Angel Ramos (industrialist)
Encyclopedia
Angel Ramos was the founder of Telemundo
, the second largest Spanish-language
television network in the United States
.
. He was the only son born to Juan Ramón Ramos Vélez and Braulia Torres Giliberty, and only 3 years old when his father died. He was raised by his mother and an aunt, He finished his primary education, however in 1917, when he was 15 years old, he felt that in Manati he didn't have a future and left his home; he then moved to San Juan
, the capital city of Puerto Rico
.
While living in San Juan, he went to school at the Central High School and found a job in "El Mundo", a recently founded newspaper
. He started as a typesetter, and upon finishing high school, he quickly worked his way up in the company. In 1924, when he was 22 years old, he was promoted to the position of administrator.
he met his future wife, an Italian
girl by the name of Argentina Schifano. After they were married, the couple continued to live in Puerto Rico where Ramos's company was based.
Ramos founded WEMB-Radio El Mundo and within a period of two years he purchased another radio
station, WKAQ, thus establishing "Radio El Mundo" as the number 1 radio station in Puerto Rico which controlled 80% of the total air time.
". Ramos wanted to maintain a consistent branding between its properties using the "mundo" theme ("mundo" is the Spanish word for "world"). Telemundo's first television signal was transmitted on January 28, 1954. On August 22, 1955, Telemundo became a soap opera pioneer when it transmitted the first locally produced "telenovela" (soap opera
), titled "Ante la Ley", which included the participation of the renowned Puerto Rican actress, Lucy Boscana
. Argentina Ramos was active in her husband's newspaper, radio and television companies. They later set up a network in the former British colony of Guyana
, though it was not particularly successful it was an indication of his ambition being carried over into those who followed in his footsteps. Sadly, they failed in their attempt because Spanish was not a common language in that country.
. That year he was also named Citizen of the Year by the Puerto Rican Institute in New York. He was the President of the Executive Committee of the Interamerican Press Society.
. On April 14, 1983, Telemundo was sold to John Blair and Co. and on October 1987 it passed to the hands of Reliance, Inc; finally, in 2001, Telemundo became part of NBC Universal
and Telemundo is now the second largest Spanish speaking television network in the United States and, through its international channel
, is also seen in most of Latin-America.
The Angel Ramos Foundation provided a matching grant of one half the construction cost of the Arecibo Observatory
's visitor center which was named after Mr. Ramos.
Telemundo
Telemundo is an American television network that broadcasts in Spanish. The network is the second-largest Spanish-language content producer in the world, and the second-largest Spanish-language network in the United States, behind Univision....
, the second largest Spanish-language
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
television network in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Early years
Ramos was born into a poor family in the northern town of Manatí, Puerto RicoManatí, Puerto Rico
Manatí is a municipality of Puerto Rico in the northern coast, north of Morovis and Ciales; east of Florida and Barceloneta; and west of Vega Baja. Manatí is spread over 8 wards and Manatí Pueblo...
. He was the only son born to Juan Ramón Ramos Vélez and Braulia Torres Giliberty, and only 3 years old when his father died. He was raised by his mother and an aunt, He finished his primary education, however in 1917, when he was 15 years old, he felt that in Manati he didn't have a future and left his home; he then moved to San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
, the capital city of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
.
While living in San Juan, he went to school at the Central High School and found a job in "El Mundo", a recently founded newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
. He started as a typesetter, and upon finishing high school, he quickly worked his way up in the company. In 1924, when he was 22 years old, he was promoted to the position of administrator.
"El Mundo" newspaper
In 1944, Ramos purchased the newspaper's holding company thus and so became the sole owner and publisher. On a business trip to New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
he met his future wife, an Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
girl by the name of Argentina Schifano. After they were married, the couple continued to live in Puerto Rico where Ramos's company was based.
Ramos founded WEMB-Radio El Mundo and within a period of two years he purchased another radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
station, WKAQ, thus establishing "Radio El Mundo" as the number 1 radio station in Puerto Rico which controlled 80% of the total air time.
Telemundo
In 1954, Ramos founded the first Puerto Rican television station, WKAQ-TV that was transmitted through Channel 2 and which he named "TelemundoTelemundo
Telemundo is an American television network that broadcasts in Spanish. The network is the second-largest Spanish-language content producer in the world, and the second-largest Spanish-language network in the United States, behind Univision....
". Ramos wanted to maintain a consistent branding between its properties using the "mundo" theme ("mundo" is the Spanish word for "world"). Telemundo's first television signal was transmitted on January 28, 1954. On August 22, 1955, Telemundo became a soap opera pioneer when it transmitted the first locally produced "telenovela" (soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
), titled "Ante la Ley", which included the participation of the renowned Puerto Rican actress, Lucy Boscana
Lucy Boscana
Lucy Boscana was an actress and a pioneer in Puerto Rico's television industry.-Early years:Boscana was born in the city of Mayagüez which is located on the west coast of Puerto Rico. Her family moved to the United States when she was a child because of the economic crisis in the island...
. Argentina Ramos was active in her husband's newspaper, radio and television companies. They later set up a network in the former British colony of Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
, though it was not particularly successful it was an indication of his ambition being carried over into those who followed in his footsteps. Sadly, they failed in their attempt because Spanish was not a common language in that country.
Awards and recognitions
In 1950, Ramos was the recipient of the María Moors Cabot Award, bestowed upon him by Columbia UniversityColumbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. That year he was also named Citizen of the Year by the Puerto Rican Institute in New York. He was the President of the Executive Committee of the Interamerican Press Society.
Legacy
On September 1, 1960, Angel Ramos died in New York City of a cerebral hemorrhage. His wife Argentina became the head of El Mundo Enterprises. She established the Angel Ramos Foundation, which is now the largest private philanthropic foundation in Puerto Rico. In 1963, Argentina remarried and moved to Miami, FloridaMiami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
. On April 14, 1983, Telemundo was sold to John Blair and Co. and on October 1987 it passed to the hands of Reliance, Inc; finally, in 2001, Telemundo became part of NBC Universal
NBC Universal
NBCUniversal Media, LLC is a media and entertainment company engaged in the production and marketing of entertainment, news, and information products and services to a global customer base...
and Telemundo is now the second largest Spanish speaking television network in the United States and, through its international channel
Telemundo Internacional
Telemundo Puerto Rico, also known as Telemundo Internacional, is a Latin American cable channel.-Launch:Telemundo Internacional began in December 1994 as Telenoticias, Latin America's second 24-hour news channel that did not broadcast from Latin America...
, is also seen in most of Latin-America.
The Angel Ramos Foundation provided a matching grant of one half the construction cost of the Arecibo Observatory
Arecibo Observatory
The Arecibo Observatory is a radio telescope near the city of Arecibo in Puerto Rico. It is operated by SRI International under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation...
's visitor center which was named after Mr. Ramos.
See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- Rafael Perez PerryRafael Perez PerryRafael Pérez Perry , was a businessman and a pioneer in Puerto Rico's radio and television broadcasting industry. He owned one of the most successful radio stations on the island and in 1954 founded Puerto Rico's television Channel 11, which now is known as Tele Once and owned and operated by...