KNZR 1560 Changes Format

[SomeRadioGuy]

KNZR-AM 1560 Bakersfield, CA To Flip Formats To Spanish Talk
Conservative Spanish-Language Talk On Tap For KNZR-A/Bakersfield

Back when i was in Wyoming, i could hear this as late as 1030/11am in and as early as 3pm in winter. And every once in awhile, it and KNX would be audible all day.. mind you at 12, 1pm.. it'd be barely above the noise floor, but i could tell it was there.

 

[pjc1961]

From the KNZR website - gives a few more details:

KNZR launches 1560AM ¡VERDAD! - KNZR 1560 AM 97.7 FM

BAKERSFIELD, CA – June 27th, 2023 – Alpha Media Bakersfield announces the launch of KNZR Verdad 1560...

www.knzr.com

New website for 1560 AM will be http://www.knzrverdad.com (not activated as of this posting)

97.7 FM will retain the current news/talk format - looks like it'll keep the knzr.com address.
Updates to follow with web stream address(es).

 

[brettbutlerisok]

Wonder how long until a station in Fresno comes on board?

 

[ercjncpr]

I predict that this format will not work in California

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

Wonder how long until a station in Fresno comes on board?

I predict that this format will not work in California

Yeah, same here.. solmeone alerted me to the fact americano media, based in miami, is very cuban centric... lol

 

[michael hagerty]

Someone alerted you wrong.

It is based in Miami, but the CEO of Americano Media, Ivan Garcia-Hidalgo (a GOP political operative for 30 years), is thinking big---he wants to be the go-to news/talk network for conservative Latinos, and to change hearts, minds and votes by highlighting the issues that Latinos tend to be more conservative about:

‘Fox News in Spanish’ bombards viewers with right-wing propaganda

A Media Matters report has shed light on vile anti-abortion propaganda coming from hosts of Americano Media, a network aiming to be “Fox News in Spanish.”

www.msnbc.com

Their star lineup includes Dania Alexandrino, who has reported for Univision and CNN en Espanol. There's also Freddy Silva, a veteran of Univision and Telemundo. And Jesus Marquez, a politician turned conservative media pundit.

Dania's heritage is Puerto Rican, Freddy's is Bolivian and Jesus' is Mexican. Lourdes Ubieta and Nelson Rubio are of Cuban descent, but Lucia Navarro is from Mexico, and Carines Moncada was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela.

If you're thinking "Latinos don't vote Republican", think again:

Opinion | The overlooked reason the Latino vote is turning right

The overall arc of progress suggests that more Hispanics are going to be voting conservative in the future.

www.nbcnews.com

And if you're thinking "Maybe in some places, but not California"...think again again:

How Did Latino-Concentrated Districts Vote in 2022?

Third Way is a national think tank and advocacy organization that champions moderate policy and political ideas. Our work on the center left acts as a critical bulwark against political extremism.

www.thirdway.org

Garcia-Hidalgo is VERY serious about this. Will it work? That's an open question, but it's not the obvious misfire from the start that people think it is.

 

[davideduardo]

I predict that this format will not work in California

It won’t work anywhere. Spanish language talk, if it can work anywhere outside of Miami, has to be totally local.

 

[davideduardo]

Someone alerted you wrong.

It is based in Miami, but the CEO of Americano Media, Ivan Garcia-Hidalgo (a GOP political operative for 30 years), is thinking big---he wants to be the go-to news/talk network for conservative Latinos, and to change hearts, minds and votes by highlighting the issues that Latinos tend to be more conservative about:

Then he has to do it in English. Only. ]

Their star lineup includes Dania Alexandrino, who has reported for Univision and CNN en Espanol. There's also Freddy Silva, a veteran of Univision and Telemundo. And Jesus Marquez, a politician turned conservative media pundit.

TV personalities have tried to do Spanish language talk over and ove. Never worked.

Dania's heritage is Puerto Rican, Freddy's is Bolivian and Jesus' is Mexican. Lourdes Ubieta and Nelson Rubio are of Cuban descent, but Lucia Navarro is from Mexico, and Carines Moncada was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela.

And Spanish language talk can not be about the origin og

If you're thinking "Latinos don't vote Republican", think again:
Garcia-Hidalgo is VERY serious about this. Will it work? That's an open question, but it's not the obvious misfire from the start that people think it is.

Based on decades of experience in Spanish language talk, a national network will not work unless stations with a 0:2 share are a success.

 

[michael hagerty]

And Spanish language talk can not be about the origin

The only reason I mentioned the origin of the hosts is that there's a belief that this is Cuban-centric.

Based on decades of experience in Spanish language talk, a national network will not work unless stations with a 0:2 share are a success.

You know this stuff inside and out, David. My only points were to clarify what the intent of this programming is.

 

[davideduardo]

You know this stuff inside and out, David. My only points were to clarify what the intent of this programming is.

Gotcha! I did not mean to be mean (Sounds like a Taylor Swift song title).

There have been three national Hispanic talk nets attempted in the last 30 years and none got any kind of ratings or advertiser acceptance.

“20 nations divided by a single language” defines the core dissimilarity of the audience groups.

 

[michael hagerty]

Gotcha! I did not mean to be mean (Sounds like a Taylor Swift song title).

There have been three national Hispanic talk nets attempted in the last 30 years and none got any kind of ratings or advertiser acceptance.

“20 nations divided by a single language” defines the core dissimilarity of the audience groups.

So, let me run the concept by you---

Garcia-Hidalgo, as I said, a conservative GOP operative for 30 years, wants to appeal to Spanish-speaking Latinos who are eligible to vote (so at minimum, they're U.S. citizens).

