Some 50 affiliates were told 7/22 in the afternoon that the Eddie “Piolin” Sotelo morning show was canceled without explanation and would be replaced by music. In LA, his flagship was Univision’s Regional Mexican KSCA-FM. Last month he was beaten by SBS’s KLAX-FM morning show Ricardo “El Mandril” Sanchez. However, in LA, Renán Almendárez Coello’s “El Cucuy de la Mañana,” (just syndicated by GLR) Mandríl and Don Cheto (heard in LA on Liberman Broadcasting’s Que Buena 94.3 and 105.5) battle back and forth for top spots in the 18-34 and 18-49 demos, so his ratings aren’t weak enough to let him go. There is some other reason that will likely surface. He’s also set to be inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in November.
RBR-TVBR observation: Piolin may become self syndicated, headed to Entravision, SBS or somewhere else. It will be a big revenue hit to affiliates in Phoenix, Las Vegas, San Diego and San Francisco. Rumor has it (and only a rumor) that Univision is signing el Mandril, which would be a huge loss for SBS.
