RCN Radio (Radio Cadena Nacional, "National Radio Network") It is a Colombian radio conglomerate. It is owned by the Organización Ardila Lülle.
History
It was officially founded on April 18, 1949, by Enrique and Roberto Ramírez, the owners of the *Emisora Nueva Granada* in Bogotá and *La Voz de Medellín*. Together with *Radio Pacífico* in Cali, these stations were set to broadcast the first Eucharistic Congress in Cali—originally intended for just those two cities. Due to the magnitude of the event, however, various radio stations across the country expressed interest in broadcasting it.
The Bogotá-based station Emisora Nueva Granada originally broadcast on the 950 kHz medium-wave frequency (station HJKL) and the 6160 kHz shortwave frequency (station HJKJ) within the 49-meter international band.
Shortly after the consolidation of Radio Cadena Nacional (RCN), Emisora Nueva Granada moved its signal from 950 kHz to 610 kHz on the dial. Later, in July 1983, it swapped frequencies with its sister station, Radio Tequendama, which had originally operated at 770 kHz.
During the 1970s, RCN undertook a major expansion phase by acquiring various frequencies and music stations that had previously belonged to the Todelar network. Notable among these were Radio El Sol in Cali, Emisoras Monserrate (650 kHz), and Radio Tequendama in Bogotá (acquired in 1978). Regarding the latter, it is worth noting that it had begun operations under the Todelar banner in 1968, with studios located at Carrera 8 No. 17-33 (5th floor) in downtown Bogotá; following its acquisition by RCN in 1978, its headquarters were relocated to Carrera 13A No. 13A-19. Additionally, the network managed other radio formats in Bogotá, such as Radio Mundial (1370 AM), Calidad 1340 AM—which later adopted the name Radio El Sol—and La Voz de la Sabana, which was reformatted in the late 1980s to launch the music station Radio Uno.
Regarding the Frequency Modulation (FM) band, RCN was a pioneer in initially using this technology for internal links and programming interconnection between its stations; it even experimented with joint broadcasts alongside Colombia's National Broadcasting Service (La Radio Difusora Nacional de Colombia) in 1950, installing an antenna and transmission equipment on Bogotá's Monserrate Hill with the support of the then-Ministry of Posts and Telegraphs.
However, following the commercial regulations issued by the Ministry of Communications, the company ventured into commercial FM broadcasting with the 1979 launch of "La Voz de los Cerros"—renamed "Cerros Estéreo" in 1982—on the 93.9 FM frequency. During that same decade, regional stations such as Boyacá Estéreo, Cali Estéreo, Medellín Estéreo, and RCN Estéreo were launched in various cities across the country.
On December 15, 1983, journalist and former Inravisión director Gustavo Castro Caicedo was appointed president of Radio Cadena Nacional (RCN) by the board of directors, chaired by Carlos Julio Ardila. He became the first journalist in the history of Colombian broadcasting to hold this position, succeeding Ricardo Londoño.
Under his leadership, the network implemented a major technical, financial, and professional restructuring known as "RCN 84." This initiative increased the transmission power of its 69 stations, revamped programming—introducing new segments for children and older adults based on a national listener survey—and hired nearly thirty professionals, including journalist Juan Gossain as national news director, with the aim of competing directly with Caracol Radio.
Starting December 15, 1983, RCN implemented a comprehensive restructuring under the guidance of Germán Castro Caicedo, who served as an advisor to the presidency. The process included renaming the station "RCN 84," increasing its power to 50 kilowatts, and modernizing its technical studios following a year-long equipment installation phase.
As part of a revamp aimed at competing in the national radio market, a journalism and programming team was assembled that included prominent figures such as Juan Gossaín—who took up his duties in February 1984—Jorge Graciano, Francisco Tulande, General Álvaro Valencia Tovar, Margot Ricci, Alfonso Morillo, Antonio Ibáñez, Darío Silva, Heliodoro Otero, Jorge Antonio Vega, Edgar Oviedo, Ernesto Rojas Ochoa, and Hernán Castrillón Restrepo, among other talents. Additionally, a research team comprising Álvaro Vélez, Amparo Figueroa, Martha Lucía Sánchez, and María Hinestroza was established to analyze audience trends.
Colombian journalist Juan Gossaín was appointed director of the RCN national news program, a position he assumed on February 12, 1984, alongside Alfonso Morillo as deputy director and Jorge Graciano as news editor. Previously, Gossaín had worked for media outlets such as Caracol Radio and *Noticiero Uno*.
The new programming lineup debuted with a continuous promotional campaign and the launch of various news and entertainment programs. Highlights included *Al calor de la noche*, *Colombia la nuestra*, *Momento deportivo*, *Ojo insólito*, *Nocturna RCN 84*, the special *12 días con RCN*, the *Protagonistas* segment, a weekly program titled *Siete Días RCN*, and other content such as specials produced in collaboration with national and international correspondents. The instrumental or stylized music format of Radio Horizonte Bogotá (540 AM) was relaunched nationwide on August 24, 1984, at 7:00 PM, immediately following the broadcast coverage of the ceasefire agreement reached between the national government and the M-19 and EPL guerrilla groups in Corinto, Cauca.
