Can Mega TV Buyer Save Americano Media?

By Adam Jacobson – Radio TV Business Report

On February 13, a Lone Star State entrepreneur agreed to a transaction that will see, upon closing, the rebrand of Spanish Broadcasting System’s Mega TV operation by refocusing its programming on conservative political commentary and news en español.

Why did Orlando Salazar buy Mega TV, and what is his motivation for the creation of VOZ Media, having no media experience whatsoever? Salazar shared his vision in an InFOCUS Podcast.

Now, Salazar is being looked upon as the likely savior of a conservative Spanish-language Talk operation presently offering programming to an Audacy Inc. AM in Miami and iHeartMedia stations in Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa.

According to El Nuevo Herald, the McClatchy Co.-owned Spanish-language daily newspaper serving Miami, Americano Media has “run out of money” and has been unable to make payroll since May.

In order to meet its salary obligations, Americano Media is searching for a new investor to keep the company from shutting its doors. And, El Nuevo Herald says, that individual is Salazar, who could combine Americano Media with his fledgling VOZ Media TV operation to create a multimedia platform with immediate scale as he seeks to become a Newsmax for U.S.-based Spanish speakers.

The newspaper bases its report on “sources familiar with the situation,” who claim Americano Media founder and CEO Ivan Garcia-Hidalgo is waiting for an offer from VOZ Media. If true, the proposed inversion of funds would immediately be used to take care of the more than 100 staff members who are due weeks of back pay.

News of the financial problems at Americano Media first surfaced on the newspaper’s website early Friday (8/11), and appeared as the lead story in its August 12 print edition. Salazar declined to comment from Salazar when reached via e-mail by RBR+TVBR on Sunday.

Americano Media first gained an audience on SiriusXM Satellite Radio. That relationship ceased in October 2022. But, it did usher in a new era for Americano Media — over-the-air broadcasts, with Audacy’s WAXY-AM 790 in Miami leased to Garcia-Hidalgo. This placed 18 hours of programming from Americano Media on the former Sports Talker. In March 2023, “Select” Americano content was scheduled to be added to the overall programming on three iHeartMedia Spanish-language News/Talk stations presently branded as Acción —
WRSO-AM 810 in Orlando and W250CE at 97.9 MHz, serving the Kissimmee-St. Cloud area; WHNZ-AM 1250 and W290BJ at 105.9 MHz in Tampa; WFXJ-AM 930 and W247CF at 97.3 MHz in Jacksonville.

The Jacksonville facility is in the process of being sold to Norsan Media, with a format change all but inevitable.

With the Acción deal, the goal for Americano Media was to syndicate its content to 25 radio stations across the U.S. by the end of 2023. Now, keeping the FPL bill paid is the No. 1 priority.

In a statement to El Nuevo Herald, Garcia-Hidalgo blamed macroeconomic challenges for Americano Media’s financial issues. “Americano Media is establishing a new multimedia platform in the midst of a historic recession, in which attracting investment proved more challenging than we expected,” García-Hidalgo said. “As a result, our company grew faster than our fundraising. Like any startup, we are making adjustments to move forward. We are committed to paying our obligations, especially our team’s back wages, and moving resolutely into the future.”

The view on Americano Media’s fiscal health is a bit different for Alfonso Aguilar, the former SVP/Political Director of Americano Media. “What happened at Americano Media is due to mismanagement by its president,” he said, blaming Ivan Garcia-Hidalgo himself. A report of nepotism has also clouded Garcia-Hidalgo.

Meanwhile, the sale of KROI-FM in the Houston market to Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS) from a trust created to handle spinoffs tied to Urban One’s purchase of Cox Media Group’s Houston radio stations has been delayed in order to allow SBS to complete the sale of Mega TV to VOZ Media. That transaction has not yet closed.