97.7 flipped to Latin at Noon

[UrbanTeenager]

iHeart now has country on 101.7 and signal problems to the south, and Spanish-language music on 97.7 with signal problems to the north. A frequency swap would help Rumba with its problem, but would the Bull benefit by going to 97.7?

Yes, I know country has been on 97.7 before (WCAV), but that was some 30 years ago and irrelevant to establishing a country station on 97.7 now.

It’d make sense to me but maybe 101.7 is already very established and a better signal overall. Country will do well anywhere here, admittedly I would've thought its do better on 97.7.. but you wouldn't get the full ROI with that limited signal..maybe. We’ll have to listen at 2pm today.

 

[UrbanTeenager]

But remember that in most Northeastern markets sixty percent or more of Hispanics are later generation and don’t use Spanish language media.

Further, there are many formats in Spanish, based both on age and country of origin or heritage. So only about 4% of the Boston market is Spanish dominant, an of that group, no single format can even get half of them.

I don't know many (any?) Hispanics in Boston who don't listen to tropical music. It's Bad Bunny, Prince Royce, El Alfa and bachata/merengue, ad naseum. This is consistent with the music on the station right now.

Spanish *dominant* maybe 4%.. but it spanish utilizing? I'd say firmly 10%. Increasingly, Central Americans have arrived in Boston and they're newer immigrants assimilating into a larger established Latin culture.

There are many Latin formats-of course- but I don't see that as being a major issue here or anywhere else, you simply pick the format that caters to the most dominant ethnic group/taste. Based of of having lived in all three.... whatever station you have playing in Springfield/Hartford or NYC...... will largely reflect the tastes of Hisoanics in Boston.

In short, I don't think it's that complicated ultimately, and iHeart won't pay that much attention to it anyway. If it goes, it goes

 

[UrbanTeenager]

iHM completely ruined 97.7's successful R&B format. A few of you said at the time ratings don't matter. The tightly playlisted, uptempo Rhythmic AC format was meant to complement WXKS for sales purposes and that's all that mattered. Guess you were wrong, since here we are only a couple years later, and now 97.7 isn't even broadcasting in English.

I would've preferred to see iHM bring back by the prior format; however, this move probably isn't a bad one.

Certain individuals on this board won't admit to being wrong. It's like kryptonite. It's legitimately cringeworthy at times. There is an especially dedicated anti-urban, anti-spanish sentiment that wants to believe these formats can't perform in Boston. I'd consider it racial bias but there's no proof.

Obviously WKAF was a total scuttle of a successful urban format. Obviously.

“Ratings don't matter” is just a ridiculous thing to say and was never and will never be true. That's just asinine-unless you don't care about making money, and that's not iHeart.

Common sense told nearly everyone WKAF ruined itself and was an objectively bad station, with no cohesion whatsoever.

 

[UrbanTeenager]

FWIW, while I do not know the demographic breakdowns are between say Everett, Chelsea, and East Boston, I do think that it fairly safe to say that there at least 2 different nationalities. One that speaks straight Spanish, and the other who speaks Portegese insteadd

In aware of the democratic break down of said areas. Chelsea is 63% Latin mostly Central American (Honduran,Salvadoran) and Puerto Rican. With high conetrations of Comumbiabs as well. Everett is 28% Latino and Eat Boston is~60%. Only Everett has a significant population of Brazilian Portuguese speakers. In all these places there are a few Guatemalans and Dominicans as well.

Lynn is the crown jewel at 48% latino out of 95,000 and Revere is also over 30% latino.

Essex County is about 22% latino out of 789k people. Census profile: Essex County, MA

Suffolk County is very similar, ^

Conversely, where this signal is located in Plymouth County- its only 4% latino with neighboring Bristol County coming in at 9% and Norfolk County at 5%.


Not that they look at individual towns, but a county might mean something to someone.

 

[davideduardo]

Are Cape Verdeans even considered "Hispanic" by the Census or in radio circles? Portuguese is not some minor dialect of Spanish, nor is Portugal (or its current and former possessions) mere extensions of Spain and its culture.

“Hispanic” changes definition a bit with each Census but it includes being a Spanish speaker, descends of Spanish Speakers or from a nation where Spanish is spoken.

 

[Retro]

WKLB slowly developed a loyal audience and soon became among the most popular stations. iHeart wanted to tap into that--at first poking fun at KLB for being "the station your parents listen to".Hot New Country was the slogan. KLB responded by dropping the weekly country
oldies show and adopting "Boston's #1 for Hot New Country".Some folks who didn't like hard rock or top 40 but enjoyed pop-laden country...could enjoy
either station

OK, yes that might be very well true now, however I was principally talking about the Country was during the early 90's with WCLB/WKLK "The Country Club", and WBCS "Boston's Country Station" Perhaps this could be discussed in a new thread instead?

