I've read your analysis of this format, and it makes sense to me on a certain level, especially about appealing to first generation Hispanics. I've been listening to it the past few days on KBEB-HD2 in Sacramento, and I'm genuinely curious about this format relative to other things you've written in the past:
1 - Are there enough first-generation Hispanics in Northern California to make this format viable?
First generation makes up about half of California's Hispanic population. Some places, like LA, are higher, and others with long-time Hispanic presence such as Fresno and Bakersfield, have a lower percentage.
Listening to Spanish language radio is predominantly done by first generation Hispanics. My daughters who were born in the US don't listen to Spanish language radio at all; while this is an anecdotal survey of 4 people, it is the same among the children of other first generation families we know.
Interestingly, my daughter who does not live in the U.S. listens mostly to English language music of the 80's and 90's via streaming. She's not a user of local radio.
I assume they are testing it on an HD2 to see if can fit on a primary signal in their cluster. But your analysis says that potential fans of this format would likely be from the countries you mention, and I don't believe Sacramento has had an influx from those areas. Am I wrong?
You are right. It sounds like they are testing the waters using HD signals to see if there is any traction for this format outside of markets like Orlando, Miami, Atlanta and Tampa.
2 - This format doesn't appear to be very rhythmic, if at all (unless you consider Backstreet Boys to be very rhythmic), and actually seems quite "white."
It is a mirror of the highly rated WFID "FIdelity" format in Puerto Rico. And formats like it, from Aspen in Buenos Aires to English AC stations in all of Mexico's major markets, are very popular... and because their audience is all in the A, B and C+ socioeconomic groups, they outsell their ratings very significantly.
On the other hand, the only rock station in Puerto Rico, USA, gradually declined and became unprofitable and was sold to EMF who now does K-Love (in English) for the local audience. On the other hand, 3 or 4 of the top 10 music stations play all or a lot of English music.. but no rock.
I've heard you mention that rock formats were not popular in South America, which is partially why Alternative Rock formats don't do as well in heavy Hispanic markets, such as Los Angeles.
Rock formats were and, to a point still are very popular in Latin America. But because there is not a lot of new mainstream rock with Hispanic appeal in the last decade or so, the format leans older.
At one time in the 80's Lima had 23 FMs, of which 18 were some form of English CHR, Rock or AC music. Pop tends to be more popular than pure rock, and everything else is more popular than alternative.
However, you say that the target audience for Magic was raised on English-language music (with Spanish-speaking jocks). If this were the case, wouldn't rock stations perform better in heavy Hispanic markets?
Rock is a subset. The kinds of songs that such a station will play range from power ballads to Michael Jackson and very light rock, going back to REO Speedwagon (one of my daughter in Ecuador's favorites) and individual cuts like "Go Your Own Way" (another of her favorites but that is because she became friends with Stevie).
American / English language music is huge in Latin America, but you can say almost only among upper and middle income people. And the harder rock constituency is a smaller subset.
