Interview with Radio Journalist
CESAR IBARRA
CESAR IBARRA
| Photos by Eduardo Barraza |
| In the development of what is already considered a social movement of major proportions in the U.S., much of the mobilization of thousands of immigrants has been attributed to the role that Spanish radio has played, particularly in the March 24 and April 10 marches. Long-time Mexican journalist Cesar Ibarra talks exclusively to BARRIOZONA readers, and defines the line that divides a commitment with the community, and objectivity and work ethic. |
BARRIOZONA: Why has radio begun to take a preponderant role in the community?
CESAR IBARRA: Before we consider the “why,” it is necessary to take a look at the history of radio, and minority
groups in the United States. Just as the “golden era” of radio in this country was during World War II, this same
means of communication witnessed –along with the print media– the beginning of activism among immigrant
minority groups. In the east coast, Italians, Czechoslovakians, Jews and others, were those who precisely through
the use of radio in their native language, and during the graveyard hours, accomplished their purpose of
broadcasting their groups’ meeting announcements seeking to unionize.
It was during this time, with the arrival of necessary Mexican enslaving labor –by means of the braceros required to
fill the absence of the men fighting the War overseas– that some individuals began to receive old reel to reel tapes
with recorded radio programs from XEW, a radio station in Mexico City, to listen to some of the first great singers
and composers like Agustin Lara, Pedro Vargas, Daniel Santos, Fernando Fernandez and others. On weekends,
during social gatherings in the field’s barracks where they lived, braceros would come over to the place of the
“more educated” bracero, which had better connections, and was the one receiving the prerecorded radio
broadcasts from Mexico. Individuals like these even charged for songs and song dedications, when they dared to
connect the old Radson or the RCA to a microphone that would send their speech and messages out several yards
around through giant speakers.
This “educated bracero” one day bought an hour, and then two hours of air from an old White man’s radio station,
who would sell him air time. Thus, this is how “serious” radio in Spanish was born in the United States. It would
take many pages –worth the work of an experimented researcher– to connect this history with the present time.
And this is where we take a fifty-year leap, and we land in 2006 to realize that activists are half a century behind in
terms of realizing the “preponderant role of radio in the community.” This is because those who were looking to
play music, discovered that radio in their own language served to dummying down the mind with songs that
idealize drug trafficking, domestic violence, and gunshots, but also helped them open their eyes to discover that it
served to speed up the minds influenced by the “narcocorridos” or drug ballads, –something that a well structured
radio could achieve.
Just before the end of the first half of the last century, radio announcers from Mexico City realized the “fever of
Spanish radio” in the U.S. and migrated, some to San Antonio, like radio host and composer Teddy Fragoso; others
like Tucson native Lalo Guerrero, who had gone to Mexico to promote his compositions, and who returned to buy
air time. Later, Teddy would move to Phoenix for a period of time, purchasing air time in KOY, and later in KIFN. The
latter would become eventually a full time Spanish station, hosting radio celebrities such as Jaime Jarrín, Fragoso,
Oscar Ibarra and others.
Therefore, the response to this is that some people have realized that radio can serve their political and social
purposes, and now they accept what they rejected before. This is how the phenomenon of people like Elias
Bermudez, Magdalena Schwartz, and Alfredo Gutierrez took place. They are undeniably intelligent individuals, who
have know how to use a means of communication, and who know how influence is easier to achieve by ear than by
sight, even though the crowd also embraces Spanish print media with enthusiasm.
CESAR IBARRA: Before we consider the “why,” it is necessary to take a look at the history of radio, and minority
groups in the United States. Just as the “golden era” of radio in this country was during World War II, this same
means of communication witnessed –along with the print media– the beginning of activism among immigrant
minority groups. In the east coast, Italians, Czechoslovakians, Jews and others, were those who precisely through
the use of radio in their native language, and during the graveyard hours, accomplished their purpose of
broadcasting their groups’ meeting announcements seeking to unionize.
It was during this time, with the arrival of necessary Mexican enslaving labor –by means of the braceros required to
fill the absence of the men fighting the War overseas– that some individuals began to receive old reel to reel tapes
with recorded radio programs from XEW, a radio station in Mexico City, to listen to some of the first great singers
and composers like Agustin Lara, Pedro Vargas, Daniel Santos, Fernando Fernandez and others. On weekends,
during social gatherings in the field’s barracks where they lived, braceros would come over to the place of the
“more educated” bracero, which had better connections, and was the one receiving the prerecorded radio
broadcasts from Mexico. Individuals like these even charged for songs and song dedications, when they dared to
connect the old Radson or the RCA to a microphone that would send their speech and messages out several yards
around through giant speakers.
