• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Politics, Tejano, and BMP

G

gibby

Everybody missed the biggest radio story of the week in
Austin. A group of local business people, community leaders
and musicians calling themselves the Austin Tejano Music
Coalition, upset over BMP's decision to flip KKLB from Tejano
to Spanish Oldies, have been mobilizing efforts for months
to bring Tejano back to the Austin airwaves. Last week that
coalition snagged it's biggest backer - Austin Senate Democrat,
Gonzalo Barrientos, and last Wednesday he and the coalition
appeared before the press and launched the campaign "Don't
Mess With Tejano" which primarily seeks to pressure BMP to
flip one of it's properities back to the Tejano format.
Why is this significant?

a). Gonzalo Barrientos, who is the chair of the statewide Tejano Democrats organization, aggressively backed Tony Sanchez's failed
bid for Governor in 2002.

b). Tony Sanchez is a BMP investor.

There are lots of interesting political, cultural, and economic
dynamics with this case. Here's a few questions to get us started
in this discussion:

1) Will BMP buckle from the pressure and flip one of it's AM
stations to Tejano?

2) If they don't, what will this do to BMP's efforts in attracting
more private Hispanic investment in the future?

3) What does this do to BMP's image in the Austin Hispanic community?

Here are some press clippings from last week regarding this issue:

http://www.austin360.com/music/content/music/stories/2006/03/22tejano.html

http://espanol.news.yahoo.com/060322/54/18buu.html


From KVUE:

A Texas senator says Tejano music is being systematically removed from Austin radio stations, and he's trying to change what's happening. Others say it's too little too late.

KVUE's Michael Mendoza reports
Tejano music, which is made by Mexican-American musicians from Texas, is losing its share of the lime-light in Austin.

Texas Senator Gonzalo Barrientos is concerned radio stations are dropping Tejano from their play lists.

"Tejano music is systematically being removed from local radio stations and it is simply unacceptable," said Barrientos, D-Austin, said Wednesday.

He supports the Austin Tejano Music Coalition, whose members are trying to stop the trend.

"Tejano music has helped define Chicano culture... gave it both strength and a voice," said Leonardo Davila, with Austin Tejano Music Coalition.

One of the main focuses of the effort revolves around Border Media Partners, a group that owns a majority of the Spanish-language radio stations in Austin.

Barrientos criticizes their decision to drop their only Tejano radio station.

"If they can't dedicate one to our community, then there's something wrong," he said.

Border Media Partners launched SuperTejano in November of 2004 -- a strictly Tejano radio station. Because of lack of revenue and lack of ratings they had to let it go.

Mike Lozano is a deejay for La Ley, a station owned by Border Media Partners.

"Big stations that were huge in Tejano are no longer there anymore," he said. "My take -- my personal take -- is Tejano music was a little bit forgotten. A little bit put to the side. I hate to say it, but my feeling is some of the artists had a lot to do with it."

Lozano believes for Tejano to survive, younger generations need to discover it again.
 
Aaaand... These folks think format flips are a new thing in radio? Tejano fans need to get in line behind oldies listeners in Austin.

Barrientos is a panderer, too. I wish the Democrats would offer up someone else.
 
> Aaaand... These folks think format flips are a new thing in
> radio? Tejano fans need to get in line behind oldies
> listeners in Austin.
>
> Barrientos is a panderer, too. I wish the Democrats would
> offer up someone else.
>
But, they do make a point...like engish language radio, latin stations have been infiltrated by slick, morally-challenged consultants whos only purpose is to "give their spin" on the business. Tejano,for all intents and purposes, is the music of the latin immigrant. Just like classic country music(pre 1970's) was to poor white folks during the early-mid 20th century, so is tejano to migrants who've made there away here in the 21st.
 
> Tejano,for all intents and
> purposes, is the music of the latin immigrant.

