Clear to flip to Spanish language on another FM?

[davideduardo]

Marta Saldaña writes this week in TeleGuia Chicago that Mega will have a sister station called El Patrón with a regional Mexican format, coming quite soon.

 

[Link]

107.5.

 

[[email protected]]

1690-AM

 

[davideduardo]

1690-AM

First, Hispanics don't use AM for music when an FM alternative exists. Second, the regional format is already on several FMs.

 

[Ken Tucky]

1690-AM

First, Hispanics don't use AM for music when an FM alternative exists. Second, the regional format is already on several FMs.

Hispanics aren't the only ones!!!

 

[scanman1]

I'd say possibly WLIT. The ratings stink outside the holidays.

 

[radiotower40]

I would agree that it won't be on 1690, for the reasons David stated, that there are already 2 FM's in the market
that carry that particular format. There is also the fact that WVON, which is owned by Midway Broadcasting, is
leasing AM 1690, from Clear Channel. Their lease runs until September of 2011, with an option to buy when the
lease is up. Unless Midway is trying to get out of the lease and CC has too put something on 1690. I don't think
it will land there.

I think if this is to happen, that WLIT would be the most likely. They are #1 overall right now, but, that happens
every year when they switch to all Christmas music. They always fall back down, once the Christmas music ends,
like scanman1 stated.

103.5 KISS FM, does attract a large Hispanic audience, but, they are doing well in their current format and are
doing very well against WBBM FM.

I don't see it on WGCI either, although, they are not pulling the numbers they did pre-PPM, they have a loyal
base, and consistently beat their main competitor WPWX(92.3), which is signal challenged downtown, as well
as to the north and northwest.

 

[PoisonIvy]

Ugh, please, NO! There are already too many Spanish-language stations and religious translators (or whatever they're called) I have to scan past as it is!

 

[cyberdad]

Ugh, please, NO! There are already too many Spanish-language stations and religious translators (or whatever they're called) I have to scan past as it is!

What's wrong with one segment of our population being just as well-served as the next one? Just wondering.

Anyway, my guess...and it's only a guess...is that it would be WLIT. Of course, if indeed that's it, they'll have to figure out someplace else to park Santa Claus. Either that, or someone else will do it for them.

 

[skywatchbob]

Do you thing Hispanics are not as well served as everyone else? As it is there are plenty of stations catering to them. 95.5, 105.1, 106.7, and 107.9 are stations that cover most if not all of the Chicago area that cater to them. There are other smaller stations that reach them as well. I did not even mention the AM stations.
This isn't a matter of one segment being underserved. For what it is worth there is only one FM full signal that covers the whole Chicago area with religious programs. The others are small stations or are larger stations that broadcast outside the area and partially cover Chicago.

 

[briancraig]

I think one reason many have the above reaction when they hear a signal is going Spanish language is that the station basically becomes useless to anyone who is not fluent in Spanish.

Whereas many Hispanics use and enjoy English language radio formats virtually no non-Hispanics enjoy Spanish language radio formats.

 

[cyberdad]

Do you thing Hispanics are not as well served as everyone else? ....

......This isn't a matter of one segment being underserved. 

Did somebody say that? I never said that.

I don't know if that's the case or not. The market decides this stuff.  I'm no fan of CC. And aside from occasionally enjoying some Cuban, Brazilian, and other types of Latin jazz, I basically only listen to "ethnic" formats when travelling outside the U.S.  I don't have a dog in the fight and "frankly don't give a damn" what eventually happens with this.

But I'm a big fan of letting markets determine who's "underserved" and who isn't. And allowing free enterprise to place their bets accordingly.

 

[avtosalon]

Marta Saldaña writes this week in TeleGuia Chicago that Mega will have a sister station called El Patrón with a regional Mexican format, coming quite soon.

1390 or 95.5 WNUA-HD2


I think the only Cheap Channel Chicago station that could possibly flip is Gospel-format 1390 WGRB (which is already simulcast on 102.7 WVAZ-HD2). But it would not be a smart move, because as David said, most Hispanics are listening to FM nowadays. And Chicago already has too many stations with a regional Mexican format. Also, Jesse Jackson would probably complain alot if that happens.

If 1390 flips to Spanish, Cheap Channel could tell the 1390 Gospel listeners to buy HD radios and listen to WVAZ-HD2 if they want to continue to hear Gospel.

More likely, Cheap Channel will do something with 95.5 WNUA-HD2. About 1 month ago, this HD2 station already dropped Smooth Jazz, and went to automated Spanish music (but still using the old WNUA jingles in English). Perhaps this was temporary and they will start to call 95.5 HD2 El Patrón.

 

[[email protected]]

OK lets analyze this a bit. The post says Mega is going to have a sister station called El Patron, so we know this is going to be a Clear Channel station. Now looking at all the Clear Channel stations in Chicago...which one is hurting the most? It makes sense that Clear Channel wouldn't reformat a successful station, doesn't it? Of all their FM's...WNUA...which is Mega...is the poorest performer according to Arbitron...but it can't be a sister to itself...hmmmm

Clear Channel does have 2 AM stations, 1390 and 1690. The station on 1690 is brokered to Midway Broadcasting and is known as WVON. While it's been mentioned that the LMA agreement between Midway & Clear Channel expires in 2011, it can be terminated at any time if there is a default. Now looking at WVON's 0.3 rating in todays economy...along with a few rumors I've heard...and the fact that Midway owes me some money!!! I'm putting my money on El Patron being on 1690...

