Interview in Spanish. Scroll below for English-language transcript.
Avanza 88.3 was featured in a national interview on Noticias Univision 24/7 VIX, highlighting the historic work we’re building together in Utah—the state’s first bilingual public radio station, created in partnership with KUER NPR Utah, PBS Utah, and the University of Utah.
In the interview, Program Director Edgar Zúñiga shared how Avanza is connecting Utah’s growing Latino community through authentic bilingual content—from music and storytelling to community conversations that reflect who we truly are.
This national spotlight celebrates not just Avanza, but everyone who has supported this vision: our listeners, volunteers, and partners who believe in the power of bilingual public media.
Avanza 88.3 fue destacada en una entrevista nacional en Noticias Univisón 24/7 ViX, resaltando el trabajo histórico que estamos construyendo juntos en Utah: la primera radio pública bilingüe del estado, creada en colaboración con KUER NPR Utah, PBS Utah y la Universidad de Utah.
En la entrevista, Edgar Zúñiga, director de programación, compartió cómo Avanza 88.3 está conectando a la creciente comunidad latina de Utah a través de contenido auténtico en inglés y español—desde música y relatos locales hasta conversaciones comunitarias que reflejan nuestra identidad.
Este reconocimiento nacional celebra no solo a Avanza, sino también a todas las personas que han hecho posible esta visión: oyentes, voluntarios y aliados que creen en el poder de los medios públicos bilingües.
Interview Transcript
Carolina Peguero: Well, in its first year, coinciding with Hispanic Heritage Month, Avanza 88.3 is now celebrating the impact it’s having in the community. We begin with Edgar Zúñiga, who is its Program Director. Welcome, Edgar, great to see you again. What a wonderful initiative. Tell us about the idea behind launching this first bilingual radio station.
Edgar Zúñiga: First of all, it’s a pleasure to greet you, Carolina, and your audience. Avanza is the first bilingual public radio station in Utah, as you mentioned, and one of the few in the entire country. We were created not only to be a radio station, but also a community service.
Here in Utah, the Latino population has grown tremendously over the past five to ten years. The Mexican-American community has always been strong, but we’ve also seen new arrivals from Venezuela, Colombia, and other countries. So, we’re here to serve, to create content not only in Spanish but also in English, content that’s relevant for Latinos living here in Utah.
Carolina: Of course. Tell us about the kinds of resources you offer.
Edgar: Thank you. We have programming in English and Spanish, mainly music. We play a variety that goes beyond reggaetón or regional Mexican, we include indie, Latin jazz, and many other genres.
We also have community affairs programming in both languages. We have a show called La Placita, where we connect people with resources and organizations that exist here in Utah. We do something similar with Conexión, where we interview nonprofit organizations. Another show, Hecho en Utah, highlights the contributions of Latinos who are starting businesses, creating opportunities, and building a better future here in Utah.
It’s something positive that our community really needs, because often when local media talk about Latinos, we’re shown as victims or perpetrators. What we’re doing is completely different. For us, millennials and people who speak Spanglish, so to speak, are our main audience here in Utah. Of course, there are great media outlets in both Spanish and English, but Spanish-language outlets aren’t necessarily bilingual, and English-language ones aren’t directed at Latinos.
What we offer is authenticity. We speak the way we actually speak, how we sound at home, at a family gathering, or among friends. That’s what makes us different. And it’s something other states and public media organizations now want to replicate. They want to do something similar for this growing Latino population that speaks both languages.
Carolina: And finally, Edgar, we’ve seen several public stations and networks be eliminated due to cuts under President Trump’s administration. How do you expect to be a communication bridge for communities that are no longer receiving public service or programming?
Edgar: It’s a very difficult time for public media. Since we’re new, we didn’t yet qualify for federal funding, so fortunately, we haven’t lost any. We’re broadcasting around the state, and we’ll continue to do so. We’re working to build a new audience and new financial resources so that Avanza and other stations like ours can keep moving forward and continue being that community service that’s needed now more than ever.
Carolina: Thank you, Edgar Zúñiga, for being with us.