Very Disturbing

[clichemoth]

Re: We Are The World

However, only an ignorant racist would make illegal immigration synonymous with all Hispanic people, or with a Spanish formatted radio station. Equally racist is the use of terms such as "us" "them" and "those people."

We are all one race. The human race.


This is Agreed here too as well. But I dont think that saying " Im really tired of every station that flips is always Spanish Programming." It's really disturbing to me that for Three
Freq's in Gwinnett county ALL THREE ARE Hispanic! It's just really sad! I would love to ask these station owners (Greg Davis) Owner Of La Raza, Greg do you think that there are any other cultures, or races of people in Gwinnett? Do you really believe that all gwinnett has
are Hispanics? Do you think that Local News , Weather, E.T.C. In English is really not needed? Some people dont listen to WSB, Some listen to local stations, and In Gwinnett if your not of Hispanic Background you can't understand whats being said! Thats not racist, Thats Fact!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's a problem common to many areas in the shadow of major markets. Orange County has the same problem, with only one English signal that originates from there.

However, look on the bright side. If El Patron 105.3 takes off, one or two of those will most likely end up flipping back to English programming because the shiny new FM took all the listeners. Of course, this programming will probably be pay-for-ptay and infomercials, but at least they might give the time and temperature.

 

[MarcB]

I wholeheartedly embrace free speech, and have always championed the "marketplace of ideas."

However, it is very troubling to see the increasing number of comments with racial overtones, or flagrantly racist diatribes. There have been a number of disturbing comments made regarding the recent conversion of 105.3 FM to a Spanish format. If Clear Channel had converted 105.3 FM to Country, catering to a Caucasian demographic, I doubt there would have been angry rants about "Caucasians taking over this country" or "Caucasians shouldn't have their own radio station."

I have always assumed the posters on this board are intelligent enough, savvy enough, educated enough, to recognize that radio corporations (including Clear Channel) make business decisions based on ratings, revenue, and the profit margin---not, based on race.

I have also assumed the posters and readers of this board are intelligent, fair-minded people who don't judge other based on their skin color.

Am I wrong?

The same thing happened on the Philly board when Clear channel flipped Soft AC Sunny 104.5 to Tropical RUMBA 104-5, which was a very good move. Philly didn't have a real Tropical Radio station of its own until it RUMBA launched. It had a rim-shotter AM from New Jersey. A 1KW daytimer who's daytime signal in a large portion of Philly was mediocre at best. And their 250 watt night time signal didn't even reach Philly.

 

[lilburncommunityradio]

Re: We Are The World

However, look on the bright side. If El Patron 105.3 takes off, one or two of those will most likely end up flipping back to English programming because the shiny new FM took all the listeners. Of course, this programming will probably be pay-for-play and infomercials, but at least they might give the time and temperature.

Thats true. La Raza 102.3 was the last frequency murdered in Gwinnett County.
1460 am was never heard round the county, just local Buford City Limits.
610 am was and is a great Am Signal out of Lawrenceville which was killed off first,
The Last of Full Service Country and real Community Focused Broadcasting.
I do hope the bigger Fm's steal all the listeners and the other smaller Am's and Fm's are
forced to give up the signals for some English programming.

 

[itburnswhenipee]

We Are The Children

However, look on the bright side. If El Patron 105.3 takes off, one or two of those will most likely end up flipping back to English programming because the shiny new FM took all the listeners. Of course, this programming will probably be pay-for-play and infomercials, but at least they might give the time and temperature.

Thats true. La Raza 102.3 was the last frequency murdered in Gwinnett County.
1460 am was never heard round the county, just local Buford City Limits.
610 am was and is a great Am Signal out of Lawrenceville which was killed off first,
The Last of Full Service Country and real Community Focused Broadcasting.
I do hope the bigger Fm's steal all the listeners and the other smaller Am's and Fm's are
forced to give up the signals for some English programming.

Okay, Lilburn, I'm doing my best to see your perspective, but here's what I don't understand: 99 percent of the radio stations in metro Atlanta broadcast in the English language. If the other one percent of the radio stations serves another ethnolinguistic community, how does that hurt you, compromise your life, or affect you in any way?

