What Makes a Favorite Radio Station for Hispanic Audiences? New Katz Study Has Answers 

AM/FM radio continues to occupy a unique place in the daily lives of Hispanic consumers. While today's media landscape offers seemingly endless entertainment options, new Katz research reveals that radio remains a habitual, emotionally connected medium that Hispanic audiences turn to consistently throughout the week, and, crucially, one that seamlessly reflects the way they live, connect, and consume content.

More than eight in ten Hispanic listeners engage with radio at least several days a week, reinforcing radio's role as a trusted and recurring companion. But what sets this audience apart is not how often they listen, it is why. For Hispanic listeners, the favorite station is not only a source of music and mood; it is a cultural touchpoint, and that distinction reshapes the opportunity for advertisers.

RADIO IS BUILT INTO DAILY ROUTINES

Radio's strength lies not only in its reach but in its ability to accompany Hispanic listeners throughout their day. Unsurprisingly, the car remains radio's primary environment. Nearly nine in ten Hispanic listeners (87%) tune in from the car, making AM/FM one of the few channels capable of consistently reaching this audience away from screens and often in a decision-making mindset. 

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LISTENERS ARE LOYAL AND THEIR STATIONS ARE MUSIC-FIRST

Beyond reach and frequency, radio's greatest strength is the emotional connection listeners have with their favorite station. For Hispanic audiences that bond is durable: 72% have listened to their favorite station for six years or more, and nearly one in five (19%) have stayed with it for more than 20 years.

When it comes to favorites, music stations reign: 85% of listeners name a music station as their top choice. And loyalty is concentrated: three-quarters (76%) listen to no more than three regularly. The competition for a Hispanic listener's attention is fought inside a short list of trusted presets.

• ▸ 85% say their favorite station is a music station

• ▸ 72% have listened to their favorite station for 6+ years

• ▸ 76% listen to no more than three stations regulary

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PERSONALITIES DRIVE LOYALTY 

On-air talent matters to Hispanics just as much as in the general market. Nearly two-thirds of Hispanic listeners (64%) say DJs and personalities are very or extremely important to their enjoyment of a station, and 58% can name a favorite personality from their preferred station. These voices help create the emotional connection and they double as trusted, culturally fluent guides.

▸  64% say personalities are very or extremely important

▸  58% can name a personality from their favorite station

TRUSTED VOICES AND CULTUTAL FIT INFLUENCE CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

When a trusted radio personality recommends a product, Hispanic listeners take notice. Nearly two-thirds (65%) say a DJ endorsement makes them more likely to consider a brand. Endorsements break through because they feel human: 40% say they get attention more, 40% say they feel more personal or authentic, and 27% say they feel more trustworthy than a standard ad.

The cultural dimension adds a second, distinct advertiser lever that simply does not exist in the general-market study. Two-thirds of Hispanic listeners (65%) say they are more likely to buy or use brands that advertise on Spanish-language radio, with none disagreeing. Cultural resonance creates a favorable environment for brands, though conversion is not automatic. The payoff comes to advertisers whose messaging feels native to the station's cultural role, not merely present on the buy.

HOW THE HISPANIC AUDIENCE DIFFERS FROM THE GENERAL MARKET

The habits mirror the June 2026 Katz Radio Group custom online survey results; music-led favorites, in-car, deep loyalty, personality-driven trust, but three findings that set the Hispanic audience meaningfully apart:

▸  Culture is a core value driver. 96% feel connected to their culture through their station, a lever the general-market study does not measure and cannot claim.

▸  A second commercial pathway. Beyond personality endorsements (which perform on par with the general market), 65% are more receptive to brands on Spanish-language radio, giving advertisers a culturally anchored route to consideration that the broad-market audience does not offer.

Even more striking is the cultural resonance. Almost all Hispanic listeners agree that listening to their favorite station makes them feel connected to their culture, including 65% who strongly agree, with no one disagreeing. That is an unusually concentrated positive result. It signals that these stations are doing more than entertaining; they are serving as cultural anchors, and that elevates on-air identity, community voice and culturally relevant content from nice-to-have features to core value drivers.

▸  96% feel their station connects them to their culture (65% strongly agree)

▸  0% disagree that their station connects them to their culture