Evelio Otero
Encyclopedia
Evelio Otero was the first television anchorman in Puerto Rico
and one of the first in Latin America. He was born on 13 Mar 1921 in Santiago de Cuba
, Cuba to a Galician father and Canarian mother from the Spanish region of Galicia and Canary Islands respectively. The next to youngest of six brothers and sisters he was raised by a family of teachers, and writers when his birth father couldn't handle raising the children after the death of the mother during childbirth of the youngest. An avowed renaissance man, Evelio buried himself in books and was constantly thirsty for knowledge. He began working in radio as an 18 year old as a color commentator for basketball games in Santiago de Cuba. Shortly thereafter he arrived in Havana in 1945 where his gifted voice was heard on the Cadena Azul network. In 1948, Don Angel Ramos in San Juan, Puerto Rico
had decided that his brand new television station, Channel 2, needed an experienced and unique voice talent. Don Ramos had heard of a young man in Cuba named Evelio Otero and brought him to Puerto Rico.
Evelio became the first voice to be heard on the television sets newly arrived in Puerto Rico. When the word was given to go ahead and launch the Channel 2, Evelio suggested to introduce the station as Telemundo as world play for world television. Don Ramos agreed and the name Telemundo, used today by the of the largest Spanish speaking television stations, was born.
Evelio went on to be the anchor for the first television news show in Puerto Rico becoming the first broadcast journalist in the island.
In 1952 Evelio married to a high school teacher, who in later years became Dr Consuelo R. Otero, who as a New York University
Doctoral candidate in 1972 wrote her thesis on the use of mass communication for teaching by the government. This became a precursor to what is known today as National Public Radio and Chennel 6 in Puerto Rico. She graduated with honors and continued her own achievements in mass communication.
Evelio moved to Cuba in 1951 with his pregnant new bride. A daughter, Altagracia (Altita) Otero was born on 9 April 1952, who is now a Medical Doctor with a specialty in Psychiatry. Soon after the coup d'état by Fulgencio batista in Cuba, Evelio returned to Puerto Rico where he continues the television program, and because of his reputation he became the Dean of news anchors in Puerto Rico. A humble man despite his fame and achievements Evelio rarely attended to accept innumerable awards.
In 1961, after the birth of his son Evelio jr. Evelio moved to the brand new Channel 4 television station and became the first anchor in the then known WAPA-TV. He had a sense of history which drove him more than the awards of economic success. On 31 December 1972, hall of fame baseball Roberto clemente visited Evelio after appearing at a local game show on New Year's Eve requesting help for the suffering caused by a devastating earthquake in Managua, Nicaragua. Clemente asked Evelio if he could go with him as he didn't have any news personnel to cover the charity effort. Evelio declined as he had a celebration to attend with his wife and children but promised Clemente that he would go on the next trip the following week with better planning. Clemente died that night and became a legend in baseball.
Evelio moved to Maryland in 1980 after a long and successful career where he was hired as a senior editor for the Voice of America in Spanish. shortly thereafter he assumed the same duties for the new radio Marti Program of the Voice of America
named Radio Marti geared towards Cuba and broadcast from Washington DC at the time.
Evelio Otero succumbed to a fire in his house in Silver Spring, Maryland
on 12 February 1988 and was buried at the Cementerio Buxeda in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico
. His son who is a Colonel at US Special Operations Command lived with him at the time. His son was a Captain in the US Air Force and arrived in the middle of the fire and was unable to rescue him.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
and one of the first in Latin America. He was born on 13 Mar 1921 in Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city of Cuba and capital city of Santiago de Cuba Province in the south-eastern area of the island, some south-east of the Cuban capital of Havana....
, Cuba to a Galician father and Canarian mother from the Spanish region of Galicia and Canary Islands respectively. The next to youngest of six brothers and sisters he was raised by a family of teachers, and writers when his birth father couldn't handle raising the children after the death of the mother during childbirth of the youngest. An avowed renaissance man, Evelio buried himself in books and was constantly thirsty for knowledge. He began working in radio as an 18 year old as a color commentator for basketball games in Santiago de Cuba. Shortly thereafter he arrived in Havana in 1945 where his gifted voice was heard on the Cadena Azul network. In 1948, Don Angel Ramos in San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
had decided that his brand new television station, Channel 2, needed an experienced and unique voice talent. Don Ramos had heard of a young man in Cuba named Evelio Otero and brought him to Puerto Rico.
Evelio became the first voice to be heard on the television sets newly arrived in Puerto Rico. When the word was given to go ahead and launch the Channel 2, Evelio suggested to introduce the station as Telemundo as world play for world television. Don Ramos agreed and the name Telemundo, used today by the of the largest Spanish speaking television stations, was born.
Evelio went on to be the anchor for the first television news show in Puerto Rico becoming the first broadcast journalist in the island.
In 1952 Evelio married to a high school teacher, who in later years became Dr Consuelo R. Otero, who as a New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
Doctoral candidate in 1972 wrote her thesis on the use of mass communication for teaching by the government. This became a precursor to what is known today as National Public Radio and Chennel 6 in Puerto Rico. She graduated with honors and continued her own achievements in mass communication.
Evelio moved to Cuba in 1951 with his pregnant new bride. A daughter, Altagracia (Altita) Otero was born on 9 April 1952, who is now a Medical Doctor with a specialty in Psychiatry. Soon after the coup d'état by Fulgencio batista in Cuba, Evelio returned to Puerto Rico where he continues the television program, and because of his reputation he became the Dean of news anchors in Puerto Rico. A humble man despite his fame and achievements Evelio rarely attended to accept innumerable awards.
In 1961, after the birth of his son Evelio jr. Evelio moved to the brand new Channel 4 television station and became the first anchor in the then known WAPA-TV. He had a sense of history which drove him more than the awards of economic success. On 31 December 1972, hall of fame baseball Roberto clemente visited Evelio after appearing at a local game show on New Year's Eve requesting help for the suffering caused by a devastating earthquake in Managua, Nicaragua. Clemente asked Evelio if he could go with him as he didn't have any news personnel to cover the charity effort. Evelio declined as he had a celebration to attend with his wife and children but promised Clemente that he would go on the next trip the following week with better planning. Clemente died that night and became a legend in baseball.
Evelio moved to Maryland in 1980 after a long and successful career where he was hired as a senior editor for the Voice of America in Spanish. shortly thereafter he assumed the same duties for the new radio Marti Program of the Voice of America
Voice of America
Voice of America is the official external broadcast institution of the United States federal government. It is one of five civilian U.S. international broadcasters working under the umbrella of the Broadcasting Board of Governors . VOA provides a wide range of programming for broadcast on radio...
named Radio Marti geared towards Cuba and broadcast from Washington DC at the time.
Evelio Otero succumbed to a fire in his house in Silver Spring, Maryland
Silver Spring, Maryland
Silver Spring is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It had a population of 71,452 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth most populous place in Maryland, after Baltimore, Columbia, and Germantown.The urbanized, oldest, and...
on 12 February 1988 and was buried at the Cementerio Buxeda in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico
Isla Verde, Puerto Rico
Isla Verde is a District of Carolina located east of Santurce next to the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport above the Teodoro Moscoso Bridge...
. His son who is a Colonel at US Special Operations Command lived with him at the time. His son was a Captain in the US Air Force and arrived in the middle of the fire and was unable to rescue him.