By the way, our country is great because of its diversity, and its diverse cultural heritage.

While I'm of German-Irish descent, I believe the growth of the Latino population strengthens our culture, our community, our nation. When I was in college, I was very fortunate to have close friends from Nigeria, Thailand, Japan, and yes, one of my closest friends was from Iraq.

By exposing myself to other cultures, languages, and ethnic heritages, I broadened my horizons, enriched my life, became more enlightened, and ultimately, became a better person.

 

[ssnake]

Re: We Are The Children

Okay, Lilburn, I'm doing my best to see your perspective, but here's what I don't understand: 99 percent of the radio stations in metro Atlanta broadcast in the English language. If the other one percent of the radio stations serves another ethnolinguistic community, how does that hurt you, compromise your life, or affect you in any way?

By the way, our country is great because of its diversity, and its diverse cultural heritage.

By rough count, 11/50 stations in Atlanta are not English. Thus, only about 78% are English; not 99%.

The diversity argument in favor of Spanish language programming is laughable. Think about how many are in the age 50+ demographic, but radio pulls the plug on Oldies and Nostalgia formats. As I recall, Cool 105.7 had respectable ratings. Commercial radio doesn't care about diversity -- it cares only about those demos which are advertiser attractive.

Our country is great because it is a "melting pot," not just because of diversity.

 

[RFI_Guy]

If you're a champion of free speech, then perhaps you know about OUR Bill of Rights. And so maybe you understand the rule of Law. And so perhaps you understand that we are charged with protecting our borders.

And perhaps you know that we have a problem with so damn many Mexicans breaking the law as a matter of lifestyle. Worse, we get no support to put up a fence to keep ya'll in check. We can only hope that will change.

Sure - nobody can dig a ditch faster, or spread pine straw cheaper than a Mexican. But it turns out that the joke is on us - Mexicans cost a lot more to keep, than they save us in labor costs. They fill up emergency rooms, they almost NEVER have insurance, and leave the scene of wrecks (happened to me), and the clog up the schools with kids who are here today, and gone tomorrow.

Take a look at the bags of socks display at Wal-Mart. See how they’re pilfered? It’s because the Mexican men come in to buy socks, and they have to try them on to see if they fit. And then they stuff them back into the bag, only to try ANOTHER pair. Even though the label in bi-lingual! Yes – they are illiterate in their own damn language!

We are sick to death of having to accommodate Mexicans as if they count the same as the rest of us. They don’t. And until they pay their taxes, learn to assimilate, and become citizens – they won’t.

So if you hear people complaining about the operation of radio stations - try to put it perspective. We don’t care if it’s a language or a culture – its matter of law. It PALES with the irritation caused by seeing glum Mexicans on every street corner sucking down social services like salsa.

Go ahead and use your farcical “racism” terms and whatnot. I don’t care. That’s just trying to distract from the fact that US CITIZENS who pay taxes, and walk the straight and narrow are sick and tired of seeing Mexicans get away with being criminals every day.

If you’d like to change our minds, you won’t get far by calling us racists, etc. You could change our minds by following the damn LAW.

 

[Miss_Anthrope]

And don't get him started on them carpetbaggin' Canadians, now! Friggin' LEAFS!!

 

[itburnswhenipee]

Go ahead and use your farcical “racism” terms and whatnot. I don’t care. That’s just trying to distract from the fact that US CITIZENS who pay taxes, and walk the straight and narrow are sick and tired of seeing Mexicans get away with being criminals every day.
[/quote]

I'm a U.S. Citizen, I pay taxes (a LOT of taxes), and I too am sick and tired of illegal immigration.

However, illegal immigration has nothing to do with one radio station changing to a Spanish format in Atlanta. In fact, political rants about illegal immigration have nothing to do with radio, and should be deleted by the moderator for Radio-Info.com

 

[RFI_Guy]

You poised the question "Am I wrong". I gave you an answer that not only explains how wrong you are, but also that people on this forum use terms and words you might not like for very good reasons.

