Air-1

[bturner]

I think the point is that at this point in time, English is the dominant language utilized in the metroplex now. It might not have been 150 years ago and it might not be decades from now. There's the can of worms about languages I could open but I put the can opener away. When it comes to English, it was once Old Norse.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

I would not be excited about French language encroachment on the radio if I lived in Canada. If the station is foreign language, I don't listen.

But Canada is officially a bilingual nation, and both French and English share center stage. So in Canada, French can not "encroach" in that nation since it "belongs there".

That's also the situation in Hawai'i which is officially a bilingual state. Puerto Rico, similarly, is bilingual. And the Constitution of New Mexico provides for a bilingual government. When you have over 30 million Spanish speakers in the US, and when the language predates English in many places, it's kinda' hard to consider it "foreign".

By the same token, all politics, generals, treaties and such aside, Spanish was not only the language of most of today's Texas for a huge portion of its history, but it is also the language heritage of a significant portion of the population.

Interesting discussion - if there are 30 million Spanish speaking people in the US, that would leave 270 million English speaking. Therefore, I would expect the ratio of English speaking broadcasting stations to Spanish speaking radio stations to be 9:1. I am not sure if anybody has done any studies of that ratio, but it does seem to me like there are disproportionate numbers of Spanish language stations in Houston and Dallas. Perhaps it is just the annoyance factor of hearing Spanish that I don't understand. At least not fully. I do like the music from actual Mexican stations on occasion, particularly on 780 which I get quite well in Houston in the daytime. As my tastes tend to vary I might listen for a while, then move on to a different genre. Contrast that to the music on KEYH which is overmodulated and therefore full of unpleasant harmonics. It is clear that musical formats on Spanish language stations are as varied as musical formats on English serving stations. I have limited interest in the topic as my interest is only in passing. Perhaps other readers would like to be enlightened, particularly as to why anybody would prefer overmodulated music full of unpleasant harmonics.

I must also confess to lying to a degree. I do know just enough Spanish just to get by. I had the wisdom to take Latin in high school, which gave me not only Spanish but about a dozen other European languages for the trouble of attending only one course. I think a misconception is that Spanish speaking people in the US do not know English. In fact, every single Spanish speaking person I encounter has at least some fluency in English - the choose to speak Spanish as a way to anonymize their conversations. To someone with some fluency, it does lead to some humorous incidents, if you will indulge me in an off-topic anecdote.

I was in a doctor's office for a mandatory pre-employment drug test. This particular employer was also a large employer of moderately skilled Spanish language speaking ladies, about 20 of whom were talking away in Spanish about the older Anglo in the room with them. Was I looking at this girls legs - did I prefer that girl? It went on and on at my expense. The nurse entered the room and told them to have their social security cards ready. They delighted in feigning ignorance of the language, when not 2 minutes earlier I had heard a few of them engaging in conversation about another topic in English. The game of "I don't speak English" continued for at least 30 more seconds, until I had enough and faced them and said "securidad sociale" - which I have no idea is the correct Spanish - but almost every one of them, realizing I had understood their banter about the old man in the room looking at them, were blushing and embarrassed by my understanding.

It is unfortunate that this sort of gossip has happened to me on many occasions with the Spanish speaking person utilizing the language difference to gossip and make comments about others. It has been truly said that great minds discuss concepts, intermediate minds discuss events, and small minds discuss people. Perhaps - it would be wise for Spanish speaking people of dignity and gentility to abandon such gossip tactics and instead discuss meaningful topics, whether it is in their native language or English. I definitely have never discussed a Spanish language person in derogatory or gossipy terms, especially in their earshot.

Now, back to the topic of radio. LONG LIVE KLBJ! My deepest sympathies to all other Metroplex listeners who went to the trouble to DX the greatest station in Austin, and the greatest station since the untimely end of KZEW!

 

[davideduardo]

Interesting discussion - if there are 30 million Spanish speaking people in the US, that would leave 270 million English speaking. Therefore, I would expect the ratio of English speaking broadcasting stations to Spanish speaking radio stations to be 9:1.

There are roughly 15,241 stations in the US, and that grows to 21,737 if you include LPFM and translators. About 1000 broadcast in Spanish.

I am not sure if anybody has done any studies of that ratio, but it does seem to me like there are disproportionate numbers of Spanish language stations in Houston and Dallas.

Houston's MSA has 78 total stations, including non-coms, which are home to the market. The market is 35.7% Hispanic, and about 25% Spanish speaking or Spanish dominant... or 1.5 million Spanish Speakers. Proportionally, there should be 20 Spanish language stations. I count 17 at present (18 with KQBU) meaning that market forces truly tend to seek the appropriate level in this respect.

Dallas: 28% Hispanic, of which about 1.2 million are Spanish speaking or Spanish dominant... for 20% of the market. There are 90 total stations in the market MSA, and 18 should, to be proportional, in Spanish. I count 17 fulltime Spanish stations. Again, the market seems to work.

Perhaps other readers would like to be enlightened, particularly as to why anybody would prefer overmodulated music full of unpleasant harmonics.

They don't. It barely gets a 0.4 share at best, while KÑTN tends to get around a 6 share.

I think a misconception is that Spanish speaking people in the US do not know English. In fact, every single Spanish speaking person I encounter has at least some fluency in English...

The rather sophisticated poling of Nielsen shows that just over half of all Houston area Hispanics speak no English or only a small "enough to get by" amounts of English.

The large middle ground of bilinguals includes everything from those who know enough English to do basic tasks on the job and to communicate questions and responses to those who know 100% excellent Spanish and English to those who know some "kitchen Spanish" but can not read or write the language nor form deep thoughts in it.

That over-50-percent group that is Spanish dominant has one thing in common... they think in Spanish, translate, and then say whatever they have the ability to say in English as a translation. People who think in Spanish tend to "relax" into Spanish when around other similar people as it is more comfortable.

They say a person's language preference and comfort is easily seen if they happen to hit their thumb with a hammer or close their finger in a car door... the language they cuss in is the dominant language, the one that flows with ease.

And as long as there is a large group that would swear in Spanish, we have a large group that prefers music and talk in the language they are most comfortable in.