Changes coming to UNIVISION??

[BamaTX]

As has been said elsewhere, the problem with station names lies in finding ones that are not already registered legally. The "Recuerdo" name was not the first choice in 2000 when it started in LA, and it became very much dated over time.

One of my favorite Spanish language radio brands comes from Aggieland. The former KBMA (now KNFX) was known as "La Fabulosa 99.5". It was a great station ahead of it's time. Unfortunately, the demographics weren't there to help sell it. Aggieland was majority Anglo back in those days and the Hispanic community didn't begin to grow until after it was sold to Clear Channel.

I know there was a push for brand uniformity within the Univision Radio division. Personally, I think it was a wasteful endeavor considering "Estereo Latino" was well known and liked. It had reached the same 'flagship' status among Hispanics that "KQQK" once reached locally. The same can be said about that brand in San Antonio. If Univision ever allows local markets to handle their own branding and marketing, then bringing back the "La Tremenda" brand to Houston seems like a no-brainer for 106.5's format. The name is ambiguous and it doesn't lean towards any certain way (just like KOVE's format). I think we're too far removed from KLAT's talk days for anyone to confuse the brand for a Talk format.

But that's just my dos centavos.

 

[Mrtejano]

One of my favorite Spanish language radio brands comes from Aggieland. The former KBMA (now KNFX) was known as "La Fabulosa 99.5". It was a great station ahead of it's time. Unfortunately, the demographics weren't there to help sell it. Aggieland was majority Anglo back in those days and the Hispanic community didn't begin to grow until after it was sold to Clear Channel.

I know there was a push for brand uniformity within the Univision Radio division. Personally, I think it was a wasteful endeavor considering "Estereo Latino" was well known and liked. It had reached the same 'flagship' status among Hispanics that "KQQK" once reached locally. The same can be said about that brand in San Antonio. If Univision ever allows local markets to handle their own branding and marketing, then bringing back the "La Tremenda" brand to Houston seems like a no-brainer for 106.5's format. The name is ambiguous and it doesn't lean towards any certain way (just like KOVE's format). I think we're too far removed from KLAT's talk days for anyone to confuse the brand for a Talk format.

But that's just my dos centavos.

I totally agree with you, KLTN should have never left the ESTÉREO LATINO name. Even though they defend leaving the name because ESTEREO has lost meaning and bla bla.

Everyone I know still calls La Que Buena (ESTEREO LATINO)

And LA TREMENDA is a good name for a FM music station.

Last year La Tremenda from some other city was on one of those Centros Translators.

 

[DavidEduardo]

I totally agree with you, KLTN should have never left the ESTÉREO LATINO name. Even though they defend leaving the name because ESTEREO has lost meaning and bla bla.

Essentially all FMs are stereo. That word may have been great in the 70's, but not now. And, if you talk to many Hispanics, there is disagreement and even rejection of the term "Latino". As I have mentioned, one of my daughters loves to wear a T-shirt that says "Not Latina. Not Hispanic. Puerto Rican".

Everyone I know still calls La Que Buena (ESTEREO LATINO)

In any case, in the PPM world it does not matter. But the name was old and outdated.

And LA TREMENDA is a good name for a FM music station.

Maybe in the 60's.

In 1999 we researched the name for one of our new acquisitions in San Diego... it was totally rejected.

 

[BamaTX]

In any case, in the PPM world it does not matter. But the name was old and outdated.

The same case can be made about using call letters in your branding. But nobody complains if it's a legacy station (like KRBE or KTRH) since the call letters are synonymous with format they produce locally.

And that's the point I'm trying to make about the "Estereo Latino" brand. It had become a household brand that had reached legacy status within the Hispanic community. It was widely known by everyone in town as "THE Spanish station". The literal name mattered as much as Government Employees Insurance Company matters to GEICO customers. "Estereo Latino" was to Houston what "K-Love" is to Los Angeles (a name that makes less sense than "Estereo Latino" btw, yet was left untouched during the massive rebranding Univision took several years ago).

Now if "Estereo Latino" was newly introduced in, say, Las Vegas, then sure. You would be absolutely right in saying that the brand would confuse listeners in a fierce competitive market. But in Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas, the brand was already established and it didn't have to make literal sense.

 

[DavidEduardo]

And that's the point I'm trying to make about the "Estereo Latino" brand. It had become a household brand that had reached legacy status within the Hispanic community. It was widely known by everyone in town as "THE Spanish station". The literal name mattered as much as Government Employees Insurance Company matters to GEICO customers. "Estereo Latino" was to Houston what "K-Love" is to Los Angeles (a name that makes less sense than "Estereo Latino" btw, yet was left untouched during the massive rebranding Univision took several years ago).

There are multiple issues here.

