Pablo de Jesús Colón Jr., a driving force in Connecticut”™s Spanish-language radio industry, died April 29 at the age of 86.
Born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, de Jesús Colón began his broadcasting career in his homeland before moving to Puerto Rico in 1961, where he became an on-air presence at two radio stations. He moved to Hartford in 1969 to join WLVH-FM, where he worked as a radio announcer, program director, sales manager and executive vice president.
In 1989, he left WLVH and, with his wife, Migdalia, cofounded Radio Cumbre Broadcasting in Bridgeport, making them the first Hispanics to own a Connecticut broadcasting outlet. Located on the dial at WCUM 1450-AM, the station became Fairfield County”™s primary source of Spanish-language entertainment and information, with de Jesús Colón serving as its president and chief executive.
He also hosted a Bridgeport-area cable TV show and founded the Latino-themed Gran Festival held annually at Bridgeport”™s Seaside Park. In 2015, de Jesús Colón was among the first group inducted into the Connecticut Broadcaster”™s Association Hall of Fame.
