MIAMI — A veteran Hispanic market media executive who today is the longtime leader of Telemundo Puerto Rico has been selected to serve in the bigger role of President of Telemundo Station Group.
He takes a role last held by Manuel Martinez, who retired in 2023.
Now in command of the Telemundo O&Os under NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises is José Cancela. He reports to NBCUniversal Local Chairman Valari Staab, and oversee Telemundo stations in 31 markets across the U.S. as well as Telemundo Puerto Rico. Cancela will work closely with Luis Fernández, Chairman of NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises.
Cancela has more than 35 years in leadership roles and more than four decades of media experience. He has led Telemundo Puerto Rico since moving from the mainland U.S. in 2012, and helped to reinvigorate WKAQ-2 against WAPA-4 and Univision Puerto Rico, in addition to SBS’s Mega TV. Before joining WKAQ-2, he was President/GM for KVEA-52 in Los Angeles.
Cancela took the Southern California job in August 2011, following a nearly 7-year run as the head of Hispanic USA Inc., working from Coral Gables, Fla., on various initiatives in the U.S. Latino marketplace. He created Hispanic USA at the end of 2024, following the end of his tenure as President of the former Radio Unica.
Taking the KVEA role was a return to Telemundo; he was President/COO of Telemundo Station Group between 1992 and 1998. Now, Staab is turning back the clock three decades, in a way.
“José is an experienced leader who has earned the respect of his colleagues and peers during a successful career dedicated to the Spanish-language marketplace,” said Staab. “We are pleased that he will expand his impact and influence across our Telemundo stations to guide their continued growth and act as a resource and mentor to our established and emerging leaders across our division.”
FIGUEROA TO LEAD PUERTO RICO
With Cancela’s promotion, Staab has selected Migdalia Figueroa to succeed Cancela in San Juan as President/GM of its WKAQ-2, the hub for Telemundo Puerto Rico.
Figueroa relocates to Puerto Rico after serving as President/GM for Telemundo-owned properties in Orlando, Tampa and Fort Myers-Naples, Fla.
Reporting to Cancela, Figueroa will manage the station’s leadership team across news, sales, technology, human resources, programming, production and public relations.
“Migdalia is a seasoned local leader who has distinguished herself as a strategic and dynamic executive over her nearly two-decade tenure with our Telemundo and NBC stations,” said Staab, who added, “She’s the ideal person to take the helm in Puerto Rico and build on the outstanding foundation José and his team have established. I’m excited she’s returning home to take on this very important position and add to WKAQ’s rich history.”
Figueroa has spent nearly 35 years in media and has held several news and leadership roles for NBC- and Telemundo-owned stations since 2005. She led WTMO-31 in Orlando for nearly four years, beginning in 2020. She later added duties for WRMD-49 in Tampa and WWDT-CD 43 in the Ft. Myers-Naples market in early 2023.
Prior to joining WTMO, Figueroa served as Vice President of News for WTVJ-6 in Miami for eight years. This role came after two years as Telemundo Station Group’s Senior Vice President of Content and Branding.
Before that, Figueroa served as Vice President of News for Telemundo O&O WSCV-51 in Miami, after spending nearly 15 years with Univision.
WKAQ-TV has not been associated with WKAQ Radio for several years, with WKAQ-AM and sibling “KQ105” owned by WAPA Media Group.
