Why Spanish-language radio engagement holds.
A study of 9,460 Spanish-language radio listeners ages 21–46 — including US-born and bilingual audiences — finds engagement nearly universal across every demographic segment.
What conventional planning gets wrong
Three assumptions drive media buyers away from the Spanish-language radio buy. The data says all three are wrong.
Bicultural Hispanics prefer English-language media
Spanish-language platforms are legacy vehicles for Spanish-dominant immigrants only
Skip the Spanish buy — reach bicultural audiences through English platforms
The data challenges all three assumptions.
Engagement nearly universal
Top-box scores of 51–58% strongly agree across all engagement statements. This is active, enthusiastic listening — not passive background audio.
Language proficiency — Spanish-dominant vs. bilingual
Engagement scores are virtually identical regardless of how much English a listener speaks.
There are no statistical differences in connection and trust of Spanish-language radio based on language proficiency.
Nativity — US-born vs. immigrant
Being born in the US does not reduce engagement with Spanish-language radio.
US-born listeners are just as engaged as recent immigrants. The acculturation gap does not exist.
The bottom line
Across every way you slice this audience, the differences in engagement are negligible — and none are statistically significant.
What Spanish-language radio delivers
Scale, engagement, trust, and brand receptivity — at broadcast reach.
The planning shift required
Behavior-based planning outperforms identity-based assumptions.
This is influence at scale
Crowd React Media, a division of Harker Bos Group
A full-service market research firm specializing in media research and consultancy since 1989. For over 35 years, our customized research has enabled clients worldwide to understand the latest trends and behavioral attributes of consumers. We have worked with Spanish-language media companies since the early 1990s.