Hot 97 (WQHT)’s Mornings with Mero is going national. MediaCo syndication arm Sigma Audio Networks has reached a deal to distribute the New York City morning show beyond its flagship home, alongside an expansion agreement with Spanish-language personality Don Cheto.
This opens the door for the rapid expansion of Mero’s program, which launched in January.
Don Cheto came to MediaCo as part of its April 2024 acquisition of Estrella Media’s network, content, and commercial operations, which included the Don Cheto Radio Network across 32 markets. The Sigma deal centralizes national syndication and advertising sales for the franchise under one platform.
Sigma launched earlier this year as MediaCo’s effort to consolidate its Hispanic, Black, Asian American, and bicultural reach into a single national audio buy. It unveiled its first major offering, the bilingual English-Spanish Alpha Woman network, in March.
Sigma Audio Networks President and CEO Elisa Torres said, “Both Don Cheto and HOT 97 Mornings with Mero represent the type of content that drives audience engagement today: authentic, culturally connected, and built around strong personalities and teams. Through Sigma, we are scaling that content nationally across broadcast and digital platforms.”
MediaCo Chief Revenue Officer Brian Fisher added, “This expansion reflects the growing demand for culturally relevant, personality-led audio at scale. By bringing leading franchises like Don Cheto and HOT 97 Mornings with Mero onto the Sigma platform, we are strengthening our ability to deliver both reach and impact for advertisers.”
