NorthEast Radio Watch 10/16/2023: More Spanish-Language Radio in NE PA

In this week’s issue… Mega, Hola grow in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton – New morning show at WATR – Seven Mountains backtracks in Johnstown – New digs for Bell in Kitchener

By SCOTT FYBUSH

Jump to: ME – NH – VT – MA – RI – CT – NY – NJ – PA – Canada

*Friday the 13th turned out to be a very lucky day for two Spanish-language broadcasters in northeast PENNSYLVANIA, and maybe not so lucky for fans of classic hits in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton market.

After weeks of rumors, Audacy pulled the plug on its “Max 102.3” classic hits format at WMQX (102.3 Pittston) on Friday morning. Instead, it’s using WMQX and WODS (1300 West Hazleton, soon to be WLMZ) as the new home of “La Mega,” the Spanish tropical format that had been LMA’ing the HD2 of Audacy’s WGGY (101.3) to feed Kevin Fitzgerald’s translator signals on 94.9 in Scranton and 95.3 in Wilkes-Barre.

Jonathan Alcantara, whose JDJ Media had been leasing the HD2s and translators, is now working for Audacy as its PD and afternoon host on “La Mega 102.3.”

On the AM side, the flip at 1300 takes away the Hazleton simulcast of Audacy’s WILK news-talk network, but listeners there can hear WILK on its Wilkes-Barre AM 980 signal, too.

The lineup on La Mega includes the syndicated Enrique Santos show in mornings, James El Bandido in middays and Alcantara in afternoons.

Looking to get into station ownership? Our StationSale division has some great new listings for you, including a major market FM translator opportunity, a profitable Midwest FM, an inexpensive entry into a fast-growing Western market, and a turnkey profitable FM/AM/translator small-market combo that’s ready for a new owner. Drop me a line at scott@fybush.com and I’ll set you up with an NDA and all the details…

And if your noncommercial FM station is ready to think about translators, there’s a filing window coming soon from the FCC and it’s the perfect time to start making plans.