ESPN to Shut Down Deportes Radio on September 8
| RADIO ONLINE | Wednesday, June 12, 2019 |
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 ESPN Deportes Radio |
ESPN has announced that will shut down Spanish-language ESPN Deportes radio on September 8. ESPN plans to close the unit's offices in Coral Gables, FL, while ten fulltime and 25 parttime employees are out. Some of its New York-based sales employees also will be affected. According to the network, ESPN Deportes' television and digital will continue to operate. ESPN Deportes radio programs "Jorge Ramos y su Banda" and "Raza Deportiva" will reportedly become podcasts.
Ratings for the spanish broadcasts have been down more than 70 percent across all ESPN Deportes Radio stations over the past five years, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer. ESPN Deportes has 44 radio affiliates across the country. ABC Radio's WEPN-AM (ESPN Deportes Radio 1050)/New York City will reportedly flip to an English-language sports format.
"Hispanic audience consumer habits are changing rapidly and this requires ESPN to evolve as well. It's no secret Hispanic fans skew heavily on digital and social which is why we made the decision to discontinue ESPN Deportes terrestrial radio in September."