 

[Link]

I think (but cannot prove) the poorest performing FM station is 107.5. I think it would be a big mistake to flip it though.

 

[BRNout]

Do you thing Hispanics are not as well served as everyone else? As it is there are plenty of stations catering to them. 95.5, 105.1, 106.7, and 107.9 are stations that cover most if not all of the Chicago area that cater to them. There are other smaller stations that reach them as well. I did not even mention the AM stations.
This isn't a matter of one segment being underserved. For what it is worth there is only one FM full signal that covers the whole Chicago area with religious programs. The others are small stations or are larger stations that broadcast outside the area and partially cover Chicago.

You forgot 93.5/103.1 which, when combined, also cover the whole market. Sorry David and all, but enough is enough! FIVE full market FM formats en Espanol and not all are even doing well. In fact only a couple are. Look at the ratings!

And, don't preach demographics to me because the "Latino" demographic counts a lot of people (especially younger people) who speak English as their first language. These folks listen to Kiss, B96.3 and others.

There's no question in my mind that what we have already in Spanish is an over representation. Heck, if you want to play the 'who speaks what' game, why not flip WLIT to Polish? There are several hundred thousand Polish people in the market without a station of their own. And, maybe we should flip one to Russian too. This is out of hand - Clear Channel has political correctness on the brain. It's to the point where I can travel to certain Latin American cities and hear roughly the same ratio of English-language music versus regional Spanish formatted music as I can in a place like Miami, el Lay, or soon Chicago.

 

[Prais]

BRN, here is a list of Polish radio stations in Chicago;
Polskie Radio AMPOL Chicago WNWI 1080AMPolskie Radio Chicago
WNVR Chicago 1030AM
WNWI Wietrzne Radio Chicago 1080AM
WPNA Chicago 1490AM

PS Though there are LOTS of immigrant Poles, who would make use of the "Polish language programs" I believe the larger number are "English speaking of Polish decent." They still may listen on occasion (as I once did).

Chicago has many Ethnic groups. They need to be served. There are too many stations playing music for the bug English language demographic.

Meanwhile, there is LOTS of "Hispanic money" - many businesses-even national, Like Goya. Spanish radio should multiply.

 

[davideduardo]

Clear Channel does have 2 AM stations, 1390 and 1690. I'm putting my money on El Patron being on 1690...

No way Clear would put an AM in Spanish with a music format knowing that Hispanics use AM even less than non-Hispanics... and, particularly, with a format that has a national average age of 35 as regional Mexican does. Add to that the two regionals on FM, along with one regional crossover, and they would have no success at all.

On the other hand, in Atlanta Clear had a CHR and a regional in Spanish. They dumped the CHR and kept the retional station alive. WNUA is Spanish language CHR... maybe they plan to flip it, and the reporter for TeleGuia got it wrong?

 

[BRNout]

BRN, here is a list of Polish radio stations in Chicago;
Polskie Radio AMPOL Chicago WNWI 1080AMPolskie Radio Chicago
WNVR Chicago 1030AM
WNWI Wietrzne Radio Chicago 1080AM
WPNA Chicago 1490AM

PS Though there are LOTS of immigrant Poles, who would make use of the "Polish language programs" I believe the larger number are "English speaking of Polish decent." They still may listen on occasion (as I once did).

Chicago has many Ethnic groups. They need to be served. There are too many stations playing music for the bug English language demographic.

Meanwhile, there is LOTS of "Hispanic money" - many businesses-even national, Like Goya. Spanish radio should multiply.

I should have said "FM" but was merely making a point about how this concept gets taken too far. And Clear Channel is one company that hasn't learned it's lesson (the short lived Rumba 104.5 in Philly is a fine example). Yes, there's quite a bit of Latino money - but most with money speak English and few tend to listen to Regional Mexican formats. Those tend to cater to first-generation immigrants with lower incomes.

My point (perhaps tinged with some frustration) is that the Spanish language market is pretty much saturated on Chicago market FM. To the extent that there are only a couple such stations that are doing well. WNUA, for example, has fewer listeners now than they did with smooth jazz. And they're beating La Calle 106.7!

There are better format options available to CC than yet another Spanish language format catering primarily to Mexicans (as this rumored one would).

 

[davideduardo]

Yes, there's quite a bit of Latino money - but most with money speak English and few tend to listen to Regional Mexican formats. Those tend to cater to first-generation immigrants with lower incomes.

I think the prior post made reference to advertising "money" and not consuemer income levels. In that case, there is a lot of money specifically destined for Spanish language and Hispanic marketing that only goes to stations like WOJO and WLEY and WNUA and so on. And that segment has growth under a normal and future economy, and is far less susceptable to the competition from new media.

One clarification... an immigrant who arrives in the US with musical tastes formed (and that happens in early adolescence) will continue to like their original preferences, as well as derivitives, all their lives. So someone who arrives here liking rancheras will still like them when they are 60, even if they have learned English and now own a home and a business.

In most parts of the US, around 60% of Hispanics are Spanish dominant, and another significant portion are bilingual. Both of these gorups will be significant users of Spanish language radio.