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XETRA (AM) has a name... and a history.

davideduardo

davideduardo

Moderator/Administrator
Staff member
XETRA is now IDing as "W Radio" with the positioner of "La Voz del Sur de California."

FOr the moment, all programming is coming from XEW in Mexico City, but they are announcing a full local line up coming "soon" to the station.

The significance of the "W" name is great.

In the early 30's, a conductor on the train from San Antonio to Mexico City had a sideline selling RCA radios to passengers. The deeper he got into Mexico, the harder it was to sell them, as there was no local service on AM. The man decided to go for the Mexican sales rights for RCA, offering to build a high-power radio station in Mexico City to provide a "need." XEW on 900 AM was born, with broadcasts on AM and shortwave, too.

The station was very successful. By 1950, the owner applied for Channel 2 in Mexico City, thus starting what became Televisa. The radio peddler was Emilio Azcárraga Vidaurrieta, and Televisa is Latin America's largest media company.

XEW AM, "La Voz de la América Latina desde México," still broadcasts with 250,000 watts on 900 AM.
 
> XEW AM, "La Voz de la América Latina desde México," still
> broadcasts with 250,000 watts on 900 AM.
>
Wow!! I'd love to see their coverage map!!
 
> XETRA is now IDing as "W Radio"

Someone should tell them they are West of the Mississippi... or is this one of those traveling stations? I knew it. LOL
 
> Wow!! I'd love to see their coverage map!!
>

It's not that impressive. I believe the soil isn't as conductive in Mexico City as other areas. David E., might provide better insight.

The best coverage I've witnessed was from Radio Luxemborg on 1440 AM. It had at one time, a million watts. From Canada to Siberia.<P ID="signature">______________
+--
Chris
SDRadio.net</P>
 
Back in the 1970's it was an easy catch after sunset in the Pomona/Covina area when KGRB would sign off, as was the 1220 in Mexico City.
 
> broadcasts with 250,000 watts on 900 AM.
>

Remind me to stay away from that transmitter!
 
> > > broadcasts with 250,000 watts on 900 AM.
> > >
> >
> > Remind me to stay away from that transmitter!
> >
>
> Part way down this page...
>
> http://www.davidgleason.com/Mexico-Photos-E.htm
>
> ... you can see me inside one of them!
>
Just spent the last 45 minutes on your site: we can swap George Mooney
stories sometime (I was the last PD at his WMAK Nashville). George
was our acting GM in the early 80's...quite explosive!<P ID="signature">______________
but wait...there's more!</P>
 
> >
> Just spent the last 45 minutes on your site: we can swap
> George Mooney
> stories sometime (I was the last PD at his WMAK
> Nashville). George
> was our acting GM in the early 80's...quite explosive!

George is retired and living on Antigua, one of the Windward Islands of the Eastern Caribbean.

He hired me when I was about 24, and I became the youngest member of the staff. Mooney had a deal to buy WPDQ in Jacksonville from Henderson Belk, who got into FCC trouble. So they had $2 million from a bank, and nowhere to go and they heard about a Top 40 station in PR. thinking it was the same except for the language, they lost about $350 thousand in the first 9 months.

Joe Sullivan was PD at MAK when I joined the ocmpany, and Scott became PD when Joe went to artist management. Jerry Adams was GM, and one of the better GMs I ever knew.

Mooney must have been acting GM when Jerry had a heart attack and died.
>
 
>
> Mooney must have been acting GM when Jerry had a heart
> attack and died.
> >

Actually, he was in replacing Bob Reich, who had left (with Dan Vallie)
to EZ's WEZB in New Orleans. George love to wear his golf attire to work!

Jerry came back to Nashville to launch
the AC launch of Y-107 in 1981 (?) (a clone of U-102 Knoxville).
Jerry did eventually fire me, but it pretty painless...as the former
WMAK was being sold, and Y-107 had a PD. Jerry's heart attack came
after he moved to Jackson, TN.<P ID="signature">______________
but wait...there's more!</P>
 
Re: XETRA press release text.

Here is the press release for the 690 programming...

W Radio debuts on XTRA-690AM LA
W Radio, a radio format that originated in Mexico and Latin America over 75 years ago, has debuted in Los Angeles on XTRA-690AM, previously known as the Mighty 690. W Radio 690 features a news/talk/sports format that has enjoyed immense popularity and extensive listener tune-in in Mexico and other Spanish speaking countries. The station is currently airing programming from GLR's syndication line-up, soon to be replaced by local programming of relevance to Mexicans in Los Angeles and Southern California. W Radio will focus on news and information delivery, with continuous news updates throughout the day and breaking news coverage, combined with humor and entertainment. The station will also carry the extremely popular Futbol Mexicano - airing between two and four games per weekend. The station's programming will highlight the long tradition and commitment of GLR and its parent company, Grupo Prisa, to deliver to the local community news, information and talk.
 
????

Did I click wrong and land on the Nashville board?<P ID="signature">______________


</P>
 
Re: ????

> Did I click wrong and land on the Nashville board?

Actually, it is the Knoxville board. Mooney was based there! Go Vols!
>
 
Re: ????

> Did I click wrong and land on the Nashville board?
>
Oops: one moment I was in San Diego...then San Juan...then Nashville.
The thread is a bit loose...sorry!<P ID="signature">______________
but wait...there's more!</P>
 
Re: ????

> > Did I click wrong and land on the Nashville board?
>
> Actually, it is the Knoxville board. Mooney was based there!

Wow, I really must have clicked wrong. We don't have a Knoxville board.

<P ID="signature">______________


</P>
 
Re: ????

> Wow, I really must have clicked wrong. We don't have a
> Knoxville board.
>

And I still can't get radio dizzney either .....

<P ID="signature">______________
+--
Chris
SDRadio.net</P>
 
Re: ????

> > Wow, I really must have clicked wrong. We don't have a
> > Knoxville board.
> >
>
> And I still can't get radio dizzney either .....

If you wrap your radio in 40 yards of razor wire, you can get it nicely.
>
 
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