MIAMI — A deal to buy Spanish-language radio stations has sparked opposition in Miami. Exiles from Cuba describe it as an attempt suppress conservative voices.
Two political strategists, who worked for President Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, founded the Latino Media Network. They reached a $60m deal to purchase 18 FM and AM stations in ten U.S. towns from Televisa/Univision. Federal Communications Commission approval is still required for the June 3 agreement.
These markets are diverse — Hispanics from all over Latin America listen in Los Angeles, New York and Houston to hear the stations. According to the network, it will “focus on creating content that addresses different cultural and political nuances which impact different types Latinos.”
The deal is not going well in Miami where Radio Mambi is a popular choice among hardline Cuban exiles.
Irina Vilarino co-owns a South Florida chain of Cuban restaurants and said, “We would have to be deaf or blind not to understand the motives for this buyout.” She spoke at a news conference organized by the Assembly of the Cuban Resistance.
The network has raised $80 million in total from high-profile investors like Eva Longoria, a Democratic political activist and former chairman of the Florida Republican Party Al Cardenas. Longoria is also a critic of President Donald Trump. Lakestar Finance LLC, which is associated with Democratic mega-donor George Soros, finances the debt.
Republicans in Florida have harshly criticised the deal, from the Cuban American House delegation to U.S. Senator Marco Rubio and Governor. Ron DeSantis. Coalition members stated that they are looking into legal options to challenge the takeover.
When raising concerns about disinformation following the January 6th insurrection at U.S. Capitol, Democrats pointed to Radio Mambi and other Spanish language radio stations. Republicans claim that these accusations are made to distract from the Democrats’ poor performance in South Florida among Hispanic voters in 2020.
Stephanie Valencia, who was part of Obama’s White House Office of Public Engagement led by President Obama, co-founded Latino Media Network. About four to five months ago, she heard that TelevisaUnivision was planning on selling radio stations. TelevisaUnivision didn’t respond to a request for comment about how the deal came about.
Valencia stated to The Associated Press that Valencia did not want to miss the opportunity to acquire such a large amount of them all at once, and that Latino programming was not available to other interested parties.
Valencia stated that she would like to see a smooth transition.
“We will be looking at it from a business perspective. How can we preserve the spirit of these stations? She asked, “How do we balance journalistic integrity while ensuring we create spaces for free speech?”
Ninoska Perez is a popular commentator and fervent Trump supporter. She assured listeners that there would not be major changes.
Martha Flores hosts an evening radio show on Radio Mambi. She isn’t certain about that. She was present at the news conference, but she declined to speak.
Flores pointed at her watery eyes and said “Look at that,” Flores said, “I know that I would just cry.”
Radio Mambi was founded in 1980 with the support of the Reagan administration. Since then, Radio Marti has received federal funding to transmit Radio Marti’s anticommunist content into Cuba every morning for one hour after midnight. Cuba attempts to block the signal.
Miami Cubans recall listening to the station as a child in the kitchen and in the car. Lieutenant Gov. Jeanette Nunez, Lieutenant Governor, shared her opinion at the news conference. She said that as a child she heard it so often that she got annoyed with her father.
Nunez stated that she would tell her father as she drove her to school. “He insisted. Nunez stated that he would not allow me to change the dial, and added that she continued the tradition with her daughter.
To transfer broadcast licenses, the group must still file an FCC application. The FCC will open the public comments period. After a one year transition period, if approved, the startup will take full ownership in late 2023.
