Stay tuned for the 2025 agenda, coming soon! In the meantime, here are the topics covered in 2024.

2024  Hispanic Radio Conference Agenda

June 12

2:10–2:30pm
Opening Remarks
Deborah Parenti, President/Publisher, Radio Ink
Edgar “Shoboy” Sotelo, co-MC
Stephanie “Chiquibaby” Himonidis, co-MC

Deborah ParentiEdgar "Shoboy" SoteloStephanie "Chiquibaby" Himonidis

2:30–3:00pm
Keynote Presentation
FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez
Anna Gomez

Introduction by Raul Alarcón, Chairman/CEO/President, Spanish Broadcasting System
Raul Alarcón

3:00–3:50pm
The Impact of Mexican Regional On Today’s Consumers and Marketing
Reaching young audiences of both multi-cultural and general backgrounds can pose a significant challenge. In order to establish an effective connection with this sizable and growing demographic, it’s crucial for brands to remain closely attuned to emerging trends in music and culture, both of great importance to Gen Z. And to get ahead of those trends before others, taking the lead and setting the tone for cultural conversations. This approach allows brands to not only demonstrate their relevance, but create genuine connections with their target audience.  Our panel participants will detail what this looks like in practice through the lens of corridos (regional Mexican music), a genre that is incredibly popular across racial and ethnic lines. They’ll share the findings of a recent study Orci and ThinkNow facilitated on corridos, detailing the opportunities brands would be wise to embrace and utilize and how best to go about implementing them.
Moderator: Gerardo Lopez, Partner/President of Programming, Costa Media
Mario Carrasco, Co-founder/Principal, ThinkNow
Marina Filippelli, CEO, Orci
Said Garcia Solis, Content Director, Que Buena (KBUE), Los Angeles
Gerardo LopezMario Carrasco Marina FilippelliSaid Garcia Solis

3:50–4:00pm
Special Presentation

4:00-4:30pm
Radio: An Artist’s Viewpoint
From the first time an artist hears his/her song on the radio, a special bond is formed. But in today’s world of competitive digital platforms, how has that relationship been impacted? Jesus Salas sits down with recording artist Angélica Rahe. They’ll chat about radio’s broad reach and the personal connection that come with DJ endorsements and live interviews, significantly enhancing an artist’s public profile and fan loyalty. And they’ll compare that to digital platforms’ personalized engagement, scalable, on-demand access, and immediate artist-listener interactions.
Jesus Salas, Chief Content Officer/EVP, Spanish Broadcasting System
Angélica Rahe, BMI Recording Artist
Jesus SalasAngélica Rahe

4:30–5:15pm
Leadership Roundtable
Sponsored by:
Nielsen logo
Hispanic radio’s leaders are among the most dynamic and creative strategists and innovators in the industry. Where do they see Hispanic radio platforms growing, expanding, and primed for the biggest revenue opportunities? All this and more when Hispanic radio leaders sit down and share their thoughts and educated insights and projections.
Moderator: Cameron Coats, Radio Ink Online Editor
Otto Padron, President/CEO, Meruelo Media
Natalia Sanchez Alvarez, CEO, Norsan Media
Cameron CoatsOtto PadronNatalia Sanchez Alvarez

5:15-5:30pm
Music Performance: Angélica Rahe
Angélica Rahe

5:30– 6:00pm
Medallas de Cortez Awards Presentation
Sponsored by:
vCreative logo

6:00-7:30pm
Cocktail Reception
Sponsored by:
Nueva Network logo
     Spanish Broadcasting System/Aire Networks

June 13

7:45-8:30am
Continental Breakfast

 

8:40-8:45am
Morning Opening
Deborah Parenti, President/Publisher, Radio Ink
Edgar “Shoboy” Sotelo, co-MC
Pedro “Al Aire” Escalera, co-MC
Deborah ParentiEdgar "Shoboy" SoteloPedro "El Aire" Escalera

