iHeartMedia has flipped CHR “Now 96.1” KXXM San Antonio to its rapidly growing Bilingual AC format.
The station relaunched as “Mix 96.1” positioning as “Tus Favoritas de Siempre” at noon today and is launching with 50000 songs commercial free. Core artists will include Whitney Houston, Marc Anthony, Madonna, Lionel Richie, Shakira, Michael Jackson, and Celine Dion. This marks the first time the format has been attempted in a cluster that already has a traditional AC as iHeart has “Q101.9” KQXT.
It marks the return of the “Mix” brand to the frequency as it was used by the station under its CHR format from its launch in 1998 until rebranding as “Now” in 2017. It also leaves San Antonio without a Mainstream CHR station with Cox Media Group Hot AC “Hits 105.3” KSMG closest to filling the hole.
“We’re thrilled to introduce Mix 96.1 to San Antonio, a station that celebrates the vibrant Latino community with the best music from the ’80s and ’90s, in both English and Spanish,” said PJ Gonzalez, Senior Vice President, iHeartLatino. “Mix 96.1 will bring together the timeless hits our listeners love, creating a unique listening experience that resonates with our bilingual audience and reflects the rich culture of San Antonio.”
Market President Rosie Perez said, “We are thrilled to announce the launch of Mix 96.1, Tus Favoritas De Siempre. This new format will unite and celebrate the vibrant energy of San Antonio’s Hispanic community.”
“I’m excited to bring Mix 96.1 to life. This station blends the best of 80s and 90s English hits with timeless Spanish AC favorites, creating a nostalgic yet fresh listening experience. With Mix 96.1 joining 104.5 Latino Hits and La Preciosa 105.7, iHeart San Antonio is positioned as a powerhouse in Hispanic radio and we’re dedicated to offering brands that speak to this community,” said Pedro Escalera, Director of Programming and Brand Strategy for iHeartLatino.
KXXM registered a 2.6 share in the just released October Nielsen Audio ratings trailing KSMG’s 4.5 share. KQXT was fifth with a 5.4 share.
