Isaac Lee has been named CEO of Fusion, the joint ABC News and Univision network set to launch later this month. In his new role, Lee will continue as president of Univision News, a position he has held since 2010.
“Isaac has been a tremendous partner in this endeavor since its inception,” ABC News president Ben Sherwood said in a statement. “His deep understanding of content that is relevant to Latinos and millennials will be critical as we bring together diverse cultures, voices and viewpoints to serve this influential and growing audience in the months and years ahead.”
Beau Ferrari, the executive vice president of operations for Univision, has been serving as Fusion’s interim president. The network is set to launch on October 28, with the digital platform going live on October 21.
“I am honored to take on this increased role with the incredibly creative and ambitious team at Fusion,” said Isaac Lee. “I want to congratulate Beau Ferrari who has done an excellent job putting in place the building blocks for this network’s long term success. I look forward to continuing to work with him and our great partners at ABC and Univision to grow this into one of the most impactful media organizations.”
More from Fusion after the jump.
Isaac Lee Named CEO of Fusion
New TV & Digital Network Will Engage and Champion a Young, Diverse America Starting Monday, October 21 Online and Monday, October 28 on Television
Miami, FL – Fusion today announced that veteran journalist Isaac Lee will become Chief Executive Officer effective immediately. In this new role Mr. Lee, who will continue to serve as President of Univision News, will be responsible for all programming and business aspects of Fusion.
Fusion is a news, pop culture and lifestyle television and digital network. It will engage and champion a young, diverse, and inclusive America with a unique mix of original reporting and satire programming that is smart and irreverent. Fusion launches in millions of homes nationwide on October 28; its digital platform will launch October 21. Fusion is a joint venture between Univision Communications Inc. and the Disney/ABC Television Network.
Randy Falco, President and CEO of Univision Communications, Inc., stated “Isaac is one of the most creative executives I know. His innovation and commitment makes him the right person in this expanded role.”
“Isaac is a visionary and a true leader. We are delighted that he’ll now bring his energy, passion and programming genius to Fusion full time,” said Anne Sweeney, co-chair, Disney Media Networks and president of the Disney/ABC Television Group.
“Isaac has been a tremendous partner in this endeavor since its inception,” said Ben Sherwood, President of ABC News. “His deep understanding of content that is relevant to Latinos and millennials will be critical as we bring together diverse cultures, voices and viewpoints to serve this influential and growing audience in the months and years ahead,” he continued.
“I am honored to take on this increased role with the incredibly creative and ambitious team at Fusion,” said Isaac Lee. “I want to congratulate Beau Ferrari who has done an excellent job putting in place the building blocks for this network’s long term success. I look forward to continuing to work with him and our great partners at ABC and Univision to grow this into one of the most impactful media organizations.”
Lee has been leading teams of journalists for nearly 15 years at prominent organizations serving Spanish-speaking audiences in the U.S. and Latin America. In 2001, he founded and served as chairman and editor-in-chief of influential English-language magazine PODER. Since joining the Company Univision’s award-winning news division has seen impressive audience growth across all its broadcasts and platforms.