Isaac Lee

Isaac Lee Possin

Isaac Lee at the World Economic Forum on Latin America in 2010
Born (1971-01-05) January 5, 1971
Bogotá, Colombia
Nationality American
Alma mater Universidad de Los Andes (MA)
Occupation Chief News, Entertainment & Digital Officer for Univision
Employer Univision Communications
Known for Chief News, Entertainment & Digital Officer of Univision
Co-founder and former CEO of Fusion
President of News for Univision
Former Editor in Chief of Revista Semana
This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Lee and the second or maternal family name is Possin.

Isaac Lee Possin (born 1971) is a journalist and executive at Univision.[1][2]

Early life and education

Lee was born in Bogotá, Colombia to Jewish immigrants.

Lee studied at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and later obtained a masters in journalism from the Universidad de Los Andes in Colombia. Lee is openly gay.[3]

Career

When Lee was 23, he reported that Colombia's then president Ernesto Samper had received funding from the Cali Cartel.[4] Lee was fired immediately afterward.[4]

At the age of 25, Lee was appointed editor of Cromos.[4] At 26, he was named editor-in-chief of the Colombian magazine Semana. During his tenure at Semana, the magazine published a cover story which forced two Colombian cabinet ministers to resign a couple of days later.

In December, 2011 TV Week's NewsPro magazine listed Isaac Lee as one of the most powerful persons in television news.[5]

PODER Magazine

Lee served as founding partner and editor in chief of PODER Magazine, a pan-regional magazine for the business elite with special editions for the US Hispanic market, Miami, Mexico, Colombia and Peru with a total circulation of over half a million copies. The magazine was later sold to Terra Networks.[4]

Univision

On December 9, 2010 Univision announced the appointment of Lee as President of News.[6]

Shortly after joining Univision, Lee announced he was working on the launch of a 24-hour cable news channel in English; the new channel was officially announced in May 2012 as a joint venture between ABC News and Univision.[7] In February 2013, both networks announced the new channel would be called Fusion[8]. On October 4, 2013, Fusion announced it had named Lee as chief executive officer.[9]

Under Lee's administration, Univision News hosted its first presidential town hall focused on education with President Barack Obama on March 2011.[10]

Two new departments within news were created in 2011:[11] an Investigative Unit led by Gerardo Reyes[12] and a Documentary Unit.[13]

The new projects and journalism on which Lee and his team focused has grown Univision News division[4] and attained it several recognitions for journalistic excellence such as the 2012 Peabody[14] and IRE Awards[15] for its “Fast and Furious” investigation, two EMMY Lifetime Achievement Awards,[16] three Emmy's for outstanding investigative reporting, outstanding newsmagazine and outstanding breaking news coverage and two Gracie awards,[17] and the Cronkite Award for Excellence in Political Journalism.[18]

In February 2015, as part of a reorganization of Univision's digital operation, Lee's role was expanded to lead Digital for all of Univision as President of Digital.[19] Shortly after, under Lee's leadership, Univision announced the acquisition of African-American news site The Root.[20]

In November 2015 Lee was named to the newly created position of chief news and digital officer, with additional responsibilities over multicultural and music and maintaining oversight of the news and digital divisions.[21] Shortly after, in December 2015 as part of an effort to expand the company's digital footprint, Lee announced the launch of Udisea a short-form digital video channel.[22]

Organizations

In April 2014, the Associated Press announced it had named Lee to its Board of Directors[23]

Lee is also a member of the IAPA, the NAHJ, the Foro Iberoamérica Presided by Ricardo Lagos and Carlos Fuentes and serves on the journalism advisory board of ProPublica.[24] and on the International Advisory Board of the Committee to protect journalists.

In February 2013, Lee was appointed to the board of advisors of the University of Chicago Institute of Politics,[25] and in June he joined the board of the International Center for Journalists.[26]

In May 2015, Legendary Pictures announced it had named Isaac Lee to its board of Directors.[27]

Other projects

In 2010 he co-produced[28] his first documentary "Colombia Hostage Rescue" for National Geographic TV which aired in 13 countries. He also co-produced with Televisión Española an International Emmy Award nominated TV mini-series about Operación Jaque.[29] He was a producer[28] of a featured film, "Paraiso Travel", an immigration story based on a novel of acclaimed writer Jorge Franco.

References

  1. ↑ "Univision Communications Inc. - Corporate Governance - Executive Leadership - Executive Leadership". investors.univision.net. Retrieved 2016-08-23.
  2. ↑ Univision Promotes Isaac Lee To Chief News, Entertainment & Digital Officer - Deadline.com
  3. ↑ Morales, Ed. "The New Wave of Latin TV: Inside the Fusion Network". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Edgecliffe-Johnson, Andrew (April 12, 2013). "Univision of the Future". Financial Times.
  5. ↑ PDF - The most powerful in Television news - NewsPro
  6. ↑ Isaac Lee, President of News | Univision Executive Management
  7. ↑ ABC News, Univision Announce Multiplatform Plan - ABC News
  8. ↑ ABC and Univision Announce New Cable Network 'Fusion' Will Launch Later in 2013
  9. ↑ Isaac Lee Named CEO of Fusion
  10. ↑ Univision’s Landmark Education Town Hall with President Barack Obama Emphasizes Parental Engagement; More Than 2.7 Million Tune In | Univision
  11. ↑ Univision bets big on news - Entertainment News, Weekly, Media - Variety
  12. ↑ Univision News Investigation Into Operation Fast and Furious; New Weapons Revealed - ABC News
  13. ↑ Congress Notes Iranian Threat in Latin America
  14. ↑ 72nd Annual Peabody Awards: Complete List of Winners
  15. ↑ Investigative Reporters and Editors - 2012 IRE Award winners
  16. ↑ Univision’s Jorge Ramos and Maria Elena Salinas to Get Lifetime Achievement Emmy
  17. ↑ 2013 Gracie Awards Winners
  18. ↑ Cronkite Award 2013 Winners Announced
  19. ↑ Univision Promotes Digital Execs
  20. ↑ Univision buys African-American news site The Root
  21. ↑ Univision Promotes Isaac Lee to Chief News and Digital Officer in Multicultural Content Push
  22. ↑ Univision Launches Udisea Short-Form Video Channel
  23. ↑ AP names three new directors, re-elects another at annual meeting - Associated Press
  24. ↑ Board and Advisors - ProPublica
  25. ↑ David Axelrod on His Move to the University of Chicago - Chicago magazine - February 2013
  26. ↑ Three Media Leaders Join ICFJ Board
  27. ↑ Legendary Taps Univision Exec, Jackie Robinson Foundation CEO for Board
  28. 1 2 Isaac Lee on IMDB
  29. ↑ "Operation Checkmate" (2010) - Full cast and crew
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