Hispanic Radio Hits Rough Wave

Washington Post ^ | July 14, 2008 | Alejandro Lazo

[reaganaut1]

For years immigrant entrepreneurs have taken over small stations with relatively weak signals, providing what for many Caribbean and Latin American immigrants is a key source of information about their local communities, U.S. life and politics, and news from the homeland. When Carlos Aragon, a native of El Salvador, founded Radio Fiesta six years ago on the second story of a strip mall in Woodbridge, he intended it to play just that role for Hispanics in Prince William County.

"The intention was to create a bridge between the Hispanic and the Anglo community, interviewing politicians and informing the community and creating a radio station that serves the community," Aragon said.

But these days the subprime mortgage meltdown has hit many Spanish-language radio stations hard. Real estate companies that targeted the Hispanic community have closed their doors or cut back on advertising and sponsorships. Aragon has lost most of the real estate agents who once advertised with him. In Prince William, where authorities are cracking down on illegal immigrants, many Hispanic-owned businesses have also slashed their ad budgets as fewer customers walk through their doors. Radio Fiesta's ad revenue from Hispanic businesses has declined by about 40 percent over the past year; it's down 10 percent from non-Hispanic businesses, Aragon said.

[chickadee]

So there is a bright spot to the mortgage crisis. It’s time that the tools of ghettoization were replaced with efforts to assimilate or to return to the country where Spanish is spoken.

[sam_paine]

[Alex Murphy]

But these days the subprime mortgage meltdown has hit many Spanish-language radio stations hard. Real estate companies that targeted the Hispanic community have closed their doors or cut back on advertising and sponsorships. Aragon has lost most of the real estate agents who once advertised with him. In Prince William, where authorities are cracking down on illegal immigrants, many Hispanic-owned businesses have also slashed their ad budgets as fewer customers walk through their doors. Radio Fiesta's ad revenue from Hispanic businesses has declined by about 40 percent over the past year; it's down 10 percent from non-Hispanic businesses, Aragon said.

Amish Radio Station Folds After Just Six Months

[ecomcon]

Gosh, I feel just terrible for these hispanic radio stations who were just “informing” their “communities”. Not.

[CedarDave]

In Prince William, where authorities are cracking down on illegal immigrants, many Hispanic-owned businesses have also slashed their ad budgets as fewer customers walk through their doors.

Cry me a river...

[Paige]

Testimony of illegal alien care from 1 Florida hospital

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLJxmJZXgNI

[CHEE]

Mue bueno amigo.

My IE will no longer access the Washington Post web site.

[gubamyster]

ping

[Vigilanteman]

"The intention was to create a bridge between the Hispanic and the Anglo community, interviewing politicians and informing the community and creating a radio station that serves the community," Aragon said.

If he wanted to create a bridge rather than exploit a divide, he'd do what the Italian immigration societies did in our area during the 1900-1920 wave of Italian immigration.

They still maintain their original club building with the Italian and American flag out front. The name of the club was and still is, the Americanization Mutual Society. In addition to helping Italian immigrants to enusre their legal papers were in order, help them find jobs and places to live, a key purpose of the AMS was to help them to learn English. They were so successful that the old-timers now hold Italian classes because so few of the members can even communicate with the mother country anymore.

[brytlea]

I’m not sorry that if you make your money on illegal activity, you eventually may go broke.
susie

[chickadee]

If he wanted to create a bridge rather than exploit a divide, he'd do what the Italian immigration societies did in our area during the 1900-1920 wave of Italian immigration.

It's quite clear that the successful integration of newcomers to America is not helpful to the left's agenda. Why, if left to their own devices and the "old" ways that worked, they would become successful English-speaking, flag-waving Americans who move to the suburbs, thereby needing those evil gas-guzzling vehicles to move about freely. This might result in the unemployment of many overpaid dogooders and even lead to citizenship and the unthinkable possibility of voting Republican.

[brytlea]

Thank you for posting that.
susie

[Vigilanteman]

Yep. Our morning drive guy nailed it when he said the Jackass leadership wants $10 per gallon gas a.s.a.p. to force people to move back into the cities where they can be better managed. It is all about power and control.

[dfwgator]

Cue “Wall of Voodoo”:

I feel a hot wind on my shoulder
And the touch of a world that is older
I turn the switch and check the number
I leave it on when in bed I slumber
I hear the rhythms of the music
I buy the product and never use it
I hear the talking of the DJ
Can’t understand just what does he say?

I’m on a mexican radio. I’m on a Mexican - whoah - radio

I dial it in and tune the station
They talk about the U.S. inflation
I understand just a little
No comprende, it’s a riddle

I’m on a mexican radio. I’m on a Mexican, whoa-Oh, radio
I’m on a mexican radio. I’m on a Mexican, whoa-Oh, radio

I wish I was in Tijuana
Eating barbequed iguana
I’d take requests on the telephone
I’m on a wavelength far from home
I feel a hot wind on my shoulder
I dial it in from south of the border
I hear the talking of the DJ
Can’t understand just what does he say?

I’m on a mexican radio. I’m on a Mexican, whoa-Oh, radio
I’m on a mexican radio. I’m on a Mexican, whoa-Oh, radio

Radio radio... Radio radio... Radio radio...
I’m on a mexican radio. I’m on a Mexican, whoa-Oh, radio
I’m on a mexican radio. I’m on a Mexican, whoa-Oh, radio
Radio radio... What does he say ?

[san pancho]

But these days the subprime mortgage meltdown has hit many Spanish-language radio stations hard.

On the one hand, they're trawling for "greater fools", with no voice of caution to offset the real estate hype.

On the other hand they're "serving the Latino community". Yeah, right.

[san pancho]

Radio Fiesta's ad revenue from Hispanic businesses has declined by about 40 percent over the past year; it's down 10 percent from non-Hispanic businesses, Aragon said.

not to worry, there's still the "government bailout" which will keep the Ad Council ads flowing on Hispanic Radio at taxpayer expense.