More mexican cumbia and dance on Friday nights please!

[interspectrum]

I don't know who programs the aguila channel or how to contract them (there is no email or number to call). The programimg page shows that it is programmed in partnership with HBC. I like the programming on aguilar as they play a lot of older music that you don't hear on commercial spanish radio.

What I wish they would do more dance type music on the weekend nights. More mexican cumbia and the like.

[Bama-Buddy]

Really the only way to contact them is through the e-mail address at www.hispanicbroadcasting.com . Good luck on getting a reply, as I had contacted them once and heard nothing. Since there are no e-mail addresses at any of the Latin channels, I am guessing requesting songs for these channels is out. What a shame...it would be nice to have more interaction with the Latin channels.

[James W. Anderson]

Yes, I agree. I see a mass exodus to Sirius by Latins, seems XM forgot some of the real issues involved in programming for and attracting Latins to the service.

For one, most Latins do know English to some degree. But, they prefer to listen to Spanish-language radio stations and watch Spanish-language TV.

HBC is now part of Univision, that should have given them more clout, but looks like it didn't. Odd, because on a long-dead thread here on xmfan.com, someone reported hearing one of the Latin channels blaring out of a pickup in Anaheim. That subscriber is likely a goner after February 1st.

Then also, the Hispanic population is the largest ethnic group in the US, so why isn't XM giving a 'tinkers dam' about it? Not every market in the US has every Latin format, and XM could really score with more Latin channels.

But as for the Cumbia, and other forms of Latin music, I have yet to hear it other than the 'Regional Mexican' on three local AM stations here in Utah. No one has dared put a Spanish-language FM on the air here yet. The Salt Lake market is said to be the blandest market in the nation, despite having more stations per capita than anybody, with several more 'rimshotters' to come.

PS: A quick rundown of known Spanish formats.

Regional Mexican: Mix of Ranchera, Tejano, Banda, and forms of music found in Northern Mexico. Heard largely in the Western US.

Tropical: Cumbia, Grupara, and other Central American and Carribean music. Heard largely in the Eastern US, but is found increasingly in some large Southwestern cities.

Spanish Hits: Sort of a 'top 40' of popular-sounding music in Spanish. Found in some area, hit or miss.

Spanish Oldies 'Consenidas'. That's what it says, oldies of Spanish popular music. Another hit-or-miss find.

Spanish AC. Like English AC, only in Spanish and 'Romantica' is a name sometimes given to it. Another hit or miss find, but more common.