Radio Kingston, a non-profit network in Kingston, N.Y., is introducing a dedicated Spanish-language sister station called Radio Kingston en Español starting March 2. This move expands programming for Spanish speakers and accompanies a broader schedule overhaul at the main station. The changes aim to provide more consistent weekday content and reflect community diversity.
Starting Monday, March 2, Radio Kingston will launch Radio Kingston en Español as a sister station accessible at radiokingstonenespanol.org. This online platform offers a full weekday schedule of Spanish-language programming, shifting from previously interspersed shows on the main station.
Executive director Jimmy Buff explained the decision in an interview, stating, “After 8-plus years evaluating our impact in the community... creating the online sister station was widely important to us to represent the many voices in Kingston.” Program director Manuel Blas added that the station seeks to capture the diversity within the Hispanic community, noting, “There’s a lot of difference in the Hispanic community, and we try to capture all of those differences.”
The weekday lineup begins at 6 a.m. with “Despierta Kingston,” the city's first Spanish morning radio show, airing until 9 a.m. It is followed by “La Voz” con Mariel Fiori from 9 to 11 a.m. Monday through Thursday, and “Mochilero” con Antonio Flores-Lobos from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday. “La Dosis Perfecta,” featuring Spanish-language music, runs from 1 to 2 p.m. weekdays, while “Nuestros Cuentos” airs Fridays from 9 to 11 a.m. The eight-hour schedule repeats from 2 to 10 p.m. and twice overnight until 6 a.m. Weekends focus mostly on Spanish music, ensuring 24/7 programming.
Shows have expanded slots: “Despierta Kingston” now runs three hours instead of one, “La Voz” and “Mochilero” two hours each, and “La Dosis Perfecta” airs daily rather than weekly. Blas emphasized the station's role as a Spanish-language hub for Kingston information.
These changes align with a revamped main station schedule, including five new full-time hosts. Warren Lawrence's “Warren in the Morning” airs 6 to 10 a.m. weekdays, marking his 53 years on air by March 17. Julia Furlan joins from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in April, followed by Jami Smith afternoons, Jaguar Mary X evenings, Gopal Harrington nights, and Malcolm Burn overnight. Over 100 applications were received, prioritizing local Kingston residents. Many of the station's 50+ shows will shift to weekends, with opportunities for former hosts to contribute otherwise.
Buff described the transition as having “a bittersweetness to endings and a wild excitement towards what the potential of this radio station can be.” Full schedules are available at radiokingston.org and radiokingstonenespanol.org.
