It is the corporation's flagship radio station, and is known for broadcasting mainstream and generalist programming, including news bulletins, current affairs, sports and entertainment.

It was launched on 19 January 1937 as Franco's official radio under the department of propaganda during the Spanish Civil War.

The station was initially simply referred to as "Radio Nacional de España".

Its headquarters and main production center is in Casa de la Radio at Prado del Rey in Pozuelo de Alarcón.

Although almost all its programming is in Spanish and is the same for all of Spain, RNE has territorial centers in every autonomous community and produces and broadcasts some local programming in regional variations in each of them, such as local news bulletins, in the corresponding co-official language.