Media Hall of Fame - Eduardo Fernandez
Eduardo “Ed” Fernandez, 1984, Broadcast & Cinematic Arts: Fernandez, a native of Zeeland, Michigan and 1984 Broadcast and Cinematic Arts graduate, was selected as one of six 2024 honorees who have distinguished themselves in their professions. He spent 40 years building an award-winning career as a Michigan broadcast executive.
Fernandez’s parents fled Cuba in 1962 and landed in Miami, where he was born. In 1963, his parents decided to move to Zeeland, a small-town Dutch community. It was a cultural immersion experience for the whole family, he said.
“There are not a whole lot of Fernandezes in Zeeland, but West Michigan is home to me,” he said. “I learned to speak English watching way too much television. I fell in love with that little box in the corner of the room and the power of it. I told people that I wanted to be in TV, not on TV.”
Fernandez was attracted to the CMU Broadcasting program because of its good reputation and the fact that, as a freshman, he could start working on projects without having to wait until he was in the upper-level classes. He learned that before classes even began.
“On the Thursday before classes started, as I was walking into Moore Hall, I saw a bunch of guys loading a panel van full of equipment and asked them if they needed help. The next thing I knew I was helping pull cable at a Mt. Pleasant High School football game. I knew right then and there that this is where I wanted to be,” said Fernandez.
Over the next four years, he received the kind of academic experiences that would prepare him to compete and achieve.
“I had opportunities to fail and succeed, over and over again. You won’t learn until you fail at something. CMU allowed me to fail and grow. I was never afraid to try something because of that. They did a great job of creating future employees because we tried, failed and learned,” he explained. Beyond taking courses, Fernandez credits his professors for taking an interest in his success.
“I certainly had a special relationship with Dr. Joe Misiewicz. He always made you earn it. He created an environment where you were comfortable learning, failing and growing. Dr. Orlik had incredibly high standards, and got the best out of us, and never said no. Dr. Bob Braunlich also contributed to my success and allowed us freedom,” he said.
Fernandez enjoyed CMU campus life and student fellowship, including serving as a member of CMU’s cheerleading team.
“It was an incredible experience. I also made many friends across campus and got different perspectives from them,” he shared. “CMU taught me that it’s up to me to decide what I wanted to do. They gave me that opportunity to dream, try things out, and believe in myself.”
After graduation, Fernandez embarked on four decades in the media industry, honing his expertise in management, marketing, sales, programming and operations. His last position before retirement was vice president of local networks for Scripps, where he developed strategic second-station initiatives aligned with the company’s sports strategy. Fernandez joined Scripps in 2010 as vice president and general manager of WXYZ-TV in Detroit and was promoted to vice president and divisional general manager from 2013 to 2018. He previously served as vice president and general manager of WSNS Telemundo Chicago and also at WXMI Fox 17 in Grand Rapids, where he became the first general manager of Hispanic descent in Michigan and one of the youngest people to ever hold the position.
“Regardless of where you come from, you can be who you want to be. At CMU, you will be supported and get the best out of yourself,” said Fernandez.
To give back to CMU, he created the Fausto and Gladys Fernandez Memorial Scholarship in 2005. Named for his parents, the scholarship helps Media Arts students who encourage diversity in media.
He spends some of his retirement time mentoring others and has developed a reputation as someone to come and talk to about career success. He advises those just entering the industry to remember what’s important.
“The business has changed dramatically, and AI is a threat to a lot of what we do, but the human soul cannot be replaced,” he said. “People know when they are reading fluff. The truth is that great content will always matter. The business is so needed.”
