Watch Live TV from Cuba

Television arrived in Cuba on October 25, 1950. In the 1940s, Cuba's two largest radio stations, CMQ and RHC-Cadena Azul, announced they would soon start broadcasting television. Since building TV stations and broadcast networks from scratch was extremely expensive and complex, it took longer than expected. They were both beaten to the air by the tiny radio station, Union Radio. Gaspar Pumarejo, owner of Union Radio, built the new station in the Havana home and garage of a family named Mestre. Pumarejo set the inauguration of his TV station for October 24, 1950, which was Journalists Day in Cuba. After honoring the journalist, Cuba's President Carlos Prío Socarrás was shown mugging it up for the camera and playing the role of cameraman. After this event Union Radio's slogan became "Union Radio, primera en television, primera en popularidad" ("Union Radio, first in television, first in popularity"). Union Radio was quickly followed by CMQ, which began broadcasting December 18, 1950.