First, there are changes in how people perceive their cultural identity. "Negro" transitioned to "Black" and "African American" and a radio station appealing to that group would not call itself "Negro Radio" at this point. While "Latino" is still a bit more acceptable, the identity of U.S. Hispanics is in constant transformation and I believe that avoiding ethnic terms in station names is polarizing.

In other words, would you call an Urban station "Negro Mix" today? I think not... in fact, it concerns and embarrasses me to even write that term.

And I already mentioned that "Estéreo" or Stereo is a dumb word to use as pretty much all FMs are stereo and newer terms like "digital" have replaced that word as being attractive.

While the name may have become traditional in Houston, it was also becoming obsolete; not outmoded like an Edsel but time to change like "Aunt Jemima" and the like.

 

[HTX]

There are multiple issues here.

KAMA 104.9 here is called Latino Mix

 

[Mrtejano]

KAMA 104.9 here is called Latino Mix

Pit Bull always says

LATINOS CON LAS MANOS ARRIBA

 

[DavidEduardo]

Pit Bull always says

LATINOS CON LAS MANOS ARRIBA

As I said, that term is in a transitional stage. It's acceptable still, but there is an ongoing state of transition in the way U.S. Hispanics identify. It's been further confused by things like "Latinx" which, of course, is a mouthful among native Spanish speakers. This is a subject for sociologists, but an area for caution in the identification of an brand, whether radio or laundry detergent.

Again, the model here is "Aunt Jemima". We are in an era of rapid transition in the way groups in our nation identify themselves.

 

[DavidEduardo]

KAMA 104.9 here is called Latino Mix

And when a former Univision staff member decided on that name for the contemporary format, I was opposed. I think, as time and social identity advance, that this will be proven to be a less than positive identity.

 

[BamaTX]

There are multiple issues here.

First, there are changes in how people perceive their cultural identity. "Negro" transitioned to "Black" and "African American" and a radio station appealing to that group would not call itself "Negro Radio" at this point. While "Latino" is still a bit more acceptable, the identity of U.S. Hispanics is in constant transformation and I believe that avoiding ethnic terms in station names is polarizing.

Outside a handful of liberal art college students who want to make "LatinX" a thing, I can't name a single person who would consider the word "Latino" outdated. (Interestingly enough, LULAC recently decided to drop the word "LatinX" because it was extremely disliked by actual Latinos).

My understanding is that "Latino" doesn't describe a race, but rather a group of people from South and Central America who use a certain group of languages. Unless I am missing something, there's absolutely nothing controversial about that.

If you're suggesting that the name has the potential to become problematic, then I fail to see how.

In other words, would you call an Urban station "Negro Mix" today? I think not... in fact, it concerns and embarrasses me to even write that term.

That's a false equivalency. "Latino" doesn't describe a race or a skin tone. Furthermore, "Negro" may be acceptable in some countries, but in others (like Mexico) it isn't seen as a term of endearment.

"Latino" doesn't have this issue. No one finds it offensive. At worst, they may reject the term and embrace being called something more specific (no different than Texans who prefer to be called "Texan" over "American").

While the name may have become traditional in Houston, it was also becoming obsolete; not outmoded like an Edsel but time to change like "Aunt Jemima" and the like.

I stand by my belief that the name was no more obsolete than "KRBE" or "News Talk 740, KTRH". This notion that "Latino" could become problematic like "Aunt Jemima" or "Master Bedroom" seems like a massive stretch.

Any "Latinos" care to chime in?

 

[radioislife2020]

Had a argument with haz Montana when all the names were taken from all stations Univision owns and were only branded by the frequency .. or when Univision decide to call a station in Austin el Sancho (you were still working for the company at the time David E) I think these changes were made during the time that .. what was his name David e long hair white guy … had no idea what he was doing .. did once so si festival Euphoria and decided all the urban stations should be called euphoria ..

 

[Mrtejano]

Outside a handful of liberal art college students who want to make "LatinX" a thing, I can't name a single person who would consider the word "Latino" outdated. (Interestingly enough, LULAC recently decided to drop the word "LatinX" because it was extremely disliked by actual Latinos).
I stand by my belief that the name was no more obsolete than "KRBE" or "News Talk 740, KTRH". This notion that "Latino" could become problematic like "Aunt Jemima" or "Master Bedroom" seems like a massive stretch.

Any "Latinos" care to chime in?

Many government offices, social security office for the example.

Many of them ask ethnicities, and Latino Hispanic is a option.

I don’t mind being called Latino, many call all non whites Mexican.

I went to a hospital here in Houston and it had 2 flags to choose language on the parking meter . USA flag to choose English and Mexican flag to choose Spanish. I think that is a little more offensive than being called Latino.


Even KLOL used to say LATINO AND PROUD.