8:45–9:30am
Hispanic Radio and the Consumer Connection
How important is Hispanic radio to Hispanic consumers? Is there really a stronger connection that can translate to greater brand awareness, credibility, loyalty, and product sales? Univision’s Eric Garcia sits down with a panel of Hispanic radio experts who will offer you key advantages to share with your clients about the strength of Hispanic radio and how by leveraging these advantages, smart advertisers can effectively engage with Hispanic audiences and drive meaningful results for their brands.
Moderator: Eric Garcia, Regional President/General Manager, Univision/Florida, Miami, Orlando, and Tampa
Grace Agostino, VP/Network Sales, Nueva Network
Shirley Davenport, General Manager, Curtis Media/WYMY-FM, Greensboro-Winston Salem-High Point, NC
Katie Miller, Vice President/Client Relations, Harker Bos Group
Eric GarciaShirley DavenportKatie Miller

9:30–10:00am
Morning Coffee Chat with Advertising Experts
Looking for a bigger piece of the revenue pie? Here’s a “can’t miss” session. Last year, HRN Media Network President Clark Logan sat down with Horizon Media Senior Audio Investor Natalie Henderson for a wide-ranging and provocative conversation that provided insight from the agency perspective on the evolution and state of Hispanic radio today and what Hispanic radio needs to know about growing their share of the market with agencies — where the opportunities and the challenges lie. This year, Clark returns with Natalie and Mark Mandell, Director of Audio for IPG Media Brands, who works on holding company-level partnerships and strategies for the audio space.
Moderator: Clark Logan, President, HRN Media Network
Natalie Henderson, Senior Audio Investor, Horizon Media
Mark Mandell, Partner/Integrated Investment, UM Worldwide
Clark LoganNatalie Henderson

10:00–10:10am
Informacion Romper
Sponsored by:
Samaritan's Purse logo

Presenter:
Meyber Santos, Marketing Manager, Hispanic Initiatives and Communications

10:10-10:30am
Break
Sponsored by:
Entravision logo

10:30–11:15am
Hispanic Voters – Shaping the Election
The impact of Hispanic voters on the 2024 election will likely be significant, as the Hispanic electorate continues to grow in size and political influence. Several factors may influence their voting behavior, including demographic growth, diversity in political views, the youth vote, and policy priorities. Radio remains a significant medium for reaching these voters, especially Spanish-language stations, which have long served as important platforms for political messaging, community engagement, and cultural expression within Hispanic communities. How can stations not only harness that power, but translate it into bigger shares of political ad buys? Nielsen’s Cecilia Jato Bitz leads a panel of experts who will share their expertise and experience.
Moderator: Cecilia Jato Bitz, VP/Sales Director/National Audio Services, Nielsen
Ann-Marie Figueira, SVP/Hispanic Platforms and Multicultural Initiatives, Gen Media Partners National Sales
Jack Randall, EVP Political and Strategic Sales, Entravision

Cecilia Jato BitzJack Randall

11:15-11:45am
Defiende La Verdad (Defend the Truth)
This past May, NALEO Educational Fund, in collaboration with NAB, hosted a daylong summit titled Defiende La Verdad Summit for Latino Media Professionals. The event was designed to counter the spread of MDM (misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation) targeting Latinos and focus on identifying, tracking, and inoculating against MDM narratives that seek to erode the community’s trust in election administration processes. Due to the tremendously important nature of this topic, we are pleased to have the NAB and the NALEO present a brief summary of that summit with the goal of making today’s attendees aware of the resources offered by these nonpartisan organizations.

