Radio in Honduras
Encyclopedia
Radio
in Honduras
began in 1928, when the Tela Railroad Company established Tropical Radio. The first commercial radio station, Radio HRN, began broadcasting
in 1933.
, but it would take many years for radio to arrive in places such as the isthmus of Central America. In Honduras, radio experimentation had begun with local transmissions. American companies (known as bananeras) were just a few of the companies providing employment before and after World War II
. In 1928 the Tela Railroad Company (one of the two major railroads) had received a license to establish a radio station (known as Tropical Radio). It broadcast on the 51-meter shortwave band
, and HRB (La Voz del Trópico) was the first radio station in Honduras. HRB was not a "commercial" radio station
; it was a medium for the Tela Railroad Company to broadcast its own bulletins. It also played recorded music and featured live performances by local talent (including the Sisters Cordova and pianist Guadalupe Ferrari Hartling), marimba bands, singers, poets and other artists. HRB did not last long, but it inspired several individuals to keep the broadcasting flame alive.
Rafael Ferrari Garcia, an entrepreneur with great ambitions but little money, sold everything he owned to embark on a risky plan; he received permission to install the first commercial radio station in Tegucigalpa
. It was known as La Voz del Comercio; to maintain its operation, he obtained commercial sponsorship from local businesses (retail and professional) and government agencies. From this HRN (La Primera Emisora del País) was born; Ferrari was credited as the first radio personality in Honduras. The station was founded on November 1, 1933; Kenneth See and Paul John were the principal technical engineers and attorney Manuel Bonilla Rodriguez, Nicholas Odeh, Rodolfo Brevé Martinez and Ferrari were the station’s staff announcers. Bonilla Rodriguez was the first to broadcast a soccer game in 1935 between a Costa Rica
n team and Club Motagua, a renowned Honduran team. Assisting Bonilla as engineer was Nat Lopez Fuentes, from a family radio dynasty known nationwide.
There were only a handful of radio receivers and in order to reach a wide audience Ferrari installed loudspeakers at various locations in Tegucigalpa. This was a daily pastime, an occasion for locals to meet and enjoy the programming. At first the programming was limited to news, government bulletins and recorded music. However, during the 1940s the station acquired a more powerful transmitter, reaching audiences in faraway countries
with its shortwave signal. HRN was important during War World II, since it rebroadcast information from the BBC
in London and NBC
in the United States. Ferrari continued his support of local talent with broadcasts including pianists, marimba bands, orchestras, singers, poets, composers, comedians and amateur artists. After the war, Europe, Asia and North America began to rebuild their economies and Honduras enjoyed some prosperity and tranquility under the Carias Andino regime. HRN became one of many private enterprises which enjoyed a modest increase in business. During this time, the station replaced La Voz del Comercio for its current slogan, La Voz de Honduras. Ferrari expanded the station, providing opportunity to a new generation of promising talent; some became household names, solidifying HRN's position as a powerhouse of Central American radio.
Top 20 Honduras Radio Personalities
{The writer; Roque Morán Hernandez, was the youngest announcer during the late 50’s}.
. At that time Tegucigalpa (the capital) comprised two cities, divided by the Rio Choluteca. It was a small metropolis, both geographically and in population. Radio America broadcast with three kW of power; small by later standards, but sufficient for experimentation. Soon it increased its power to 10 kW, easily reaching audiences in the twin cities of Tegucigalpa and Comayagüela. The station was first owned by Sergio Castellón who, within a few years, sold it to Cuban entrepreneur Silvio Peña. Peña, bringing the Cuban concept of radio as a fresh approach, began with live performances (especially radio-novelas, or soap-operas). Peña brought in Emilio Díaz; the two developed programs popular in Cuba such as "La Tremenda Corte", which was known throughout Latin America. Subsequently Dr. Andonie Fernandez bought the station, maintaining its tradition while ushering in a new era.
Several changes took place, the most important of which was the addition of well-known radio personalities and the highest-rated program (“Platicando con mi Barbero”, after the cast left HRN). This program featured a group headed by humorist Herman Allan Padgett, considered a genius for his comic range and originality. Padgett had gathered the best-known talent of the time, including
Julio Lopez Fuentes, Abelardo Enrique Avendaño and Ricardo Antonio Redondo Licona. Like HRN, Radio America strives to improve; Fernandez created a conglomerate within the communications industry in Central America
.
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
in Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
began in 1928, when the Tela Railroad Company established Tropical Radio. The first commercial radio station, Radio HRN, began broadcasting
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
in 1933.
History
In August 1920 a group known as Los Chicos del Coliseo began broadcasting from Teatro Coliseo in Buenos AiresBuenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, but it would take many years for radio to arrive in places such as the isthmus of Central America. In Honduras, radio experimentation had begun with local transmissions. American companies (known as bananeras) were just a few of the companies providing employment before and after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1928 the Tela Railroad Company (one of the two major railroads) had received a license to establish a radio station (known as Tropical Radio). It broadcast on the 51-meter shortwave band
Shortwave bands
Shortwave bands are frequency allocations for use within the shortwave radio spectrum . They are the primary medium for applications such as maritime communications, international broadcasting and worldwide amateur radio activity because they take advantage of ionospheric skip propagation to send...
, and HRB (La Voz del Trópico) was the first radio station in Honduras. HRB was not a "commercial" radio station
Commercial broadcasting
Commercial broadcasting is the broadcasting of television programs and radio programming by privately owned corporate media, as opposed to state sponsorship...
; it was a medium for the Tela Railroad Company to broadcast its own bulletins. It also played recorded music and featured live performances by local talent (including the Sisters Cordova and pianist Guadalupe Ferrari Hartling), marimba bands, singers, poets and other artists. HRB did not last long, but it inspired several individuals to keep the broadcasting flame alive.
