| Topic: |
Politics > Politics |
| User: |
"Pookie" |
| Date: |
20 Dec 2006 05:18:23 AM |
| Object: |
Two AM stations make switch to Latino music |
Two AM stations make switch to Latino music
By Clea Simon, Globe Correspondent | December 20, 2006
Goodbye Air America, hello "Rumba." Tomorrow at noon, Clear Channel stations
WKOX-AM (1200) and WXKS-AM (1430) will switch from "Boston's Progressive
Talk" to "La Nueva Rumba," both simulcasting a "tropical" format of
primarily Spanish-language announcers and music, ranging from salsa,
merengue, and bachata to the contemporary sound of reggaeton. Spearheading
the new format, which carries the tagline "Orgullo Latino" ("Latino Pride"),
is Rafael "Raffy" Contigo, a 26-year veteran of both English- and
Spanish-language radio who has already flipped Clear Channel-owned stations
in other markets.
"I really believe in what the Clear Channel Hispanic division is doing,"
said Contigo by phone from his new Medford headquarters. (He prefers the
word Latino for "what we call ourselves" but explained that "Hispanic"
remains the industry term.)
"Clear Channel has really recognized the power of the Latino consumer," said
Contigo, who will also host the stations' weekday morning drive, 6-10 a.m.
"This isn't a mom and pop operation. This is the biggest radio broadcasting
company in the world, and they have pretty much given us the keys to the
radio stations."
The company, he says, has bigger plans, including boosting tiny WKOX's power
to 50,000 watts by August. (The station currently operates at around 10,000
watts during the day.) After the upgrade, the radio giant will separate the
two stations, giving WXKS-AM its own, as yet undetermined format.
Particularly if the upgrade goes as planned, said Contigo, these two
stations should fare better than the similar-sounding "Mega" stations,
WAMG-AM (890) and WLLH-AM (1400) which gave up on the "tropical" format and
were sold.
A veteran of many formats, including Top 40, Contigo worked from 1995
through 2004 with the Miami-based Spanish Broadcasting System. Recruited by
Clear Channel's Hispanic division in 2004, he has since programmed and
served as a DJ in Miami, Denver, and Albuquerque . Until now, these
positions have largely been at stations playing a format known as "Hurban,"
or Hispanic urban music, a mix of reggaeton and hip-hop aimed at 18- to
34-year-olds. "Tropical," with its older music, is geared more toward a
25-and-above crowd.
"As far as favorite formats go, mine is the Spanish tropical format,"
Contigo said. "It's my favorite music of choice, and, being of Puerto Rican
descent, it's the music I grew up with."
With new stations to run, he's actively seeking those of similar taste.
Bucking a Clear Channel trend, he says, the "Rumba" stations will have live
DJs, ideally hired from the Greater Boston community.
"We are going to fully staff our radio station with local talent," Contigo
said. That includes an afternoon personality, a production director, and a
roster of part-timers for the other shifts. Weekend programming will
probably include specialty shows, such as a salsa oldies program that
Contigo himself will host. The only syndicated program he would like to
bring to the station, he said, is "Daddy Yankee on Fuego," a popular
reggaeton show that will likely air on Saturday nights. In the works, he
added, is an hourlong public affairs program.
"Hispanic radio's bloodline is its contact with the community," he said. "We
want to be tied in with the community."
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2006/12/20/two_am_stations_make_switch_to_latino_music_1166582426/
.
|
|
| User: "KK" |
|
| Title: Re: Two AM stations make switch to Latino music |
21 Dec 2006 08:18:52 AM |
|
|
On Wed, 20 Dec 2006 06:18:23 -0500, Pookie wrote:
Goodbye Air America, hello "Rumba." Tomorrow at noon, Clear Channel stations
WKOX-AM (1200) and WXKS-AM (1430) will switch from "Boston's Progressive
Talk" to "La Nueva Rumba,
There's got to be *somebody* still saying that AA is alive and well.
.
|
|
|
|
| User: "" |
|
| Title: Re: Two AM stations make switch to Latino music |
20 Dec 2006 05:34:18 AM |
|
|
Pookie wrote:
Two AM stations make switch to Latino music
By Clea Simon, Globe Correspondent | December 20, 2006
Goodbye Air America, hello "Rumba."
Egads! How will the liberal movement ever survive? Thank god this
didn't happen before the midterms or we wouldn't have had a chance of
winning! Perhaps the lesson here is that liberals are capable of
assimilating detailed and complex information from a wide variety of
sources and therefore don't rely on AM radio garlic supplement
hucksters to (mis)inform them on important political matters like
conservatives do? LOL! Enjoy Rush., Poopie! He's serving up what you're
craving!
.
|
|
|
|
|
Related Articles |
|
|
