Media Moves

After an almost 2 year absence, Charytín Goyco returns to the small screen.  Her new show, simply called “Charityn,” premieres tonight on Miami’s MegaTV.

The one-hour variety show will air Monday through Friday at 9 pm ET.

Charytín, also an actress and singer, was co-host of Telefutura’s “Escándalo TV” for 9 years.  The show was canceled in late 2011.

According to a MegaTV press release, in addition to celebrity interviews, the show will have music, comedy, and games that will require interactive participation with the audience.

Orlando ABC Affiliate WFTV-Channel 9 has signed a deal to air MegaTV starting this Monday, January 28.

Mega TV’s programming will be available over the air on digital subchannel 9.2.  It will also be seen on Bright House Networks channel 469, Comcast channel 209, Century Link Channel 10, Cox Cable 118 and Decca Cable channel 717.

Mega TV is currently broadcast in Orlando via DirecTV and ATT U-verse.

Alexis Valdés, host of “Esta Noche Tu Night” on Mega TV since its debut on January 28, 2008, is no longer with the company.  He announced his departure from MegaTV last night via his Facebook and @alexisvaldes Twitter accounts:

“Friends, I will no longer continue on Esta Noche Tu Night. It was a difficult, but necessary decision.  Thank you all for your love during five years. See you around.”

The Cuban comedian today reinforced his departure on his social media accounts, saying he wasn’t joking. “I left the show on Mega,” he wrote.  But insists better things are coming soon.

MegaTV today didn’t make any comment with regards to Alexis’ departure, but announced Felipe Viel was taking over the show, starting tonight.

According to the Miami-based network, Felipe has singed a contract with MegaTV.

The show will undergo some changes, but will maintain its current team of actors and musicians.

Felipe was previously one of the co-hosts of Telefutura’s “Escándalo TV.”  His broadcast career includes stints as a reporter for Channel 13 and a telenovela actor in his native Chile, prior to his move to Miami in 2000.

“Esta Noche Tu Night” with Felipe Viel airs Mon-Fri at 9 pm ET on MegaTV.

UPDATE:   After the publishing of this story, MegaTV’s communication director sent the following statement attributed to Alfredo Schwarz, VP of Programming and Production for MegaTV: “Alexis did a great job hosting Esta Noche Tu Night for 5 years. We wish him to the best in his new endeavors.”

Mega TV’s New York correspondent Eliecer Marte joins the 93.1 FM “Despertando con el Bacán Bacán” morning team.  He starts today doing an entertainment segment called “KLK” (¿Qué lo qué?”)

Allan Villafaña has been hired as morning anchor at WNJU-47, which is bringing back its early morning newscast in November. The Telemundo O&O in New York had pulled the plug on its morning newscast in 2009.

Allan previously worked at WNJU  for several years starting in the mid-90’s, before moving to Miami to work as a Telemundo network correspondent. He most recently worked as a Miami correspondent for RTV. Before that, he was one of the host of “Los Implicados” and “Paparazzi TV” at MegaTV.

Candela Ferro, Leticia Callava and Olga Dager (left to right).

Less than 4 months since its debut in the 8 pm timeslot, MegaTV has decided to cancel “3 Caras de la Moneda” due to dismal ratings.  An inside source tells me the show “just didn’t connect with viewers.”

The show will continue to air in repeats this week, until the new programming lineup kicks in.

The show’s hosts, Leticia Callava, Candela Ferro and Olga Dager will not remain with the company. El Nuevo Herald reported on Friday that Candela Ferro would join MegaTV’s gossip show “Paparazzi Magazine,” but the network’s spokesman affirms that’s not the case.

MegaTV announced that starting Monday, June 18, the new programming slate which will begin at 5 pm, is as follows:

5 pm:  Videos of radio programs from New York, Los Angeles, Miami and Puerto Rico.

6 pm:  “Mega News,” with anchors María Alejandra Requena and Alejandro Marcano Santelli.

7 pm:  “Paparazzi Magazine,” with hosts Orietta de Luque and Javier Ceriani.

8 pm: “Passione,” Brazilian telenovela

9 pm: “Esta noche tu Night,” with host Alexis Valdés

10 pm: “Bayly,” with host  Jaime Bayly.

José Pérez, MegaTV’s VP of Programming, resigned on Friday.  He had held that position since May of 2010.  He previously supervised morning and afternoon talk and entertainment radio shows for several of SBS’ Miami radio stations.

Pérez is best known for his 8 years at Univision, where he was Sr VP of Entertainment and Programming Development for the network. He went on to work as VP of Daytime Programming for Telemundo Network.

An inside source tells me Pérez was going to be let go this week.

Since his arrival, there have been multiple changes to MegaTV’s programming, but apparently, most have not worked to increase ratings.  MegaTV will have a new programming lineup starting next Monday.

There have been some recent management changes at MegaTV, including the promotion of Alex Alemán to the position of Senior Vice President of Consolidated Operations and the hiring of Alfredo Schwarz, who was named Vice President of Operations and Production of MegaTV.

It’s very possible that the responsibilities of the VP of Programming will be absorbed by Alemán and Schwarz.

Alfredo Schwarz has joined Spanish Broadcasting System Inc.(SBS) as Vice President of Operations and Production of MegaTV effective immediately.

He will be in charge of the operation and production of the television division. He will report to the recently promoted Alex Alemán, Senior Vice President of Consolidated Operations of SBS.

Schwarz has 35 years of experience in television production and management.  He previously worked as General Director of Drama Production at Univision Network, where he developed telenovelas.

Prior to Univision, he was President of Fonovideo Productions, a position he held from 1996-2007. In this role, produced a series of shows and telenovelas in Venezuela which were rebroadcast on Telemundo and Univision.  Before that, he developed and produced more than 50 television programs in his native Venezuela, including international novela hits “Cristal” and “Topacio.”