U.S. HISPANIC
Omar Marchant, pioneer of US Hispanic TV, died in Miami
10 de enero de 2024
Marchant's more than three decades of career covers nearly every facet of the entertainment industry
The pioneering executive of Hispanic TV in the US, Omar Marchant (1935-2024) died on Friday, January 5th, in Miami at 88. Marchant, already retired, held high-level executive positions at Univision and Telemundo for several decades. He was also VP and founder of Radio Única, Cadena Nacional. Among his numerous achievements is having been one of the creators of the Univisión award Lo Nuestro.
Marchant’s more than three decades of career covers nearly every facet of the entertainment industry. His love for broadcasting began in his native Cuba, where, at 21 years old, he became the youngest general manager of a radio station. His success on radio gave impetus to his transition to a new and underdeveloped medium: TV.
ARRIVAL IN MIAMI
Political instability abruptly interrupted his pioneering work at CMQ TV station in Cuba. He moved to Miami, where by the end of 1963, he returned to the airwaves as host and DJ for the popular station at the time, WFAB La Fabulosa. Shortly after, he returned to the medium that would present him with some of his most rewarding challenges: Spanish-language TV.
In 1972, he left his position behind the cameras for the first time to go on stage as host of the program Solo para Bailadores on Univision channel 23 in Miami, which became the highest-rated show on Hispanic TV in those times. Some of today’s renowned talents paraded through this program. In that same year, Marchant began a long and successful relationship with the music industry by becoming an independent producer and founding his company Jingles Corporation of America, which developed international TV shows and specials for talents such as Ray Conniff, Santana, and Julio Iglesias.
In the early 80s, he took up an executive position at Channel 23 in Miami to lead the Promotion and Special Events departments. Afterward, he was promoted to VP of Univision Television Network, and a new era began in Hispanic TV. At this stage, Marchant supervised events such as the OTI Festival, ¡Bravo!, Lo Nuestro Award for Latin Music, Telemarathon: La Liga Contra el Cáncer, Miami International Carnival Nuestra Belleza 1989, TV and Novels USA, and Noche de Carnaval, among others.
In a video honoring his 25 years of career with the Emmys’ Silver Circle, produced by Otto Padrón, Hispanic TV executive and Marchant’s nephew, several celebrities such as Paul Rodríguez, Julio Iglesias, Mario Kreutzberger (Don Francisco), Emilio Estefan, thanked Marchant for his work in promoting their careers and for his contribution to Hispanic TV in Miami.
Watch the video tribute to Marchant in 1994 at Emmys’ Silver Circle
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