Víctor J. Montilla

Infobox Person
name = Víctor Montilla
ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Montilla, Víctor J.; Montilla Torres, Víctor, Montilla, Víctor


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birth_date = May 26, 1970
birth_place = Puerto Rico
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education = B.A. (1992) Communications
alma_mater = Loyola University New Orleans
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title = President of the Puerto Rico Corporation for Public Broadcasting
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website = [http://www.victormontilla.com victormontilla.com]
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Víctor Montilla (born May 26, 1970) is a Puerto Rican businessman and the president of the Puerto Rico Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). He received his B.A. in Communications in 1992 from Loyola University New Orleans and is the first Puerto Rican recipient of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences' Governor's Award.

Early life

Víctor Montilla Torres was born on May 26, 1970 and graduated from high school (Colegio Marista Guaynabo) in 1998.cite web |url=http://www.victormontilla.com/bio.html |title=Victor Montilla Bio |accessdate=2008-07-13 |work= |publisher= [http://www.victormontilla.com VictorMontilla.com] |date= ] In 1992 he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Arts, with a concentration in production, from Loyola University New Orleans. [cite web | url = http://www.vmassociates.com/profile/victor.htm | title = Associate profiles | publisher = [http://www.vmassociates.com/profile/victor.htm Virtual Marketing Associates] | accessdate = 2008-06-12 ]

Career in television

Production

Beginning in 1990, Montilla participated in several communications related internships: as Public Relations Assistant for Triple S, as floor director for NBC Sports in New Orleans, as editor at Guastella Films, and as production assistant at Cordero Teleproducciones, among others. By 1992 he had established himself back in Puerto Rico and begun his career, working at Cordero Teleproducciones with television pioneer Paquito Cordero. Working under the tutelage of Cordero, Montilla was general producer for several comedy and variety productions such as "El Show de las Doce", "Musicomedia", and the gossip show "X-Clusivo".

In 2000, Montilla founded Montilla Television Group, where he created and produced the first animated situation comedy, "Los del Barrio". Later, he created and produced "En Casa de Luis Raúl", a late-night talk show that marked the return to the local screen of comedian Luis Raúl and integrated the use of the Internet. [cite web |url=http://www.tutv.puertorico.pr/cprdp/equipo_gerencial_vmt.htm |title=Equipo Gerencial CPRDP|accessdate=2008-07-13 |work= |publisher= |date= ]

Presidency of WIPR

In 2005, Montilla ceased laboring as a television producer and assumed the position as President of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which harbors two television stations (WIPR-TV and WIPM-TV), two radio stations (Allegro 91.3, or WIPR-FM, and 940 am or WIPR (AM)) and an Internet portal. Goals of his presidency included the expansion of the local production workshops and the development of the Corporation on the road to economic independence. [Citation| last = | first = | author-link = | last2 = | first2 = | author2-link = | title = Se reafirma TUTV en lo local| date = 2006-01-23| year = | url = http://www.adnotas.com/cgi-bin/news/newsarticle.cgi?article_id=18786&search_string=TUTV&criteria=Any| accessdate = ]

As president, Montilla was immediately confronted by the 2006 Puerto Rico budget crisis, which included the government shutdown, [Citation| last=Rivera-Esquilin
first=Eileen| author-link=| title=Inesperado Galardon para Montilla| newspaper=El Nuevo Dia| publication-place=Puerto Rico| volume=| issue=| date=May 16, 2006| year=2006
month=May| page=22| url=http://www.victormontilla.com/clippings/inesperado_galardon.pdf] Montilla established a Fund Raising Department within the Corporation in order to make it possible to allocate better resources, keep the local talent working aid in the development of larger scale local productions, acquire better resources, as well as support the Corporation’s move towards self sufficiency and the permanence of production opportunities in Puerto Rico. In addition, he established a sales department aimed at servicing advertising agencies, public and private corporations and businesses, offering marketing and Communications services through television, radio, Internet, theater and other miscellaneous media.

Through initiatives such as these and the intense lobbying with people from the public and private sector, Montilla was successful in keeping open the Communications Project, or PROCOM, [ [http://www.tutv.puertorico.pr/comunidad/procom.html] ] which is geared towards teaching television and radio production, photography and other media to low income communities through workshops that are provided directly in their communities. Projects from these workshops are exhibited annually at a local showcase. Additionally, projects have been recognized globally in Mexico, Spain, New York and Australia. In 2007, the documentary "Cabo Rojo: Mucho Más Que Playa", earned an Emmy Award nomination from the National Academy of Televisión Arts and Sciences Suncoast Chapter. [ [http://suncoast.emmyonline.org/emmy/2007Nominations/nominations2007.aspx Untitled Page ] ]

WIPR's 50th anniversary

In July 2008, Montilla celebrated TUTV's (formerly WIPR-TV) 50th Anniversary. The celebration was commemorated by the production of the documentary "WIPR-50 Años". [cite web| url= http://www.tutv.puertorico.pr/tutv/50_aniversario.htm | title=TUTV Official Website | language=Spanish| accessdate=2008-07-11] The anniversary also marked the beginning of the digital era in the island as WIPR-TV, the island's first public television station,cite web| url=http://www.hispanicad.com/cgi-bin/news/newsarticle.cgi?article_id=24801| title=Puerto Rico’s first Public TV Station celebrates 50 Years! | publisher=Hispanic Ad| language=English| date=2008-07-11| accessdate=2008-07-11] became the first station in the island to produce and broadcast in high definition format. At a cost of USD 28 million, the new facilities—which include an electronic room, master controls, three studios, studio controls, antennas, and cameras in Hato Rey and Mayagüez—set a new technological standard for production and broadcasting in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.

