Executive Producer of Despierta América and Hispanic TV Creative José R. Pérez Passes Away in Miami

José R. Pérez, a visionary executive producer in the Spanish-language television industry and the creative mind behind iconic programs such as Despierta América on Univision, passed away in Miami on Wednesday, May 14, due to a heart attack.

A producer, content creator, writer, and creative leader, Pérez’s career spanned more than three decades dedicated to the development, production, and programming of television for the Hispanic market in the United States, Latin America, and the general market. He will be remembered not only for his many professional accomplishments, but also for his inspiring character, mentorship of new generations, and unwavering passion for elevating audiovisual content.

Pérez held prominent positions at major Spanish-language media outlets. He served as Senior Vice President of Programming and Production at MegaTV (Spanish Broadcasting System), where he led the development of original content, acquisitions, promotions, coverage expansion, and strategic partnerships for nearly eight years.

He also served as Vice President of Daytime Programming at Telemundo, overseeing successful shows such as Caso Cerrado, Laura en América, Rocío, El Show de Mariana, and Nítido, in addition to collaborating on special productions with Emilio Estefan Jr.

As Senior Vice President of Programming Development at Univision Network, he was the creative force behind landmark shows including Despierta América, Control, Caliente, Fuera de Serie, and many more. During this time, he also discovered and launched the careers of talents such as Sofía Vergara, Carlos Ponce, Cote de Pablo, Giselle Blondet, and Fernando Arau, among many others.

Beyond the screen, his legacy includes founding Iconika Productions and Sinectika Corp, creative production companies through which he continued to innovate in audiovisual media and nurture emerging talent until his final days.

Funeral and memorial service details will be announced soon.