Bustos Media
Bustos Media is an independent, family-owned Hispanic radio broadcasting company operating 25+ AM/FM stations across six U.S. states, serving Hispanic and multilingual audiences in markets from Portland to Milwaukee through branded networks and selling advertising airtime to local and national advertisers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1992
- HeadquartersPortland, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Bustos Media does
Bustos Media is an independent, family-owned Hispanic radio broadcasting company founded in 1992 and headquartered in Portland, Oregon. The company owns and operates 25+ radio stations across six U.S. states (Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Texas, and Wisconsin), serving markets including Portland, Salem, Seattle, Tri Cities, Yakima, Wenatchee, Tucson, Chico, and Milwaukee, with additional stations in Houston and San Jose. Programming is primarily Spanish-language through branded networks including La GranD (regional Mexican), La Zeta, La Ranchera, Urbana, and LA MAQUINA, supplemented by stations broadcasting in English, Russian, Vietnamese, Korean, and Chinese to reach diverse ethnic and linguistic communities.
The company's core technology is conventional AM/FM radio broadcast infrastructure, with each station operating as a separate licensed frequency under FCC regulation. The product portfolio consists of individual station brands, sub-network brands, and national advertising sales services. Acquisitions are a central growth mechanism: in May 2019 alone, Bustos Media completed six station purchases totaling approximately $3.6M in disclosed consideration, including KFNY 102.9 FM in Seattle ($3M), three Chico stations from Mapleton ($400K), and KRCW 96.3 FM in Royal City ($200K). The company also acquired KDRI-FM in Tucson from Bobby Rich as part of his retirement.
Bustos Media generates revenue almost entirely through radio advertising, selling airtime to advertisers seeking to reach Hispanic and multilingual audiences. Distribution operates through a dual channel: regional station sales teams with dedicated general managers serve local and SMB advertisers in each market, while national sales partnerships with Gen Media Partners and Entravision, coordinated by VP/Chief Revenue Officer Ed Distel, serve enterprise and national advertisers. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, varying by market, station, time slot, and audience reach. The company employs 101-250 people and remains privately held by the Bustos family, with Amador Bustos serving as President and CEO and Felipe Chavez as COO.
Bustos Media firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Bustos Media
- Legal name
- Bustos Medial LLC
- Website
- https://bustosmedia.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1992
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Bustos Media is an independent, family-owned Hispanic radio broadcasting company operating 25+ AM/FM stations across six U.S. states, serving Hispanic and multilingual audiences in markets from Portland to Milwaukee through branded networks and selling advertising airtime to local and national advertisers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Bustos Media industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Radio Broadcasting
- NAICS
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611)
- SIC
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Local Radio Station Groups (Owned & Operated/Station Chains) (MPABACAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Spanish-Language & Multicultural Radio Networks (MPABABAG)
Keywords
Where Bustos Media is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices10 records
Markets served
Bustos Media business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Radio Advertising: Bustos Media generates revenue primarily through radio advertising, selling airtime to businesses seeking to reach Hispanic and general audiences across their multi-state station portfolio. The company emphasizes radio as the most affordable mass-market media for reaching Hispanic consumers.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
Bustos Media product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Bustos Media owns and operates 25+ AM/FM radio stations across Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Texas, and Wisconsin, broadcasting primarily in Spanish with supplementary English, Russian, Vietnamese, Korean, and Chinese programming. Stations are organized under branded networks (LA MAQUINA, La GranD, La Zeta, Urbana, La Ranchera, La Pantera) that target Hispanic adults 18+, generating revenue by selling local and national advertising airtime to businesses seeking to reach Hispanic and other multicultural consumers.
Product overview
Bustos Media is an independent Hispanic-owned broadcast radio company operating a multi-station, multi-market portfolio across Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Texas, and Wisconsin. The company operates through branded station sub-brands including La GranD (regional Mexican), La Zeta, Urbana (urban format), La Ranchera, and LA MAQUINA network, alongside general market stations. Programming is primarily Spanish-language with some English, Russian, Vietnamese, Korean, and Chinese stations. The portfolio includes both acquired stations (KFNY Seattle, KRCW Royal City, KQPT/KFMF/KZAP Chico) and organically operated stations across nine major markets, with national sales managed through Gen Media Partners and Entravision partnerships.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- LA MAQUINA: Radio network operated by Bustos Media
- La GranD
- La Z
- La Ranchera
- La Pantera
- Urbana
Products and services
- LA MAQUINA Radio Network
- La GranD Network
- La Zeta Network
- Urbana Network
- La Ranchera Network
- La Pantera Network
- National Advertising Sales Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Radio reaches 97% of U.S. Hispanics aged 18+ weekly - highest reach of any medium
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Bustos Media
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Bustos Media technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Bustos Media partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Farmworkers Educational Radio Network, Inc.minorSeller of KRCW 96.3 FM station to Bustos Media for $200,000. Transaction brokered by KALIL & CO., INC.
