MediaCo Reports Strong Year-End Audience Growth
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 22 2026
0mins
Should l Buy MDIA?
MediaCo announced 'strong' year-end audience growth across its radio portfolio, 'delivering significant gains in key markets and reinforcing its position as one of the fastest-growing audio companies in the country." The company said, "Driven by increased listening and expanded reach, MediaCo posted robust year-over-year performance across Adults 25-54, with particularly strong results during weekday Prime listening hours, underscoring the continued strength of the company's culturally relevant brands and local-first programming strategy. Top Market Highlights: New York City: +18.3% AQH and +9.9% Share, led by HOT 97's weekday resurgence and steady WBLS performance; Los Angeles: +25.0% AQH and +38.2% Cume, driven by the continued rise of Que Buena LA; Dallas: +31.1% AQH and +15.0% Cume, powered by growth at KNOR and KBOC...MediaCo also delivered strong gains among Adults 18-49, led by HOT 97, Que Buena LA, KRQB, and KTJM, reinforcing the company's connection to culturally engaged, high-value listeners and its ability to drive meaningful engagement across younger demos. Standout Station Performance: HOT 97: +40.6% AQH and +30.6% Share among Adults 18-49, Share among P25-54; +54.3%; Que Buena LA: +25.0% AQH and +17.3% Share among P25-54, with strong weekday growth; KNOR : +45.0% AQH and +21.9% Share among P25-54 driven by increased weekday listening."
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About MDIA
MediaCo Holding Inc., its subsidiaries, and a variable interest entity, is an owned and operated multimedia company. The Company is focused on television, radio and digital advertising, premium programming and events. The Company manages its operations through two business segments: Audio and Video. The Company’s Audio Segment includes both MediaCo’s and Estrella’s radio stations serving New York City, NY, Los Angeles, CA, Houston, TX, and Dallas, TX demographic market areas that primarily target Black, Hispanic, and multicultural consumers. The Audio Segment derives revenues primarily from radio and digital advertising sales, but also generates revenues from events, including sponsorships and ticket sales, licensing, and syndication. The Company’s Video Segment includes Estrella’s television stations, offering an aggregation of Spanish-language programming, including originals, topical entertainment, reality, news, and comedy.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
HOT 97 TV Expands in New York Market
- Brand Expansion: MediaCo Holding Inc. announced the launch of HOT 97 TV on WASA-TV on March 31, marking a significant expansion in the New York market aimed at enhancing brand influence through multi-platform audience engagement.
- Diverse Programming: The new channel will feature a variety of shows including 'Mornings with Mero' and 'Funk Flex Freestyles', combining music, celebrity interviews, and cultural content to meet audience demands for diverse entertainment, further solidifying its leadership in the cultural space.
- Advertising Opportunities: This expansion provides advertisers with direct access to a deeply engaged audience through an integrated solution spanning TV, audio, and digital platforms, enhancing real-time brand engagement with culture and driving advertising revenue growth.
- Cultural Impact: Funk Flex recently received the Entertainer's Key to New York City, underscoring HOT 97's enduring cultural influence; this expansion represents not only a natural evolution of the brand but also MediaCo's strategic positioning in the multicultural media market.
See More
MediaCo Reports Strong February Performance Across Audio Portfolio
- New York Market Performance: MediaCo's HOT 97 and WBLS excelled in New York, with HOT 97 rising to #4 in mornings and #3 in afternoons, while Prime AQH grew 41% year-over-year, indicating enhanced brand influence.
- Strong Growth in Southern California: Que Buena in Los Angeles achieved double-digit AQH growth, with significant morning gains, and 96.1 KRQB posted a remarkable 200% midday growth among Persons 18-49, showcasing the market's immense potential.
- Breakout Performance in Dallas-Fort Worth: 106.7 KZZA saw a 38% AQH increase among Persons 25-54, with strong morning drive performance, while 98.3 KBOC delivered double-digit cumulative growth among Persons 18-49, reflecting market vitality.
- Momentum in Houston Market: 98.5 KTJM showed strong weekend and off-peak performance, with 107.9 KQQK achieving growth across afternoons, nights, and weekends among Persons 18-49, and 93.7 KNOR experiencing triple-digit month-over-month growth at night, reflecting broad brand appeal.
See More
TBL Partners with EstrellaTV to Reach Spanish Audiences
- Partnership Announcement: TBL Team Boxing League has formed a broadcast partnership with EstrellaTV, marking a significant milestone as TBL fights will be available in Spanish for the first time, which is expected to greatly expand its audience base in the U.S.
- Expanded Reach: Under the agreement, EstrellaTV will broadcast all TBL fights across its linear network, app, and FAST channel, reaching nearly 50 million households and devices, thereby enhancing TBL's influence among the rapidly growing Spanish-speaking audience.
