Then, he was hired by the private television station RCTV to host Lo de hoy (Today it), a morning variety show with music and interviews.

After almost a year, ABC acquired 45% of the stocks in Televisa, the first privately owned television station in Venezuela, where they offered Ottolina the post of director general.

While on one of his breaks in 1960, Ottolina hosted an English language program on the New York City television station WABC-TV.

Over the years, Ottolina adopted a casual, conversational approach with extensive interaction with guests, which included Charles Aznavour, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, The Jackson 5, Tom Jones, La Lupe, Javier Solis, Miriam Makeba, Armando Manzanero, Raphael, Elis Regina, Sandro de América, Stevie Wonder and Zimbo Trio, among many significant performers.

In the seventies Ottolina started to enter Venezuelan politics and made many criticisms of corruption to Carlos Andrés Pérez, then President of Venezuela.

He lost his spot on RCTV, when management decided Renny was making more money in his time slot than the network was.

Ottolina died in 1978 in a plane crash near the Pico Naiguatá, situated on the border of the states Miranda and Vargas, while continuing his campaign for the presidency, which was ultimately won by Luis Herrera Campins.

His untimely death, at the age of 49, led to popular suspicion and numerous rumors, mainly based on a conspiracy theory.