WSUA

WSUA (1260 AM, "Caracol 1260 AM") is a Spanish news/talk radio station in Miami, Florida. It is currently owned by Grupo Latino de Radio, a subsidiary of the Spanish media conglomerate PRISA. The station is styled from two big Latin American Radio stations, Caracol Radio from Colombia (from which this station got its name), and W Radio from Mexico (which most of its programs are based on, like Hoy por hoy). According to Grupo Latino de Radio, this station is the #1 Spanish language talk station in Miami. Caracol 1260 WSUA has a sister station in Los Angeles which goes by the callsign XEWW, but it is known as W Radio 690 LA.

History

In the 1950s and 1960s the station at 1260 AM had the call letters WAME. Known as "Whammy in Miami", the station had a top 40 format (prior to the startup of WFUN), and was initially a daytimer. The station was popular with teenagers and young adults in the city in the early days of the Rock 'n Roll era, but faded in popularity as more Cuban refugees moved into the city. The station changed formats, first to "Good Music" (Easy Listening), then to R&B, with noted Miami disc jockey Nickie Lee (the "Nick With a Positive Kick"). WAME was later sold to Mission Broadcasting after that company divested itself of WRIZ (1550 kHz) in Coral Gables (now WRHC).

In 1969, it traded call letters with then WWOK in Charlotte, North Carolina and adopted a country music format. Mission Broadcasting, the station's owners, added an FM signal, WJOK, which was partially simulcast for a time, and later became WIGL with a totally separate format.

In the early 1980s, the station was sold from Mission Broadcasting to Metroplex, owners of top 40 Y-100. Call letters were changed to WHTT and the station broadcast a black oldies format, with emphasis on Motown and Soul, with overnight simulcast of Y-100. The station shortly thereafter took on a Hispanic format with the call letters WHTT (Radio Hit). (Note: This frequency was never called WQBA; these calls have been on 1140 since the late 1960s.) After the station was sold again, the call letters became WSUA, Radio Suave, and took on a ballad-oriented format, similar to that of the current Romantica on 106.7. WSUA currently broadcasts in HD Radio.

Shows and Talents

The morning drive show is hosted by Julio Sánchez Cristo. News at noon is the daily newscast service that brings local, national and international news every day from noon to 1pm. From 1 to 4, Pedro Sevcec hosts La Ventana con Pedro Sevcec. In the afternoon drive, De regreso a casa, hosted by Carlos Catano, brings a combination of news and humor. En voz alta, with Maria Celeste Arrarás, is aired daily three times a day, which is focused on Hispanic women’s issues.

External links

• Caracol 1260 Official Website (in Spanish)
• Grupo Latino de Radio Official Website
• Query the FCC's AM station database for WSUA
• Radio-Locator Information on WSUA
• Query Arbitron's AM station database for WSUA