SAN ANTONIO, Oct. 13, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Emilio Nicolas Sr., one of the founding pioneers of Spanish-language television in the United States, died on Saturday, October 12, 2019 at his home in San Antonio, Texas. News of his passing was announced Saturday by the family’s publicist, Leslie Komet Ausburn with Komet Communications.
Nicolas was born on October 27, 1930, to Mr. and Mrs. Constantino Nicolas in Frontera, Coahuila, Mexico. He is one of five children. He was, until the past few years, still working with his son Guillermo and enjoying life in San Antonio, Texas, and on his ranch with his wife of 66 years, Irma Alicia Cortez Nicolas. A trailblazer in the community and the media industry, Nicolas leaves behind a legacy of countless civic contributions and several Spanish-language broadcast television networks, including Univision, America’s first.
After finishing high school in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, in 1948, Nicolas came to San Antonio, Texas, to learn English and seek an undergraduate degree in chemistry and biology with a minor in math from St. Mary’s University in 1951 and in 1952 a master’s degree from Trinity University in 1952. Upon graduation, Nicolas went to work for Southwest Foundation, doing research on arteriosclerosis, the hardening of the arteries. He also worked in the development of the polio vaccine.
In 1955, Nicolas was hired to work at KCOR-TV, a Spanish television station in San Antonio founded by his legendary father-in-law Raoul Cortez. It is there that Nicolas began his storied career in television and media. Nicolas, or “Nicky”, as he was known to close associates, produced the live shows at night and directed the news departments of the radio and television stations during the day. In the mid-sixties, he also handled the Spanish advertising and production for all clients of Pitluk Advertising, San Antonio’s largest Agency at that time. During his six years at KCOR, Nicolas was regularly and swiftly promoted, eventually becoming the station’s president and general manager.
