Jose Villafañe’s Costa Media Boston is expanding in Washington DC as it will begin operating Signal Above LLC’s Spanish CHR “La Nueva 87.7” WDCN-LP via LMA starting Thursday, December 1.
Costa Media Boston entered the Washington market in June with the $800,000 purchase and flip of Christian 1220 WFAX/100.7 W264DB Falls Church VA to Regional Mexican “La Pantera“.
WDCN-LP is one of the more successful “Franken-FMs” operating on 87.7 in the country where it currently has a 1.1 share placing it ahead of Audacy’s competing “El Zol 107.9” WLZL College Park and its 1.0 share in the October 2022 Nielsen Audio ratings.
Villafane’s company was founded last year with the start of an LMA of Costa-Eagle Radio Venture’s 1490 WCCM/103.7 W279DH Haverhill MA in suburban Boston which was immediately relaunched as Spanish CHR “LatinX 103.7“. He also runs Spanish language syndicator Nueva Network and advertising rep firm MNA Sales, and previously was President of National Sales for Entravision and National Sales Manager at both Univision and Radio Unica. Costa Media Boston also has an option to buy WCCM and Costa-Eagle Radio Ventures’ other stations in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
Costa Media Boston LLC, an audio-centric media company focused on the U.S. Latinx audience in underserved markets, has entered into an LMA agreement with Signal Above LLC to manage and operate LA NUEVA WDCN effective Dec. 1, 2022. The combo of both stations and multiple formats will reach more Hispanic listeners and improve coverage of the Washington DMA Hispanic population that in March 2022 climbed to #13 in the Hispanic Radio Market, from #17, and went from # 7 to #8 in the General market.
Signal Above, the owners of WDCN, selected COSTA MEDIA as new operators recognizing the company’s investment in the DMV earlier this year with the purchase of LA PANTERA WFAX, and the experienced executive team led by media veteran Jose M. Villafañe.
“The dual stations place us in a solid strategic position in the Spanish-language radio market to increase substantially the share of the total radio revenue in DC,” said José M Villafañe, Managing Partner and Founder of Costa Media LLC. “As we expand in D.C. with a second station, we have an opportunity to create and forge partnerships in the community to super-serve the DMV local Latinx and bilingual radio listeners through our formats,” added Villafañe. “Our mission is to serve the Latino communities in Washington DC, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia by combining Regional Mexican and Spanish Urban formats and provide the best local content to become #1 Spanish Radio Media Group in the market.”
LA PANTERA brings a unique, proven format that combines Regional Mexican and Spanish Urban music, and LA NUEVA has a recognized 12-year heritage station in DC with a solid history in the DMV community. Both stations under one umbrella give Costa Media the opportunity to compete in General Market and be the leading Spanish-language group in DC. LA NUEVA boasts the #1 radio morning show with “Los Reyes de La Manana” in the market and plans on becoming the overall #1 Spanish Language station in DC.
Both formats are led by Gerardo López, Partner and President of Programming, including local news, variety shows, music, and live sports. “Radio audiences have become more diverse in the U.S., and we aim to entertain and inform through our premium content. We believe in the power of the community and through radio, our focus is to work with local community leaders, politicians, and business owners,” said López.