- Ocean Stations Trust II LLCminorSeller of KFNY 102.9 FM station to Bustos Media for $3,000,000. Station was put into Trust by iHeart when it acquired the CBS stations in Seattle. Deal brokered by Media Venture Partners Capital, LLC (MVP).
- MapletonminorSeller of three FM radio stations (KQPT 107.5, KFMF 93.9 FM, KZAP 96.7) to Bustos Media for $400,000. Deal brokered by Jorgenson Broadcast Brokerage, Inc.
- Gen Media PartnerscoreNational sales partner for Bustos Media, helping coordinate national advertising sales across the company's multi-state radio station portfolio.
- EntravisioncoreNational sales partner providing coordinated national advertising sales capabilities for Bustos Media's radio stations.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Bustos Media competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Townsquare Media: Regional U.S. radio group focused on mid-sized and small markets outside top-10 cities, with local-sales-driven ad model. Comparable to Bustos Media's regional cluster strategy in markets like Yakima, Wenatchee, and Tri Cities.
- Alpha Media: Private U.S. radio group operating stations across regional and mid-sized markets. Comparable to Bustos Media in scale and multi-market local-sales orientation.
- Grupo Multimedios: Mexican media group with radio stations and content reaching U.S. Hispanic audiences via cross-border broadcasting. Comparable to Bustos Media in targeting Spanish-language listening in U.S. Hispanic markets.
Direct peers
- Entravision Communications: Public Spanish-language media company operating radio stations and TV stations targeting U.S. Hispanic audiences. Comparable to Bustos Media as it is also a national sales partner of Bustos and a direct competitor in Spanish-language radio ad sales.
- Lotus Communications: Privately held Hispanic-focused radio group operating Spanish-language and bilingual radio stations across the U.S. Closely comparable to Bustos Media in independent, Hispanic-owned multi-market radio operations.
- Uforia / TelevisaUnivision Audio: Audio division of TelevisaUnivision operating Spanish-language radio stations and streaming platform Uforia in U.S. Hispanic markets. Direct comparable to Bustos Media's Spanish-language radio stations and Hispanic ad-targeting model.
- Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS): Spanish-language media company operating radio stations in major U.S. Hispanic markets, plus digital properties. Direct comparable to Bustos Media in Hispanic-targeted radio broadcasting and ad-supported audio.
Broad incumbents
- Cumulus Media: Large-cap U.S. radio broadcaster with broad station portfolio across multiple formats and markets. Comparable to Bustos Media as a radio group operator competing for ad budgets.
- Salem Communications: Radio broadcaster focused on Christian and conservative formats, with multi-market station ownership. Comparable to Bustos Media as a multi-market niche radio group with format-specific audiences.
- iHeartMedia: Largest U.S. radio operator with thousands of stations across formats including Spanish-language. Comparable to Bustos Media as a radio broadcaster and a source of divested stations (e.g., Ocean Stations Trust II was set up by iHeart).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Bustos Media social profiles
Digital presenceBustos Media financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Bustos Media leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Bustos Media funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Bustos Media M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Bustos Media
What does Bustos Media do?
Bustos Media owns and operates 25+ AM/FM radio stations across Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Texas, and Wisconsin, broadcasting primarily in Spanish with supplementary English, Russian, Vietnamese, Korean, and Chinese programming. Stations are organized under branded networks (LA MAQUINA, La GranD, La Zeta, Urbana, La Ranchera, La Pantera) that target Hispanic adults 18+, generating revenue by selling local and national advertising airtime to businesses seeking to reach Hispanic and other multicultural consumers.
Is Bustos Media a public or private company?
Bustos Media is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Bustos Media founded?
Bustos Media was founded in 1992. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Bustos Media based?
Bustos Media is headquartered in Portland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Bustos Media make money?
One revenue line is on record: radio Advertising.
Who are Bustos Media's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Townsquare Media, Alpha Media and Grupo Multimedios. Direct peers are Entravision Communications, Lotus Communications, Uforia / TelevisaUnivision Audio and Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS). Broad incumbents are Cumulus Media, Salem Communications and iHeartMedia.
Does Bustos Media have an API?
No public API is recorded for Bustos Media.
What industry is Bustos Media in?
Bustos Media's product category is Radio Broadcasting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABACAC, Local Radio Station Groups (Owned & Operated/Station Chains), with a secondary code of MPABABAG, Spanish-Language & Multicultural Radio Networks. Its NAICS code is 51611 and its SIC code is 4832.