NBC gets regulatory approval to acquire Telemundo - Big Deals

South Florida CEO, May, 2002

* Telemundo Communications Group Inc., the No. 2 Spanish-language television network (behind Univision), can transfer control of its 11 full-power television stations and 17 low-power and television transfer stations to the National Broadcasting Company Inc. (NBC), the Federal Communications Commission ruled.

The ruling was a major step in NBC's previously announced plan to acquire Telemundo for $1.98 billion. In South Florida, the transaction would give NBC control of two television stations, English-language WTVJ and Spanish-language WSCV. Separately, NBC announced that Maria Celeste Arraras, a former host of the Univision newsmagazine Primer Impacto, will join Telemundo as managing editor of her own evening newsmagazine, "Al Rojo Vivo con Marfa Celeste." The one-hour show will be broadcast Monday through Friday by Telemundo, which has its main headquarters in Hialeah.