ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) —
Music … it’s all around us. But something has been missing from the Asheville music scene. That will change Wednesday morning, when Asheville Media Group launches the city’s newest radio station: La Pantera 97.3 FM.
Why a Regional Mexican radio station?
“We looked at the market and decided there was a big hole for it,” Asheville Media Group Operations Manager Steve Richards said. “There are no Hispanic stations around here. We thought it might be a good play.”
That was about six months ago.
“But, really, in the last couple months, it started coming together,” Richards said.
With the help of consultant Gerardo Lopez, who has created some of the biggest programs in Spanish-language radio in the United States and Mexico, and local non-profit Hola Carolina, the new station inched closer to hitting the airwaves.
“The people are excited,” Asheville Media Group General Sales Manager Dawn Creasman said. “The excitement has been incredible.”
Creasman said many people uttered the same word — Finally.
“They said, ‘Finally, you’re doing this. We’ve wanted a Latino station for many, many years,'” Creasman said. “It’s like it’s taken so long for people to realize what a great opportunity there is for a Hispanic station in Western North Carolina.”
Hola Carolina Executive Director Adriana Chavela is excited about the historic launch of La Pantera 97.3.
“This milestone is a testament to the vibrant and growing Latino community in western North Carolina. It provides us with a powerful platform to share our music, culture, voices and stories, fostering greater understanding and unity within our diverse region,” Chavela said.
The Hispanic population in Asheville has grown in recent years, with some local organizations estimating more than 20 percent of residents now identify as Latino or Hispanic.
“We have felt like the Hispanic community has been underrepresented in this market,” Creasman said. “There are no other local Spanish-language radio stations in this area.”
The plan is to add local programming in the near future, Richards said.
La Pantera can be heard on 97.3 FM HD3 and online at LaPantera973.com. Fans may also find it on Facebook.
And you can now read the news in Spanish on the 828newsNow website.
“We want to be as inclusive as possible,” Richards said.