An FM Brand Shifts To Digital At Entravision

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By Adam R Jacobson
RBR + TVBR


Entravision Communications won’t be celebrating the 20th anniversary of Southern California’s heritage Spanish Contemporary Pop radio station.

After 19 1/2 years on the air, “Súper Estrella” has shifted away from Entravision’s Los Angeles-market trimulcast of KSSE-FM in Arcadia; KSSC-FM in Ventura; and KSSD-FM in Fallbrook, Calif.

Yet, Entravision will still be able to have a fiesta complete with sancocho at midnight and an Hora Loca for Súper Estrella. That’s because the Súper Estrella brand and its programming elements will now live on in digital form, at SuperEstrella.com.

While other radio stations have moved to an HD2 signal or a perfunctory website, the shift to the digital realm of the Súper Estrella brand could provide great insight for all radio operators with respect to how brand erosion doesn’t mean the brand is dead. Rather, it may need to thrive in an environment better suited for its fans, and an environment where they spend much of their time — one that is digital-first.

 

As “Súper Estrella” stunted throughout the weekend, the over-the-air signal offered blocks of programming corresponding to four unique online streams.

By routing listeners to Súperestrella.com with these on-air promotional music sweeps, it served as a natural push for Entravision in bringing its quartet of commercial-free streams to life. One stream focuses on the classic Spanish pop hits most recently heard on Súper Estrella. Another is a classic-focused “Rock en Español” channel airing 1980s and 1990s hits. There is also a new Latin music channel, giving the brand an opportunity to continue to provide listeners an outlet for discovering the latest Spanish-language pop and rock releases. Lastly, the website has a dedicated digital channel for “Club SE” — where Súper Estrella’s Club Súper Estrella lives on.

The shift online for Súper Estrella comes following a prolonged period of ratings declines due to increased competition, shifting listener demographics and a sharp dip in the volume of Spanish-language pop and rock over the last decade.

In the November Nielsen Audio PPMs, Súper Estrella had just a 0.7 6+ rating.

RBR + TVBR has confirmed that Súper Estrella’s former 107.1 trimulcast will soon feature new branding as “La Suavecita,”with programming featuring Classic Regional Mexican and Pop acts such as Selena, Bronco, Los Bukis, and Los Temerarios.

suavecita-ksseIt was not known at deadline when the promotional stunting of Superestrella.com was set to end, although it could be Monday (12/5) at 10 a.m. Pacific.

“Súper Estrella” first arrived on the scene in 1997 and has its roots on the signal presently home for Entravision’s KLYY-FM 97.5 in Riverside.

In 2000, with the format booming, it added KDLD-FM in Santa Monica & KDLE-FM in Newport Beach — both at 103.1 MHz — as simulcast partners to better reach the L.A. Basin.

This put Súper Estrella in a heated format battle at the height of the Spanish Pop boom, against the then-Big City Radio-owned signals that now house KSSC, KSSD & KSSE.

Over time, “Viva 107.1” lost the battle against “Súper Estrella,” with the latter replacing the former in 2003.