LatinX Voices

7From Grassroots to Big Business

The Emergence and Development of Hispanic/LatinX Radio in the U.S.

William Kinnally, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Radio-Television,University of Central Florida

People looking carefully at the history and development of Hispanic radio will see that an entrepreneurial spirit and desire to build a sense of community are at its core. Hispanic radio emerged in the early days of radio as one of many foreign-language media endeavors like newspapers and radio broadcasts in German, Polish, and even Lithuanian. These media outlets served as unique public voices in ethnic communities.¹ The Hispanic radio pioneers offered vibrant music, alternative news, and colorful personalities to audiences who largely lived in the American ...