Known as the father of Spanish radio, Nathan Safir gave San Antonio, Texas, its first Spanish programming in 1940. In 1953, he turned KCOR-AM San Antonio, the nations’ premier full-time Spanish station, into a model format. In 1955, he founded KCOR-TV, America’s first Spanish TV station. In 1946 he helped develop, with founder Raoul Cortez, the first full-time Spanish-language radio station in the United States at KCOR-AM. Although there were others who pioneered Spanish-language broadcasting in the Southwest, Nathan Safir generally is recognized as one of the individuals most responsible for its development.
Texas State Historical Association Handbook of Texas: Spanish-Language Radio
November 2, 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the first commercial radio broadcast. To celebrate this special anniversary, we’re shining a spotlight on 100 key moments in radio's history.
We hope you’ll join us in celebrating your favorite radio memories throughout 2020. Use the hashtag #Radio100 across social media to share these moments with the world. Here’s to 100 wonderful years of radio, and to at least 100 more!
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