 

[DavidEduardo]

Outside a handful of liberal art college students who want to make "LatinX" a thing, I can't name a single person who would consider the word "Latino" outdated. (Interestingly enough, LULAC recently decided to drop the word "LatinX" because it was extremely disliked by actual Latinos).

Yes, LatinX seems to be dominant among progressive non-Hispanics. A few days ago, I heard Elizabeth Warren using the term, but the vast majority of Hispanics I know either dislike the term or find it irrelevant. Those who use it seem, mostly, to be "covering the bases" in today's environment.

My understanding is that "Latino" doesn't describe a race, but rather a group of people from South and Central America who use a certain group of languages. Unless I am missing something, there's absolutely nothing controversial about that.

"Latino" covers all persons whose heritage or culture comes from Spain or Portugal. "Latin" means anyone from nations and areas that were part of the Roman Empire and which today use a language based on Latin... French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, etc.

Brazilians are "Latinos". On the other hand, "Hispanics" are just from the nations or areas where the main language is or was Spanish. The OMB and the Bureau of the Census came up with the term in the 70's to meet new legal requirements; the Census before that did hot break out Latino or anything like that and nearly all were classified as "white".

This purely USA-based confusion is why many prefer to identify by their area or nation of origin. Puerto Ricans will generally identify as being Puerto Ricans, not as being Latinos or Hispanic. It's a matter of pride and identity. (I managed, consulted or programmed the #1 station in PR for about 47 of the last 50 years, so I have somewhat of a clue about that)

If you're suggesting that the name has the potential to become problematic, then I fail to see how.

It's just not the preferred way of self-identification today. Just as "Negro" is no longer preferred by African Americans. Yet you will find many who still use the terms "Latino" and "Negro", generally older folks. What I am saying is that in radio, there are better ways to bond with the group identity.

That's a false equivalency. "Latino" doesn't describe a race or a skin tone. Furthermore, "Negro" may be acceptable in some countries, but in others (like Mexico) it isn't seen as a term of endearment.

The "Hispanic" question on the US Census is separate from the race issue. And it is "Are you Hispanic or Latino or one of the following..." with a whole bunch of nation or identity specifics (Mexican, Chicano, Tejano, Cuban, "Other").

Of course, "negro" in Spanish means "black" whether it is the color of a limo or a skin tone. In English, "Negro" specifies a race. The words are used differently. At KKHJ in LA in the 90's we had a jock from the Dominican Republic who called himself "El Negrito de la Buena Suerte" or "The Lucky Blackie" on the air... and still does on his LPFM in the OC. As I said, the perceptions are different because the racial term "Negro" from English is not directly translated to Spanish.

"Latino" doesn't have this issue. No one finds it offensive. At worst, they may reject the term and embrace being called something more specific (no different than Texans who prefer to be called "Texan" over "American").

A lot different. Texans don't have a foreign heritage... "Texan" is a way of being separate from the nation as a whole. "Puerto Rican" is an identity that establishes a totally different culture.

I stand by my belief that the name was no more obsolete than "KRBE" or "News Talk 740, KTRH". This notion that "Latino" could become problematic like "Aunt Jemima" or "Master Bedroom" seems like a massive stretch.

That is not what research said. And among those under 40, the distinction was even more outstanding.

Any "Latinos" care to chime in?

As I said, one of my daughters... who lives and practices law in Houston... has a T-Shirt that says "Not Latin. Not Hispanic. Puerto Rican". She says that many ask her where to get ones that say "Mexican" or "Venezuelan" or some other nationality and that nobody has found it distasteful except ornery gringos.

 

[DavidEduardo]

Many government offices, social security office for the example.

Many of them ask ethnicities, and Latino Hispanic is a option.

I don’t mind being called Latino, many call all non whites Mexican.

I went to a hospital here in Houston and it had 2 flags to choose language on the parking meter . USA flag to choose English and Mexican flag to choose Spanish. I think that is a little more offensive than being called Latino.


Even KLOL used to say LATINO AND PROUD.

As I said, this is a slowly changing perspective. The older the person, the more likely they are to use conventional bureaucratic terms. How many decades did it take for "Negros" to generally discard that term in favor of "Black"?

Government offices will use the official term, "Hispanic" and often add "Latino". They are in the business of providing government services, not of trying to get listeners to favor a radio station. They have no motive to be be culturally sensitive... radio and media does.

 

[DavidEduardo]

Had a argument with haz Montana when all the names were taken from all stations Univision owns and were only branded by the frequency .. or when Univision decide to call a station in Austin el Sancho (you were still working for the company at the time David E) I think these changes were made during the time that .. what was his name David e long hair white guy … had no idea what he was doing .. did once so si festival Euphoria and decided all the urban stations should be called euphoria ..

