Cristina Schwarz to exit Telemundo 47, Eric Lerner to take on dual role

Cristina Schwarz, president and general manager of Telemundo 47 New York, will leave her position at the end of the year, according to an internal announcement shared Thursday.

Schwarz has led WNJU for nearly 12 years and has spent more than four decades in the media industry. She said she is stepping down to spend more time with family and pursue personal interests, including travel and community work. Schwarz confirmed that she plans to remain engaged in the media industry.

In her tenure at WNJU, Schwarz oversaw the station’s growth across content and platforms, contributing to consistent audience and revenue performance. Under her leadership, WNJU became a key part of a bilingual operation following its co-location with NBC 4 New York at 30 Rockefeller Center earlier this year.

NBCUniversal Local Chairman Valari Staab said that Eric Lerner, president and general manager of WNBC, will assume additional responsibilities as the new leader of WNJU. Lerner has more than 40 years of experience in media, including leading a combined NBC and Telemundo operation in Philadelphia.

Lerner joined WNBC more than a decade ago and helped launch Telemundo 62 in Philadelphia in 2013. He and Schwarz worked together on the recent integration of the WNBC and WNJU newsrooms.

In a message to colleagues, Staab said the transition will build on the “shared foundation and momentum” of the two stations. Schwarz and Lerner will work together in the coming weeks to support a smooth handover.

Schwarz began her career before the Telemundo network formally existed, working in national sales for WSCV in Miami. She later returned to Telemundo in 2014 to lead WNJU. She cited the duopoly’s shared facility at 30 Rockefeller Center as one of her proudest achievements.

“I am deeply proud of everything we accomplished together,” Schwarz wrote. “With a strong duopoly strategy, a talented team and steadfast support from leadership, I am confident that Telemundo 47 and WNBC will continue to grow.”

Advertisement