This “educated bracero” one day bought an hour, and then two hours of air from an old White man’s radio station,
who would sell him air time. Thus, this is how “serious” radio in Spanish was born in the United States. It would
take many pages –worth the work of an experimented researcher– to connect this history with the present time.
And this is where we take a fifty-year leap, and we land in 2006 to realize that activists are half a century behind in
terms of realizing the “preponderant role of radio in the community.” This is because those who were looking to
play music, discovered that radio in their own language served to dummying down the mind with songs that
idealize drug trafficking, domestic violence, and gunshots, but also helped them open their eyes to discover that it
served to speed up the minds influenced by the “narcocorridos” or drug ballads, –something that a well structured
radio could achieve.
Just before the end of the first half of the last century, radio announcers from Mexico City realized the “fever of
Spanish radio” in the U.S. and migrated, some to San Antonio, like radio host and composer Teddy Fragoso; others
like Tucson native Lalo Guerrero, who had gone to Mexico to promote his compositions, and who returned to buy
air time. Later, Teddy would move to Phoenix for a period of time, purchasing air time in KOY, and later in KIFN. The
latter would become eventually a full time Spanish station, hosting radio celebrities such as Jaime Jarrín, Fragoso,
Oscar Ibarra and others.
Therefore, the response to this is that some people have realized that radio can serve their political and social
purposes, and now they accept what they rejected before. This is how the phenomenon of people like Elias
Bermudez, Magdalena Schwartz, and Alfredo Gutierrez took place. They are undeniably intelligent individuals, who
have know how to use a means of communication, and who know how influence is easier to achieve by ear than by
sight, even though the crowd also embraces Spanish print media with enthusiasm.
Of course, even with radio broadcasting in their hands,
on their side, and pushing their own agendas, they
haven’t been able to –and won’t be able to– position
themselves in leadership roles similar to the ones of
Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzalez in Colorado, Reies Lopez
Tijerina (a personal friend) in New Mexico, or Cesar
Chavez in Arizona. About Chavez, the essence of his
social mobilizing has become purely the object of
commercial and promotional ends –again– of drug
trafficking, domestic violence, gunfights and drunkenness,
all in the name of “patriotic” celebrations. In this setting, I
am sure proud that KNUV “La Buena Onda” (The Good
Vibe) is a different option, one with a social penetration
peerless in the history of the communication of social
awareness and support.
on their side, and pushing their own agendas, they
haven’t been able to –and won’t be able to– position
themselves in leadership roles similar to the ones of
Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzalez in Colorado, Reies Lopez
Tijerina (a personal friend) in New Mexico, or Cesar
Chavez in Arizona. About Chavez, the essence of his
social mobilizing has become purely the object of
commercial and promotional ends –again– of drug
trafficking, domestic violence, gunfights and drunkenness,
all in the name of “patriotic” celebrations. In this setting, I
am sure proud that KNUV “La Buena Onda” (The Good
Vibe) is a different option, one with a social penetration
peerless in the history of the communication of social
awareness and support.
BZ: Why has the community begun to have a growing inclination to listen and to participate in radio programs?
CI: That is right!, “has begun.” And that underlines what I mention in the preceding answer: the “leaders” have,
fifty years later, discovered radio as a means of social communication and awareness.
BZ: How do you think radio has contributed to the shaping and impulse of the migrant’s social movement in the
United States?
CI: I have to say that first, radio “deformed” and set social movements in “reverse.” Simply, because just as how
the “payola” was used to promote this or that song, or this or that singer, it was also used to promote this or that
social movement. Now we have certainly seen that radio has contributed by “shaping and transforming” a social
movement, because the honorability of those who have radio in their hands has much to do with that. Within this
context, I certainly believe that La Buena Onda’s management has its own scenario to give itself to society, just as
we all listen to this every day on 1190AM.
BZ: How far can a radio commentator, journalist, and producer go in supporting a community’s struggle?
CI: One has the obligation of being non-partisan, and not being affiliated to a religion, because if that is the case,
ideas are switched over, and collide with the radio listeners who may be partisan and affiliated to religion. The
boundary is our conscience, our dignity, and our personal moral. Sometimes, this even collides with our own
colleagues, because some of them demonstrate with their words and their actions that they also have their own
agenda, their own acceptance, and disorientation. Most of the time, their disorientation is amplified because they
are novices in this passion for radio. Deceived in themselves, they think reason is with them. Reason in radio is to
have concentration of thought in front of the microphone, and to let the public be the one who wants to convince
and to teach. Not us; we are the ones that learn and should learn, day after day, through the contact with radio
listeners.
BZ: Can radio join a social struggle without compromising objectivity and work ethic?
