The Bexar County Heritage Center honored trailblazers of Latino media in a panel celebrating San Antonio’s role in Spanish-language broadcasting.
SAN ANTONIO — The birthplace of Spanish-language broadcasting in the United States marked a milestone Friday, September 12, as the Bexar County Heritage Center hosted a community panel honoring the trailblazers who changed Latino media forever.
The event, “From Bexar County to the Nation: The Trailblazing Legacy of Raoul A. Cortez, Emilio Nicolas Sr., & Martha Tijerina in Spanish-Language Media,” brought together community members, academics and journalists inside the Double Height Courtroom at 100 Dolorosa Street. It was held as part of the city’s Diez y Seis de Septiembre celebrations.
In 1946, San Antonio businessman Raoul A. Cortez launched KCOR-AM, the nation’s first full-time Spanish-language radio station. Less than a decade later, KCOR-TV (now KWEX) became the first full-time Spanish-language television station, providing Mexican American families with access to news, culture and representation.
Building on that foundation, Emilio Nicolas Sr. expanded Spanish-language broadcasting across the nation. In 1962, he co-founded the Spanish International Network (SIN), the first national Spanish-language television network. By 1976, KWEX and its sister stations were the first satellite-interconnected Spanish-language network, laying the groundwork for what is now Univision.
Panelists also recognized journalist Martha Tijerina, who broke barriers as one of the first women in Spanish-language TV news. Her reporting in the 1970s gave visibility to community issues and inspired generations of Latina journalists.
Reflecting on her career, Tijerina recalled challenges and exclusion she faced despite being a pioneer. “The time that I can talk about, why was it that I did not go to the network, and it wasn’t right? It was like close to 700 guests I remember… and you know what us said? Good family,” she told the audience.
Guillermo Nicolas, son of Emilio Nicolas Sr., emphasized her historic role: “Of course she was. That she was hired by my boss… somebody who is the first anchorwoman nationally. But that is the reason why it was wonderful, the experience when Nicolas and I started working for him in 1970.”
The impact of these pioneers continues to resonate. One speaker noted, “I’d like to congratulate Univision channel 41 and the Univision television network on their 70th anniversary. They started here in San Antonio, and they opened soon after KENS 5 did. And we’re very proud to be San Antonians and to still have Univision here representing the Hispanic community.”
The panel was accompanied by the opening of an exhibit, which runs through October 10 at the Bexar County Heritage Center. The display highlights San Antonio’s role in shaping Spanish-language media and its lasting influence nationwide.
Heritage Outreach Manager Mari Tamez said the free event was meant not just as a celebration but as a reminder of the ongoing fight for representation in media.