Uh, no. Tejano is Tex-Mex, a product of the Hispanic culture already in this state for generations. Immigrants from Mexico and elsewhere in Latin America are totally unfamiliar with this genre, which is why "Regional Mexican"--essentially south of the border country music encompassing Ranchera, Nortena, Banda, etc. is the dominant format on Hispanic targeted radio nowadays. And Tejano went down the drain after the mid-90's as Hispanic demographics changed and immigrant influence increased--along with the decline in true Tejano musical product output.

Tejano is pretty much an oldies format now. The Hispanic population is comparatively youthful. Here in Houston, the only Tejano outlet is a suburban AM station that barely makes a blip in the Arbitrons, if it even shows up at all.

The Austin station dumped Tejano because it didn't resonate with the audience any more. Musical tastes change, and Tejano didn't keep up. Hispanics wanted something different, and stations respond to those changes. The politicians need to find better things to do.

I'm sure David Eduardo will have some input here...?
 
> Aaaand... These folks think format flips are a new thing in
> radio? Tejano fans need to get in line behind oldies
> listeners in Austin.

Yes, i think the average person doesn't understand the economics of
operating a radio station. So, does this issue become a political matter rather than an economical one. Again, Barrientos backed Tony Sanchez's bid for Governor in 2002. Are there any political favors that need to be settled?
And if succesful, what precedent does this establish for others interested in challenging radio owners? This was a local matter a few months ago and Barrientos made it a national one on Wednesday.
 
> But, they do make a point...like engish language radio,
> latin stations have been infiltrated by slick,
> morally-challenged consultants whos only purpose is to "give
> their spin" on the business.

And what do you base this blanket condemnation on?

> Tejano,for all intents and
> purposes, is the music of the latin immigrant.

Tejano is the music of later-generation Mexican Americans. It is a music form unique to the long Hispanic history in Texas. However, the wave of immigration starting in the late 80's has "overpowered" the Tejano core in size, and opened up other format options; people who grew up in Mexico generally have no interest in Tejano and they are now the majority.

> Just like
> classic country music(pre 1970's) was to poor white folks
> during the early-mid 20th century, so is tejano to migrants
> who've made there away here in the 21st.

Again, Tejano is not the music of immigrants. It is the music of Tejanos, born and raised here. Immigrants have little or no interest in it.
>
 
> I'm sure David Eduardo will have some input here...?
>

After making my own post, I read yours. You did a far better job of explaining it... especially the dynamics of the youth based formats.
 
> > But, they do make a point...like engish language radio,
> > latin stations have been infiltrated by slick,
> > morally-challenged consultants whos only purpose is to
> "give
> > their spin" on the business.
>
> And what do you base this blanket condemnation on?
>
> > Tejano,for all intents and
> > purposes, is the music of the latin immigrant.
>
> Tejano is the music of later-generation Mexican Americans.
> It is a music form unique to the long Hispanic history in
> Texas. However, the wave of immigration starting in the late
> 80's has "overpowered" the Tejano core in size, and opened
> up other format options; people who grew up in Mexico
> generally have no interest in Tejano and they are now the
> majority.
>
> > Just like
> > classic country music(pre 1970's) was to poor white folks
> > during the early-mid 20th century, so is tejano to
> migrants
> > who've made there away here in the 21st.
>
> Again, Tejano is not the music of immigrants. It is the
> music of Tejanos, born and raised here. Immigrants have
> little or no interest in it.
> >
>
Dave, dont you have an automation system to install or someone to consult about running 45 mins of ads per air hour? ;)

I'll admit I was wrong about the "minoi-facts" of the issue..but can we agree its a format that def. deserves better respect than what its received. IMHO, its a heritage format, like americana or even classic country. It has roots and those roots deserve to preserved.
 
> >
> Dave, dont you have an automation system to install or
> someone to consult about running 45 mins of ads per air
> hour? ;)

I don't install "automation" (although about 90% of US stations use digital storage which is, per se, automation) and I am with a company that has always had among the lowest commercial loads in the US.

