The chairman of NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, Luis Fernández, is optimistic about the future of TV, and Spanish-language TV in particular.

The veteran media executive re-joined NBCUniversal’s Spanish-language division two years ago (he previously led its news division) with a mandate to reshape it for what he acknowledges is a “fragmented media landscape.”

“Telemundo is special, it’s a part of the Latino identity,” Fernández tells The Hollywood Reporter in an interview.

“I think Telemundo is in a sweet spot. We are in a very good moment, it’s not empty words,” Fernández says, “Why? Because 2025 was a very good year, probably the best year in the history of Telemundo. And now we are crossing our fingers that ’26 will be the best year in the history of Telemundo.”

Telemundo plans to leverage the FIFA World Cup to execute on the biggest strategic shift that Fernández has executed on: Making the brand synonymous with live TV, be it sports like the World Cup, live entertainment events, or news with Noticias Telemundo programming.

“I think the concept of live TV is more than a strategy. It’s a strategy, but it’s more than a strategy,” he says. “Two years ago, when I came here to Telemundo as chairman, we talked about the concept of live TV. We changed the claim of Telemundo.

“Now the claim of Telemundo is, if you are live, you are in Telemundo. Why? I’m a soccer fan, and I prefer to play attack the defense,” he added. “But in this case, live TV is our core business, in front of our competitors. We are partners, but we are competitors with the streamers, Netflix, Amazon, all of the streamers. But in this moment, our defense, our strategy for linear TV, our core business, is live TV. Live TV in sports, live TV in news, live TV in events and everything. And I think two years ago, perhaps some people said, ‘Telemundo is crazy or Luis is crazy, talking about live TV.’ And now all the people are thinking in the power of live TV.”

The World Cup will be the big test case, not only the matches and shoulder programming (Telemundo and Peacock have Spanish-language rights), but other live ideas like the concert El Mundial Es Nuestro that will kick off the festivities in L.A., or anchor Julio Vaqueiro’s live reports from the matches.

The company is planning to lean into “fandoms,” not only in live events like sports and music, but with entertainment, where telenovelas like El Señor de los Cielos and La Reina del Sur still dominate the conversation (they are getting new seasons) alongside reality formats like Operación Triunfo and House of Villains, and new series pickups like Hot Sur and Unidad de Vida.

Notably, Telemundo is also entering the Christmas movie space, launching a Spanish-language version of what has become an annual staple on channels like Hallmark and Lifetime. The first effort will be La Vida Ideal, about “a man whose attempt to create the perfect life through artificial intelligence leads him to confront deeper questions about identity, fulfillment and what truly matters.”

“Building fandom that moves culture, I think it’s a very good concept for us,” he says, noting that for some shows, they also stream on Netflix, which builds a wider global audience.

“Content is how we connect with our audience and how we move culture forward,” said Javier Pons, chief content officer & head of Telemundo Studios. “This slate builds on the strength of our most defining franchises while introducing new scripted and unscripted stories that reflect the evolving Latino experience. From the return of Kate del Castillo in La Reina del Sur to our new generation of originals and global reality formats, we are focused on delivering bold, relevant storytelling that drives engagement and builds lasting audience connection.”

It’s a whole new world of media, and Telemundo is playing in all the different pieces, with its linear channels, free streaming platforms, deals with streamers like Netflix, and through Peacock, where the company is leveraging its ownership through NBCUniversal (as it happens, NBCU ad sales chief Mark Marshall is expected to make an appearance at Telemundo’s upfront party next week at the Rainbow Room).

Telemundo will also be prominently featured at NBCU’s upfront presentation Monday morning.

“For over two decades, Telemundo has been a true competitive advantage for NBCUniversal, reaching one of the fastest-growing audiences in America and shaping culture in real time” said Marshall in a statement. “This Upfront, that advantage is defined by the breadth of its slate and the power of live. From breaking news and tentpole sports, like the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to high-impact entertainment and fan-favorite franchises, Telemundo delivers culturally resonant moments at scale, creating meaningful opportunities for brands to connect with audiences in ways that drive engagement and impactful results.”

“We are working a lot, thinking, exploring, because we know what has happened in the media industry, but we are okay, we are optimistic,” Fernández says. “I only believe in three positions: Work, work and work. If you do not work, you have no future.

“It’s not easy, because, you know the changes [that we have seen] in the last 100 years, thinking about first, the newspaper, second the radio, the television, then the internet and in the last six years the streamers, and I think we have a future if we work,” he adds. “And for me, the most important thing is to be creative, to be aggressive and working with ambition.”