Liliana Rañón, VP/External Affairs, National Association of Broadcasters
Josué Romualdo, Program Manager/Information Integrity, NALEO Educational Fund
Liliana RañonJosué Romualdo

11:45-11:55am
Informacion Romper
Sponsored by:
Benztown logo
Presenters:

Masa Patterson, VP/Sales and Operations
Estefania Padilla, Executive Assistant

 

12:00–1:15pm
Lunch

1:15-1:30pm
Music Performance: Angélica Rahe
Angélica Rahe

1:30–2:15pm
The Power of La Radio!
Nielsen’s Tony Hereau and Cumulus Media’s Pierre Bouvard reveal never-before-seen sales stories on the power of Spanish radio.
Tony and Pierre will cover:
• Shocker: Radio crushes TV in reach and ratings among Hispanics
• How radio elevates the TV and digital media plan
• AM/FM radio (not connected TV) is the solution for political campaigns to expand Hispanic voter reach
• Share of Ear: Why podcasts are a massive growth opportunity
• The hottest categories where Spanish radio can move the sales needle
Presenters: Pierre Bouvard, Chief Insights Officer, Cumulus Media/Westwood One
Tony Hereau, Vice President/Cross Platform Insights, Nielsen
Pierre BouvardTony Hereau

2:15–2:55pm
Unveiling the Dynamics of AI in Sales – Challenges and Opportunities Explored
Erin Callaghan of Futuri leads a discussion that delves into the evolving landscape of sales in the age of AI. From harnessing the power of predictive analytics to understanding customer behavior, attendees will gain insights into the challenges and opportunities presented by AI technologies in sales. Through real-world examples and actionable strategies, this session aims to equip sellers and managers with the knowledge and tools needed to thrive in an AI-driven sales environment. Whether you’re a seasoned radio pro or a newcomer, join us as we uncover the transformative potential of AI in sales and explore how to leverage it for sustainable success.
Moderator: Erin Callaghan, Director/Enterprise Partnerships, Futuri Media
Dara Kalvort, VP/Digital Sales and Strategy, Spanish Broadcasting System
Maire Mason, VP/General Manager, Spanish Broadcasting System, New York
Masa Patterson, VP/Sales & Operations, Benztown
Erin CallaghanDara KalvortMaire MasonMasa Pattterson

2:55–3:15pm
Break
Sponsored by:
Entravision logo

3:15–3:50pm
Washington Update:
How a Fully Seated FCC and the Election Might Change/ Challenge Hispanic Radio in 2024
With a fully seated FCC now, Chairwoman Rosenworcel has the majority needed to push forward her agenda, thanks to the appointment and confirmation of Anna Gomez, the first Hispanic commissioner in two decades.  That agenda includes thwarting efforts at radio ownership deregulation, incentives for local programming, large fines, foreign programming, reintroducing once-paused EEO requirements, and the approval of booster zonecasting, which could dramatically alter the radio advertising landscape … and that’s just radio.  These topics and more will be addressed at our annual Washington update with a panel of broadcasters, legal eagles, and policy wonks to see what will be next and how will this little thing called the Presidential election could impact all of them.
Moderator: Frank Montero, Partner, Fletcher, Heald, & Hildreth
Ben Downs, VP/GM, Bryan Broadcasting, College Station, TX
Paula Maes, President, New Mexico Broadcasters Association
Matt Martinez, President/SDC Broadcasting Co., Inc., Albuquerque & Las Vegas, New Mexico
Alfredo Plascencia, President/CEO, Lazer Media
Frank MonteroBen DownsPaula MaesMatt MartinezAlfredo Plascencia

3:50-4:30pm
Hispanic Radio Alliance — How to Succeed by Trying
Following last year’s conference, the Hispanic Radio Alliance was established with the expressed purpose of amplifying the value proposition for this important segment of the industry. How is it working in practical terms and at the local market level, and how can the initiative be expanded and enhanced? Angie Balderas, SVP/General Manager at Entravision in Sacramento, sits down with her counterparts at two other Hispanic groups in the market for an update on their joint efforts and vision.
Moderator: Angie Balderas, SVP/General Manager, Entravision/Sacramento
Kurt Bagelmann, General Manager, Lotus Broadcasting/Sacramento
Gerardo Martinez, Chief Revenue Officer, Lazer Media
Angelica "Angie" BalderasKurt Bagelmann

4:30pm
Closing Remarks

 

*all sessions and times subject to change

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