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<\/a>Don Francisco will continue contributing to the Univision Network with new projects and by hosting entertainment specials and campaigns such as \u201cTelet\u00f3nUSA,\u201d which is held every year on behalf of disabled children. He will also take part in Univision\u2019s ongoing efforts to look for and develop new on-air talent and professionals.<\/p>\nEver since \u201cS\u00e1bado Gigante\u201d first launched in 1962 on Chile\u2019s Channel 13, Mario Kreutzberger (Don Francisco) has been capturing the hearts of his loyal viewers, making important contributions to the development of families and delivering entertainment as creator and host of a program that has beat all broadcasting longevity records.<\/p>\n
Thanks to the tireless work of Don Francisco and his team of professionals, who have creatively adapted to the changes in television over more than half a century, the show is still No. 1 on Saturday nights among Hispanics and has made history in the U.S. television industry. There\u2019s no doubt that the dynamic mix of humor, amateur talent contests, audience games, human-interest stories, celebrity interviews, emotional family reunions, and the presence of some of the biggest Latin music stars have granted \u201cS\u00e1bado Gigante\u201d over the past five decades the privilege of becoming an indisputable milestone in the history of international television. \u201cDuring my 40 years in the industry I have met few people with the same energy, creativity and passion for television and the audience as Mario, and I join in celebrating him and his team at \u2018S\u00e1bado Gigante\u2019 for the great success and the milestones achieved in broadcast television,\u201d said Randy Falco, president and CEO of Univision Communications Inc. \u201cMario is an important part of the Univision family, and his knowledge of the industry and commitment to innovation will help us to continue defining the future of the media industry.\u201d Alberto Ciurana, president of Programming and Content for Univision Communications Inc., commented, \u201cMario is one of the most beloved and legendary entertainers in the world and has been an innovative and inspirational force in the television industry throughout his career. Mario\u2019s uncanny ability to connect with audiences has transformed how we look at variety shows and allowed \u2018S\u00e1bado Gigante\u2019 to endure the test of time, making it not only Univision\u2019s longest-running program, but also the longest-running variety series in television history. For so many in the Spanish-speaking community, Don Francisco\u2019s weekly three-hour show defines Saturday evening entertainment, and I want to thank him and the incredible team for their outstanding work.\u201d<\/p>\n Ciurana continued, \u201cWe are so thankful to have Mario as part of the Univision family. We are grateful that he will be continuing his relationship with us on upcoming Network specials and through ongoing support of our talent development programs. \u2018S\u00e1bado Gigante\u2019 will forever be a staple in Hispanic television history, and we join Mario\u2019s fans in wishing him all the best as he enters his next chapter.\u201d Said Mario Kreutzberger, \u201cI\u2019m excited to share with the audience this announcement, with which we\u2019re starting to bring to a close the 53-year cycle of \u2018S\u00e1bado Gigante,\u2019 30 of which were possible thanks to Univision in the United States. There is no doubt that they have been fundamental in my professional development and in my personal and family life. I\u2019m so grateful for the opportunity that Channel 13 of the Universidad Cat\u00f3lica de Chile gave me as I was starting out, to Univision in the United States and also to the Televisa Network, which allowed us to bring our \u2018S\u00e1bado Gigante\u2019 into the homes of millions of families in the United States and the world every week. I have no words to thank our viewers for the support, loyalty and enthusiasm with which they have honored us through the years and which have allowed the show to become an unprecedented success in the history of this medium. Special and warm thanks to the outstanding production team, technicians, artists and behind-the-scenes collaborators, because without their efforts and sacrifice, we would have never reached this impressive goal. Over the past five decades, hundreds of professionals have been part of our \u2018S\u00e1bado Gigante\u2019 team, which allowed for the first 24 years of accolades in Chile, and the following 30 years of success in the United States and the world.\u201d<\/p>\n Kreutzberger added: \u201cFrom the start we made sure to ask, \u2018What does the audience want?!