Saga Communications’ Asheville Media Group has unveiled La Pantera 97.3, Asheville’s inaugural Spanish-language radio station. The Latin/Regional Mexican station, formed through a collaboration with local non-profit Hola Carolina, replaces the signal’s previous oldies format.
Local programming and hosts will be announced in the coming weeks.
Consultant Gerardo Lopez is handling music programming duties for La Pantera. Lopez said, “I’m very excited for La Pantera radio network to continue to grow now in Asheville. We are grateful for our partnership with Asheville Media Group to give us the opportunity to serve our growing Hispanic community.”
Asheville Media Group Market Manager Tom Davis commented, “Our team felt it was time to launch Asheville’s first Spanish language radio station and mentioned the idea to friends at Hola Carolina. Hola Carolina builds bridges between cultures and embraces the diversity of our community. They were excited to hear our vision for this brand and offered valuable insight and advice.”
Hola Carolina Executive Director Adriana Chavela said, “This milestone is a testament to the vibrant and growing Latino community in western North Carolina. It provides us with a powerful platform to share our music, culture, voices, and stories, fostering greater understanding and unity within our diverse region.”
