Who comes to mind when you think of a News/Talk radio listener? Likely male. Likely white. And likely skewing older.
That’s all true. But is there an opportunity for News/Talk radio to change that demographic? There may be signs that the possibility is more likely than ever before.
As many in the political world likely know, a special election took place on Tuesday night in the 34th Congressional District in Texas. Mayra Flores, a Republican, won the race comfortably and will become the first Mexican-American woman to serve in Congress, as yes, once again, a Republican.
This district in the Rio Grande Valley is 84% Hispanic. This is a district that President Biden won by 4.2 points in 2020, and Hillary Clinton won it by 21.5 percent in 2016. If you go back to 2012, Barack Obama beat Mitt Romney by 24 points in the district.
To think that one decade later, a Republican could win this district is unfathomable. And no one would have believed it as a possibility even a couple of years ago.
Also, a recent Quinnipiac Poll showed President Biden with a 24% approval rating amongst Hispanics. That is lower than it was amongst Whites (32%) and Blacks (49%).
So let’s take that information and combine it with some radio data.
According to Nielsen, 97% of all Hispanics are reached by radio every week, the highest penetration across all demographics, ethnicities, and platforms, making radio the top media platform for reaching Hispanics each week. Also of note, per Nielsen data from a 2020 study, 62 percent of Hispanics say radio was a “good source” of information during COVID-19.
In addition, 61% are watching more news, however, only 20% of all Hispanics say cable TV news is trustworthy, and 18% say it is accurate. Lastly, the report found that 48% of Latinos reported that listening to their favorite radio host helped them feel more informed and less stressed.
Now am I expecting a mad rush from Hispanics to right-leaning News Talk? No. There are plenty of great Hispanic radio stations in most major markets across America that are likely to be the go-to station for many.
But can a migration start to happen? And can News/Talk do some outreach to Hispanic communities over time to build up new cume and audience? Absolutely.
I think back to the passing of Rush Limbaugh. I took audience calls on KCMO about what Rush meant to them. One Hispanic man called in and said he learned the English language and conservatism from Rush after coming to America. It’s anecdotal, but it’s one story I’ll never forget and made me wonder if the format is missing a more significant opportunity. These recent polls and voting would suggest that might be the case.
Now I’m not naive enough to believe that a few digital ads or a couple of billboards will bring a massive amount of Hispanic listeners to News Talk radio in any major market, but the political winds and trends, along with the Hispanic usage of the medium, imply an opportunity exists.
In a world where everyone is just trying to maintain the audience they have, could News Talk be on the verge of a wave of new audience?
Maybe. If we play our cards right.
Pete Mundo is a weekly columnist for Barrett Media, and the morning show host and program director for KCMO in Kansas City. Previously, he was a fill-in host nationally on FOX News Radio and CBS Sports Radio, while anchoring for WFAN, WCBS News Radio 880, and Bloomberg Radio. Pete was also the sports and news director for Omni Media Group at K-1O1/Z-92 in Woodward, Oklahoma. He’s also the owner of the Big 12-focused digital media outlet Heartland College Sports. To interact, find him on Twitter @PeteMundo.