But you didn't like the answer. So your next move is to discredit the answer, and wish that the answer be deleted. Now we see just how enthusiastic you are about free speech. You like it as long as it’s your own.

People are irritated at the number of Mexican radio stations for the same reason they're irritated over too many illegal Mexicans. They see one enhancing the other. So if you perceive that as something offensive, then good. It is offensive.

 

[itburnswhenipee]

Please get your G.E.D. and then try to make an intelligent comment

You poised the question "Am I wrong". I gave you an answer that not only explains how wrong you are, but also that people on this forum use terms and words you might not like for very good reasons.

But you didn't like the answer. So your next move is to discredit the answer, and wish that the answer be deleted. Now we see just how enthusiastic you are about free speech. You like it as long as it’s your own.

People are irritated at the number of Mexican radio stations for the same reason they're irritated over too many illegal Mexicans. They see one enhancing the other. So if you perceive that as something offensive, then good. It is offensive.

If you had an education (which you obviously don't), you would understand that "free speech" is constitutional protection under the First Amendment, which states "Congress shall make no law abridging freedom of speech..." The Supreme Court has expanded this interpretation to bar all government from restricting free speech.

However, the U.S. Constitution extends no First Amendment protection to the private sector, and the courts have consistently upheld that private companies may limit speech as they so choose. Indeed, many, many companies have fired employees for making inappropriate comments, and expressing offensive speech. And, these companies are perfectly within their legal rights to do so.

In the case of Radio-Info, the moderators have routinely deleted comments which are offensive, or which are entirely unrelated to radio topics. Radio-Info is perfectly within its legal and constitutional right to delete racially offensive comments and rambling political diatribes about immigration which have nothing to do with a radio topic.

By failing to grasp this basic concept, RFI Guy has revealed himself to be a person of very limited education, and very low intelligence.

By going on racist tirades (because one radio station flipped to Spanish), RFI guy has revealed his true racist colors.

;D

 

[amlover]

BLAH! BLAH! BLAH!!!!

 

[troone]

Exactly. You could set your watch by the timing of the First Ammendment debate on this board. :

 

[davideduardo]

But you didn't like the answer. So your next move is to discredit the answer, and wish that the answer be deleted. Now we see just how enthusiastic you are about free speech. You like it as long as it’s your own.

Free speech, as in the constitutional ammendment, guarantees that the government will not interfere with the free expression of ideas. It does not guarantee that on private property, such as this board, you can say whatever you want. On private property, the owner sets the rules.

People are irritated at the number of Mexican radio stations for the same reason they're irritated over too many illegal Mexicans. They see one enhancing the other. So if you perceive that as something offensive, then good. It is offensive.

"Mexican radio stations" are all in Mexico. What you are really referring to is American stations with a format you do not enjoy. Get over it and listen to something else.

 

[davideduardo]

Re: We Are The Children

The diversity argument in favor of Spanish language programming is laughable. Think about how many are in the age 50+ demographic, but radio pulls the plug on Oldies and Nostalgia formats. As I recall, Cool 105.7 had respectable ratings. Commercial radio doesn't care about diversity -- it cares only about those demos which are advertiser attractive.

Most of the AM Spanish stations will be something else soon. They can not make money any more with two better-signal FMs. And this is just market forces in action, and would have been the same if there was no FM country station... the moment there was, the AM country staitons (theoretical, of course) would drop like flies.

Oldies died as a format because Cool had low rating in the sales demos. Most of the listeners were over 55, and there are essentially no radio buys placed against that demo. So Cool had bad numbers where it counts, and went looking for a format that got 18-54 numbers or some portion of them.

 

[middlega]

Re: We Are The Children

Oldies died as a format because Cool had low rating in the sales demos. Most of the listeners were over 55,

It's a minor point to quibble about, but that statement isn't accurate.

Just quickly pulling their numbers across 2004 (most of their existence IIRC), their dominant cell by far was 45-54 (nearly half of their total AQH). And half their cume was 35-54. Also they had only slight more AQH >55 than <45, while their cume was actually higher <45 than >55.

Their actual problem didn't seem to be that they skewed too much into the traditional "old" demo (i.e. 55+) but rather than they didn't do well enough 25-34.

