Spanish radio’s growing impact
Don Day | August 1, 2007As Southern Idaho’s Spanish-speaking community expands, so does the number of stations aimed at that portion of the market. Bustos Media operates a pair of stations: KQTA/106.3 Ke Buena and KDBI/101.9 La Gran D. Those (relative) upstart stations go head-to-head with longtime Spanish station KWEI/99.5FM Spanish Radio.
KDJQ-AM fliped back to Spanish-language programming in April, and the station’s current owner is working out the details of a sale to Churchill Media out of Eugene. Churchill operates the LaX network, a sort of Spanish “full service” station with news, talk, sports and music. LaX has outlets in Eugene, Yakima and Portland.
The Bustos stations employ two of their parent company’s nationwide formats. Ke Bueana is a “regional Mexican” format – which is described as a younger-skewing Mexican CHR. La Gran D is targeted at first and second generation folks from Mexico who “desire the sound and feel of ‘back home,’” according to Bustos’ website.
KWEI-FM is running a part-local format with live jocks in AM drive and afternoons, broadcasting from studios here in the Treasure Valley. The station also has an office on Orchard in Boise, and targets a broad swath of Spanish-speaking listeners.
KWEI also operates an AM frequency, which programs the Univison Radio service on 1260 AM. That format offers news, talk and sports in Spanish.
What is the current operating status of KWEI AM 1260. Are they still under the dawn to dusk death nail or has that changed in recent years under the FCC? Seems like sometimes they are on the air or not when I scan across the dial. It could be they just “forget” to shut down or are they now legal to have more than a few millawatts of power at night? I am sure the engineering crowd has an answer.
They have flea power at night and 10kw daytime. There is a coverage map on their site http://www.kweispanishradio.com
Nighttime is 60 watts. For a long time they chose to just turn off at night, but more recently I think they are running the 60 watts at night.
elchupacabras… did you catch Jimmy Kimmel last night? A lady in Texas apparently hit a Chupa Cabras and they showed it on the news… The first ever actully seen! (The news report said it was a grey wolf that had mange and lost all of it’s hair)
Jim, I did see that report! Kimmel told viewers a few years ago that he would offer $10,000 to anyone who brought in a “real” Chupacabras. I thought about changing my middle name and showing up to take the dough!
K W E I Spanish Radio has two Spanish stations. 99.5 FM “Radio Variedades” is live and local all day every day from six AM till midnight or later. It is the only Spanish station with all live “local” DJ’s and one of the few of all kinds of stations in the area. All other Spanish stations in this area are being fed by out of town interests.
1260 AM has a live announcer in the morning doing news, weather, traffic and community news.
Locally owned by the same local person for 21 years.
Enter below the date you think the out of town owners will put K W E I Spanish Radio out of business.
Enter here
Now if I remember correctly, the name translates to GOAT SUCKER…. Okay.
KIDO’s Coast to coast radio program last night spoke with the lady who has the body, whatever, She said it is no broken down coyote.
They are sending it to a biological researcher at a Texas university. So time will tell.
KWEI AM/FM’s studios are in Boise on Orchard. Not just an office there.
KWEI 1260 AM in Weiser Had a 15 minute Mexican Music show during the summer months way back in the late 1950’s, it aired once a week on Saturdays. Since that first summer in 57 or 59 it has aired a Mexican Music format every year consecutively to date.
From 15 minutes to one or two hours a week growing every year respectfully.
Almost 50 years with a Spanish program, second to non in the Northwest and among the very few in our Great United States.
Currently The only Local Hispanic radio Station “ 1260 am and 99.5 FM” in the Treasure Valley. KWEI is Idahoan and the most important venue of information for its community and the only station in the state that broadcasts Local News in Spanish Daily.
And may I add that the station is very much part of our states history.
I have been reading this website for several years and have noticed that a lot of the comments made about Hispanic Radio Formats in the area are quit negative; most have been against having it or having to much of it. But than this is Idaho Some Minds haven’t changed since my parents worked here during the war, the Second World War, 1944-and decided to establish a home here in the early 1950’s we wouldn’t want to live any where else. The Whole Family grew with KWEI
I have to agree. I have several friends working at KWEI and they do a fine job. “El Chaparrito” keeps everybody up to date with a lot of local events. He does a hell of a job. It is too bad there are too many negative remarks here about Spanish radio. I have worked both on the English and Spanish sides of things, and the Spanish listeners are SOOO much more grateful for the service. That is why Spanish TSL numbers kick butt. Working Spanish radio is liking working a full-service English station 20-30 years ago. You do a little of everything, and the people reward you with a lot of thanks. It’s not a slick and snotty type of a thing. I commend KWEI on staying local. It is hard to do in this day and age, and any station that does is worth its weight in gold. Any advertiser of Spanish formatted radio will tell you how good the dividends are. I have NEVER done a bad remote. It is cool to get 50-100 or more people out each time we break out they ol’ Marti. Chau for now. The Goat Sucker, and proud of it! Gotta’ go back to suckin’ some goats. (As aforementioned, that’s what Chupacabras means for you pervs.)