He's looking for outlets coast to coast and is open to local hosts in certain timeslots. So, it could get down to the school board/city council level in those markets---but the trajectory at this point appears to be more centered on winning House races.

Is this just a non-starter?

 

[davideduardo]

So, let me run the concept by you---

Garcia-Hidalgo, as I said, a conservative GOP operative for 30 years, wants to appeal to Spanish-speaking Latinos who are eligible to vote (so at minimum, they're U.S. citizens).

He's looking for outlets coast to coast and is open to local hosts in certain timeslots. So, it could get down to the school board/city council level in those markets---but the trajectory at this point appears to be more centered on winning House races.

Is this just a non-starter?

I would say that it is definitely a non-starter.

If people are Spanish dominant, in all probability they are not citizens and not voters.

Doing talk targeted at Hispanics, but in English, has a bigger chance of some success. But I am afraid that the concept is similar to that of Air America and the programming will be done by Hispanic Republicans who spend most of their time calling Bernie Sanders a "commie" and similar wastes of time and kilowatt hours.

 

[pjc1961]

This will be the Listen Live link when activated (silent as of this posting):

KNZR Verdad | Alpha Media Player

The main website is up + running: KNZR Verdad!

 

[brettbutlerisok]

Based on decades of experience in Spanish language talk, a national network will not work unless stations with a 0:2 share are a success.

That's the question. Is KXEX pulling a .2? Is KMJ 580? Or like the folks at KNZR decided, are the listeners tuned to 105.9?
I think KXEX, KGED, or KGST are way more likely than 580, but you do wonder how long any of these simulcasts will last if the FM signal is a good one.

 

[dgordon]

I heard AM 1560, KNXR, in English last night. The website for the Spanish language KNZR redirects to the English language KNZR website.

 

[TomásEstefan]

When exactly is KNZR changing formats? I tuned by 1560 this afternoon just before 3 and Hannity was wrapping up his show, station ID was followed by Fox News on the hour and then another RW host. Sounded like business as usual...what gives?

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

When exactly is KNZR changing formats? I tuned by 1560 this afternoon just before 3 and Hannity was wrapping up his show, station ID was followed by Fox News on the hour and then another RW host. Sounded like business as usual...what gives?

It already did.. its been spanish every time ive tuned by at night from 2500 miles away over the last several weeks, but had not in the last few days

 

[Gregg.]

It is interesting how, outside Miami, Spanish-language spoken word stations don't work. Even 50,000 watt KTNQ is tied for #40 in Los Angeles. (I assume a lot of it is brokered talk.) When Univision tried a talk network, that failed.

ESPN's Spanish-language sports network lasted from 2005 to 2019. Yes, it's been replaced by TUDN Deportes Radio but who knows how that is doing? I don't see any of its stations above a zero-point-something in local ratings. You'd think young men from Mexico and Central America who are soccer fanatics would tune in. But KWKW Los Angeles is, like KTNQ, tied for #40.

Is it that most Spanish-speakers in the U.S. are young? Talk doesn't seem to appeal to most folks under 40 or 50. Or as David says, you only want to hear people with your own accent and dialect? How much talk radio or sports radio would you listen to if the hosts were mostly British and Australian?

But music is international. We listen to The Beatles, The Stones, Elton John and Rod Stewart. When the words are sung, the accents don't matter.

 

[TomásEstefan]

It is interesting how, outside Miami, Spanish-language spoken word stations don't work. Even 50,000 watt KTNQ is tied for #40 in Los Angeles. (I assume a lot of it is brokered talk.) When Univision tried a talk network, that failed.

ESPN's Spanish-language sports network lasted from 2005 to 2019. Yes, it's been replaced by TUDN Deportes Radio but who knows how that is doing? I don't see any of its stations above a zero-point-something in local ratings. You'd think young men from Mexico and Central America who are soccer fanatics would tune in. But KWKW Los Angeles is, like KTNQ, tied for #40.

Is it that most Spanish-speakers in the U.S. are young? Talk doesn't seem to appeal to most folks under 40 or 50. Or as David says, you only want to hear people with your own accent and dialect? How much talk radio or sports radio would you listen to if the hosts were mostly British and Australian?

But music is international. We listen to The Beatles, The Stones, Elton John and Rod Stewart. When the words are sung, the accents don't matter.

Many, many Americans love British and Australian dialects !

 

[brettbutlerisok]

It is interesting how, outside Miami, Spanish-language spoken word stations don't work. Even 50,000 watt KTNQ is tied for #40 in Los Angeles. (I assume a lot of it is brokered talk.) When Univision tried a talk network, that failed.

ESPN's Spanish-language sports network lasted from 2005 to 2019. Yes, it's been replaced by TUDN Deportes Radio but who knows how that is doing? I don't see any of its stations above a zero-point-something in local ratings. You'd think young men from Mexico and Central America who are soccer fanatics would tune in. But KWKW Los Angeles is, like KTNQ, tied for #40.

Is it that most Spanish-speakers in the U.S. are young? Talk doesn't seem to appeal to most folks under 40 or 50. Or as David says, you only want to hear people with your own accent and dialect? How much talk radio or sports radio would you listen to if the hosts were mostly British and Australian?

But music is international. We listen to The Beatles, The Stones, Elton John and Rod Stewart. When the words are sung, the accents don't matter.

It does seem, to me anyway like the Spanish music stations let the jocks talk way more that English language music stations. Shows like Piolín are very popular!