Like I said, a minor quibble but something I thought was at least worth mentioning.

 

[RandomGuy6]

There are really two perspectives at work here: Those that listen to the radio, and those that work in radio. For the listeners, it sucks to have one less option to go to on the dial. However, there's still plenty out there, thanks to satelite, HD and whatnot.

Those who work in the business have a different perspective. El Patron to them means one less place for them to work or worse, the end of their livelihood (remember all those people who used to work at 96 Rock?). Now, extrapolate that across the country. There are now dozens if not hundreds of fewer jobs available in an already ultra-competitive business just because the workforce dares to only speak the official language of the country in which they live.

 

[The danimal]

Oh please! The reason there are less radio jobs is due to syndication, consolidation, voice tracking and the like, not because of a another language on the radio. I glad I went the more stable (but not much) TV route years ago instead of radio. If you are threatened by radio formats that have been the mainstream in Texas, California, etc., and the clientele they serve, then you have much bigger problems than can be posted here.

Face it folks, Spanish radio formats are hot. Let the ratings of Viva, and countless other stations across the country, speak for themselves. Heck, some Spanish AM's are knocking the socks off some more established FM's up here in the Carolinas.

As for 96 Rock, it's been a sorry station for years. No bones about it. I'll have to start streaming the new Project 9-6-1 to check out what they sound like. Consider yourself lucky Atlanta. Five years ago, there was nothing but station after station playing nothing but Elton John or Hip Hop. Now, with all the move-ins and new frequencies, there are actually some decent choices. I'd love to have a Dave, a Smooth Jazz, a refreshed 99X, and even a Viva, in my market.

Atlanta's a Top-10 market. Isn't it about time it started acting like one????

 

[davideduardo]

There are really two perspectives at work here: Those that listen to the radio, and those that work in radio. For the listeners, it sucks to have one less option to go to on the dial. However, there's still plenty out there, thanks to satelite, HD and whatnot.

Those who work in the business have a different perspective. El Patron to them means one less place for them to work or worse, the end of their livelihood (remember all those people who used to work at 96 Rock?). Now, extrapolate that across the country. There are now dozens if not hundreds of fewer jobs available in an already ultra-competitive business just because the workforce dares to only speak the official language of the country in which they live.

Excuse me, but when formats change, people still work at the station... maybe different people, but there are still jobs. El Patrón is hiring a fulltime staff right now, and should be live in the next few days.

So, some different people are working there. The format changed. This happens all the time.

Obviously, what bothers you is that the people who are there now are Hispanic. You said there was "one less option" but that is not true, either. There are the same number of options, just one more that you personally do not want to listen to. On the other hand, there may be hundreds of thousands of people to whom this is a new and exciting option... it is all a matter of taste.

By the way, the companies running Spanish language radio in the US only hire staff that is legally able to work in the US, whether US citizens or legal residents. So there are just as many jobs as ever.

 

[itburnswhenipee]

El Patron gives MORE options to listeners, radio employees.

There are really two perspectives at work here: Those that listen to the radio, and those that work in radio. For the listeners, it sucks to have one less option to go to on the dial. However, there's still plenty out there, thanks to satelite, HD and whatnot.

Those who work in the business have a different perspective. El Patron to them means one less place for them to work or worse, the end of their livelihood (remember all those people who used to work at 96 Rock?). Now, extrapolate that across the country. There are now dozens if not hundreds of fewer jobs available in an already ultra-competitive business just because the workforce dares to only speak the official language of the country in which they live.

Random Guy, you are looking at this from a very narrow, ethnocentric perspective.

For thousands of Atlanta radio listeners, there was only one FM radio station and several small AM stations which spoke their language. The addition of El Patron actually gives these listeners one MORE option on the radio dial.

El Patron also creates MORE jobs, and MORE employment options for radio professionals who speak Spanish.

So, the addition of El Patron actually creates MORE listening options on the radio dial, and MORE job opportunities for radio employees.

;D

 

[John Waywoods]

I BLAME THE DANES! DAMN THEM ALL!