Radio Ink Hispanic Radio Conference – Concluding Highlights

Big Events, Top Affiliates For Futbol de Primera

In the concluding segment of our exclusive three-part interview with legendary soccer play-by-play announcer Andrés Cantor, the Futbol de Primera chairman tells Adam R Jacobson, producer of the Hispanic Market Overview reports distributed by HispanicAd.com, about the biggest events set to capture the attention of both consumers and advertisers in the year ahead.

ADAM JACOBSON: What are the biggest sports events for FDP Radio in the next 12 months? What should advertisers be excited about?

ANDRES CANTOR: In May, El Tri and Jose Manuel “Chepo” de la Torre, the Mexican National Team Head Coach and former FDP Broadcast team member, will continue with their international friendly matches. These games are very important since they will be used to test his squad in order to reach top form for the third round of CONCACAF qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which starts only days later in June and runs through October. The Mexican National Team is placed in Group B, with El Salvador, Guyana and Costa Rica, probably the toughest opponent in the group. They will have to face each other twice.

The qualifying drama will certainly be exciting as they compete for the top two spots to go to Round 4, starting next February on Fútbol De Primera. In addition to these great matches, we will be spending a good chunk of summer 2013 in Brazil. Our listeners heard in the last edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup Mexico finish undefeated in tournament — outscoring their opponents by 18 goals. As Gold Cup Champions, Mexico will have the privilege of participating in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, which Fútbol De Primera will broadcast live. The tournament will include the first and top teams from Mexico, Brazil, World Champion Spain and Uruguay, among others. It will definitely present the teams a great benchmark as they prepare one year prior to the start of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil.

As you can tell, the road to the World Cup is much more than the final tournament. Brazil will be our fourth consecutive FIFA World Cup and it has already received tremendous interest nearly two years out, which in media planning terms is right around the corner. The time to get into the biggest and most anticipated event in the history of sport is now — before it’s too late.

AJ: Where in the U.S. can FDP Radio be heard? What is the digital/mobile/online presence for the network?

AC: FDP Radio can be heard on 102 radio station affiliates, of which 39 are powerhouse FM signals among our various properties. We have 50 stations in the Top 25 markets and just this quarter upgraded signals in New York, San Francisco and Chicago with key FM players in the marketplace. In all, our network enjoys U.S. Hispanic market coverage of nearly 90% across the country. This coverage is truly amazing for any sort of programming, let alone Sports programming. Our programming can also be heard on our website (fdpradio.com) as well as on Tunein Radio digitally. Listeners can also download our programming on iTunes.

Radio Ink Hispanic Radio Conference: Day Two In Review

ADAM R JACOBSON, reporting from San Diego

‘CULTURE IS WHAT LINKS US TOGETHER’

And, says SBS CFO Joe Garcia, culture is what will make Spanish-language radio continue to maintain a sizeable audience in the U.S. Hispanic market. Garcia was joined by other group heads at the Radio Ink Hispanic Radio Conference’s concluding “Super Session,” with Davidson Media Group chairman Sanjay Sanghoee noting that Spanish-language radio stations the company owns and/or operates are likely to stay Spanish for years to come. Adelante Media Group CEO Jay Meyers believes that it will be at least 20 years before Hispanics start to tune out of Spanish-language radio in great numbers. Today, use of Spanish, or English, or a mix of both languages is highly dependent on how a company should best serve its particular market, says Entravision Communications radio division president Jeff Liberman. And if it is German Polkas that the Hispanic 18-49-year adult wants, that’s what they’ll get, says Univision Radio president José Valle.

‘IT’S TOUGHER THAN IT WAS TWENTY YEARS AGO’

Entravision’s Jeff Liberman says Hispanic radio needs to step up in unison and start fighting for its rightful share of the ad dollars. “We have to do a better job in sales and provide our advertisers reasons to buy us. Today, we have a more competitive marketplace. Research has gotten better. We need to unite, as an industry, and go after Corporate America. We can worry about competition later, but we need to hit Corporate America over the head … I’m going to do it whether I am joined or not.” Taking a similar tone, Adelante head Jay Meyers said he’s not one to go into an agency to talk about getting Hispanic advertising dollars. “I’m here to talk about how 100 percent of the dollars are going to reach 87 percent of the market … and that’s stupid! If we got 33 cents on the dollar for the percentage of the audience that is Hispanic, we wouldn’t be here [in San Diego] today. We’d be in Maui, paying our own way.”

DIGITAL COMPREHENSION VITAL TO LONGTERM INDUSTRY GROWTH

In opening comments on the second day of the Radio Ink Hispanic confab, Radio Ink publisher Eric Rhoads implored broadcasters to understand the impact online radio presents to them. “If you cannot understand these devices, you cannot protect your brand. You need to understand because it is changing the way people listen to the radio.” He discussed Tunein Radio (see Andres Cantor interview, above, for more) as a one-stop platform for radio and how manufacturers of audio systems desire one central delivery platform. “Ultimately, you need to be where your listeners are.”

‘CONTENT FLUIDITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT’

Tapestry Media Director Victor Garcia believes developing content that the media buyer can take wherever they want, free from the restrictions presented by working with one broadcast company over another, will best monetize beyond the AM/FM band and bring greater ROI. “To depend on one specific vehicle will leave us all shut,” he said. Speaking on a panel devoted to finding new accounts and fostering advertiser growth, Garcia noted that Starcom Mediavest’s Tapestry unit “wants to hold our multicultural plans to the same rigor as the general market.” He’s seen many situations where an investment occurs, but without a goal. His job – to stop such scenarios.

SESSION SOUNDBYTES

“The recording industry through downloads and digital content have taken it on the chin and are now trying to recoup by putting it on the backs of radio broadcasters.” – Francisco Montero, co-managing partner of Fletcher, Heald and Hildreth, discussing the Performance Rights Act.

“When you sit around and look at some of the regulations broadcasters are forced to deal with, it’s just stupid. Having a public file was great stuff in the sixties, and the fifties, and the fourties. In 1977 people actually came in and looked at our public file. But today?” – Adelante Media Group CEO Jay Meyers, on how Federal government regulations need to better reflect today’s consumer environment.

“We need to think about creating environments and programs that get people engaged and stop offering one-way messages and treat them as users – and not as consumers.” – Sensis Agency president José Villa.

MEDALLAS DE CORTEZ 2012 AWARD WINNERS:
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