HISTORY OF RADIO IN MEXICO - HISTORY - 2025

The history of radio in Mexico began with listeners in the early twentieth century, and went through stages of commercial impulse, hand in hand with an industry led by visionary entrepreneurs. The first massive broadcasts took place in the 1920s.

The radio had times of state control under different governments, and it worked for cultural development from community radio stations. In Mexico, radio developed almost at the same time as in the rest of Latin America.

The transformations that the radio followed were also part of the evolution that the medium required in all countries. To this day, its expansion continues to develop.

Currently, Mexico has around 1,750 radio stations that provide content for 98% of the Mexican population.

History of radio

In 1894 Guillermo Marconi marked the beginning of radio activity by transmitting the first electromagnetic signals without wiring. At first its use would be military and naval; however, the use of this technology expanded in a very short time.

Just around the turn of the century, Reginald Fessenden made the first wireless audio transmission in 1906. On the broadcast he sent the sound of his violin playing and read a passage from the Bible.

A year later, Fessenden managed to expand the amplification of the signal through the use of tubes. This determined the expansion of radio as a universal medium.

These experiments that gave birth to radio were based on the scientific advances of the late 19th century. At first it was Maxwell who, through his document A dynamic theory of the electromagnetic field, managed to describe the characteristics and propagation of electromagnetic waves.

In 1888 Heinrich Hertz demonstrated the possibility of manipulating this propagation in ways similar to light waves. This discovery was honored through the definition of these waves as Hertzian waves.

First radio broadcasts in Mexico

As in the rest of Latin America, Mexican radio was developed at the beginning of the 1920s and in the hands of radio fans. In Mexico, the development occurred in several cities simultaneously.

First transmission

The first massive radio transmission in Mexico was the broadcast of the celebrations of the hundred years of Mexican Independence after the signing of the Treaty of Córdoba, in 1921.

The same year, the Mexican government created the first radio station, the same day that the Gómez Fernández brothers created the second. The first had the direction of Agustín Flores and was in charge of transmitting the Centennial International Commercial Exhibition, from Mexico City.

Months later, radio stations were created in almost the entire Mexican territory. Mexico City, Ciudad Juárez, Pachuca, Chihuahua, Cuernavaca, San Luis Potosí, Guadalajara and Morelia had stations in 1922.

That same year, an association was formed that brought together stations from all over the country, known as the National Radio League, later renamed the Central Mexican Radio League.

This association was in charge of raising a petition to the government of President Obregón to authorize the installation of more radio stations. The government agreed and in May 1923 the presidential project was finalized.

First stations

Between 1921 and 1930 the stations CYL (from Raúl Azcárraga), CYB (later XEB, from José Reynosa), CYX (later XEX, from El Excélsior), CZE (later XFX, from the Ministry of Public Education), among others, were founded., in Mexico City.

CZF (later XFF) in Chihuahua, CYY (later XEY) in Mérida and CYF (later XEF) in Oaxaca, among others, were also founded.

Consolidation

Starting in 1930, radio was consolidated in the Mexican population. In that year radio began to be used as an information medium; Mexico established this modality being one of the pioneer countries in the world.

The first news information service was created by XEN, World Radio, directed by Félix Palavicini. After five years of being owned by General Electric, Palavicini acquired it and ran it as a news radio station during 1930.

Advertising and self-financing

That same year XEW was born, initiating a new radio period. Emilio Azcárraga Vidaurreta created this station in order to make it profitable.

In the past, stations were created for scientific, entertainment or cultural dissemination purposes. However, the birth of radio as a business revolutionized the industry and consolidated it throughout the country.

XEW is a pioneer in marketing and advertising design, which achieved self-financing through product advertisements and greatly expanded its market and radio reach. She soon positioned herself as a radio leader, making it very clear in her slogan "The voice of Latin America from Mexico."

Licensing

In 1931 the Mexican government began to have control of the licenses, granting them for a duration of 50 years. In 1933 the broadcasting of advertisements was also regulated, limiting them to 10% of radio content.

State Radio

In 1937 the government implemented a social communication policy through the Autonomous Department of Press and Advertising. In addition to managing the state stations and supervising the advertising of private stations, this department installed two radio stations: XEDP and XEXA.

They were in charge of the transmission of government broadcasts. There was born “La hora nacional”, a space broadcast on the national chain communicating government activities.

1940s

Radio stations in Mexico expanded throughout the national territory. Radio stations in the interior began to receive large advertising investments and the consolidation of the medium was inevitable.

During the 1940s, plans for affiliation with the stations began to emerge, so that in addition to the advertising pattern, the radios were also financially nourished by their listeners.

Decades of the 50s and 60s

The 1950s saw the emergence of Frequency Modulation (FM) and television. At first it was believed that television would replace radio as the leading medium. However, until today radio leads consumption in Mexico.

XHFM Radio Joya was the first FM station in the country. It was born in Mexico City in 1952 and had to close in 1957 after the damage caused by the earthquake.

During these decades, government activity in radio broadcasts decreased. At the same time, live broadcasts began to be replaced by streaming recorded music. Advances in music recording and reproduction technologies provided considerable improvements to radio quality.

Non-commercial radio

25% of radios in Mexico are for non-commercial use. There are four categories: radio for public use, university radio, social-community radio and social-indigenous radio.

Public radio

Public radio stations generally have a tighter budget than commercial radio stations. However, public and governmental institutions maintain a great diffusion throughout the country. The Mexican Institute of Radio and Radio Education are some of the important public stations.

University radio

Both public and private universities have multiple broadcasting stations. Some of the most important are Radio UNAM (first university radio) and the radio of the Autonomous University of San Luis de Potosí, among others.

Community radio

Despite the government persecution of these stations, the modality has managed to survive and today it stands out in the radio community. The first station was created in 1999 during a UNAM strike.

Indigenous radio

In 1979 the first indigenous radio was born. Today, the government administers the Indigenous Cultural Radio Broadcasting System. This system manages 25 AM and FM stations in 31 indigenous languages.

Themes of interest

History of radio in Colombia.

References

1. (1960). Federal Law of Radio and Television.
2. Maclaurin, WR (1949). Invention and Innovation in the Radio Industry. The Macmillan Company.
3. Mexico, hd (1996). Minimal history of radio in Mexico (1920–1996).
4. Solis, AC (2007). With permission: community radio in Mexico. Friedrich-Eber Foundation.
5. UPI. (January 21, 1960). Mexico Adopts Radio-TV Code. Los Angeles Times.