliver essential supplies to Puerto Rico.
Awards
During his leadership at Univision, Falco garnered accolades for his advocacy concerning children of undocumented immigrants in the United States, notably supporting unaccompanied minors at the U.S.–Mexico border through direct engagement with policymakers. He received the KIND “champion award” in 2015 and was honored with the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Board of Trustees’ Award for his industry leadership. Cablefax recognized him among its Greatest Hits for three consecutive years. In 2017, Falco was bestowed with NATPE's Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award in recognition of his excellence and visionary contributions to content creation.
Earlier distinctions include the 2013 MS Hope Award from the National MS Society, induction into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame, and Ballet Hispanico’s Civic Inspiration Award. In 2018, he earned the National Hispanic Media Coalition’s Impact Award for his exceptional dedication and service to the Latino community.
Personal life
Originally from the Bronx, Falco completed his Bachelor of Business Administration with a focus on finance at Iona College in 1975, followed by a Master of Business Administration in finance in 1979. In recognition of his achievements, Iona awarded him an honorary doctorate in 2001. He and his wife, Susan, are parents to three children. Falco contributes as a board member for the Ronald McDonald House and holds an advisory position on the board of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.