Bernardo Hoyos, “The symbol of cultural journalism,” died Thursday night from pulmonary complications after giving Colombia news for over five decades.
Hoyos, 78, was hospitalized for 15 days in intensive care for a pulmonary infection before passing away Thursday night in Colombia’s capital Bogota, Caracol Radio reported.
“We are all very sad and miss him because he was a very important person for all of us, for the culture of this country, the figure of Bernardo was supremely important,” said Cecilia Maria Velez, rector of the University where Hoyos was also a professor.
Hoyos began working in radio as early as 1948 as a cultural radio announcer on Radio Bolivariana. Afterwards, he started collaborating with Caracol Radio in the early 1960’s and had been working for various radio programs ever since, focusing on Colombia’s culture with a passion in music and cinema. He also led several television networks on programs such as “Royal Box,” “Books and Readers” and “This Is Your Life.”
Bernardo Hoyos was a lawyer, journalist and cinephile, and will be remembered by Colombians as “the voice of culture.”