Don Browne, former General Manager of WTVJ and former President of Telemundo Network, has passed away at the age of 80.
Don Browne, former General Manager of WTVJ and former President of Telemundo Network, has passed away at the age of 80.
Browne was born in Toms River, New Jersey and attended the University of South Carolina on a football scholarship -- where he began his quest for honest journalism and storytelling.
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In 1981, he married Maria Josefa Junquera and the couple raised two sons, Christopher and Ryan.
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Browne led historic news coverage for NBC News on the Nicaragua/Contra Revolution, natural disasters, the Challenger Space Shuttle Explosion and the fall of the Berlin Wall -- among many other historic events.
His work ethic, drive and passion catapulted him to the top of the NBC leadership hierarchy.
While helping forge the careers of others and pushing NBC News to bring on more women and minorities, Browne was named General Manager of WTVJ in Miami.
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“He believed in quality journalism. But more importantly, he knew that great people would be able to tell great stories with support, mentoring and coaching,” said NBC News Executive Yvette Miley.
Browne immediately tackled signal issues and low ratings -- helping make WTVJ/NBC6, Miami's number one news station in the 90's.
His vision for the future did not stop there, as in 1999, he built a state-of-the-art, high-definition television station in Miramar, Florida.
Browne could see the future of television and what the City of Miramar would become. He convinced network executives to invest in a new facility in the middle of "Cow Country."
He continued to thrive in his career, and was later named President of Telemundo Network in 2005, turning the network around and becoming a business model for producing network-owned content, while staying at the forefront of technology.
In 1997, Browne co-founded 'Women of Tomorrow' along with dear friends -- award-winning news anchor Jennifer Valoppi and Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle.
In 2011, Browne announced he would retire from Telemundo.
Maria Browne lost her battle to cancer back in 2021 and months after, doctors discovered Don had a brain tumor.
Following a grueling surgery, he still kept active -- teaching and receiving major awards -- but, eventually succumbed to the tumor.
Don is survived by his two sons, Christopher and Ryan, Christopher's wife, a granddaughter and a grandson, as well as countless admiring colleagues at NBC News and fellow journalists all over the globe.
