Almost a year later, Mega is a uniter and money maker

[TheClearAnswer]

It's been almost a year, and Mega 101 is bringing the Latinos of Houston together like no other force has. Nov. 12, 2005 was the day Houston learned that AOR was dead and no one has cared or looked back since. Now the press is singing Mega's praises. So are advertisers (see below). I don't see the other new stations in town that started after Mega getting any press.

But I do see KHMX getting lots of positives from the Sam Malone addition.

- TheClearAnswer has spoken & made you learn something

FULL ARTICLE:
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/features/3437259

IMPORTANT NOTES:
And this translates into major ad dollars, says Alonzo.

"Let's say we have many car dealers in Houston," Alonzo says. "If they want to reach Latinos that are 18 to 34, they (no longer) feel like they need to advertise on four or five different radio stations. Before Mega you literally had to look at a number of stations, and I'm not just saying general-market stations. You had to get into (Spanish alternative) XO (107.9 FM), you had to get into (Latin light station) K Love (106.5 FM), you had to consider (pop station) KRBE (104.1 FM) and (hip-hop station) Party (104.9 FM)."

 

[davideduardo]

> It's been almost a year, and Mega 101 is bringing the
> Latinos of Houston together like no other force has.

How is this? It has actually fragmented Hispanic listening, and is only attractive to a group that is bilingual or "Spanglish" speaking. Hardly significant when you realize that, in September, the station was barely over a 2 share in 12+, and about #5 in Hispanic listening... and KLTN beat it three to one in 18-34. Dismal.

>
> IMPORTANT NOTES:
> And this translates into major ad dollars, says Alonzo.

It's "Alonso." If you are going to suck, learn who you are sucking up to.

 

[Nichole]

Has anyone looked at David Eduardo's web site? Quite impressive. Just a small portion of his website: "Vice President of Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation, America's largest Spanish-language and Hispanic-focused broadcaster. HBC currently owns nearly 60 stations in 13 different cities in the USA."
Here is a gentleman who knows about radio and can back it up. Thank you David, for "clearing" it up.

 

[TheClearAnswer]

I would probably guess a lot of Clear Channel's competitors are threatened by their new entrance into the Hispanic market. Afterall Mega is historic in that it is the first station of its kind. There are, "plenty of Latin listeners to share the pie," but the best company will ulitmately win like normally.

> Has anyone looked at David Eduardo's web site? Quite
> impressive. Just a small portion of his website: "Vice
> President of Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation, America's
> largest Spanish-language and Hispanic-focused broadcaster.
> HBC currently owns nearly 60 stations in 13 different cities
> in the USA."

>

 

[davideduardo]

Re: A year later, Mega is slipping.

> I would probably guess a lot of Clear Channel's competitors
> are threatened by their new entrance into the Hispanic
> market.

Actually, Clear Channel had Spanish stations going back quite a few years. When Alfredo Alonso joined them to create the "Hispanic initiative" theey already had over 20 Spanish language stations in places like Santa Barbara, Salinas, Tucson, College Station and others.

> Afterall Mega is historic in that it is the first
> station of its kind.

Have you been hitting the "bong of corporate propaganda" again? the first "hurban" station predated Mega in Houston by half a decade! Try checking the format of WVOZ-FM, San Juan, PR, from which the Mega format was copied.

The Mega format is neither unique nor original. The music has been around since '87 or '88.

> There are, "plenty of Latin listeners
> to share the pie," but the best company will ulitmately win
> like normally.

Like Univsion Radio in Houston, with over 14 shares, all Hispanic, to CCU's under 3-share showing in Summer.

 

[kendro]

It reads as a press release. You spew unfiltered BS!
Is the crack in your pipe laced with LSD?

 

[ChuckTiller]

Re: A year later, Mega is slipping.

Nichole is right. If you get some time, check out Dave's website. The pictures of Central and South American radio stations are pretty cool. While, I do not always agree with Dave, I do respect his creditals. He is definately a professional.

 

[adguy]

Re: A year later, Mega is slipping.

> Nichole is right. If you get some time, check out Dave's
> website. The pictures of Central and South American radio
> stations are pretty cool. While, I do not always agree with
> Dave, I do respect his creditals. He is definately a
> professional.
>

I have to agree with David Eduardo as well, but from a pure business perspective. I buy a lot of ad time on Spanish radio stations in Houston and Univision Radio, by far, delivers the results for my many clients. From service to delivery of the final ad product on their air, Univision (Formerly HBC) is first class, first rate and by my clients measured results, way ahead of this over-hyped Clear Channel Answer guy. By the way, we buy Liberman as well and the results are only mixed with them. XO delivers better than some for my clients, but is on par with Mega as far as ad effectiveness goes. CC should maybe get a little class, sit in the weeds and learn how to produce, sell and manage Spanish radio in Houston. They have a loooooooong way to go before they even get close to Univision's playing field.