 

[bostonradio]

A bit more appropriate as Brazil is part of that awards system. As in "Latin America".

In their press release, IheartLatino is promoting new Rumba station in Boston as a Latin music station with Latinx artists.

 

[CTListener]

Conversely, where this signal is located in Plymouth County- its only 4% latino with neighboring Bristol County coming in at 9% and Norfolk County at 5%.

I'd imagine the Latino population of Plymouth County is almost entirely in Brockton.

 

[jlehmann]

As I’ve posted here before, despite the Brockton city of license, the 97.7 signal is not very good south of Boston. Their antenna is mounted on the north side of the very large tower on Great Blue Hill. I’d say it’s better in Boston and to the north than it is in Brockton. Of course when they switch to the old/backup site in Abington once in a while it’s a completely different story.

I’m also not sure how many Spanish speaking people there are in Brockton. If the number of pirate stations is any indication I’d say the Haitian population is much larger.

 

[davideduardo]

I don't know many (any?) Hispanics in Boston who don't listen to tropical music. It's Bad Bunny, Prince Royce, El Alfa and bachata/merengue, ad naseum. This is consistent with the music on the station right now.

Well, for starters Bad Bunny is not tropical, he does reggaetón and related music. Bachata, technically, is folkloric Dominican music, and also not tropical.

Spanish *dominant* maybe 4%.. but it spanish utilizing? I'd say firmly 10%. Increasingly, Central Americans have arrived in Boston and they're newer immigrants assimilating into a larger established Latin culture.

Not in Boston where the original Puerto Rican community stopped migrating in the late 60’s. And the Central Americans have nothing in common with those from PR and the DR.

There are many Latin formats-of course- but I don't see that as being a major issue here or anywhere else, you simply pick the format that caters to the most dominant ethnic group/taste. Based of of having lived in all three.... whatever station you have playing in Springfield/Hartford or NYC...... will largely reflect the tastes of Hisoanics in Boston.

”Partially” and not ”largely”.

In short, I don't think it's that complicated ultimately, and iHeart won't pay that much attention to it anyway. If it goes, it goes

they will do the most popular music for recent immigrants, likely reggaetón and trap.

 

[raccoonradio]

The launch actually happened at noon--ad free through early July

iHeart Boston Launches Rumba 97.7

• At the stroke of noon on Tuesday, after 24 hours of stunting, iHeartMedia Boston officially flipped WKAF/Brockton, MA from Throwback 97.7 The Beat to Latin Top 40 as Rumba 97.7, "#1 Para Reggaeton y Variedad en Boston." Engineered specifically for the Boston market, Rumba 97.7 "will deliver...

ramp247.com

 

[UrbanTeenager]

I'd imagine the Latino population of Plymouth County is almost entirely in Brockton.

Half of it is. There are roughly ~10,000 Latinos in Brockton and 22,000 in Plymouth county. Most in Brockton are Dominican.

Demography is central to my line of work so I stay pretty up to date.

 

[raccoonradio]

OK, yes that might be very well true now, however I was principally talking about the Country was during the early 90's with WCLB/WKLK "The Country Club", and WBCS "Boston's Country Station" Perhaps this could be discussed in a new thread instead?

Right I mean that back then it was a "this town ain't big enough for the two of us" but as time went on country and WKLB starred gaining popularity. As the old cigarette ads put it,
You've come a long way, baby.That was then,
not now. And yes for a time you had KLB and BCS (96.9) then they merged...

There was and there are other country stations that are rimshots into here but no huge threat to
the two biggies--stations in Dover/Seacoast of NH, Worcester, Cape Cod, Providence...

 

[UrbanTeenager]

Well, for starters Bad Bunny is not tropical, he does reggaetón and related music. Bachata, technically, is folkloric Dominican music, and also not tropical.

Not in Boston where the original Puerto Rican community stopped migrating in the late 60’s. And the Central Americans have nothing in common with those from PR and the DR.

”Partially” and not ”largely”.

they will do the most popular music for recent immigrants, likely reggaetón and trap.

Not really true. Puerto Ricans only started coming to Boston in earnest in the 60s... after Hurricane Maria there was another large wave but their in-migration to Boston, in general, only slowed in the 2000s. That is fact.

I would categorize any Latin music eliminating from the Carribean as ‘Tropical’. Unless you know of “reggaeton” or Spanish folkloric” stations...

