SBS New York

[TheBigA]

This story caught my attention today. SBS announced it will be launching a new Regional Mexican format before the end of this year. One market they specifically mentioned was New York:

SBS To Launch New Regional Mexican Urban Format.

Raúl Alarcón, Chairman and CEO of Spanish Broadcasting System, says “Radio is in a good position.” Participating in a Q&A session at 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week, Alarcón also revealed

www.insideradio.com

“We’re launching a network over the air and digital, for that new fusion of regional Mexican with urban, because we’ve seen that the music is appealing,” Alarcón revealed. “And La Privada is not just a station, it’s a whole network. We’re still in preparations, but in the next 90 days, we’ll launch in Chicago, New York, and other major cities.”

So that begs the question: On which station? Are they blowing up WPAT? On an HD-2? Or might they be the new owner of 98.7?

I've been led to believe that Mexicans are not a big group in NYC. I don't know if that's changed in the last two years.

 

[MichaelD1972]

If SBS were to launch a Regional Mexican station on an analog/HD1, it would be something more mainstream. La Privada would mostly likely be on HD2 like 97.9 KLAX Los Angeles, CA already does. WSKQ does not currently have HD2 so La Privada could go there.

 

[Mediafrog+]

Keep an eye on Houston, as SBS is supposed to finally close on its purchase of KROI within the next six weeks. Might the new format go there?

 

[TheBigA]

La Privada would mostly likely be on HD2 like 97.9 KLAX Los Angeles, CA already does.

It was interesting that he didn't mention LA at all, so that may have been the tip. He says "it's not just a station, but a whole network," so that means a low-cost satellite format that they can run on HD2s in most cities without much revenue.

Keep an eye on Houston, as SBS is supposed to finally close on its purchase of KROI within the next six weeks. Might the new format go there?

Houston already has 3 big Regional Mexican stations there. No surprise since Mexicans comprise the largest group of Hispanics there.

 

[davideduardo]

I've been led to believe that Mexicans are not a big group in NYC. I don't know if that's changed in the last two years.

Estimated at over one million.

 

[TheBigA]

Estimated at over one million.

That's a sellable audience. Most live in Brooklyn & Queens.

They are the third largest Hispanic group, after Puerto Ricans and Dominicans.

 

[davideduardo]

That's a sellable audience. Most live in Brooklyn & Queens.

They are the third largest Hispanic group, after Puerto Ricans and Dominicans.

And Puerto Ricans hardly use Spanish language radio at all. The 18-49 Neuyoricans are third generation and don't speak Spanish and there has not been any significant migration from the Island for the last 55 years.

 

[TheBigA]

And Puerto Ricans hardly use Spanish language radio at all. The 18-49 Neuyoricans are third generation and don't speak Spanish and there has not been any significant migration from the Island for the last 55 years.

I'm reading that statistically 60% of Mexicans are Spanish speakers. That's just an estimate.

 

[davideduardo]

I'm reading that statistically 60% of Mexicans are Spanish speakers. That's just an estimate.

Recent immigrants arriving to the Northeast are almost 100% Spanish speaking (in some areas of CA we have communities that speak indigenous languages and don't speak Spanish or speak it much less).

It's places like ABQ and San Antonio and Palm Springs and Fresno where there are 4, 5 or more generations of Mexican-Americans where English becomes dominant. Spanish language radio depends on first generation for the most part.

 

[101.9 La Kalle]

If SBS were to launch a Regional Mexican station on an analog/HD1, it would be something more mainstream. La Privada would mostly likely be on HD2 like 97.9 KLAX Los Angeles, CA already does. WSKQ does not currently have HD2 so La Privada could go there.

When La Privada launches in New York, it'll either be on WPAT-FM or WEPN-FM. This isn't the Alarcon Sr. days where they could be fine with having two stations in different markets on the same frequency with the same format and branding (look at FM-98, once on WSKQ in New York and KLAX in Los Angeles).

