Emilio Nicolas Sr. facts for kids

Emilio Nicolas Sr. (born October 27, 1930 – died October 12, 2019) was an important American businessman. He is known for helping to create one of the first Spanish-language television stations in the United States. Nicolas started KWEX-TV in San Antonio. This station became a key part of the network that we now know as Univision.

A Pioneer in Spanish TV

Early Life and Studies

Emilio Nicolas Sr. was born in Frontera, Coahuila, Mexico in 1930. He first came to the United States to learn English. He attended St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas.

In 1951, he earned a bachelor's degree in biology and chemistry. He also studied math. The next year, in 1952, he earned a master's degree from Trinity University in San Antonio. After his studies, he worked as a researcher. He studied diseases like arteriosclerosis and also worked on the polio vaccine.

Starting in Radio

In 1955, Nicolas joined KCOR. This was America's first radio station that broadcast only in Spanish. He worked there as a producer and director for news. During the day, he managed the news team. At night, he created live shows.

About half of KCOR's programs were live. They featured many talented performers from Mexico. These shows were often broadcast from the KXTN radio station studios. Both stations aired the programs at the same time.

The station was very popular with Mexican and Spanish-speaking people in San Antonio. However, advertisers did not see the value in this audience. They did not use the station for their promotions. At that time, Hispanic viewers were not counted in TV ratings. Many viewers were also careful about sharing their heritage. They feared discrimination if they said they watched Spanish-language media.

Building a TV Network

In 1961, Raoul A. Cortez sold KCOR-TV. He had spent a lot of money on live talent. But he received little support from advertisers. Nicolas and a group of investors bought the station. Nicolas renamed it KWEX. This station became the main center for the Spanish International Network. This network was the first version of what is now Univision. The original KCOR-AM radio station kept its name. It continued to broadcast Spanish-language programs.

Nicolas made KWEX special. He set it up to send content across the country using satellites. This was a new idea at the time. Later, other big news channels like CNN and Fox News used a similar method.

The Spanish International Network (SIN) grew bigger. In 1981, it started airing a national Spanish-language TV newscast. In the 1980s, the network was sold to Hallmark Cards. Later, it became Univision. In 2006, the National Association of Broadcasters honored Nicolas and Cortez. They were recognized for their important work. They brought Hispanic programming to America.

Making a Difference

In the 1960s, Nicolas worked hard to convince the U.S. Congress. He successfully pushed for a law that changed television sets. This law made sure all TVs could receive both VHF and UHF signals. This was important for viewers to get more channels.

In 1975, Nicolas started the Teleton Navideno. This was a televised event to raise money. The money helped people in San Antonio who were less fortunate during the holidays.

He was also the Chairman of the National Association of Spanish Broadcasters. He served on the boards of many important organizations. These included the University of the Incarnate Word, the Southwest Foundation, and the Moody College of Communication. He also served on the boards of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce.

His Legacy

In 2019, the main building of Texas Public Radio was renamed. It was named in honor of Nicolas and his wife, Irma.

Emilio Nicolas Sr. passed away on October 12, 2019. He was 88 years old and died in San Antonio.