Havana, Cuba. - Vocation, discipline and persistence have been the keys to the professional advancement of Radio Cadena Habana's program director, Carlos Rene Delgado. He first involved himself with microphones and radio booths during his senior high school stage, in the municipality of Sagua de Tanamo, province of Holguin. He was the leading voice of the radio newscast of his school and then (1995), spokesman for the Federation of High School Students in Moa radio station (CMKV), which he regards as his school. "That's where I decided to take my chances on the radio,” he said.
When “Radio Ecos de Sagua” was founded, he began in juvenile and musical programs as a collaborator, although he was still a senior high school student.
In late 2001, he followed the advice of radio shows director Camilo Velazco, who had asked him before to be an announcer in Moa local radio. He began to work in “La Voz del Niquel.” For the unpretending young boy, that radio station was a paradigm. There he did, with his colleague Kenia Legra, night music show “Calentando los motores.” He also worked in two of the most popular shows of the station at the time: “Minas del Ritmo” and “Sabado Contigo.” There, and until 2004, he received his first lessons of radio announcing and knew the rigor of the trade.
But the show that marked him in “La Voz del Niquel” was “Cancionero Mexicano”, which aired from 7:00 to 7:30 am every day and allowed him to interact with the audience.
Then he spent some time at Radio Ecos de Sagua, as announcer and scriptwriter, and at “Telecristal” TV channel, where he was the founder and newsreel anchorman of Holguín, with which he won an award at the National Festival of provincial TV channels.
He spent seven years working in Holguin TV, before coming to Havana, Carlos Rene said, and emphasizes that those were years of much learning. "If “La Voz del Niquel”, in Moa was my school in the world of radio, Telecristal was the same in the world of television."
He studied Social Communication at Holguin University and graduated at Havana University. He had taken a reorientation course as a journalist and as such began to work in the capital city. “Estaciones”, of Radio Rebelde was his first show on national radio, next to her colleague Virgen Ojeda. Then he made “Musica Viva”, and then Radio Rebelde newscast, as alternate announcer. He worked in that radio station for about six months. Then he began his story with Radio Cadena Habana (RCH), where he began as announcer in “Convergencia Sonora” program. Then, already trained as director, he was given the baton of “Esta Noche” show, where he was also scriptwriter; while directing and hosting the “Escalada Maxima” show. He gave these shows his hallmark: "My style is dynamic; I like to convey that emotion to the audience."
Then he felt a professional urge as journalist and started working in Prensa Latina (2006), in the TV section, then on radio, website and different departments of the news agency. “Prensa Latina is a school for every journalist.”
He reached “Enterese”, in RCH, in October 2018, as director and host. It was a challenge, because it is a program already positioned for the audience, in the program grid:
“Enterese” has its own style and its strategy. The first stage has been, on the existing basis, to adapt it to new contemporary trends and imbue it my own style, thus achieving the connection program-artist-listener. We have also opened the spectrum, he said, because troubadours, comedians, Salsa singers, Soneros, or bolero singers come here. "We have brought Candido Fabre, “Maravillas de Florida”, Erick Sanchez, Maikel Blanco, among others who are not as well-known, but who need a space to promote their musical work."
Carlos Rene’s career can be traversed as an rising staircase, every step based on the previous one and lifting it to a higher level. This staircase keeps rising; because Carlos Rene considers himself an eternal apprentice. He is an apprentice who confesses that takes his chances 100 % on Cuban music’s radio station.
Translated by Pedro A. Fanego