\u2019 And we have worked tirelessly for precisely that audience, with the utmost dedication, humility and deep respect. I have no words to acknowledge all the recognition and applause that we have received over the years. When we began in the United States in 1986, we told them that we were \u2018separated by distance and united by the same language.\u2019 Today I can say with great pride and satisfaction that that distance turned into closeness and affection. To all those who joined us by tuning in to \u2018S\u00e1bado Gigante\u2019 with their constructive criticism, work and loyalty, I would like to say from the bottom of my heart and in capital letters, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.\u201d<\/p>\n EL LEGENDARIO PROGRAMA \u201cS\u00c1BADO GIGANTE\u201d DE DON FRANCISCO TERMINA SU EXITOSO CICLO DE 53 A\u00d1OS EN EL AIRE EN SEPTIEMBRE PROXIMO<\/p>\n Mario Kreutzberger presentar\u00e1 especiales de entretenimiento y contribuir\u00e1 al desarrollo de futuros profesionales en la Cadena Univision. Univision Communications Inc., anunci\u00f3 que tras una extraordinaria trayectoria de m\u00e1s de 53 a\u00f1os, el programa m\u00e1s popular de variedades de la Cadena Univision, \u201cS\u00e1bado Gigante\u201d, conducido y creado por Don Francisco, cerrar\u00e1 su actual ciclo el pr\u00f3ximo 19 de septiembre de 2015 para coincidir con el final de la temporada de televisi\u00f3n de 2014-2015. Don Francisco continuar\u00e1 colaborando con la Cadena Univision en nuevos proyectos y conduciendo programas especiales de entretenimiento y campa\u00f1as como \u201cTelet\u00f3nUSA\u201d, que se realiza todos los a\u00f1os en beneficio de ni\u00f1os con discapacidad. Tambi\u00e9n contribuir\u00e1 con el esfuerzo constante de Univision por la b\u00fasqueda y desarrollo de nuevos talentos y profesionales para nuestra televisi\u00f3n.<\/p>\n Desde los inicios de \u201cS\u00e1bado Gigante\u201d en 1962, en el Canal 13 de Chile, Mario Kreutzberger (Don Francisco) se gan\u00f3 el coraz\u00f3n de sus fieles televidentes, realizando importantes aportes al desarrollo de la familia, adem\u00e1s de ofrecer entretenimiento como creador y presentador de un programa que ha batido todos los r\u00e9cords de permanencia en el aire.<\/p>\n Gracias al trabajo incansable de Don Francisco y su equipo de profesionales, que con gran creatividad se han adaptado a los cambios de la televisi\u00f3n en m\u00e1s de medio siglo, el programa sigue ocupando el primer lugar de sinton\u00eda entre los hispanos las noches de los s\u00e1bados y ha hecho historia en la industria de la televisi\u00f3n en los Estados Unidos. Sin duda la combinaci\u00f3n din\u00e1mica de humor, concursos de artistas aficionados, juegos con el p\u00fablico, reportajes de inter\u00e9s humano, entrevistas a celebridades, emotivos reencuentros familiares y la presencia de las m\u00e1s grandes estrellas de la m\u00fasica latina le han dado a \u201cS\u00e1bado Gigante\u201d durante m\u00e1s de cinco d\u00e9cadas el privilegio de transformarse en un hito indiscutible de la historia de la televisi\u00f3n internacional.\u00a0\u201cEn mis 40 a\u00f1os en la industria he conocido a pocos con la energ\u00eda de Mario, su creatividad y pasi\u00f3n por la televisi\u00f3n y por la audiencia, y lo acompa\u00f1o a \u00e9l y al equipo de \u2018S\u00e1bado Gigante\u2019 a celebrar el gran \u00e9xito y los hitos alcanzados en la historia de la televisi\u00f3n hispana\u201d, dijo Randy Falco, presidente y director ejecutivo de Univision Communications Inc. \u201cMario forma parte importante de la familia Univision, y su conocimiento de la industria y compromiso por innovar ayudar\u00e1n a que continuemos definiendo el futuro de la industria de medios de comunicaci\u00f3n\u201d. Alberto Ciurana, presidente de Programaci\u00f3n y Contenido de Univision Communications Inc., coment\u00f3, \u201cMario es uno de los artistas m\u00e1s queridos y legendarios en el mundo, y ha sido una fuerza innovadora e inspiradora en la industria de la televisi\u00f3n durante toda su carrera. La asombrosa capacidad de Mario de conectarse con la audiencia ha transformado nuestro concepto de programas de variedades y permitido que \u2018S\u00e1bado Gigante\u2019 pase la prueba del tiempo, lo que lo hizo no solo el programa de m\u00e1s larga duraci\u00f3n en Univision, sino tambi\u00e9n la serie de variedades de m\u00e1s larga duraci\u00f3n en la historia de la televisi\u00f3n. Muchos en la comunidad hispanohablante identifican el entretenimiento del s\u00e1bado por la noche con el programa semanal de tres horas de Don Francisco, y quiero agradecerle a \u00e9l y al gran equipo por su trabajo ejemplar\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n