(Editor’s note: This is the 36th installment in a monthly series speaking with minority business owners and leaders. Each will be asked for their view on minority-business conditions in the state and for ways to improve those businesses’ chances for success. See previous installments here.)
When listeners to WPMZ AM-FM turn on their radios, they’re not just listening for music and entertainment.
“They are tuning in for community,” said Anthony “Tony” Mendez, the owner of the twin stations best known as Poder 1110 AM and Power 102.1 FM.
Demographically, Latinos make up about 20% of Rhode
Island’s population, but the proportion of Spanish speakers in Providence is far greater. More than 43% of the city’s residents identify as Hispanic, making them the largest demographic group in the capital city.
Mendez serves that vast and varied audience with a high-energy tropical music format and a blend of thoughtful information and commentary – some of which he hosts himself.
“The dominant audience is Caribbean,” Mendez said. “The biggest single group is from the Dominican Republic, followed by Puerto Ricans, Guatamalans and Colombians.”
In bigger cities such as New York, Los Angeles and Miami, Spanish-language stations may focus on only one nationality.
Mendez reaches out to them all.
“The mix of cultures is much better blended here. In California and Florida, there may be more segmentation. But since Rhode Island is such a small state, you find that all the nationalities work together,” Mendez said. “We play salsa from Colombia, merengue from the D.R., bachatas and urbano music like reggaeton. Here, a Dominican will identify with Colombian culture because we’re exposed to the same setting.”
Mendez bought Poder 1110 in 1995 and changed its format to become the first all-Spanish-language station in the Ocean State.
“It was a big gamble. I’m fortunate it worked,” Mendez said. “It was successful not only because we could now listen to the music and news in Spanish, but people felt our culture was now validated.”
The stations are small but mighty, at only 5,000 watts on the AM band and 100 watts on FM. For comparison, Boston’s news radio station, WBZ-AM, is powered by 50,000 watts.
“Our antenna is quite high,” Mendez said. “We reach all of Rhode Island.”
A rival, Latina 100.3, launched in 2002 and targets a younger audience.
“We are different. We stick more to an older group, 24- to 54-year-olds, though entire families listen,” he said. “We also do a lot of local issue programming.”
But music remains the bread and butter for his two stations.
“With the popularity of music, the love of the Spanish language increases. It’s about validation,” Mendez said. “Spanish music is such a force because the Spanish-speaking population continues to grow in the United States.”
He points to Karol G, the enormously popular Colombian singer headlining a show at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 28.
“Karol G likely will be the first Latina to sell out the stadium,” Mendez said. “When our Hispanic youth see one of their own performing at the largest venue in New England, it’s a source of pride. Last year, Bad Bunny did it at Fenway Park. It was huge. At TD Garden, Hispanic shows are now presented on a regular basis. It’s not just one show per year.
“You start getting used to these huge performances at the biggest venues in New England and it validates your culture and the language,” Mendez said. “We really do have something to offer.”
Mendez began his career behind the microphone at the student-run station at the University of Rhode Island. He later picked up on-air gigs at the Portuguese station in New Bedford.
He leaves the entertainment to his staff. But for 20 years, Mendez has interviewed political figures – Providence Mayor Brett P. Smiley is a regular guest – and hosted an election season series that profiles the candidates.
As he juggles the demands of both stations and their corporate parent, Video Mundo Broadcasting Co. LLC, Mendez still finds time to engage in other community projects.
In May 2020, he joined the board of the Rhode Island Foundation. Yet he doesn’t consider himself a Providence power broker.
“I see the station as the power broker. It’s not about me,” Mendez said. “The stations are a bridge between the institutions and the community. We bring in officials, even if they only speak English. We translate so [our audience] can have direct communication and access to them. We are the bridge. It’s the role we are most proud of. ”
1. Do you believe racism is keeping minorities from starting businesses in the Ocean State or succeeding when they do? Sometimes there are hurdles to accessing services at city institutions. But that’s not usually due to racism but because of mainly language. Sometimes information is not available in Spanish. Throughout my years in Rhode Island, that’s what I’ve seen as the main barrier.
2. How dependent is your business on the support of other minority groups? Is that a sustainable business model? Most listeners to Poder are Hispanic. So yes, we fully depend on their support. Our audience is bilingual, but they are more comfortable in Spanish. Many haven’t mastered English.
3. What one thing could Rhode Island do to boost the odds for minority-owned business success? The best way to boost success for businesses is by continued work on breaking down the language barrier. The state and the cities are pretty good at offering information in Spanish. The key is to see that Hispanics want the same things as other immigrant groups that have come to the state. They want to contribute.
4. Have you had to turn somewhere other than a bank for a loan? Do you believe the state’s lending institutions generally treat minorities fairly? The banks are more open than before. But access to capital is still a challenge to many small businesses, both English- and Spanish-speaking.
I believe with the growth of the Hispanic population, and Hispanics now working at many institutions, a lot of progress has been made. There’s more to be done, of course.
5. If another minority entrepreneur asked you where they could turn for support for their business, where would you direct them? I’d direct entrepreneurs to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce because they are deeply active in the community. They have the bandwidth to promote services to Hispanics. It is a great source of information and guidance. The Rhode Island Small Business Development Center is doing more outreach to small businesses, too.
Exactly what should not be happening. ASSIMILATION is what builds nations.