CI: I believe that as radio people, we must know how to identify the personal agendas of everyone who comes
looking for air time. Social struggles today are not defined. That’s why, when the differences of the players are
perceived, radio has to maintain its closeness with the public, and not with those who try to convince. Certainly,
one can join a social cause without compromising objectivity. But we also have the supreme responsibility of
witnessing that such movement follows a defined path. We can, for instance, promote United Way, but that does
not impede us from saying on the air how many thousands of dollars the organization’s CEO makes. Or to question
why he flies in a private “Lear Jet” at the expense of funds raised in the community. More than being a producer or
a radio commentator, the conscience of a journalist has to be applied, and demonstrate that one is not mended
with compromises or agendas, that we are not just seeking to be invited to a dinner, an annual dance, and so
forth. It means to have peace of mind to attend a fancy dinner, after having had a frugal dinner at home; it means
to attend a dance where money is wasted, and the “activist” is wearing a rented tuxedo, and as journalists, still
report what we see, and how we see it. We should be the eyes, the ears, and the conscience of the laborer, the
dishwasher, of the one who works really hard as a landscaper or a roofer, and who dreams of sending their
children to college one day. We owe ourselves to them. And, I say it flat out, that is my only commitment.
CI: That is right!, “has begun.” And that underlines what I mention in the preceding answer: the “leaders” have,
fifty years later, discovered radio as a means of social communication and awareness.
BZ: How do you think radio has contributed to the shaping and impulse of the migrant’s social movement in the
United States?
CI: I have to say that first, radio “deformed” and set social movements in “reverse.” Simply, because just as how
the “payola” was used to promote this or that song, or this or that singer, it was also used to promote this or that
social movement. Now we have certainly seen that radio has contributed by “shaping and transforming” a social
movement, because the honorability of those who have radio in their hands has much to do with that. Within this
context, I certainly believe that La Buena Onda’s management has its own scenario to give itself to society, just as
we all listen to this every day on 1190AM.
BZ: How far can a radio commentator, journalist, and producer go in supporting a community’s struggle?
CI: One has the obligation of being non-partisan, and not being affiliated to a religion, because if that is the case,
ideas are switched over, and collide with the radio listeners who may be partisan and affiliated to religion. The
boundary is our conscience, our dignity, and our personal moral. Sometimes, this even collides with our own
colleagues, because some of them demonstrate with their words and their actions that they also have their own
agenda, their own acceptance, and disorientation. Most of the time, their disorientation is amplified because they
are novices in this passion for radio. Deceived in themselves, they think reason is with them. Reason in radio is to
have concentration of thought in front of the microphone, and to let the public be the one who wants to convince
and to teach. Not us; we are the ones that learn and should learn, day after day, through the contact with radio
listeners.
BZ: Can radio join a social struggle without compromising objectivity and work ethic?
CI: I believe that as radio people, we must know how to identify the personal agendas of everyone who comes
looking for air time. Social struggles today are not defined. That’s why, when the differences of the players are
perceived, radio has to maintain its closeness with the public, and not with those who try to convince. Certainly,
one can join a social cause without compromising objectivity. But we also have the supreme responsibility of
witnessing that such movement follows a defined path. We can, for instance, promote United Way, but that does
not impede us from saying on the air how many thousands of dollars the organization’s CEO makes. Or to question
why he flies in a private “Lear Jet” at the expense of funds raised in the community. More than being a producer or
a radio commentator, the conscience of a journalist has to be applied, and demonstrate that one is not mended
with compromises or agendas, that we are not just seeking to be invited to a dinner, an annual dance, and so
forth. It means to have peace of mind to attend a fancy dinner, after having had a frugal dinner at home; it means
to attend a dance where money is wasted, and the “activist” is wearing a rented tuxedo, and as journalists, still
report what we see, and how we see it. We should be the eyes, the ears, and the conscience of the laborer, the
dishwasher, of the one who works really hard as a landscaper or a roofer, and who dreams of sending their
children to college one day. We owe ourselves to them. And, I say it flat out, that is my only commitment.
| English version translated and adapted from the original version in Spanish by Eduardo Barraza Hispanic Institute of Social Issues © 2006 |
| CESAR IBARRA. A Mexican journalist who has a long career in print, radio and television media. With more than 30 years of experience Cesar Ibarra is an accurate communicator, authorized critic, and a clever social analyst. Currently, Mr. Ibarra is the News Producer and Editor for KNUV 1190 La Buena Onda, and Arizona correspondent for CNN Spanish Radio. Contact Cesar Ibarra |
| BARRIOZONA |
| Bilingual Community Expression Published by the Hispanic Institute of Social Issues |
| The Role of Spanish Radio in a Social Movement |