Vix CEO Pierluigi Gazzolo To Exit Key TelevisaUnivision Streaming Role At End Of Year

Pierluigi Gazzolo, who spearheaded the launch of TelevisaUnivision streaming flagship Vix, will step down from a top streaming role at the Spanish-language media giant at the end of the year.

The move was announced to staffers internally Thursday by recently arrived CEO Daniel Alegre. He said Gazzolo will stay on through December, co-ordinating the transition with Vix COO Rafael Urbina and other senior execs.

Alegre took over for Wade Davis last month with the company posting sluggish financial results and struggling to reduce its debt. Vix has been a bright spot, turning a profit faster than the streaming outlets launched by traditional media peers in recent years. TelevisaUnivision said last May that the platform had surpassed 50 million monthly active users, up 70% over the prior year.

After launching Vix and Vix+ in 2022 as a two-pronged entry into streaming, the company later streamlined the subscription and free tiers under the Vix brand. Vix, previously an independent streamer, was acquired by Univision and combined with the Prende TV service.

With a background in tech, Alegre is expected to reshape TelevisaUnivision accordingly. While it operates a number of large-scale legacy assets, including broadcast network Univision, the company is battling cord-cutting and fierce competition from large-scale tech rivals. Earlier this week, TelevisaUnivision reported single digit upticks in revenue and operating income, with political ad spending the main highlight.

Gazzolo joined Univision as president and chief transformation officer prior to the company’s 2022 merger with Mexico-based conglomerate Grupo Televisa’s media arm. Among the posts he has held in more than two decades in the streaming and media sectors was President of Streaming and Studios for ViacomCBS Networks International. In that role, he helped position the international aspects of Paramount+ and Pluto TV.