How do Spanish language stations keep their licenses?

[Radio_Realist]

Since the language of America is English, and even legal immigrants who become naturalized citizens are expected to learn English, and since the public airwaves belong to the citizens of the United States, how do broadcasters who program Spanish language programming deal with license challenges that their programming doesn't serve the public interest of United States citizens? One would think that refuting a challenge around renewal time based on not serving the needs of American citizens would be almost impossible.

 

[davideduardo]

Since the language of America is English,

But... there is no official language in the US.

and even legal immigrants who become naturalized citizens are expected to learn English,

So? Learning another language does not mean you un-learn you first language. It also does not mean that you will like music and entertainment in the language you learn.

and since the public airwaves belong to the citizens of the United States, how do broadcasters who program Spanish language programming deal with license challenges that their programming doesn't serve the public interest of United States citizens?

Stations are licensed to serve their communities, not "citizens." If a station is in an area with many Hispanics who speak Spanish, then programming in Spanish is serving that part of the community.

One would think that refuting a challenge around renewal time based on not serving the needs of American citizens would be almost impossible.

The only time I know a Spanish station was challenged on the basis of there being few Hispanics in the city of license (WOJO, Evanston, 1980) the strike applicant was unsuccessful and the ALJ from the FCC ruled that a community in need of service was being served by WOJO and he renewed the license; that decision is part of FCC case law now and still stands as the benchmark.

Anyway, stations are not licensed to serve "citizens" anyway. And the US has a long history of foreign langauge media... in Radio, there were multiple Italian stations in NY through the mid-50's, there were and are Polish staitons in Chicago, and multiethnic stations all over. LA has 5 Asian stations in Korean, vietnamese, Chinese (two dialects), Thai, etc., one station in Farsi for the Persian community, some Armenian and Russian programming and 16 Spanish language stations for the 5.2 million Hispanics in the metro.

Is your question innocently asked, or is there an agenda behind it?

 

[Radio_Realist]

Is your question innocently asked, or is there an agenda behind it?

Both. I have no problem with the public's airwaves used to serve segments of the population instead of all Americans. Any station that serves the needs of citizens and legal aliens, even if only a portion of the total population, is fulfilling its licensing requirements. However, when calculating how large a portion of the total audience a station serves, I do not believe that illegal aliens should be included among that number.

I am well aware of the foreign language programming that aired in the past for legal immigrants to America from many foreign countries. I'm familiar with many stations that helped legal immigrants to learn to become Americans while easing any homesickness they may have felt for the lands and culture that they left behind in order to come to American and become Americans.

I was genuinely wondering if stations that do not serve to assist legal immigrants in making the transition from being foreigners into naturalized Americans, but that instead serve to encourage resident aliens to remain aliens and to retain loyalty to their former homelands have any problems keeping their licenses.

I am the descendant of immigrants, who entered legally through Ellis Island and who learned to speak the native language of America and to become Americans as quickly as they could. I am not embarrassed to admit that I still enjoy experiencing the culture of my ancestral homeland through music, cuisine, etc. I also embrace the cultural elements that are now vital parts of American culture that came from other ancestral homelands, even though they are totally foreign to me.

But I'm not asking about radio stations that cater to Americans like I describe. I'm asking about radio stations that specifically program to those people who do not intend to become Americans, who wish to remain citizens of the nation that they left behind in order to come here.

And BTW, though English is not the "official" language of the United States, it is the de facto standard language of this country. Also, unless I am mistaken, I believe that Spanish is not the "official" language of Mexico, it's simply the language that the Spanish Conquistadors forced onto the Mexican people at the point of a sword.

 

[davideduardo]

I was genuinely wondering if stations that do not serve to assist legal immigrants in making the transition from being foreigners into naturalized Americans, but that instead serve to encourage resident aliens to remain aliens and to retain loyalty to their former homelands have any problems keeping their licenses.

How and why would a station intentionally serve only illegal immigrants? It would not be financially viable, to begin with. Illegal immigrants would not fill in diaries, or accept PPM devices. Advertisers would think they were very low income, and not be interested.

I do not know of any staiton of the 900 Spanish stations in the US that trys to specifically serve illegal immigrants. It has no reward of any kind.

But I'm not asking about radio stations that cater to Americans like I describe. I'm asking about radio stations that specifically program to those people who do not intend to become Americans, who wish to remain citizens of the nation that they left behind in order to come here.

If a person is here legally (and even illegally) they are part of the community a station would be licensed to serve. So there is no reason to think that a station that might serve such people would be in any jeopardy, as they are adhering to the licensing terms of the FCC.

And BTW, though English is not the "official" language of the United States, it is the de facto standard language of this country. Also, unless I am mistaken, I believe that Spanish is not the "official" language of Mexico, it's simply the language that the Spanish Conquistadors forced onto the Mexican people at the point of a sword.

Actually, Spanish is the official language of Mexico.

And Spanish was not forced on anyone at the point of a sword... it was generally promoted as part of the way to salvation by the Catholic priests who had a significant part in the colonization of the Americas.

 

[radioman921]

This type of question comes up in different parts of the country and I think DE has pretty much said what needed to be said. I am in a region of the country where there are about 10% Hispanic population and some are thinking Spanish language broadcasters are taking over when there is only about 6% doing Spanish. Its very common comment, dare I say the R word....Well in this diverse country of ours there is also a Hare Krishna station, however I don't remember if they are still broadcasting. But I am going off the question. I guess one could turn the tables and say was Howard Stern serving the community with type of programming? Well yes, there are many who want to hear his brand of programming along with many others who don't. Supply and demand, Economics 101, hence the other foreign language stations in the different markets DE mentioned.