Essay Preview: Keda
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History
KEDA (1540 AM) founded on March 17, 1966, by a Tejano radio pioneer, Manuel G. Davila. His first words on the opening day of his station were “KEDA está en el aire.” KEDA became the first Tejano station in the nation. Started off small, but nothing can stop Manuels goal to help the local tejano bands of San Antonio. Since radio stations refused to play their tracks. Manuel played all small bands albums on KEDA and most of them are stars today. Old and new musicians now had a place to call home. Many stations have come and gone. Radio formats change because of the bottom line. KEDA radios format has stayed the same. Radio was the means he used to help so many people that there is not enough time to tell you all that he did. But generations of families owe a lot to the man with the microphone. He loved giving, he found so much joy in working with and training some of best radio men and women in the industry today. He would give someone a chance of a lifetime to start a career in radio and beyond.
In 2008 KEDA was the longest-running and last remaining family-owned independent radio station in the San Antonio market; along with playing music, it maintained a connection to its roots through community-service programming. These efforts included the reading of obituaries on the air, as well as fundraisers for those who could not afford to bury their dead children
Manuel G. Davila passed away on July 12, 1997. Leaving the station to his wife and children. Currently, his youngest son, Albert Davila is president of KEDA