Hey, “Goat Sucker” for the record, I have to say I agree whole heartedly regarding your comments of Spanish Radio. You are right on the money. Your Hispanic listeners and whomever else listens DO appreciate and support your efforts. I noticed that trend more than 20 years ago.
I never say a lobby full of listeners come to see their air personallity unless it was at a spanish format station. Those folks were dressed up and would make the effort to stop by and say thank you!
If Anglo radio was appreciated as much by its listeners- radio in general would be a completely different business today. You as a format, in general, are still doing today what most of the big shots in programming and management have forgotten to do… be local, be sincere, and be integrated completely into the lives of your listeners.
You wont get discouraing remarks from this old broadcaster. I am envious of the loyalty that is displayed. Oh, by the way Hello RQ… hope all is well. What is Chris Ruiz up to these days?
Elchupacabras970 Are you from the Rupert area? One of my sisters still lives there. She Tells me she listens to a DJ Who is Not of Mestizo Blood, Speaks perfect Spanish And does the Mexicano Radio Show and calls Himself El Chupacabras. Just Wondering I Haven’t returned to Good Old Rupert since 1981. But in the 70’s one of my School Projects was to start a Radio Program in Spanish. I Was 13 Years old and walked to our Local Station I Believe was KAYT or Close to those Call letters. I Remember the Owner or Manager’s Last name was Hayes.
I presented my School Project Idea to Him and He Said Let’s give it a try. I had never been inside a radio station. The Only Radio Program in Spanish in the Mini-Cassia area was at KBAR in Burley-Adam Mascorro had an Hour Show every Saturday Afternoon.
So the Production crew at KAYT would record my voice with my dedications and Introductions of the songs onto a cart “remember the ones that looked like the 8 track carts”. I would than write in the order recorded the Name of the Album the Side A or B and the Song Number. They used my collection of Lp’s and 45’s that I Still Have And Still Play on My Record Player.
It wasn’t a live radio show but it was a first for me and the first Latino radio Show in Rupert. It was nice because I Could Hear My Own Radio Show At Home-Friends would call me at Home for dedications- The show was aired three time a week I named it El Programa Estudiantil “the Scholastic Program” Being I that I was a Jr. High Student and the radio program was an idea of mine for school. My English Teacher gave me a C Minus- My do it yourself School Project Experience was written in English for Class. But my teacher did not like the idea the radio show was in Spanish. It was against the School rules to speak Spanish during school hours. Even though the Radio show was after school. The Year was 1970
And Radio Active I Haven’t seen Chris Ruiz since 1991 when he used to do the Spanish Program at KIOV 1450 in Ontario Oregon. I talked to Pete Lopez of Weiser last summer, Pete was 15 years old when he started the Spanish show at KWEI 1260 AM in 1958 or 59.
RQ- That is where I last saw hris too. A very nice gentleman to have worked with. Nice to hear you are alive and well and still active in your profession.
I am glad to see that spanish radio has gotten a good response from others here on the message board. As for the post of putting out of business KWEI,I personally work at BustosMedia and that is not our goal contrary to what people may think.Just as in the anglo market we DO fight for the ratings share other than that the more informative information and entertainment that is provided to the hispanic community the better as there is limited avenue’s for the community as opposed to the anglo community. And it is very true that business owners that do advertise will tell you how good the dividens are.On the english side of radio it seems that the stations co exist and i dont know why the spanish radio stations cannot co exist.
RQ, Yes indeed, I am that guy. I am the PD of KFTA, which formerly was KAYT. Cool history stuff and sorry you got a “C.”
k.w.e.i sucks, sales rep,old dj’s thats a history in idaho, please sale to somebody who knowks the radio b
very well and send to hell the present workers of that radio.
la x or bustos media they are a proffetional people,fresh ideas, a lot of payola and better sales rep
and better cuality talents.
radio variedades es una estacion manejada por idiotas sin personalidad , incluyendo locutorcitos baratos,
programadores balines, especialmente “el chaparrito”
tengo viviendo 12 meses en este pueblo y siempre lo mismo siempre.yo trabaje en esa radio variedades un tiempo,pero se manejan al estilo corriente,mala bibra
y te limitan de todo no te dejan crecery por lo mismo no crecen ellos… aqui esta una solucion …..
corran al enano barato que interrumpe el progreso latino
que la compre alguien importante.
y el gerente ramirez que se regrese a pelar papas a su rancho o asu ganga a pintar paredes pues esa es la imagen que da cuando esta en la radio.
rq es muy buen personaje de antano,edgar otro mas
per el resto que se dediquen a otra cosa..norman arriaga es otro ejemplo de mediocridad resagada.
una mas no apoyan al talento local, pero eso si dicen
de la raza y pa la raza, yo no se de que razan hablan si de la mugrosa texana o centro americana.
good
Just a remark must be a disgruntled former employee
RQ you sound like Ricky Quilantan. Is that you? If it is we still think of you here in the Rio Grande Valley. Those were the years we were in Paul and Rupert. Still reminisce of all those good ole’ days.