Lots of mistakes were made. When I was no longer a fulltime employee but a consultant, they knew some of the old names were negative but made the mistake of researching potential names with listeners. Listeners don't understand that a "new" name could be built into a well constructed image, but a recognizable name had history and in many cases negatives and/or restrictions.

And sometimes there are strange influences on station names. When we created Recuerdo in LA in 2000 I wanted a name like "Añoranza" (not that one, but something similar that I don't want to reveal). But the mostly gringo sales staff and the non-bilingual sales manager could not pronounce it and didn't understand a name with an "ñ" in it so we went with something easily translatable. My name was straight out of Cien Años de Soledad, but try explaining that to a non-Hispanic sales and management team!

That's why the best names I have given to station are ones like 11-Q and Z-93 in Puerto Rico and Z-101 in Santo Domingo and even Mega in Buenos Aires or Teleonda in Quito. We built each into its own meaning. Even non-descriptive terms like "Mega" which I used 22 years ago in Buenos Aires has no concrete meaning except "big" and it was built into the image of "puro rock nacional" and did pretty well with that concept.

Actually, the Sancho name was appropriate as it represented a "new regional" format when it was thought that the music would splinter like rock did in the general market... a young, rebel type and a more traditional Vicente and Tigres and Recodo sound. That's not what happened, but the idea was sound at the time.

The frequency branding did not anticipate that streaming has not "frequency" and that distinctive names are critical.

 

[Mrtejano]

Government offices will use the official term, "Hispanic" and often add "Latino". They are in the business of providing government services, not of trying to get listeners to favor a radio station. They have no motive to be be culturally sensitive... radio and media does.

Still, if what you say it’s true then someone will find it offensive.

 

[DavidEduardo]

Still, if what you say it’s true then someone will find it offensive.

I did not say it was "offensive". What I am saying is that many do not self-identify with that term any longer.

 

[stan]

The only thing that is constant is change.

 

[BamaTX]

What I am saying is that many do not self-identify with that term any longer.

I'm not even sure that is true. I just don't see any evidence of this anywhere in my daily interactions with Latinos. Sure, it's not the the first term many will reach for when identifying themselves, but it's not rejected or something that is disputed by many. Most Mexican Americans in Houston would call themselves "Mexican" or "Hispanic" first and foremost, but they won't take issue with also being called "Latino".

You use your daughter as an example, but she seems to be the exception and not the norm. You're just not going to find a lot of people who actively go out of their way to reject "Latino" as an identity.

But I degress, we're arguing over something that is already done.

 

[BamaTX]

This purely USA-based confusion is why many prefer to identify by their area or nation of origin. Puerto Ricans will generally identify as being Puerto Ricans, not as being Latinos or Hispanic. It's a matter of pride and identity. (I managed, consulted or programmed the #1 station in PR for about 47 of the last 50 years, so I have somewhat of a clue about that)

I am aware of this. But Houston isn't a majority Puerto Rican market, so that argument doesn't really apply here.

But I do see why Puerto Ricans feel that way. I interact with a few Mexican Nationals down in Mexico and they find the use of "Hispanic" and "Latino" a bit perplexing. They're not used to being split into demographics like we do here in the US. From what I was told, the only time demographics matter is when the government wants to know who identifies as "indigenous".

A lot different. Texans don't have a foreign heritage... "Texan" is a way of being separate from the nation as a whole. "Puerto Rican" is an identity that establishes a totally different culture.

Puerto Rico is as American as Texas. If Texans don't have a foreign heritage, than neither does Puerto Rico. Is PR different from the rest of the country? Absolutely. But the same can be said about Texas and other regions across the country. For example, there are still pockets in Louisiana where only French is spoken and the way of life is extremely different than the rest of the south.

You can't have your cake and eat it too, Puerto Rico.

That is not what research said. And among those under 40, the distinction was even more outstanding.

Just to clarify, are you talking about using call letters, the term "Latino", or the "Estereo Latino" name as a whole here?

As I said, one of my daughters... who lives and practices law in Houston... has a T-Shirt that says "Not Latin. Not Hispanic. Puerto Rican". She says that many ask her where to get ones that say "Mexican" or "Venezuelan" or some other nationality and that nobody has found it distasteful except ornery gringos.

Did they ask her because they thought the shirt was unique. Or was it because they flat out reject the identity of being "Latino"? Because I just don't see people actively scoffing at being called Latino (or Hispanic for that matter). Sure, a Mexican-American is likely more proud of being a "Mexicano" over "Latino", but that doesn't mean they're rejecting the term. Choosing one over the other is no different than a Mexican calling himself "Norteno". It doesn't imply that they reject their Mexican identify (unless they support the fringe separatist movement in northern Mexico, but that's a discussion for another day 😁)