- Audience Engagement: TBL CEO Kevin Cassidy stated that this partnership is a pivotal step in making team-based professional boxing more accessible and inclusive, aiming to attract fans from diverse communities and drive long-term brand growth.
- Advertising Opportunities: EstrellaTV's Chief Revenue Officer Brian Fisher emphasized that this partnership not only enriches their live sports programming lineup but also creates new opportunities for advertisers, further reinforcing their commitment to delivering dynamic and culturally relevant content to their viewers.
See More
TBL Partners with EstrellaTV to Reach Spanish Audiences
- Partnership Announcement: TBL Team Boxing League has formed a broadcast partnership with EstrellaTV, marking the first time its boxing events will be available in Spanish, significantly expanding access to one of the fastest-growing audiences in the U.S.
- Extensive Reach: Under the agreement, EstrellaTV will broadcast all TBL fights across its linear network, app, and FAST channel, ensuring coverage to nearly 50 million households and devices, greatly enhancing viewer accessibility.
- Cultural Relevance: This collaboration not only showcases TBL's innovation in boxing but also underscores EstrellaTV's commitment to meeting the needs of Spanish-speaking audiences in the U.S., thereby strengthening both organizations' influence in multicultural markets.
- Market Opportunities: TBL CEO Kevin Cassidy stated that this partnership is a pivotal step in making team-based boxing more accessible, while also creating new opportunities for advertisers, reflecting a commitment to diverse communities.
See More
MediaCo Strengthens Spanish News Operations
- Strategic Advisor Appointment: MediaCo has appointed Alina Falcón as Senior Advisor, bringing extensive experience from her previous roles at Univision and NBCUniversal Telemundo to enhance the editorial strategy of the news leadership team.
- Expansion of Spanish Coverage: Falcón will focus on enhancing Spanish-language political coverage, particularly ahead of the 2026 U.S. midterm elections, ensuring Spanish-speaking audiences receive critical news relevant to their communities, thereby enhancing the media's social responsibility.
- Multi-Platform Reach: MediaCo is committed to providing culturally relevant news and programming across television, audio, digital, and streaming platforms, reaching over 20 million viewers monthly, showcasing its strong influence in the multicultural market.
- Industry Leadership: Falcón's addition is seen as a significant step in strengthening MediaCo's newsroom strategy, expected to enhance coverage for Hispanic audiences and ensure access to vital news information, especially as the election cycle approaches.
See More
Sigma Audio Networks Launches InterWave Audio Platform for Multicultural Audiences
- Platform Launch: Sigma Audio Networks has launched InterWave, a digital audio network designed to connect brands with multicultural audiences across mobile apps, web environments, and digital audio platforms, reaching over 210 million monthly unique listeners and significantly enhancing advertising effectiveness.
- Transparent Inventory: InterWave offers 100% transparent premium audio inventory, ensuring brands engage with highly involved audiences in brand-safe environments, achieving an average completion rate of 93%, thus providing measurable impact for advertisers.
- Market Demand: With multicultural audiences representing over 40% of the U.S. population and possessing more than $7 trillion in purchasing power, the launch of InterWave meets advertisers' urgent need for scalable digital audio advertising solutions.
- Strategic Importance: The launch of InterWave marks a significant step in Sigma Audio Networks' strategy to build the most comprehensive multicultural audio platform in the U.S., combining the strengths of terrestrial radio and digital audio to enhance brand connections with diverse consumers.
See More
HOT 97 TV Expands in New York Market
- Brand Expansion: MediaCo Holding Inc. announced the launch of HOT 97 TV on WASA-TV on March 31, marking a significant expansion in the New York market aimed at enhancing brand influence through multi-platform audience engagement.
- Diverse Programming: The new channel will feature a variety of shows including 'Mornings with Mero' and 'Funk Flex Freestyles', combining music, celebrity interviews, and cultural content to meet audience demands for diverse entertainment, further solidifying its leadership in the cultural space.
- Advertising Opportunities: This expansion provides advertisers with direct access to a deeply engaged audience through an integrated solution spanning TV, audio, and digital platforms, enhancing real-time brand engagement with culture and driving advertising revenue growth.
- Cultural Impact: Funk Flex recently received the Entertainer's Key to New York City, underscoring HOT 97's enduring cultural influence; this expansion represents not only a natural evolution of the brand but also MediaCo's strategic positioning in the multicultural media market.
See More
MediaCo Reports Strong February Performance Across Audio Portfolio
- New York Market Performance: MediaCo's HOT 97 and WBLS excelled in New York, with HOT 97 rising to #4 in mornings and #3 in afternoons, while Prime AQH grew 41% year-over-year, indicating enhanced brand influence.
