Spanish-language radio stations refocus their missions

Each week, hundreds of messages pour into the radio station's tiny Yakima office. Not too long ago, one woman sent this:

"I have a room for rent. Single person only, no children."

Then, the woman explained, she needed a dining-room table.

Then, "I also give massages" -- followed by a phone number.

Her letter was read later that morning to listeners of KDYK-AM, one of Yakima Valley's commercial radio stations in Spanish.

This kind of "live garage sale" programing makes business sense for Spanish-language radio stations here -- even when it's offered for free.

"If you give people a service they need, they'll have a reason to trust you and listen to your station," said station manager Ruben Muniz, describing the daily reading of classified ads over the air between 10 and 11 a.m. "It's our station's peak hour."

Like their English-language counterparts, these stations provide listeners with sports and music entertainment, local news and information about the weather, school closings and health concerns.

But radio holds a more important role in the lives of immigrants who don't read newspapers or use the Internet. That's because audiences don't have to be literate or own a computer. And unlike with television, listeners don't need to stay in one place and focus exclusively on what's being said.

"You can listen to the radio while you're doing something else," said Gonzalo Cortez, who manages the Prosser-based KMNA-FM and KLES-FM. "Our listeners are people in the fields, people milking cows or working in the wineries."

Spanish-language station managers say their audience is sheltered from the national recession -- and as a result, the stations are, too.

"Our listeners haven't lost their buying power," Cortez said. "And we haven't felt an advertising loss."

Depending on the station, advertisers include mom-and-pop grocery stores, car dealerships and national retailers. Spanish-language stations also run educational public service announcements.

About 70 percent of KMNA's and KLES' listeners work in agriculture -- a job sector that isn't hard hit in bad economic times, Cortez said. People might stop buying other things during a recession, but they'll keep buying fruits and vegetables.

"And so the people in the fields, our listeners, continue with their daily rhythm, cultivating the land and taking care of the orchards," he said. "Advertisers are realizing this, and that's an advantage to us."

Spanish-language stations in the Valley are gaining a share of the general market audience.

Last spring, for example, KZTA-FM -- one station managed by Muniz -- was the top Spanish-language operation and third-most popular in the general market, according to Arbitron, a radio-audience research company. Spanish-language stations consistently place in the top 10 stations overall.

Arbitron ratings -- based both on the percentage of listeners in any given 15-minute period and how long they listen -- are what drive radio advertising.

KZTA has ranked higher in earlier years, when it offered more local content -- something Muniz hopes to improve again.

About two years ago, the station switched format, changed names and shifted to its parent company's national network content, Muniz said. The station is owned by Bustos Media, a California-based Spanish-language broadcaster.

Cortez plans to launch a program similar to KZTA's live classified ads later this month to draw more listeners to his two stations -- ranked eighth and 14th overall by Arbitron.

One way of measuring how far the medium has come in the Valley is by looking at the region's only Spanish-language public broadcaster, Radio KNDA.

Last year, the station moved into a new building in downtown Granger that serves as a community center for the region's Hispanics. People frequently show up with questions about immigration, education or jobs. It was founded by farm workers in the Valley and celebrated its 29th anniversary in mid-December.

"Sure it has been more competitive as far as the dollars for advertising. We noticed that we're not getting as much contracts as we used to (from state agencies and nonprofits). But we're working on contracts that will take us through the middle of next year," said station manager Gabriel Martinez. "We're able to survive because of the population here. And it's growing."

* Melissa Sánchez can be reached at 577-7675 or msanchez@yakimaherald.com.

• Jobs
  www.yakjobs.com
• Homes
  www.yakhomes.com
• 
• 
  
• Autos
  www.yakwheels.com

• All Special Pubs Yakima Magazine Channels YakJobs.com YakWheels.com YakHomes.com Playdate Yakima Bride Yakima Wheels (Print) Home Buyer's Guide Baby Brag Book Graduates 2009 Summer in the Valley Prep Football 2009 Women in Business Holiday Gift Guide
• Advertisement