During that period, Jairo Alonso Vargas became the network's signature voice. Towards the end of the 1980s, he was succeeded by Álvaro Javier Palacios; in 1993, the role of official announcer was taken over by Jaime Martínez (R.I.P.).
In 1988, RCN created the "Boleros" format after acquiring Bogotá Estéreo (90.9 FM), a frequency that had belonged to Cadena Radial Auténtica and—between 1984 and 1988—had been operated by Cadena Radial Melodía. As part of the deal, RCN Radio transferred two AM stations to Cadena Radial Auténtica: Radio Horizonte (or Emisoras Horizonte, 540 AM) and Radio Mundial (1370 AM). Other key acquisitions included the iconic Anglo rock and pop station "Stereo 1-95" (94.9 FM), which became the "Rumba Estéreo" network in 1987, thereby consolidating its presence across multiple cities.
The renewal process continued in 1994 with the discontinuation of the Bogotá Estéreo and Boleros FM brands, making way for the new youth-oriented station "La Mega," which launched simultaneously in Bogotá, Medellín, Cartagena, Bucaramanga, and Cali.
RCN Radio began its technological modernization process in the early 1990s, adapting to global trends in the radio industry. As part of this evolution, the network experimentally implemented AM Stereo technology using Motorola's C-QUAM system on its flagship Bogotá frequency (770 AM). However, this pilot project did not succeed commercially nor achieve widespread adoption in the country, due to the lack of official regulations from the Ministry of Communications and a shortage of compatible receivers in the domestic market.
Concurrently, the organization transformed its telecommunications infrastructure by adopting satellite links via the Intelsat system, enabling the simultaneous, real-time interconnection of its stations across the country. This technological integration was complemented by the digitization of its newsrooms through the adoption of early software systems for receiving feeds from international news agencies, thereby replacing the traditional teleprinter system with TELEX.
These innovations optimized the operations of the RCN News Service, improving journalistic response times, streamlining content distribution, and consolidating an integrated national broadcasting network.
RCN Radio pioneered sports broadcasts—such as the *Vuelta a Colombia* cycling race, Colombian First Division (Categoría Primera A) soccer matches, and the FIFA World Cup—under the *Fútbol RCN* banner. For certain matches, it simulcasts with the station Antena 2; in Barranquilla, it links with Radio Uno for Colombian league games and Colombia national team matches, whereas in other cities along the coast, Radio Uno broadcasts only Colombia national team games.
RCN Radio ceased broadcasting on the 93.9 FM frequency (serving Bogotá) at 00:00 hours on August 1, 2025, following the conclusion of the program *Nocturna RCN con Julián Parra*. Its programming was subsequently replaced by La FM Plus; however, its main signal on 770 AM continued until 04:30 hours to accommodate the *LA FM de RCN* newscast, after which a looped audio announcement regarding the programming changes was broadcast from the main control room.
On August 4, 2025, RCN Radio implemented a nationwide reorganization of its station network. La FM became the company's flagship network, progressively taking over the frequencies previously held by the original station—primarily on the FM band. Meanwhile, the station Alerta... Alerta]] replaced La Cariñosa on all its frequencies and also began broadcasting on some of RCN Radio's AM repeater stations. Other stations, such as Radio Red and Radio Cristal, began rebroadcasting the programming of Radio Uno in their respective cities. (more information under Milestones, Corporate Restructuring, and the Digital Era)
Milestones
The first headquarters of the Nueva Granada station—which featured its own radio theater—was located on Carrera 15 (Nos. 13-55 and 13-67) in Bogotá. Later, some of its stations relocated to other areas within what is now the Santa Fe district in the capital's city center.
In the early 1950s, following the introduction of frequency modulation (FM) and the importation of equipment from the United States and Central Europe, Radio Cadena Nacional interconnected its emerging stations; these included La Voz de Medellín, Radio Pacífico in Cali, and other stations in Bucaramanga and the Caribbean region.
Throughout its history, the network has covered events of both national and international significance. Its studios hosted interviews with figures from the worlds of the arts, politics, and religion. During the Radio Tequendama era, the company also organized contests and large-scale public events.
Clásico RCN
The Clásico RCN is a professional multi-stage cycling race held annually in Colombia since 1961; the inaugural edition was won by Rubén Darío Gómez. Although it originally consisted of two stages, the event evolved to comprise eleven. During the 1980s—coinciding with the boom in Colombian cycling driven by athletes such as Fabio Parra and Lucho Herrera—the competition gained international prominence and earned the popular nickname "The Clash of Titans."
Audience Engagement and Musical Programming
In the 1960s, stations such as Todelar (featuring programs like *El Club del Clan*) and Radio 15—led by Alfonso Lizarazo and Carlos Pinzón—emerged and helped launch the careers of local artists such as Mariluz, Oscar Golden, Vicky, Los Flippers, The Speakers, Harold, and Billy Pontony.
Subsequently, Radio Tequendama 770 AM (operated by Todelar between 1968 and 1978) established itself as a youth-oriented station, focusing on broadcasting Anglo-American rock and Spanish-language ballads. Its most popular programs included *La Guerra de Disjockeys*, *Buenos Días*, *Viejo Sol*, *Estrellas en Concierto*, and *Música a la Orden*.