San Antonio Loses Both Its Spanish-Language Sports Stations

[Gregg.]

Disney and Univision have invested in Spanish language sports radio networks, figuring this is a good way to get young male listeners. But in one of the biggest Spanish language markets, both networks have lost their outlets. Univision Deportes was dropped last month from 1350 KCOR, so it could be a Tejano station. The FM frequency at 107.5 switched to Rhythmic AC as KVBH. So KXTN-FM, for decades on that station, moved to AM 1350, displacing Deportes.

Meanwhile, FM 103.1 KHHL, which had been running ESPN Deportes, is now simulcasting La Ley 95.7 KLEY, a Regional Mexican outlet.

San Antonio still has two English language sports stations, 760 KTKR, owned by iHeart and running a mix of local and Fox Sports. And ESPN affiliate 1250 KZDC.

This means in the San Antonio market, with plenty of Spanish-speaking residents, some there for quite a few decades, there is no spoken word programming of any kind, not Sports, not Talk Radio, not News, nada.

 

[b-turner]

You are right about San Antonio being one of the largest Hispanic radio markets in the country but what I have learned is the Hispanic population is far from stereotypical. I came across many who were more comfortable with English although they could communicate and understand Spanish. I had several tell me Spanish is for speaking to one's grandparents and English was for about everything else. These were the same folks that grew up on English language Top 40 and were fans of Tejano but not so much other forms of Spanish language music. A large number spoke Spanglish, a really cool concept of saying the easiest to pronounce or better clarifying word no matter the language. I'd love for my mind to be capable of pulling that off but I didn't grow up in the culture. I think of a Houston former FM Tejano station that said KQQK in Spanish because it was easier to say and flowed well and the dial position in English for the same reason.

 

[davideduardo]

You are right about San Antonio being one of the largest Hispanic radio markets in the country but what I have learned is the Hispanic population is far from stereotypical. I came across many who were more comfortable with English although they could communicate and understand Spanish. I had several tell me Spanish is for speaking to one's grandparents and English was for about everything else. These were the same folks that grew up on English language Top 40 and were fans of Tejano but not so much other forms of Spanish language music. A large number spoke Spanglish, a really cool concept of saying the easiest to pronounce or better clarifying word no matter the language. I'd love for my mind to be capable of pulling that off but I didn't grow up in the culture. I think of a Houston former FM Tejano station that said KQQK in Spanish because it was easier to say and flowed well and the dial position in English for the same reason.

Only about one in five San Antonio Hispanics is Spanish dominant. Many... likely the majority... speak no more Spanish than can be found on a River Walk menu.