Piolin Pulled From Univision Radio Stations, All Affiliates In Unexpected Move

MIAMI — (July 22, 2013) — In a stunning move that shocked the Hispanic media and marketing industries, Piolin por la Mañana, the popular Univision Radio-syndicated morning show hosted by Eddie “Piolin” Sotelo, has been “cancelled.”

The news, first reported this afternoon by HispanicAd.com, came as a surprise to affiliates as well as Univision-owned stations where the program aired. Adelante Media Group representatives note that they were “head-scratching” upon learning of Piolin’s departure. Adelante was told by Piolin’s syndicator that music programming will be offered to affiliates as of July 23 as a temporary replacement for the talk-and-entertainment-focused show.

Piolin had been based at Univision Radio’s regional Mexican KSCA-FM 101.9 in Los Angeles.

According to HispanicAd.com, radio stations were asked by Univision to pull all references and promos that include references to Piolin in any way from the airwaves.

Univision did not comment on the reason for the sudden cancellation of Sotelo’s program.

Sotelo, who is slated for induction this November into the National Radio Hall of Fame in Chicago, is a native of the Mexican state of Jalisco. He had been the morning host for KSCA since February 2003, and in the Summer 2003 Arbitron ratings for Los Angeles made headlines for topping the market in the competitive morning drive time slot–including then-KLSX-FM/Los Angeles syndicated morning host Howard Stern. By October 2003, Univision Radio stations in  Sacramento, San Francisco, San José, Salinas, Monterrey, Santa Cruz, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Houston and Dallas added Piolin’s show via satellite.

In 2008 the NAB selected Piolin as Spanish Format Personality of the Year, a feat repeated in 2010. He is mainly known in non-Hispanic media for his interview with President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, tackling such topics as immigration reform.

 

Adam R Jacobson

 

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