Radio Garcia-Serra

Radio Garcia-Serra was a Cuban radio station founded in 1929.

History

Jorge Garcia-Serra founded Radio Garcia-Serra in Havana, Cuba in late 1929.[1] The radio station was the second radio station established in Havana, and transmitted under the call letters CMCU at a frequency of 660 kc[2] which, at the time and throughout the 1950s, was the only frequency with a clear international frequency that could not be blocked or interfered.^[citation needed]

In the early stages, Radio Garcia-Serra broadcast music and on-air novellas written by distinguished Cuban and Spanish writers of the time.[3][4]

During the late 1940s and 1950s, the children of Jorge Garcia-Serra owned and managed the radio station, and Roberto Garcia-Serra[5] was named the General Manager.

In the late 1940s, when studio live radio-broadcast performances were common, Radio Garcia-Serra broadcast a program at 5 PM called “Tea Hour” (Hora del Té) where Celia Cruz, the world-famous singer and representative of Cuba, had her beginnings.

Also making a debut in Radio Garcia-Serra in that same year was Fajardo y sus Estrellas.[6] Other late 1950s studio live performances included, Orquesta Aragón, Orquesta Sensación y Barbarito Diez.

References

1. Sierra, Mayra Cue. "Los inicios del drama radial cubano".
2. "Mocavo and Findmypast are coming together - findmypast.com". www.mocavo.com.
3. "CUBA - LA JIRIBILLA". www.lajiribilla.co.cu.
4. "Portal of the Cuban Radio in the Internet". www.cubanradio.cu.
5. Cuban Broadcasting Networks
6. "Con tan selecto colectivo de músicos, la Orquesta Fajardo y sus Estrellas debutó el 15 de septiembre de ese año en Radio García Serra, Después, se presentó en los cabarets Montmartre y Tropicana, así como en hotel Havana Hilton (hoy Habana Libre)".