Public Radio/TV in the Rio Grande Valley (South Texas)

[e-dawg]

Will RGV ever have a NPR and PBS affiliate? I know the RGV recently put PBS onto one of the subchannels that belongs to Entravision. How about an NPR station that serves the RGV?

 

[Gregg.]

The Rio Grande Valley (McAllen-Brownsville-Harlingen) is, I believe, the only sizable market with no NPR station. Apparently, no public broadcasting entity thinks such a service would be able to generate enough listener support.

In most rural or low population areas, a university or the state will run the NPR station with partial support from listeners and some from the state government. But there are no large universities in RGV. And the State of Texas likely will not step in either.

In Corpus Christi, a non-profit known as South Texas Public Broadcasting runs KEDT-TV 23 and KEDT-FM 90.3. Certainly RGV is part of "South Texas." Could South Texas Public Broadcasting put a simulcast FM station on the air which could cover RGV? Or maybe a few translators, one for McAllen, one for Brownsville and one for Harlingen? I'm sure they thought about it but ruled it out.

I suppose KEDT-TV is carried on RGV cable systems? Or maybe they import KLRN 9 from San Antonio?

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

The Rio Grande Valley (McAllen-Brownsville-Harlingen) is, I believe, the only sizable market with no NPR station. Apparently, no public broadcasting entity thinks such a service would be able to generate enough listener support.

In most rural or low population areas, a university or the state will run the NPR station with partial support from listeners and some from the state government. But there are no large universities in RGV. And the State of Texas likely will not step in either.

In Corpus Christi, a non-profit known as South Texas Public Broadcasting runs KEDT-TV 23 and KEDT-FM 90.3. Certainly RGV is part of "South Texas." Could South Texas Public Broadcasting put a simulcast FM station on the air which could cover RGV? Or maybe a few translators, one for McAllen, one for Brownsville and one for Harlingen? I'm sure they thought about it but ruled it out.

I suppose KEDT-TV is carried on RGV cable systems? Or maybe they import KLRN 9 from San Antonio?

I think you're exactly right.... with no large university and sparse population would be the service wouldnt get alot of listener support.

Im the PD for an NPR affiliate in rural Alaska and if it werent for federal/state funding, grants, etc wed never have survived 40 years. Business sponsorships and listener members wouldnt run this place but for maybe a few months a year, and at barebones levels.

Paul Walker
KSKO

 

[TheBigA]

Well this is interesting. Apparently there is a group that has organized to bring NPR back to the RGV. Here's the link:

Grassroots Public Radio RGV – Bringing NPR & More to the RGV

rgvpublicradio.org

When the news got out that Rio Grande Valley Educational Broadcasting, a subsidiary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brownsville, was selling the NPR broadcasting KJJF and KHID fm 88, a small group of supporters met in McAllen and decided to see if we could save the stations.

Grassroots Public Radio. The group had been meeting and raising funds regularly until the pandemic hit last March. From what I can see, they haven't met since. They seem to have some ideas. They just need a hand.

This story was just posted on their blog last month:

RGG: Gonzalez: My appointment to new select committee can help us bring back NPR, PBS – Grassroots Public Radio RGV

rgvpublicradio.org

 

[b-turner]

The Rio Grande Valley is a multiple county market and not at all sparsely populated. The biggest issue is coverage of a station. The next challenge is what percentage of the population would listen. NPR's format in a heavily Hispanic market like the Rio Grade Valley can work. The educated Hispanic would love an NPR affiliate in my opinion. Just how many are that 'educated Hispanic' in a heavily agricultural area like the Rio Grande Valley?

It would seem such a station cannot be a rimshot. I think population figures could churn enough supporters for at least a low budget NPR that relies more on NPR versus local programming. Acquiring the signal and and making that note monthly might be the biggest challenge. There will have to be translators. I'm thinking about two. You'll need some deep pockets given the usual public radio model but about year 3, you should have a pretty good picture of where your financials will land.

 

[TheBigA]

. You'll need some deep pockets given the usual public radio model but about year 3, you should have a pretty good picture of where your financials will land.

But when does that clock start? Because right now they have nothing. It may take them 3 years to just get to the point where they have a signal.

 

[Kent]

I seem to remember hearing the TV station was being sold and would go commercial, but I didn’t realize the radio stations had also been sold. Shows how much I keep up with what goes on down there.

I know that area has a reputation for being extremely poor. The last time I actually visited, however, was about 45 years ago when I was still in diapers. So, I have no idea if it lives that reputation down, but I know the numbers rank the area at or near the bottom in most categories used to calculate quality of life. If that holds true, running an NPR operation there would likely be difficult. Its news and talk programming generally do pretty well at attracting an audience, but we’re also talking a market where only about 1/3 of listening is in English.

 

[b-turner]

The general thinking is you operate two years before trying your first funding marathon. So the first three years should show the potential for revenue. Certainly selling underwriting and writing grants can start day one.

 

[TheBigA]

The general thinking is you operate two years before trying your first funding marathon. So the first three years should show the potential for revenue. Certainly selling underwriting and writing grants can start day one.

I sense they're a few years away from just getting a signal.

 

[b-turner]

I'd agree and with NPR's emphasis on podcasts, one has to question how important an FM signal with NPR offerings might be in a few years, especially in a market like 'the Valley'.

 

[JustinT]

There's a number of challenges:

• Neither KEDT nor Texas Public Radio seem too interested in stepping into the market via simulcast. This is disappointing because a simulcast of an out-of-market outlet might be as much as the market can support for public media right now.
• The RGV does have a large university, UTRGV! But they're not sitting on a license.
• As b-turner notes, signal coverage is a challenge. Demand is going to be highest in McAllen/Edinburg, Harlingen, and Brownsville. That would require either a Class C signal in the right spot, or at least two Class As.
• The RGV radio dial is crowded! Recall that it's not just the RGV's radio dial, but Reynosa's dial and Matamoros' dial, plus Monterrey's dial pretty close too. An article last year indicated that airing NPR programming on a Mexican-licensed signal was prohibited, so that closes out a lot of opportunities.
• Programming this hypothetical station is tricky, too. The old KHID/KMBH probably had the right angle -- clear Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Texas Standard, and go classical/cultural programming the rest of the time. The average listener is not going to want deep dives into Middle East conflicts between two countries they've never heard of. But NPR's quality coverage of border issues? There's surely an audience.

 

[davideduardo]

The Rio Grande Valley is a multiple county market and not at all sparsely populated.

Yep, it is market 57 for Nielsen radio, and has just over 1,400,000 persons. 26 commercial stations and 29 non-commercial ones.

It is 90.8% Hispanic... and before conclusions are jumped to, the #1 station with an average of an 11 share in 25-54 is... country!

There are only 3 stations in Spanish in the top 10. One is third, one is 8th and one is 10th.