- Strong Growth in Southern California: Que Buena in Los Angeles achieved double-digit AQH growth, with significant morning gains, and 96.1 KRQB posted a remarkable 200% midday growth among Persons 18-49, showcasing the market's immense potential.
- Breakout Performance in Dallas-Fort Worth: 106.7 KZZA saw a 38% AQH increase among Persons 25-54, with strong morning drive performance, while 98.3 KBOC delivered double-digit cumulative growth among Persons 18-49, reflecting market vitality.
- Momentum in Houston Market: 98.5 KTJM showed strong weekend and off-peak performance, with 107.9 KQQK achieving growth across afternoons, nights, and weekends among Persons 18-49, and 93.7 KNOR experiencing triple-digit month-over-month growth at night, reflecting broad brand appeal.
See More
TBL Partners with EstrellaTV to Reach Spanish Audiences
- Partnership Announcement: TBL Team Boxing League has formed a broadcast partnership with EstrellaTV, marking a significant milestone as TBL fights will be available in Spanish for the first time, which is expected to greatly expand its audience base in the U.S.
- Expanded Reach: Under the agreement, EstrellaTV will broadcast all TBL fights across its linear network, app, and FAST channel, reaching nearly 50 million households and devices, thereby enhancing TBL's influence among the rapidly growing Spanish-speaking audience.
- Audience Engagement: TBL CEO Kevin Cassidy stated that this partnership is a pivotal step in making team-based professional boxing more accessible and inclusive, aiming to attract fans from diverse communities and drive long-term brand growth.
- Advertising Opportunities: EstrellaTV's Chief Revenue Officer Brian Fisher emphasized that this partnership not only enriches their live sports programming lineup but also creates new opportunities for advertisers, further reinforcing their commitment to delivering dynamic and culturally relevant content to their viewers.
See More
TBL Partners with EstrellaTV to Reach Spanish Audiences
- Partnership Announcement: TBL Team Boxing League has formed a broadcast partnership with EstrellaTV, marking the first time its boxing events will be available in Spanish, significantly expanding access to one of the fastest-growing audiences in the U.S.
- Extensive Reach: Under the agreement, EstrellaTV will broadcast all TBL fights across its linear network, app, and FAST channel, ensuring coverage to nearly 50 million households and devices, greatly enhancing viewer accessibility.
- Cultural Relevance: This collaboration not only showcases TBL's innovation in boxing but also underscores EstrellaTV's commitment to meeting the needs of Spanish-speaking audiences in the U.S., thereby strengthening both organizations' influence in multicultural markets.
- Market Opportunities: TBL CEO Kevin Cassidy stated that this partnership is a pivotal step in making team-based boxing more accessible, while also creating new opportunities for advertisers, reflecting a commitment to diverse communities.
See More
MediaCo Strengthens Spanish News Operations
- Strategic Advisor Appointment: MediaCo has appointed Alina Falcón as Senior Advisor, bringing extensive experience from her previous roles at Univision and NBCUniversal Telemundo to enhance the editorial strategy of the news leadership team.
- Expansion of Spanish Coverage: Falcón will focus on enhancing Spanish-language political coverage, particularly ahead of the 2026 U.S. midterm elections, ensuring Spanish-speaking audiences receive critical news relevant to their communities, thereby enhancing the media's social responsibility.
- Multi-Platform Reach: MediaCo is committed to providing culturally relevant news and programming across television, audio, digital, and streaming platforms, reaching over 20 million viewers monthly, showcasing its strong influence in the multicultural market.
- Industry Leadership: Falcón's addition is seen as a significant step in strengthening MediaCo's newsroom strategy, expected to enhance coverage for Hispanic audiences and ensure access to vital news information, especially as the election cycle approaches.
See More
Sigma Audio Networks Launches InterWave Audio Platform for Multicultural Audiences
- Platform Launch: Sigma Audio Networks has launched InterWave, a digital audio network designed to connect brands with multicultural audiences across mobile apps, web environments, and digital audio platforms, reaching over 210 million monthly unique listeners and significantly enhancing advertising effectiveness.
- Transparent Inventory: InterWave offers 100% transparent premium audio inventory, ensuring brands engage with highly involved audiences in brand-safe environments, achieving an average completion rate of 93%, thus providing measurable impact for advertisers.
- Market Demand: With multicultural audiences representing over 40% of the U.S. population and possessing more than $7 trillion in purchasing power, the launch of InterWave meets advertisers' urgent need for scalable digital audio advertising solutions.
- Strategic Importance: The launch of InterWave marks a significant step in Sigma Audio Networks' strategy to build the most comprehensive multicultural audio platform in the U.S., combining the strengths of terrestrial radio and digital audio to enhance brand connections with diverse consumers.
See More
