Estefania Isaías Challenges Stereotypes of Machismo in Latin America

Meet Estefania Isaias – a Quito, Ecuador-born musician and artist who has turned her passion for creativity into her life’s purpose.

For Isaias, every aspect of life is an opportunity to be creative. And by living a happy and healthy life, and by travelling the world to share her creativity and joy with other people, she has challenged the stereotypes of machismo that grip her continent and homeland.

“I was linked to the world of television since I was 12 years old, I presented a children’s program called “Let’s Play to Sing”. At the age of 16 and 17, I spent my school vacations, doing internships on a TV channel in Ecuador,” she said.

“Producing TV shows, every aspect related to music. It would become my career. Luckily, since an early age, I was linked to various TV shows and musical events that took place in Ecuador, which allowed me to get to know the world of entertainment up close.”

Isaias has a degree in Social Communication with a specialization in Public Relations. As a Certified Life Coach, she specialises in offering courses and workshops on marketing, creativity and promotion. She has been a member of the board of the HIVDA Foundation since 2006 (https://www.vihda.org.ec). For the last 25 years she has worked as the international manager of the Ecuadorean chanteuse Patricia Gonzalez, helping her in production and artistic aspects of her International career. See http://www.patriciagonzalezbolero.com.

In 1991 Isaias worked in Ecuador’s most important production company, Vision 1. At the time, the Peruvian / Ecuadorean joint partnership had 70% of the advertising production market in the country.

In 1992 she joined Telecentro, an Ecuadorian TV channel where she worked for 17 years. “When I begun working in Telecentro, the channel was in fourth place in audience and advertising share in Ecuador. I started working as Image and Innovation Manager, in charge of the renewal of the brand,” she said.

In September 1993, Telecentro was rebranded TC Television, changing its image, name and programming. During 1994 and 1995 TC Television launched an advertising campaign to position the new name, using verbs in conjuction with the brand: DespierTC, ConecTC, AlimenTC. The following year came the Sucuchucupau campaign. With a new logo, jingle and programs, TC Television was reborn as a happy, dynamic and fun channel.

Shortly after the renewal campaing started, the growth of the station began to be Reflected in its market share.

“In 1997, I assumed the Vice Presidency of Production and Programming. Among my responsibilities was the selection and mix of all the local programming and production of the channel. I stayed in this position for 12 years.

“The production of local content was the anchor of the department. None of our competitors where betting on local production. TC Television started to lead prime time with shows produced in Ecuador, with mainly, Ecuadorean actors and actresses. Among the succesful series were: Emergencia, Ni en vivo ni en directo, Solteros sin compromiso, Las primas and Gabinete,

Some of the actors who appeared on the reenergised TV channel were: Pedro Ortiz Díaz, Luzmila Nicolalde, Rashid Tanús, Polo Baquerizo, Oswaldo Valencia, Juvenal Ortiz Díaz, Vanessa Ortiz, Manuel Kun Ramírez, Lucho Gálvez, Dalemberg Ballesteros, Silvia Mackliff, Byron López, Patricia Sánchez, David Arosemena, Verónica Huerta de Baquerizo, Antonio Hanna Musse, Margarita Roca, Miguel Bustamante, Francisco Cabanilla, Lorena Uscocovich, Ana Buljubasich, Marco Vinicio Bedoya, Sonia Villar, Frank Palomeque, Gabriela Pazmiño, David Reinoso, Galo Recalde, Fernando Villarroel, Flor María Palomeque, Mariela Viteri, Heidi Hunter, Andrés Pellacini, Diego Spotorno, Tábata Gálvez, Érika Vélez, Sofía Caiche, and Francisco Pinoargotti, among others.

Remarkably, in 1999 TC Television supported more Ecuadorean talent than any other channel in the country; 60% of its grid was filled with local and national productions. That same year the song “Ponle Fe Ecuador” was produced by TC television and launched in support of the Ecuadorean people, who were facing an economic crisis.

In the following years Isaias was in charge of the first co-productions of novels with Peru and Argentina. They Included: Bésame tonto, Doctor amor and Los Barriga.

“In Ecuador, we developed several fiction contents that were in the first places of the national rating: Sharona hechicera, Mi recinto, Joselito, El precio de la fama, Kandela y son, Fama o drama, among others. The leadership of TC Television in local production, made us pioneers in the creation of content, in generating jobs and developing national talent. My work team in the production area alone, consisted of 250 people,” she said.

“In international programming we made agreements with international channels such as RCN de Colombia, Televisa de Mexico, RCTV de Venezuela. In 2009, I left TC Television and began a consultant project in Programming and Production for Canal Uno, a smaller TV channel with a lot of potential. After 2 years and once the objective of growth was met, I ended my relationship with Canal Uno.” said Isaias.
What advise can Isaias give young Ecuadorean women beginning their career today?

“Never accept that women are inferior to men,” ahe said. “Work hard and your dreams will come true.”