 

[Barry]

A mixture of Regional Mexican and urban music seems rather niche, hence more appropriate for an HD2.

 

[AlNYC]

If Regional Mexican gets on Mega 97.9 replacement, that means Spanish Tropical will no longer be heard on 97.9 FM and Spanish Tropical music will be only one station heard in NYC is on X96.3 by playing Salsa, Merengue, Bachata and Reggaeton.

So what is going to do with El Vacilón de la Mañana, Alex Sensation, El Jukeo, DJ Carlito, DJ Aneudy and rest of the jockeys? Maybe all the jockeys will hire on X96.3 FM or on different stations or that's it? Wait until the end of December.

 

[davideduardo]

A mixture of Regional Mexican and urban music seems rather niche, hence more appropriate for an HD2.

I think the format Alarcón described at the Billboard conference is Urban Regional Mexican, a derivative of Regional Mexican and not a blend of urban (which in Latino radio means "reggaetón") with Regional Mexican.

Regional Mexican is not a single format. It is many formats, depending on the age and the kind of music played. There are oldies regional stations like Lotus' KFWB in LA playing 50's and 60's music, and there are others that only play currents.

And KFWB is mostly Ranchera music, while, let's say KLAX plays nearly none and mostly banda.

 

[davideduardo]

If Regional Mexican gets on Mega 97.9 replacement, that means Spanish Tropical will no longer be heard on 97.9 FM and Spanish Tropical music will be only one station heard in NYC is on X96.3 by playing Salsa, Merengue, Bachata and Reggaeton.

Why would SBS change its most highly rated, highest billing and most profitable station.

This "new" station is either a purchased FM or an HD channel. It will not replace two very profitable stations.

So what is going to do with El Vacilón de la Mañana, Alex Sensation, El Jukeo, DJ Carlito, DJ Aneudy and rest of the jockeys? Maybe all the jockeys will hire on X96.3 FM or on different stations or that's it? Wait until the end of December.

Nothing is going to happen as Mega is one of the top rated and top billing stations in NYC and will not be changing.

 

[davideduardo]

A mixture of Regional Mexican and urban music seems rather niche, hence more appropriate for an HD2.

No, Alarcón said "Urban Regional Mexican" which is a derivative of mainstream regional music.

 

[davideduardo]

When La Privada launches in New York, it'll either be on WPAT-FM or WEPN-FM. This isn't the Alarcon Sr. days where they could be fine with having two stations in different markets on the same frequency with the same format and branding (look at FM-98, once on WSKQ in New York and KLAX in Los Angeles).

Nobody is going to blow up WPAT-FM. This is either a new acquisition or a stream with HD channel simulcast.

 

[Mediafrog+]

I think the format Alarcón described at the Billboard conference is Urban Regional Mexican, a derivative of Regional Mexican and not a blend of urban (which in Latino radio means "reggaetón") with Regional Mexican.

Are there any examples of stations in Mexico itself that would be running such a format? The thought occurred to me that it might be something you’d find in a large northern city such as Monterrey.🤔

 

[davideduardo]

Are there any examples of stations in Mexico itself that would be running such a format? The thought occurred to me that it might be something you’d find in a large northern city such as Monterrey.🤔

I don't know. I no longer follow formats that closely there.

 

[101.9 La Kalle]

Nobody is going to blow up WPAT-FM. This is either a new acquisition or a stream with HD channel simulcast.

I meant WPAT-HD3. The current format on 93.1 Analog/HD1 bills pretty well and chips away at WXNY.

 

[Barry]

No, Alarcón said "Urban Regional Mexican" which is a derivative of mainstream regional music.

According to the article referenced in the original post, Alarcón said they’d be offering a “New fusion of regional Mexican with urban.” That seems different from “Urban Regional Mexican.”
I could not find online any mention of a format called Urban Regional Mexican,” or anything similar.