Milwaukee Gets Its First Spanish-Language Station

[EvanJ]

www.radioandrecords.com/Newsroom/2005_09_15/milwaukeegets.asp

Thursday, Sept. 15, 2005
Milwaukee Gets Its First Spanish-Language Station


NextMedia enters the Hispanic radio market with the launch of Milwaukee's first Spanish-language station, Regional Mexican WEXT (104.7-FM La Gran D) on Mexican Independence Day, Sept. 16. The station today dropped its "Extreme Country" presentation and, the Milwaukee Business Journal reports, is currently simulcasting Classic Rock sister KIIL/Kenosha, WI.

The new La Gran D will be airing programming provided by Bustos Media, whose La Gran D format features ranchero, norteño, grupero, banda and cumbia music, targeting an 18-49 demo.

From me: WEXT has a low rating with less than 20 percent of the 12+ rating of Clear Channel Country station WMIL which is tied for second in Milwaukee-Racine. Radio and Records' radio station ratings say the market population is 5.9% Hispanic.

[EvanJ]

WEXT changed call letters to WDDW and as Regional Mexican, the station has a higher rating in Summer 2005 than it did in Summer 2004, Fall 2004, Winter 2005, or Spring 2005. As a result of WDDW no longer being Country, Clear Channel Country station WMIL went way up in the Summer 2005 Milwaukee-Racine ratings released today.

[How Do You Do?]

Wow, I am jealous. I'd love to see an FM Spanish station in Minneapolis. I'd prefer a Spanish Contemporary station, but still anything would be nice.

[EvanJ]

All Access Net News reports that KLBB-AM Minneapolis-St. Paul changes from an Adult Standards simulcast with KLBP-AM to Regional Mexican.

[How Do You Do?]

Unfortunately, it's an AM station with a really weak signal that I can't hear in my car. Hopefully, we'll get an FM station soon though.

[lanconfusion6]

Not unlike WYUU Tampa's flip from country to tropical 3 months ago, making it Tampa's first Spanish-language FMer.