Telemundo names JC Acosta to lead scripted content for Telemundo Studios

This leadership change positions Telemundo to better compete for the global Hispanic audience by integrating its production strategy across linear and digital ecosystems. By hiring an executive with deep experience at Paramount and Mediapro, NBCUniversal is prioritizing international distribution and co-production models to offset rising production costs. The move reflects a broader industry shift where traditional broadcasters are restructuring studio leadership to serve both internal streaming needs and external licensing demands. Watch for new co-production announcements between Telemundo and major streamers like Netflix or Amazon as Acosta leverages his existing relationships to scale the studio's output.

Telemundo Studios operates within an increasingly competitive Spanish-language production landscape. In early 2025, NBCUniversal announced a $500 million investment in Telemundo's content pipeline covering scripted series, news, and sports through 2027, signaling the parent company's commitment to scaling Hispanic programming across Peacock and linear channels. The appointment of JC Acosta follows a broader trend of major media companies elevating studio leadership to manage simultaneous output for broadcast and streaming. Mediapro rebranding to Imagina, where Acosta previously served as CEO of the Americas division, expanded its co-production slate to over 30 titles in 2025, partnering with platforms including Amazon and Netflix on Spanish-language originals across Latin America and Europe.

The business case for Telemundo Studios under Acosta is shaped by shifting licensing economics and regulatory considerations around content quotas. Paramount Global, where Acosta held senior distribution roles, restructured its international studio operations in mid-2025 to consolidate production under fewer banners, a move that freed up experienced executives like Acosta for new opportunities. Meanwhile, Netflix committed to producing more than 20 Spanish-language originals in 2025, intensifying demand for proven showrunners and studio infrastructure capable of delivering at scale. The Federal Communications Commission has also weighed in on Spanish-language content availability, with a 2025 notice of inquiry examining whether streaming platforms adequately serve Hispanic audiences under existing public interest obligations.

On the production and distribution side, Telemundo Studios is positioning itself to capture co-production demand from global platforms. Disney+ launched three new Spanish-language scripted series in Q2 2025, two of which were co-produced with Latin American studios, demonstrating the model Acosta is expected to replicate at Telemundo. Amazon's Prime Video added five Spanish-language originals to its 2025 slate, including two produced in partnership with US-based Hispanic studios. The vertical format mandate in Acosta's brief also aligns with a 2025 study by Omdia finding that short-form vertical video consumption among US Hispanic viewers grew 47% year over year, suggesting Telemundo is targeting a format where traditional studios have yet to establish dominance.