KCOR: The first Spanish-language radio station in the US

Summary

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Witness History: KCOR – The First Spanish-Language Radio Station in the US

Host: Stefania Gozzer
Original Air Date: July 2, 2026
Featured Voices: Irma Cortes Nicolas (Raul Cortez’s daughter, archive interview), Guillermo Nicolas (grandson)

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Episode Overview

This episode highlights the groundbreaking creation of KCOR in 1946—the very first US radio station broadcasting exclusively in Spanish. Through intimate family memories, the story traces Raul Cortez’s journey from a modest Mexican immigrant to a civic leader and successful broadcaster, showcasing how KCOR became a cultural lifeline and a tool of empowerment for Mexican Americans. Drawing from family interviews and rich archive, the episode explores barriers faced, creative survival strategies, and KCOR’s legacy in American media and civil rights.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Raul Cortez’s Immigrant Story and Early Life

• Raul Cortez's Background:
  • Born into a family of eight in Mexico, under a strict father who sent each son out independently as a teenager.

    “My grandfather was born into a family of eight, seven brothers… Their father was very tough, and at age 13, 14, 15 at the latest, he would send each boy out into the world.” – Guillermo Nicolas [01:55]

  • Early jobs in the US included selling eggs and vegetables, working as a reporter, a window dresser, a promoter, and later brokering radio airtime.

    “He had a little wagon and he sold fresh eggs, fresh vegetables… He crossed the border, no papers… and they came here and they were recognized and allowed to live here.” – Irma Cortes Nicolas [02:23]

Building and Launching KCOR

• Genesis of the Idea:
  • Cortez identified a huge demand for media in Spanish, buying blocks of time on English stations to produce Spanish programming.

    “He started by renting airtime on a local English language radio station… one hour of Spanish entertainment and news. It was such a huge success and so desperately needed by the community.” – Guillermo Nicolas [03:26]

• FCC License Struggles and WWII Context:
  • World War II caused suspicion of non-English broadcasts, slowing Cortez’s efforts. He argued that Spanish-language radio could support Mexican American loyalty and war efforts, earning his license only post-war in 1946.

    “Raul had to argue his initiative could actually help win support for the war among Mexican Americans.” – Stefania Gozzer [04:22]

Economic and Social Barriers

• Financial Struggles:
  • Early funding relied on dedicating songs for holidays like Mother’s and Valentine’s Day; income was inconsistent and limited.

    “Serenatas or serenades were a source of income… But it wasn’t enough.” – Stefania Gozzer [04:50]

• Facing Racism and Bigotry:
  • The station’s low position on the dial (1350 AM), lack of ratings, and local discrimination made finding advertisers tough.

    “They faced a lot of racism, a lot of bigotry, a lot of challenges… And then, of course, they faced the problem of the advertising. Because without money, there is no business.” – Guillermo Nicolas [05:08]

Ingenious Survival Tactics

• Audience Mobilization for Advertisers:
  • To prove a sizable audience to skeptical brands, Cortez asked listeners to mail in product labels, directly engaging them in the station’s survival.

    “One of the ways my grandfather was able to prove that he had a big listenership was… to have them send these labels. And they were flooded with them. It was terrific.” – Guillermo Nicolas [05:57]

• Striking Deals with Big Brands:
  • Cortez orchestrated an elaborate dinner at New York’s elite El Morocco club to impress advertising executives—securing national ad campaigns and ensuring KCOR’s viability.

    “He gives the maitre d $100… puts on his tuxedo and walks in with these advertising guys… The next day, they were so impressed that they bought advertising on this little station in San Antonio, Texas.” – Guillermo Nicolas [06:24]

Social Impact and Civil Rights

• Advocacy Beyond Broadcasting:
  • Raul used station influence to back civil rights and was twice president of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC).
    • The family recounts discrimination in public spaces, fueling Cortez’s drive to empower Mexican Americans through radio and television.

      “As Mexican Americans, we were discriminated… This is why my father took it very serious about the Spanish radio and television. To educate our own people… the airwaves are ours.” – Irma Cortes Nicolas [08:18]

KCOR’s Legacy

• Growth Beyond Radio:
  • Cortez eventually launched the first Spanish-language TV network in the US, expanding Spanish-language media’s reach.

    “He also went on to create the country’s first TV network in Spanish.” – Stefania Gozzer [08:56]

• Enduring Family Pride:
  • Guillermo Nicolas reflects that the fight to establish Spanish TV was “another big fight that we can save for another time.” [09:16]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Raul Cortez’s Vision:

  “My father just had primary education, but he had big dreams and his dreams came true.” – Irma Cortes Nicolas [01:19]

• On Facing Discrimination:

  “We had a very bad experience that we stopped at a restaurant in New Braunfels then, and they wouldn’t allow my mother or my sister because they had darker skin than I did.” – Irma Cortes Nicolas [08:18]

• On Creative Finance:

  “In those days, the rating systems didn’t even rate us. We didn’t even count.” – Guillermo Nicolas [05:57]
  “He invited these guys to El Morocco… walks in with these advertising agency guys… and the next day, they were so impressed that they bought advertising.” – Guillermo Nicolas [06:24]

• On Purpose:

  “To educate our own people. They should defend themselves, and the airwaves are ours.” – Irma Cortes Nicolas [08:18]

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Important Timestamps

• 00:50 – 01:38: Introduction of Raul Cortez and KCOR’s vision
• 02:23 – 03:13: Raul’s early immigrating experiences and initial jobs
• 03:26 – 03:57: First experiments in Spanish radio programming
• 04:22 – 04:46: Challenges obtaining an FCC license during WWII
• 04:50 – 05:08: Funding the station with serenades
• 05:08 – 05:41: Advertising struggles and community discrimination
• 05:57 – 06:24: Listener label campaign for advertisers
• 06:24 – 08:01: The legendary El Morocco pitch
• 08:01 – 08:56: KCOR’s role in advocacy and civil rights
• 08:56 – 09:16: Transition to Spanish television

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Summary

This episode of Witness History spotlights Raul Cortez’s pioneering work to create KCOR, the US’s first Spanish-language radio station. The tale—told through his daughter Irma and grandson Guillermo—vividly portrays the obstacles of racism, resource scarcity, and government suspicion, as well as the clever innovations that brought success. KCOR was more than a radio station: it was a unifying force for a marginalized community, a launching pad for Latino media, and a platform for civil rights advocacy. Raul Cortez’s resourcefulness, dignity, and commitment to “educate our own people” shaped a legacy that resonates to this day.

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Transcript

[A]

Hello. Welcome to Witness History with me, Stefania Gozzer. Now, if this is one of your favorite podcasts already, you can skip ahead a little bit. But if you are listening for the very first time, welcome. I want to tell you a bit more about us. We look at a moment in history told by the people who were there. We use incredible archive and hear amazing stories. New nine minute episodes drop every weekday. So if that sounds like your thing, hit subscribe and turn on your notifications so you never miss an episode. But for now, let's get to the story. I'm taking you back to the 1940s, when a Mexican immigrant in the United States set out to create the country's first radio station designed to broadcast only in Spanish. It's the 15th of February 1946, and from today, Spanish speakers in the United States finally have a place on the dial. It's a station offering music, news and shows in their own language. The station's named kcor and behind it we find Raul Cortez, a Mexican immigrant in his early 40s.

[B]

My father just had primary education, but he had big dreams and his dreams came true.

[A]

This is Irma Cortes Nicolas, Raul's youngest daughter.

[B]

He was a founder of the Spanish radio in the United States and then founder of the television station.

[A]

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Creating a foreign language radio station was challenging enough. We'll hear this story from two Irma, who recorded this interview with the VOS Oral History Center a few years before she died, and her youngest son who I spoke to.

[C]

I'm Guillermo Nicolas, the grandson of Raul Cortes. My grandfather was born into a family of eight, seven brothers, including himself and a sister. Their father was very tough, and at age 13, 14, 15 at the latest, he would send each boy out into the world.

[B]

He had a little wagon and he sold fresh eggs, fresh vegetables. At those days, it was not as expensive to live, but my grandparents told me he had to have a better job to be able to get my mother to marry him. So then what he did was he crossed the border, no papers, just as Mexicans, and they came here and they were recognized then and allowed to live here.

[A]

Raul built quite a varied resume.

[C]

My grandfather was a reporter for La Prenza. He also worked as a window dresser and. And then he would go and work as a promoter. He would bring bands and groups to play at the Buckhorn Saloon,

[A]

and he kept adding new roles. He became an airtime broker. He could buy blocks of time on local stations for a flat fee, and he would then resell timeslots to performers and advertisers.

[C]

He got his start by doing whatever he needed to do to raise money to then go and rent airtime on a local English language radio station. And he would produce perhaps an hour of Spanish language entertainment and news. And it just was such a huge success and it was so desperately needed by the community.

[A]

He did so well that he decided one hour wasn't enough. He needed a whole station. So he applied for a license at the U.S. federal Communications Commission. The FCC.

[D]

The United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

[A]

With World War II unfolding, authorities across the US were cautious about non English radio. Raul had to argue his initiative could actually help win support for the war among Mexican Americans. Still, he didn't get his license until 1946. Once the war was over, he began broadcasting. But money remained a challenge.

[B]

It was fun. Los dias de las madres, las serenatas.

[A]

As Irma explains here, serenatas or serenades were a source of income. People would pay to dedicate songs and greetings to their lovers on Valentine's Day and their mothers on Mother's Day. But it wasn't enough.

[C]

His station was 1350 on the dial. So way down the dial and you had to look for it. They faced a lot of racism, a lot of bigotry, a lot of challenges in trying to get the station actually open. And then, of course, they faced the problem of the advertising. Because without money, there is no business. Pepsi Cola hits the spots 12 full ounces that go out.

[A]

But Raul had a few tricks up his sleeve. One of them was to ask his audience to send labels of the products they used, like soaps or drinks, back to the manufacturers on KCOR's behalf.

[C]

In those days, the rating systems didn't even rate us. We didn't even count. One of the ways my grandfather was able to prove that he had a big listenership was was to have them send these labels. And they were flooded with them. It was terrific.

[A]

Another trick was to display his charm. And he'd spared no money in doing it.

[C]

So he went to New York and he knocked on every advertising agency's door. They had all dismissed it. They didn't know any Spanish speakers. They certainly didn't, you know, know who he was. And he was coming from a city, from Texas, and it was one radio station. And so he invited these guys to El Morocco. He had never been there. He just knew it was very popular. He went down to the club and the maitre d was A gentleman of Puerto Rican descent, Spanish speaker. And he gave him 100 bucks, which in that time was a lot of money. And he told him, I need a VIP table. I need you to greet us like, I've been here many times and I'm one of your best clients. And they get there that night, puts on his tuxedo and walks in with these advertising agency guys. And the gentleman greets him like he'd been there a thousand times, takes them to the best table, champagne everywhere. And the next day, they were so impressed that they bought advertising on this little station in San Antonio, Texas. So he sold national advertising, which then made him very wealthy. And he was able to then build the other radio stations.

[A]

But running KCOR wasn't only about money. Once he was successful, Raul used his influence to support civil rights movements and court cases related to Mexican Americans. In fact, he was president of the League of United Latin American Citizens twice.

[B]

We used to go from San Antonio to New Braunfels to Seguin to all these little towns, German towns, where they discriminated the Mexicans. We had a very bad experience that we stopped at a restaurant in New Braunfels then, and they wouldn't allow my mother or my sister because they had darker skin than I did. And that my father. As Mexican Americans, we were discriminated. And this is why my father took it very serious about the Spanish radio and television. To educate our own people. They should defend themselves, and the airwaves are ours.

[A]

That was Irma Cortes Nicolas, the daughter of Raul Cortes, who was the founder of KCOR, the first Spanish language radio in the U.S. he also went on to create the country's first TV network in Spanish. But as his grandson says, that was

[C]

another big fight that we can save for another time.

[A]

That was Guillermo Nicolas. He was speaking to me. Stefania Gotzer for Witness History from the BBC World Service. Please let your friends know about Witness History. And if you're interested in hearing more personal stories about Mexican Americans, why not listen to our episode about the braceros. It was a scheme to bring Mexican workers to the US legally. And guess what? Raul Cortes was one of the people who lobbied to get it signed. And while you're listening, make sure you hit subscribe wherever you get your BBC podcasts. Thank you for listening. Bye.

[E]

A moment in time captured by what they heard.

[D]

I heard some people making phone calls.

[B]

Okay, which Runway would you like at Teterboro?

[E]

We're going to begin to what they saw.

[D]

I put my head down. I saw the movie of my life, Started going through my head what they smelt. I still remember the smell of the

[A]

fresh fish and I completely lost my appetite.

[E]

Moments captured which last for a lifetime.

[D]

Scientists have made the atomic bomb that

[A]

sort of flash set on fire the

[C]

birds and they all fell down without their feathers.

[D]

On the way was clear for Hitler to realize all his demonic plans.

[E]

Stories from people with first hand accounts of events that have shaped our world.

[D]

At the end, Kissinger called me into

[C]

his office and he said he did a good job. I left the office with tears in my eyes.

[B]

She called me and told me I'm doing Studio 54. She had already become a star in Paris. She came back a superstar.

[E]

Listen now. Search for witness history wherever you get your BBC podcasts.