On July 7, 2008, Montilla held a press conference at the station, where he inaugurated WIPR-TV's high definition facilities. At the inaugural ceremony, which also launched the beginning of Television Week, an annual celebration of television media in the island, Montilla, accompanied by President of the Board of Directors Carlos Ríos, pressed the symbolic button that launched TUTV into the digital era.

Taking Puerto Rican television beyond the shores

Road to the Emmy's

In 1998, while Montilla was working as a producer with Paquito Cordero, Montilla set out on a quest to take Puerto Rican television to a new level and allow excellence to be recognized. It was then that he came across National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS)’ homepage only to find out that only four of the Academy’s chapters evaluated Spanish-speaking entries, which was source of great concern. But even more so, Puerto Rico did not belong to any chapter, hence, could not compete amongst other productions in the US and was not eligible for the coveted Emmy Award. [ San Juan City Magazine, People to Watch in the Arts: Victor Montilla Dec/Jan 2004]

Montilla then contacted the Academy’s Suncoast Chapter. The process of lobbying for Puerto Rico’s acceptance was an uphill battle, which included a formal petition to the Academy. [San Juan City Magazine Boricua Emmys, 2001] Montilla spearheaded the proposal and rallied among the Puerto Rican television community; television executives from local stations and independent producers who, on October 1, 1999 signed a petition asking the NATAS Suncoast Chapter to allow the island’s television shows to participate in its regional annual competition. In the year 2000, Bob Behrens, chairman of the board, formally announced that Puerto Rico had been granted a one-year trial. Great press coverage followed this announcement encouraging Puerto Rican producers to submit, for the first time ever, their productions for consideration. [The San Juan Star, Puerto Rican’s Pitch for Emmy’s, June 29, 2001] In doing so, he made it possible for Puerto Rico to compete for the Emmy Award. This feat led to Montilla being unanimously elected as vice-president of the Chapter and re-elected in 2005. At the 2001 Suncoast Regional Emmy Award Ceremony, Puerto Rico earned 5 nominations and 4 Emmy’s. Since its inclusion in the Suncoast Chapter, Puerto Rico has earned over 40 nominations and 30 Emmy Awards.

Historical alliance

As part of his goal to expand the reach of Puerto Rican programming beyond our shores, in 2006 Montilla announced an alliance with Televicentro-WAPAmerica to broadcast TUTV’s shows in key Hispanic markets to reach Puerto Rican residents of the United Status through WAPA América, the channel of Televicentro’s local productions. [ [http://www.adnotas.com/cgi-bin/news/newsarticle.cgi?article_id=19631&search_string=Montilla&criteria=Any "WAPA & Puerto Rican Public TV reach deal for U.S. Market."] Apr-25-2006.] Through this agreement, TUTV, agreed to provide 16 hours of local programming weekly, that were added to the 78 hours that Televicentro de Puerto Rico had been transmitting through WAPA América, a major economic move towards exporting productions and generating additional income to TUTV.

At the press conference, where Montilla was accompanied by Juan José Valentín, VP Marketing TUTV, Margarita Millán VP of Programming of Televicentro and Joe Ramos President of Televicentro, Montilla spoke as to the importance of exporting Puerto Rico's programming in this global era: “It’s an excellent opportunity that allows us to export our varied programming, as well as our local talent. Our programming will be the door through which our Hispanic friends, especially the Puerto Ricans living abroad, can enjoy the best of our Caribbean culture. This alliance sets the precedent that public television programming can result attractive and marketable to commercial stations." [ [http://www.wapaamerica.com/en/tutv-televicentro_wapa-en.html "HISTORICAL TELEVISION ALLIANCE TUTV AND TELEVICENTRO Transmit through WAPA AMERICA"] Apr-18-2006.]

Awards

In 2006, the Board of Governors of the Suncoast Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS), voted unanimously to give the Governor's Award to Montilla. This is only the second Governor's Award to a representative of Spanish-language television. The first was presented to Univision and Telemundo networks in 1991. This is the first time the Governor's award was given to a Puerto Rican broadcaster. [ [http://www.suncoastchapter.org "Source: NATAS Suncoast Chapter Emmy Award Ceremony 2006."] ] Montilla was also named Television Executive of the Year by AdNotas.com. [ [http://www.adnotas.com/cgi-bin/news/newsarticle.cgi?article_id=21364&search_string=Montilla&criteria=Any "Los Ejecutivos del Año de ADnotas.com."] 16 Oct. 2006.]

References

External links

* [http://www.visualcv.com/montilla Visual CV]
* [http://www.tutv.puertorico.pr TUTV portal]
* [http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmontilla Victor Montilla's LinkedIn page]
* [http://www.caribbeanbusinesspr.com/news03.php?nt_id=18279&ct_id=2 Caribbean Business]
* [http://www.prpop.org/noticias/abr06/wapamerica_abr20.shtml Fundación Nacional para la Cultura Popular]
* [http://www.diariometro.es/es/article/efe/2008/06/23/585529/index.xml Diario Metro]