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Radio station in Spanish-language hits the local airwaves Date published: 2/1/2003
Marbella Valencia listens to the radio all day--whether at work, at home or in the car traveling between the two. Now the 21-year-old Fredericksburg resident can listen to her favorite music, news reports and local talk shows--all in her native language. Valencia tunes in to WYSK Latino-Mix--a Fredericksburg Spanish radio station that hit the airwaves in December. The station targets the Hispanic market, the fastest-growing minority population in America. Valencia said she plays the station daily for her customers at La Surianita, a Hispanic food store that she manages located off Jefferson Davis Highway. "I used to listen to La Mega [in Washington], but it wouldn't come in clear. I now listen to this without any problems," said Valencia, a Mexican native. Station operators said they created WYSK Latino-Mix to bridge the language gap locally. "There were no radio stations in the Fredericksburg metropolitan area that catered to the Hispanic community," said John Moen, general manager of WFLS, WWUZ and WYSK. The stations all are owned by the Free Lance-Star Publishing Co. WYSK-AM 1350 is being leased to and operated by Clara Marshall, Latino-Mix's general manager. The station plays merengue, salsa and other pop tunes--all in Spanish. It also broadcasts area news reports, weather, school cancellations and several local call-in talk shows. And it gives businesses another option for reaching Hispanic customers. Johnny Soto, manager of Aztlan Mexican Restaurant near Spotsylvania Mall, said he welcomes the opportunity for an advertising alternative. Until now, he said, he's been left to advertise in English. The nearest Spanish radio stations are in Woodbridge--WPWC Radio Fiesta--and in Manassas--WKDV Radio Universal. But the signals from those stations don't always reach Fredericksburg or aren't always clear, said Andy Lazo, who hosts 1350's morning show, "Hola, Buenos Dias"--"Hi, Good Morning." Lazo said Latino-Mix filled an information need because the radio is the first thing many people turn on when they wake up to hear the news. "But for Latinos who don't speak English, they won't know what's going on because they won't read the newspaper or look at the Internet," he said. Instead, many Hispanics visit the local chapter of the National Organization for the Advancement of Hispanics to ask questions, said President Jose Osegueda. "The radio station will be a tremendous service to the Hispanic community," he said. Osegueda said he plans to submit information regarding social services to the radio station. The national Latino population grew to 37 million in July 2001, according to Census Bureau estimates released last month. That's an increase of 4.7 percent from April 2000. The 2000 Census counted 7,419 Hispanics in the Fredericksburg region, which includes the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania and Stafford. That's more than double the number counted in the 1990 Census.
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