MediaCo Holding Inc. has appointed René Santaella to the newly created position of Chief Growth & Innovation Officer (CGIO), effective immediately. In this role, Santaella will oversee the company’s end-to-end “Supply + Growth Engines,” driving scalable distribution, audience engagement, inventory expansion, and monetization across its TV, audio, digital, and streaming portfolio.
MediaCo has positioned itself as a leader in multicultural media, reaching more than 20 million people monthly through powerhouse brands such as HOT 97, WBLS, EstrellaTV, Estrella News, Que Buena Los Angeles, and the Don Cheto Radio Network. The company’s recent growth in ratings, streaming viewership, and revenue reflects strong market momentum, particularly in digital and multicultural audiences.
Albert Rodriguez, Chief Executive Officer of MediaCo, said: “MediaCo grew significantly in 2025 with record ratings and streaming viewership, revenue and reach. We are the momentum in the market, so we are investing in the required leadership and resources to accelerate growth. René has a proven track record in building, modernizing and scaling multiplatform businesses and delivering measurable results. This new role is designed to be relentlessly focused on growth and innovation and maximizing the impact of our content, distribution, product and monetization engines.”
As CGIO, Santaella will lead strategy and execution across key areas critical to scaling MediaCo’s platforms:
“This role is designed around a simple truth: in today’s media landscape, growth comes from aligning the entire chain around consumers and a multiplatform world on every screen and every device,” said Santaella. “I’m excited to be hyper focused on growth and innovation by optimizing the value of our content portfolio, expanding distribution and inventory, improving engagement, and advancing the technology and workflows that power our platforms.”
Brian Fisher, Chief Revenue Officer, added: “René's leadership will accelerate how we scale distribution, inventory and monetization across our platforms. As MediaCo's audience continues to grow across TV, audio, digital and streaming, and with digital surging – this role helps turn that momentum into even greater value for advertisers and partners.”
Santaella joined MediaCo as Chief Operating Officer in October 2024, where he drove multiplatform strategy and growth for key brands and expanded the company’s sports portfolio with Liga MX, Combate Global, and Bally Sports. He transformed radio and news programming into live, interactive multiplatform video content.
Prior to MediaCo, Santaella served as Chief Digital & Streaming Officer at Estrella Media, shaping digital and streaming strategy. His earlier career includes senior leadership positions at Sony Pictures Television and Disney, with deep expertise in digital operations, streaming, and advertising monetization.
He holds an MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Business and a B.A. from UCLA.
About MediaCo
MediaCo Holding Inc. is a diverse-owned, multi-platform media company serving multicultural audiences nationwide. Its powerhouse brands—including HOT 97, WBLS, EstrellaTV, Estrella News, Que Buena Los Angeles, and the Don Cheto Radio Network—reach more than 20 million people each month across television, radio, digital, and streaming platforms. Its Sigma Audio Networks LLC, a groundbreaking national multicultural audio network, is modernizing how advertisers reach America’s growing multicultural audiences.
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