Univision Communications announced on Friday that Kevin Cuddihy has been named president of Univision Television Group. Cuddihy had previously served as executive vice president of television sales for the company.
In his expanded role, Cuddihy will oversee advertising sales, and will also guide the Spanish language network's local programming, as well as encouraging collaboration between Univision Television Group and the Univision's other properties. He will continue to work out of Univision's New York headquarters, reporting to Univision Local Media president Peter Walker.
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Cuddihy came to Univision in 2009, following an eight-year ad-sales stint at Coomcast Spotlight, where he served as senior vice president of advertising sales. Prior to that, he was vice president and general manager of WWJ Detroit, and also worked for nearly 20 years in various positions at CBS Station Group.
While announcing Cuddihy's promotion, Walker praised him as "the ideal executive to take on this important role," lauding his "three decades of local television sales experience, deep industry relationships and intimate knowledge of Univision’s markets.”
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Cuddihy's promotion comes at a time of rapid expansion for Univision. During its upfront presentation to advertisers this week, the company announced that it will soon be unveiling 500 hours of new programming for its primetime and late-night slots. Recent months have also brought a period of upheaval in the upper ranks of the company, beginning with the March 2011 resignation of Univision president and CEO Joe Uva. SInce Uva stepped down, Univsion has tapped Jessica Rodriguez as the senior vice president of Univision Cable Networks and seen executive vice president of network sales Peter Lazarus vacate his position.