Central Americans do have some things in common with PR and DR, and often do listen to regaeton like a Roachy D or El Alfa, but more heavily favor “classic” Latin music. In DC, much if not most of the music played on 107.9 is Dominican in origin despite it being an extremely extremely salvadorian CSA. Central Americans work to assimilate int the larger more established populations, much like Black immigrants do towards black Americans.

Partially vs largely is a vague argument/distinction to make.

 

[UrbanTeenager]

Cape Verdeans are always considered black. Full stop. That's is why Brockton is 50.9% black and only 5%’ other’ and 11.9% latino.

Census profile: Brockton, MA

In Boston proper in particular there are more recent and darker skinned CV populations that more readily identify as black because they never had to pretend to be Portuguese to bypass racist immigration laws. Most of them in Boston came after the 1960s-unlike FR and NB.

 

[Cap-n Spackle]

(This is all written assuming that the station is broadcasting in Spanish, not "Latin.")

So I shouldn't hope to hear any Gregorian chants, then.

 

[UrbanTeenager]

It’s official. Rumba 97.7

Rumba 97.7 - #1 para Reggaeton y Variedad en Boston

It is a reggaton station. Categorized as “Spanish CHR” and billed as “ #1 for Reggateon and Variety”. The first song played was Dakiti by Bad Bunny. They’ve also played Lrince Royce and the Luny Tunes (an enormously popular reggaeton duo from Boston)

Due to a demographic mismatch with signal location and that disconnect I don’t see this lasting beyond 2025, unless they swap signals with the Bull. I’m very serious, maybe they’ll be able to amplify their signal to reach points northwards? If you have Rumba 97.7 I can’t see passing over Lawrence Methuen and Lowell. Does 97.7 even reach Salem?

 

[davideduardo]

Not really true. Puerto Ricans only started coming to Boston in earnest in the 60s... after Hurricane Maria there was another large wave but their in-migration to Boston, in general, only slowed in the 2000s. That is fact.

Puerto Rican outbound migration ended in the late sixties. When it resumed in the New Millenium, it was to Orlando, Atlanta and the Southeast, not the Northeast.

I would categorize any Latin music eliminating from the Carribean as ‘Tropical’. Unless you know of “reggaeton” or Spanish folkloric” stations...

Tropical means dance rythms like cumbia, porro, gaita, vallenato, salsa , merengue and the like. There is plenty of music from “the tropics“ that is not “tropical” such as pasillos Fromm Ecuador and bambucos from Colombia and “música jíbara” from Puerto Rico to name just a few.

Central Americans do have some things in common with PR and DR, and often do listen to regaeton like a Roachy D or El Alfa, but more heavily favor “classic” Latin music

And, yes, Julio Iglesias and José José to name a few were popular all over Latin America. But the Greater Antilles is Afro American in its cultural influence while Central America is pretty much the opposite, being racially rooted in indigenous peoples.

While pop and rock are fairly universal, that is mostly upper income class appeal, and not preferred by most improvement-seeking immigrants who like local or regional music types.

. In DC, much if not most of the music played on 107.9 is Dominican in origin despite it being an extremely extremely salvadorian CSA. Central Americans work to assimilate int the larger more established populations, much like Black immigrants do towards black Americans

The Salvadorian migration to DC began in the later 60’s an is now third generation.

Partially vs largely is a vague argument/distinction to make.

There are no universal Hispanic formats that are totally viable today for everyone, with reggaetón and rhythmic being the broadest. No tropical music is any more than national or regional, but not universal.

 

[davideduardo]

It is a reggaton station. Categorized as “Spanish CHR” and billed as “ #1 for Reggateon and Variety”. The first song played was Dakiti by Bad Bunny. They’ve also played Lrince Royce and the Luny Tunes (an enormously popular reggaeton duo from Boston)

That is not CHR. CHR is pop, with maybe ballads and light rock. Reggaetón is the exact equivalent of Urban but for Hispanics.

Due to a demographic mismatch with signal location and that disconnect I don’t see this lasting beyond 2025, unless they swap signals with the Bull. I’m very serious, maybe they’ll be able to amplify their signal to reach points northwards? If you have Rumba 97.7 I can’t see passing over Lawrence Methuen and Lowell. Does 97.7 even reach Salem?

That signal is hemmed in.

 

[davideduardo]

Half of it is. There are roughly ~10,000 Latinos in Brockton and 22,000 in Plymouth county. Most in Brockton are Dominican.

Demography is central to my line of work so I stay pretty up to date.

Nielsen does not measure by town or city. It only seeks true county and HDBA and HDHA proportionality. The also do not have nationality quotas for Hispanics. The only stratification variable that is unique ro Hispanics is language which is divided into Spanish Dominant and English Dominant.