Rafael Ferrari Garcia, an entrepreneur with great ambitions but little money, sold everything he owned to embark on a risky plan; he received permission to install the first commercial radio station in Tegucigalpa
Tegucigalpa
Tegucigalpa , and commonly referred as Tegus , is the capital of Honduras and seat of government of the Republic, along with its twin sister Comayagüela. Founded on September 29, 1578 by the Spanish, it became the country's capital on October 30, 1880 under President Marco Aurelio Soto...
. It was known as La Voz del Comercio; to maintain its operation, he obtained commercial sponsorship from local businesses (retail and professional) and government agencies. From this HRN (La Primera Emisora del País) was born; Ferrari was credited as the first radio personality in Honduras. The station was founded on November 1, 1933; Kenneth See and Paul John were the principal technical engineers and attorney Manuel Bonilla Rodriguez, Nicholas Odeh, Rodolfo Brevé Martinez and Ferrari were the station’s staff announcers. Bonilla Rodriguez was the first to broadcast a soccer game in 1935 between a Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
n team and Club Motagua, a renowned Honduran team. Assisting Bonilla as engineer was Nat Lopez Fuentes, from a family radio dynasty known nationwide.
There were only a handful of radio receivers and in order to reach a wide audience Ferrari installed loudspeakers at various locations in Tegucigalpa. This was a daily pastime, an occasion for locals to meet and enjoy the programming. At first the programming was limited to news, government bulletins and recorded music. However, during the 1940s the station acquired a more powerful transmitter, reaching audiences in faraway countries
DXing
DXing is the hobby of tuning in and identifying distant radio or television signals, or making two way radio contact with distant stations in amateur radio, citizens' band radio or other two way radio communications. Many DXers also attempt to receive written verifications of reception from the...
with its shortwave signal. HRN was important during War World II, since it rebroadcast information from the BBC
BBC World Service
The BBC World Service is the world's largest international broadcaster, broadcasting in 27 languages to many parts of the world via analogue and digital shortwave, internet streaming and podcasting, satellite, FM and MW relays...
in London and NBC
NBC Red Network
The NBC Red Network was one of the two original radio networks of the National Broadcasting Company. After NBC was required to divest itself of its Blue Network , the Red Network continued as the NBC Radio Network.It, along with the Blue Network, were the first two commercial radio networks in the...
in the United States. Ferrari continued his support of local talent with broadcasts including pianists, marimba bands, orchestras, singers, poets, composers, comedians and amateur artists. After the war, Europe, Asia and North America began to rebuild their economies and Honduras enjoyed some prosperity and tranquility under the Carias Andino regime. HRN became one of many private enterprises which enjoyed a modest increase in business. During this time, the station replaced La Voz del Comercio for its current slogan, La Voz de Honduras. Ferrari expanded the station, providing opportunity to a new generation of promising talent; some became household names, solidifying HRN's position as a powerhouse of Central American radio.
Top 20 Honduras Radio Personalities
- Rafael Ferrari García
- Antonio Mazariegos Velasco
- Nicholas Odeh
- Manuel Bonilla Rodriguez
- Rodolfo Brevé Martinez
- Rigoberto Cuellar Cerrato
- Gustavo Acosta Mejía
- Raul Agüero Neda
- Christina Rubio
- Manuel Villeda Toledo
- Francisco Rolando Ramos
- Nahum Valladares
- Ruben “Chito” Fuentes Flores
- Moisés Ulloa Duarte
- Orfa Mejía Arauz
- Jorge Figueroa Rush
- Sigfrido Munez
- Roberto Diaz Lechuga
- Carlos Eduardo Riedel Morales
- Hector Maradiaga Mendoza
{The writer; Roque Morán Hernandez, was the youngest announcer during the late 50’s}.
Radio America
1948 marked the birth of Radio AmericaRadio America (Honduras)
Radio America is a radio station operating in Honduras since 1948. It currently operates out of both Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula.-External links:...
. At that time Tegucigalpa (the capital) comprised two cities, divided by the Rio Choluteca. It was a small metropolis, both geographically and in population. Radio America broadcast with three kW of power; small by later standards, but sufficient for experimentation. Soon it increased its power to 10 kW, easily reaching audiences in the twin cities of Tegucigalpa and Comayagüela. The station was first owned by Sergio Castellón who, within a few years, sold it to Cuban entrepreneur Silvio Peña. Peña, bringing the Cuban concept of radio as a fresh approach, began with live performances (especially radio-novelas, or soap-operas). Peña brought in Emilio Díaz; the two developed programs popular in Cuba such as "La Tremenda Corte", which was known throughout Latin America. Subsequently Dr. Andonie Fernandez bought the station, maintaining its tradition while ushering in a new era.
Several changes took place, the most important of which was the addition of well-known radio personalities and the highest-rated program (“Platicando con mi Barbero”, after the cast left HRN). This program featured a group headed by humorist Herman Allan Padgett, considered a genius for his comic range and originality. Padgett had gathered the best-known talent of the time, including
Julio Lopez Fuentes, Abelardo Enrique Avendaño and Ricardo Antonio Redondo Licona. Like HRN, Radio America strives to improve; Fernandez created a conglomerate within the communications industry in Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
.
Sources
- Valladares, Nahum (2000). "La Historia de la Radio en el Siglo XX", UNAH. 384.54-V176.C2.
- Valladares, Nahum (2008). "Grandes Veteranos de la HRN", La Tribuna, article/47768/2008-11-04
External links
- Honduras Radios Online Live on Honduras 504 (Spanish)
- Radio HRN (Honduras) website (Spanish)
- Radio America (Honduras) website (Spanish)
- Article in La Tribuna