http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercuryn ... 319361.htm

Posted on Sat, Aug. 06, 2005


NUEVO RADIO
More Latinos listening
STATIONS ARE TUNING IN TO POPULATION BOOM
By Michele Chandler
Mercury News

and P. Solomon Banda

Associated Press

What Spanish language radio station was a sponsor of last week's San Jose Grand Prix?

KSJO-FM.

Who's the radio partner for next month's Living Well 2005 health fair at the San Jose Convention Center?

KSJO.

And which San Jose station is one of several in the Bay Area hitching its star to the growing nationwide popularity of Spanish-language radio?

You guessed it -- KSJO.

While English remains the language of choice for most of the nearly 14,000 radio stations in the nation, more stations than ever offer a Spanish-language format to cater to a booming Hispanic population that's youthful and ready to spend.

There are 678 stations across the country that offer a Spanish-language format, but the number could double within a year as the broadcast industry continues to convert general interest radio stations into Spanish-only ones, according to media analyst Mike Henry.

``I wouldn't be surprised to see more conversions of radio stations to a Spanish-language format in the Bay Area at all, particularly if the results of the current stations are positive,'' said Henry, chief executive of Paragon Media Strategies, a Denver media consulting company.

The Bay Area has about a half-dozen Spanish language radio stations, according to Arbitron. In the South Bay, 38 percent of all radio listeners are Latino, according to San Antonio-based Clear Channel Communications, KSJO's owner.

Corporate conversions

Corporate heavy hitters are entering the Spanish-language radio market, once the focus mainly of mom-and-pop stations operating for years on the fringes of the AM dial.

Clear Channel recently converted English-language radio stations to a so-called ``Hurban'' format -- Hispanic blended with urban -- in Albuquerque, Denver, Houston and Miami. As far as their playlists, think Daddy Yankee, the Puerto Rican artist who mixes hip-hop and Latin beats in a musical fusion called reggaeton, or Latin pop-rock singer Shakira.

Univision Communications of Los Angeles, already the country's No. 1 Spanish-language television broadcaster, became the top Spanish-language radio broadcaster with its acquisition of Dallas-based Hispanic Broadcasting's 65 stations two years ago. In the Bay Area, Univision controls KSOL/KSQL and KVVF/KVVZ.

ABC Radio Networks recently announced plans for the Hispanic Advantage Network, which will distribute syndicated shows, professional baseball coverage and ESPN Deportes -- ESPN's sports in Spanish.

Other general radio companies operating Spanish-language stations in the Bay Area include Entravision Communications (KBRG 100.3 FM and KLOK 1170 AM). The Spanish Broadcasting System has operated KRZZ (93.3 FM) since last year.

Broadcasters are following the numbers. In 2000, there were 35.6 million Hispanics in the United States, according to the Census Bureau. That number has grown to 41.3 million. Estimates of Hispanic purchasing power now top $630 billion, up nearly threefold from $233 billion in 1990, and it's expected to reach $926 billion in 2007, according to Denver marketing firm Heinrich Hispanidad.

``When the population is over 40 million, people take notice, including advertisers and broadcasters,'' said Alfredo Alonso, a Clear Channel official hired to convert 20 to 25 of its 1,200 English-language radio stations to Spanish formats.

Faithful listeners

Hispanic listeners are unique in several ways, according to industry experts. They tend to be younger than the general audience, with adults 18 to 49 being the focus for Spanish-language stations, according to Arbitron.

Hispanics also listen to the radio more than the overall radio audience, analysts say. ``You listen at home, in the car,'' said Cecilia Rodriguez, KSJO's general sales manager. ``It's cultural.''

KSJO (92.3 FM) ditched its rock format for its current Spanish-language focus in October 2004. The station's early research shows KSJO has more than doubled its share of Bay Area radio listeners from age 18 to 49 -- to 7 percent this spring, up from 3 percent in spring 2004, Rodriguez said.

The station features Spanish-language hits from the '70s, '80s and '90s, from international legends Julio Iglesias and Selina to San Jose's Mexican pop band Los Tigres del Norte.

``Our listeners will sing along every song we play because they were all hits everywhere, in Mexico and Central and South America,'' Rodriguez said.

The audience is growing at KSJO since the station's owner converted it from a rock-only format to Spanish language-only programming last year. The station is owned by Clear Channel, one of the biggest mainstream broadcasters to delve into the Spanish language radio market in recent years.

The station now has a 19.1 percent share of local listeners among Hispanic adults ages 18 to 49, up from about 6 percent before the format change, said Rodriguez.