On October 7, 2024, a group of Puerto Rico air personalities joined a heritage radio station known for its unique Top 40 blend of hits across genres, originally influenced by Mike Joseph’s “Hot Hits” formula popularized in the early 1980s. It was a gamble for a station for decades known for its music-intensive programming against competitors long-known for personality. However, in an age when YouTube and Spotify deliver music marathons, Hemisphere Media Group’s WAPA Media saw the need for WKAQ-FM and the stations in its cadena branded as “KQ105” to evolve.
The bet has paid off, as Jorge Pabón “Molusco”, Alí Warrington, Pamela Noa y Robert “Fantacuca” Maldonado — hosts of “La Tendencia de Molusco” — have generated monster ratings in the 3pm-7pm time slot for the station. Now, Molusco and his co-hosts are getting the opportunity to share their success across the continental U.S.
Thank MediaCo and its Sigma Audio Networks national radio unit for making it happen.
Through a newly forged partnership, Sigma will lead U.S. syndication, affiliate distribution, and advertising sales efforts for the popular program, creating new opportunities to connect audiences and advertisers. Distribution details will be announced at a later date.
HMG President/CEO Alan Sokol commented, “This partnership creates a powerful opportunity to introduce the show to new audiences across the United States while preserving the unique connection that has made it such a success.”
For MediaCo CEO Albert Rodriguez, “This partnership reflects our commitment to investing in premium talent and culturally relevant content that resonates with audiences across platforms.”
For a decade, Pabón was aligned with Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS) stations serving Puerto Rico, and gained icon status as the co-host of afternoon staple El Goldo y la Pelúa on the “Mega 106.9” cadena until the December 2017 departure of Pabón’s co-host, Angelique Burbos “La Pelúa.” Following the conclusion of that show, Pabón was paired with Warrington and Noa for a new incarnation of the Mega afternoon time slot — Molusco y los Reyes de la Punta.
That program essentially jumped to KQ105 roughly 20 months ago — seen as a coup by market insiders and a historic change in the programming of a station that has kept the hits rolling hour after hour for nearly 50 years. Contract negotiations that went sour between Pabón and SBS are cited as the primary reason for the show’s shift to WAPA Media.
At the time of his arrival, Pabón explained, “We’re taking a pause in the music to present to radio listeners unique content that is going to change the game in Puerto Rico radio. We’re ready to bring entertainment in Puerto Rico to another level.”
In the most recent Nielsen Audio ratings for Puerto Rico, measured as an entire commonwealth after local broadcasters advocated Arbitron to combine Ponce, San Juan and Mayaguez into a single measured area, WKAQ-FM ranked No. 3 overall behind spoken word sibling WKAQ-AM and UNO Radio Group’s market-leading WFID “Fidelity,” which airs a Latin Adult Contemporary format.
