Hispanic Media Pioneer Eduardo Caballero Dies

In 1962, he arrived in New York from Cuba, seeking opportunity in a democracy after fleeing the regime of Fidel Castro. He ended up as a radio sales executive for WBNX-AM, which would become the first station in the nation’s biggest market to air Spanish-language programming for the majority of its broadcast hours.

Today, he’s remembered for his roles in both radio and television that helped create the U.S. Hispanic media landscape of today. Eduardo Caballero, known as “The Godfather of Hispanic Marketing & Radio,” has died.

Caballero’s early career success saw him take the role of EVP/Director of Sales of Spanish International Network, the predecessor to Univision. In 1975 he began Caballero Spanish Media, a rep firm.

After selling Caballero Spanish Network, and acquiring Spanish-language radio rights to Major League Baseball’s World Series, he partnered with MTV by producing and syndicating a network-branded radio product en español. He wasn’t done with taking a successful cable brand and adapting it to a Spanish-language radio audience. Working with Turner Broadcasting, Caballero created and syndicated CNN Radio Noticias. He also played a role in the creation of the predecessor of MTV Tr3s, a U.S. Hispanic version of the music television network.

Caballero is survived by a son, Luis Angel, a Virginia businessman; and daughter Rosamaria, an entrepreneur and a graduate of Wellesley and Georgetown Law.

In May 2009, Radio Ink awarded Caballero the “2009 Medallas de Cortez Lifetime Achievement in Hispanic Radio” and dedicated that month’s issue to his accomplishments in Spanish-language radio.

Radio Ink Publisher/President Deborah Parenti said, “Eduardo Caballero’s impact on Hispanic media is beyond significant. He was a pioneer, an innovator, and a wonderfully kind gentleman. He will be missed by many but never forgotten.”

Another tribute to Caballero came from Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth Managing Partner Frank Montero:

“Eduardo Caballero was one of the icons of Spanish radio in the United States. The roster of alumni who once worked with Eduardo at Caballero Spanish Media reads like a “Who’s Who” of Hispanic broadcasting in the US.  He later went on to found Caballero Television and was inducted as one of the “Giants” by the Library of American Broadcasting.  Eduardo Caballero helped define the Spanish broadcasting industry and helped mold it into the powerful force it is today. On a personal level, he was a warm and elegant gentleman and he was not just my client but he was also my dear friend. I am also close friends with his daughter Rosamaria. Always well-spoken and well-dressed, Eduardo’s trademark was the silhouette of Don Quixote and he wore that symbol on his business card, his tie clip, and his cufflinks. I once asked him at a lunch why he chose Don Quixote as his logo, ‘Is it because you’re chasing windmills?’ I asked, and Eduardo replied to me ‘No, it’s because I fight giants’.”