Radio America (Honduras)

Radio in Honduras began in 1928, when the Tela Railroad Company established Tropical Radio. The first commercial radio station, Radio HRN, began broadcasting in 1933.

In August 1920 a group known as Los Chicos del Coliseo began broadcasting from Teatro Coliseo in Buenos Aires, but it would take many years for radio to arrive in places such as the isthmus of Central America. In Honduras, radio experimentation had begun with local transmissions. American companies (known as bananeras) were just a few of the companies providing employment before and after World War II.

In 1928 the Tela Railroad Company (one of the two major railroads) had received a license to establish a radio station (known as Tropical Radio). It broadcast on the 51-meter shortwave band, and HRB (La Voz del Trópico) was the first radio station in Honduras. HRB was not a "commercial" radio station. It was a medium for the Tela Railroad Company to broadcast its own bulletins.

It also played recorded music and featured live performances by local talent (including the Sisters Cordova and pianist Guadalupe Ferrari Hartling), marimba bands, singers, poets and other artists. HRB did not last long, but it inspired several individuals to keep the broadcasting flame alive.

Rafael Ferrari Garcia, an entrepreneur with great ambitions but little money, sold everything he owned to embark on a risky plan; he received permission to install the first commercial radio station in Tegucigalpa. It was known as La Voz del Comercio; to maintain its operation, he obtained commercial sponsorship from local businesses (retail and professional) and government agencies. From this HRN (La Primera Emisora del País) was born; Ferrari was credited as the first radio personality in Honduras.

The station was founded on November 1, 1933. Kenneth See and Paul John were the principal technical engineers and attorney Manuel Bonilla Rodriguez, Nicholas Odeh, Rodolfo Brevé Martinez and Ferrari were the station’s staff announcers. Bonilla Rodriguez was the first to broadcast a soccer game in 1935 between a Costa Rican team and Club Motagua, a renowned Honduran team. Assisting Bonilla as engineer was Nat Lopez Fuentes, from a family radio dynasty known nationwide.

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