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KPCC's Adolfo Guzman Lopez surveyed the local radio en español scene today and finds news and talk on the rise, especially on the AM dial. Hunger for information about the immigration battle, plus fresh ownership, is pushing the trend away from Piolin-style music and gags. Angels owner Arte Moreno bought 830 AM this year and embraced a format of news, talk and sports in Spanglish. At Grupo Prisa's 690, the former sports talk outlet, news is delivered in what Guzman calls a more conservative tone.
Phil Estevez is 690’s general manager. He says research shows the region is ready for a local news and talk show station like his because there have been so few like it.Estevez says his station’s locally produced newscasts and afternoon news talk show target LA’s largest Spanish speaking contingent.
"We are a true Mexican station, you tune into some of my competitors and you might have an Argentine, nothing against Argentinians, it’s different for an Argentinian to deliver the news than for a Mexican to deliver the news. The dialects are very different."