Is there a reason you want to be offensive, or do you just hate radio management out of spite? Or am I missing something?
>
> I'll admit I was wrong about the "minoi-facts" of the
> issue..but can we agree its a format that def. deserves
> better respect than what its received.

The premiere Tejano station is KXTN. It was once an 11 share and #1 18-49. Today, due to the decline in interest in Tejano and the abandonment by record labels, it is 12th. the owners of the station have tried very hard to maintain it, but the music is simply not as popular as it once was and there is very little new production.

> IMHO, its a heritage
> format, like americana or even classic country. It has roots
> and those roots deserve to preserved.
>

Personally, I run radio stations, not museums. No format that no longter has appeal deserves to be "preserved" after its time. Fortunately, KXTN is still a high-billing profitable station; many Tejano stations are not as fortunate and have become unprofitable and changed.

Hey, Seinfeld, M*A*S*H and All in the Family are not on TV, either. Things change.

(If you want someone to blame, go chase the record labels such as EMI and SONY who bought the smaller Tejano labels, tried to make the artists more mass appeal, and destroyed the genre in the mid-90's. Or blame that Zaldívar woman who shot Selena, who was creating a crossover buzz that was unprecedented in Tejano. But don't blame radio. We reflect taste... we do not make it.)
 
> So how long do you expect KXTN to keep it's current format?

Like any format... as long as it has big billing.. Per BIA, KXTN was the highest billing station in the market in 2005.
>
 
> > So how long do you expect KXTN to keep it's current
> format?
>
> Like any format... as long as it has big billing.. Per BIA,
> KXTN was the highest billing station in the market in 2005.
>
> >
>
Once the billing goes down, say in 2007, it'll be another format swap.
 
> > > So how long do you expect KXTN to keep it's current
> > format?
> >
> > Like any format... as long as it has big billing.. Per
> BIA,
> > KXTN was the highest billing station in the market in
> 2005.
> >
> > >
> >
> Once the billing goes down, say in 2007, it'll be another
> format swap.

If and when billings on any station go down and there is no in-format solution, _all_ stations examine format options. For the moment, KXTN is a top biller in SA as it has been for the last 15 years.
 
> Hey David, are there any web sites where we can see what
> stations are billing?

No, not unless the local paper gets hold of Miller Kaplan data, there is no public source. The best authority is BIA, which is a service for investors and operators of stations... the subscription is over $10 k a year, though. That is what I am referring to, as I can not reveal the "real" nubmers, of course.
>
 
> > Hey David, are there any web sites where we can see what
> > stations are billing?
>
> No, not unless the local paper gets hold of Miller Kaplan
> data, there is no public source. The best authority is BIA,
> which is a service for investors and operators of
> stations... the subscription is over $10 k a year, though.
> That is what I am referring to, as I can not reveal the
> "real" nubmers, of course.
> >
>
David I respect your views and knowledge of the industry but I disagree with you saying KXTN has been the top billing station for the last 15 years. If I'm not mistaken KTFM 102.7 was the top biller in the 90's. That was the main reason Infinity purchase both KTFM and KTSA.
 
> > > Hey David, are there any web sites where we can see what
>
> > > stations are billing?
> >
> > No, not unless the local paper gets hold of Miller Kaplan
> > data, there is no public source. The best authority is
> BIA,
> > which is a service for investors and operators of
> > stations... the subscription is over $10 k a year, though.
>
> > That is what I am referring to, as I can not reveal the
> > "real" nubmers, of course.
> > >
> >
> David I respect your views and knowledge of the industry but
> I disagree with you saying KXTN has been the top billing
> station for the last 15 years. If I'm not mistaken KTFM
> 102.7 was the top biller in the 90's. That was the main
> reason Infinity purchase both KTFM and KTSA.

If I said THE top biller, I stand corrected. KXTN was #1 or #2 biller from about 1993 through the present, and is certainly the most consistent top biller.

The advantage KXTN had over KTFM is 25-54 dominance.
>
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom