Television In Cuba
Television arrived to Cuba on October 14, 1950. In the 1940s, Cuba’s two largest radio stations, CMQ and RHC-Cadena Azul announced they would soon start broadcasting television. Since building TV stations and broadcast networks from scratch was extremely expensive and complex it took longer than expected. They were both beaten to the air by the tiny radio station, Union Radio. Gaspar Pumarejo, owner of Union Radio, built the new station in his Havana home and garage. Pumarejo set the inauguration of his TV station for October 24, 1950 which was Journalists Day in Cuba. After honoring the journalist, Cuba’s President Prio was shown mugging it up for the camera and playing the role of camera man. After this event Union Radio’s slogan became “Union Radio, primera en television, primera en popularidad” (”Union Radio, First in television, first in popularity”).Union Radio was quickly followed by CMQ which began broadcasting December 18, 1950.
Famous quotes containing the words television and/or cuba:
“There was a girl who was running the traffic desk, and there was a woman who was on the overnight for radio as a producer, and my desk assistant was a woman. So when the world came to an end, we took over.”
—Marya McLaughlin, U.S. television newswoman. As quoted in Women in Television News, ch. 3, by Judith S. Gelfman (1976)
“Bernstein: “Girls delightful in Cuba stop. Could send you prose poems about scenery but don’t feel right spending your money stop. There is no war in Cuba. Signed Wheeler.” Any answer?
Charles Foster Kane: Yes—Dear Wheeler, You provide the prose poems, I’ll provide the war.”
—Orson Welles (1915–1985)