 

[radiodial]

Re: Almost a year later, Mega is FLOP

ClearAnswer,

Mega is a flop one year later. Its numbers have taken a dive. Numbers do not lie. But I must admit it's quite entertaining to watch you dry-hump this turkey.

JMHO

 

[slaterradio]

Thanks David for the clear-up, but a few notes...

The hurban format is not new according to the history books.
This however assumes that people in Houston know the names or formats of stations in PR.
Hurban and reggaeton is very new to this area of America. The music has been available for purchase, but its sales have been limited.
Mega and La Calle have given the format a jumpstart in increasing record sales and in bringing more attention to it.
I still say Mega was a great idea, but my problems exist with the maturity and longevity of the format.
English language Hip-hop has proven it has the staying power to remain a powerful tour de force in music. The Spanglish Daddy Yankee types have not cemented their success yet.
Spanglish is a legitimate market at least in Texas.
There is a rift in Spanish speakers between generations. Many Hispanics are growing up not knowing Spanish as a first language.
Mega has been a well-executed recreation of a 15-year old format that has only now gotten its wings.
It has been around since the late 80's, but note that the first Reggaeton performance on English television was at this year's MTV VMA's.

So yes, it is flopping now. I wouldn't abandon it yet.
KLOL could have survived and started kicking ass again as an active rocker, but with the direction they were going, there was no saving them.

Just my few cents.


> > I would probably guess a lot of Clear Channel's
> competitors
> > are threatened by their new entrance into the Hispanic
> > market.
>
> Actually, Clear Channel had Spanish stations going back
> quite a few years. When Alfredo Alonso joined them to create
> the "Hispanic initiative" theey already had over 20 Spanish
> language stations in places like Santa Barbara, Salinas,
> Tucson, College Station and others.
>
> > Afterall Mega is historic in that it is the first
> > station of its kind.
>
> Have you been hitting the "bong of corporate propaganda"
> again? the first "hurban" station predated Mega in Houston
> by half a decade! Try checking the format of WVOZ-FM, San
> Juan, PR, from which the Mega format was copied.
>
> The Mega format is neither unique nor original. The music
> has been around since '87 or '88.
>
> > There are, "plenty of Latin listeners
> > to share the pie," but the best company will ulitmately
> win
> > like normally.
>
> Like Univsion Radio in Houston, with over 14 shares, all
> Hispanic, to CCU's under 3-share showing in Summer.
>

 

[davideduardo]

Re: Thanks David for the clear-up, but a few notes...

> The hurban format is not new according to the history books.
>
> This however assumes that people in Houston know the names
> or formats of stations in PR.
> Hurban and reggaeton is very new to this area of America.
> The music has been available for purchase, but its sales
> have been limited.

The sales is what made the stations jump on the format. About 70% of record sales in some SW markets was reggaeton.

> Mega and La Calle have given the format a jumpstart in
> increasing record sales and in bringing more attention to
> it.

The record sales preceded the formats. In many markets, before there was a reggaeton station, the CDs occupied 6 or 7 of the top Latin Soundscan posiitons.

> I still say Mega was a great idea, but my problems exist
> with the maturity and longevity of the format.

It's badly executed, starting with the morning show, in my opinion.

> English language Hip-hop has proven it has the staying power
> to remain a powerful tour de force in music. The Spanglish
> Daddy Yankee types have not cemented their success yet.

18 year in the Caribbean area is plenty of time.

> Spanglish is a legitimate market at least in Texas.
> There is a rift in Spanish speakers between generations.
> Many Hispanics are growing up not knowing Spanish as a first
> language.

Yet reggaeton's appeal is to Spanish dominant listeners.

> So yes, it is flopping now. I wouldn't abandon it yet.
> KLOL could have survived and started kicking ass again as an
> active rocker, but with the direction they were going, there
> was no saving them.

CCU jumped into Spanish fast, with little support staff. Thatr may be thier main issue. On th eother hand, they have no patience, thus the rumors about flipping to the Preciosa format, which is more salable and has better shelf life.

 

[Mediafrog]

Re: Thanks David for the clear-up, but a few notes...

> On th eother hand, they have
> no patience, thus the rumors about flipping to the Preciosa
> format, which is more salable and has better shelf life.

Which makes me wonder if Radio One might beat CC to the punch and relaunch KROI as a Preciosa clone. Hmmm.