Sistema de Radiodifusoras Culturales Indigenistas

The Sistema de Radiodifusoras Culturales Indigenistas (SRCI; English: Indigenous Cultural Broadcasting System) is a network of radio stations in Mexico. The radio stations it operates are community radio stations that aim to serve different sectors of the country's indigenous peoples. Pursuant to Article 4 of the Constitution, their mission is to strengthen the multicultural nature of the nation by promoting the use of 31 indigenous languages.

History

The SRCI began operations in 1979 with the launch of XEZV-AM, "La Voz de la Montaña", in Tlapa de Comonfort, Guerrero. The network was initially managed by the National Indigenist Institute (INI), an agency of the federal government; the INI was, however, dissolved in 2003 and replaced by the National Commission for the Development of Indigenous Peoples (CDI), which consequently assumed control over the network.

Stations

XEVFS
XEZV
XETLA
XEPUR
XETAR
XEPET
XEANT
XEGLO
XEZON
XEOJN
XEJMN
XEJAM
XEQIN
XECTZ
XEXPUJ
XEETCH
XECOPA
XETUMI
XECARH
XENKA
XENAC
Locator map of SRCI medium-wave stations

The SRCI currently operates 20 medium wave (AM) stations. It also has seven 10-watt very high frequency (FM) stations – four in Yucatán, and three in Michoacán[1] – operating as of 2007 on an experimental basis. An additional medium-wave station, XENAC in Nacajuca, Tabasco, ceased operations in 1990 and its broadcasting permit was suspended in 2001.

The current 20 medium-wave stations transmit for an average of 12 hours a day, during daylight hours, covering 928 municipalities with high levels of indigenous inhabitants. The stations' potential audience comprises 5 million speakers of indigenous languages and more than 22 million Spanish speakers. They all broadcast an array of programming in both Spanish and the particular native languages spoken in the coverage area.

Call sign Launched Transmitting from Coverage Languages Frequency
XEZV 10 May 1979 Guerrero
(Tlapa de Comonfort)
Guerrero
Oaxaca
Puebla
Nahuatl
Mixtec
Tlapanec
800 AM
XETLA 15 September 1982 Oaxaca
(Tlaxiaco)
Oaxaca
Guerrero
Puebla
Mixtec
Triqui
930 AM
XEPUR 2 October 1982 Michoacán
(Cherán)
Michoacán Purepecha 830 AM
XETAR 11 November 1982 Chihuahua
(Guachochi)
Chihuahua
Sinaloa
Durango
Tarahumara
Tepehuano
870 AM
XEPET 29 November 1982 Yucatán
(Peto)
Yucatán
Quintana Roo
Campeche
Yucatec Maya 730 AM
XEVFS 27 April 1987 Chiapas
(Las Margaritas)
Chiapas
Guatemala
Tojolabal
Mam
Tseltal
Tsotsil
Popti
1030 AM
XEANT 28 September 1990 San Luis Potosí
(Tancanhuitz de Santos)
San Luis Potosí
Hidalgo
Querétaro
Veracruz
Nahuatl
Pame
Wastek
770 AM
XEGLO 18 November 1990 Oaxaca
(Guelatao de Juárez)
Oaxaca
Veracruz
Zapotec
Mixe
Chinantec
780 AM
XEZON 20 November 1991 Veracruz
(Zongolica)
Veracruz
Oaxaca
Puebla
Tlaxcala
Nahuatl 1360 AM
XEOJN 14 December 1991 Oaxaca
(San Lucas Ojitlán)
Oaxaca
Puebla
Veracruz
Mazatec
Cuicatec
Chinantec
950 AM
XEJMN 3 April 1992 Nayarit
(Jesús María)
Nayarit
Jalisco
Durango
Zacatecas
Cora
Huichol
Tepehuano
Nahuatl
750 AM
XEJAM 5 May 1994 Oaxaca
(Santiago Jamiltepec)
Oaxaca
Guerrero
Mixtec
Amuzgo
Chatino
1260 AM
XEQIN 15 June 1994 Baja California
(San Quintín)
Baja California Mixtec
Zapotec
Triqui
1160 AM
XECTZ 21 August 1994 Puebla
(Cuetzalan)
Puebla
Hidalgo
Veracruz
Nahuatl
Totonac
1260 AM
XEXPUJ 22 January 1996 Campeche
(Xpujil)
Campeche
Quintana Roo
Yucatec Maya
Ch'ol
700 AM
XEETCH 19 February 1996 Sonora
(Etchojoa)
Sonora
Sinaloa
Chihuahua
Mayo
Yaqui
Guarijio
700 AM
XECOPA 17 July 1997 Chiapas
(Copainalá)
Chiapas
Tabasco
Zoque
Tzotzil
1210 AM
XETUMI 12 May 1998 Michoacán
(Tuxpan)
Michoacán
Edo. de México
Querétaro
Mazahua
Otomi
1010 AM
XECARH 1 August 1998 Hidalgo
(Cardonal)
Hidalgo
Querétaro
Veracruz
San Luis Potosí
Ñha-ñhu
Nahuatl
1480 AM
XENKA 15 June 1999 Quintana Roo
(Felipe Carrillo Puerto)
Quintana Roo Yucatec Maya 1030 AM

Programming

The stations' programming is eminently community-focused. Bilingual presenters attend inquiries from listeners, convey community and personal announcements, and promote various government assistance programmes in the areas of health, education, human rights, etc. Traditional music is also a key component of the stations' broadcasts, and their recording collections, frequently gathered in the field, constitute an important cultural resource.

References

External links