The Route to Success through radio communications

Radio Exitos-Stalin Martinez

Stalin Martinez is a Hispanic radio host in the Hartford area. He has a podcast called Ruta de Exitos aired Monday through Friday in Radio Exitos FM 105.3. He was born in Quito-Ecuador from a mid-class family. His father was an army soldier, and his mother was a stayed home mom who took care of him and his three siblings. 

In his early adulthood, Stalin wanted to study communications. However, his father, who wished to a profitable career for him, made him enroll in the business administration program in the Universidad de Quito. To please his family, he followed the recommendations, but after a year he dropped off his studies to pursue his career in communications at the same university. He later got married and had a daughter. Due to the political upheaval that Ecuador was going through in the Abdalá Bucaram government, Stalin moved to the United States with his wife and child, where he formally started his career in radio communications. 

Radio Exitos-Stalin Martinez

Tell us about yourself

I was born in Ecuador, and I studied business administration at the Universidad de Quito, following my father's advice, so I enrolled in that program, but I felt unhappy.  I only studied for one semester. Communications were my thing, so I decided to explore that career and completed two years.  In my third year, I got married and had my son.  Things turned a little difficult to support my family because, at that time, Ecuador was going through a period of instability. My wife and I decided to immigrate to the United States for better opportunities. 

How did you start your career in communications?

I ventured into radio communications by chance. One day, I was listening to the local podcast, and the announcer was calling people to talk about Ecuador's matters. The time coincided with the Ecuadorian independence festivities. I called the radio, and they invited me to the studio. At that time Exitos FM was called Latina 1230 AM. My name caught people's attention because it is not very common among Hispanics, and that is how it all helped me to start my career in the local Hispanic Radio. Everything started unexpectedly, and people gave me the nickname "El Coladito" because I began to co-host in several radio shows out of a sudden.

Radio Exitos-Stalin Martinez

How did you find the path of communications after you had your first show?

Well, it was not easy.  While I was co-hosting, I met the radio’s owner, and I told him that I wanted the opportunity to work with them, and he said ok. He told me to work Saturdays, but I needed to get sponsors. Since a lot of people knew me already, the sponsors paid for advertising, and things started to go very well. 

Tell us about your listeners

A lot of people like my style, especially for the type of music I play on my show. I focus on the public that is not too into Caribbean music because there are already many radio stations that are directed to that public. I thought that there are many other people from other Latino countries here who no one was paying attention, for instance, South Americans and Mexicans, and no one was focusing on that public. I decided to dedicate myself to those listeners and to play the music they like. I am very grateful to the Peruvian community because they were the first ones to support me since the beginning of my career. Peruvians are the second Hispanic minority in CT, and you can see it around when there is a soccer game, at concerts, through local Peruvian restaurants, it is a community that always gives you their support. 

Radio Exitos-Stalin Martinez interview to Maricarmen Cajahuaringa - Boceto Media

Would you say that in a way, being a communicator is also to educate the public?

Of course, it goes both ways. For instance, there have been times when the public called me and corrected me when I said something, and that is fine.  But radio communications is magic; I don't agree with Facebook live on the Radio. That’s not radio! I say, do not destroy the magic of the Radio. There have been times when I had made Facebook live broadcast, only when I wanted to get a sponsor's attention, but it was briefly. Still, the rest of the time, I do only Radio, you cannot mix Radio with video, that is no radio communication.

Why only radio communication?

Radio communication is unique. You can make people dream through the radio, you can make people imagine what you are saying, and so they are transported someplace with their imagination. 

What has radio communications allowed you to do?

To meet a lot of people, and that's what I like the most. Sometimes it has allowed me to know them more personally; in a way, I have played the role of a psychologist. I have an anecdote, one day someone from the public called me and asked, "where are you from," that's because I have a neutral Spanish accent. The person was half Peruvian, half Ecuadorian, and told me that her mother had Alzheimer's and that when her mother listened to my podcast, she remembered who I was because of my laugh. To me, that was something that filled my heart.

Radio Exitos-Stalin Martinez

You are one of the few Spanish-speaking radio hosts that speak Spanish very well? How did you master that technique?

That is very interesting; I always wanted to focus on the public that was a bit forgotten like people from South America or Mexico. I had to commit myself to be neutral in Spanish because of the accent changes according to the place of origin. Still, my intention was always to use a Spanish that people understand. 

On the other hand, seeking for that perfection has hurt me in learning English, because I have placed a lot of emphasis on Spanish communication. I still speak English, but it is not perfect.  Being a Hispanic host, I have sought inspiration from radio broadcasters such as Daniel Sarcos, who is a great TV host.  He doesn't speak much English, but with that limitation, he has come a long way. There is also the famous Don Francisco; he learned English many years after he had already started a career on TV. He has also admitted that his English has a heavy accent, but he has also made a great career in communications. If we are not born here, then we will have an accent, but that does not mean that you will not accomplish what you want in life. 

How radio communications have changed since you started your career

It has changed a lot. I started my career here in the United States. In Ecuador, I only practiced at the college’s radio. This is a field of a lot of competition, and poorly paid, that is the truth. 

The old times of radio communications,  had more staff that managed the sales department, newsroom, and there were production people who managed the consoles, and the announcer did just the voice-over and interacted with the public. But now an announcer has to multitask and do everything independently, from writing, looking for sponsors, sales, and more. Technology has also changed this field.

Radio Exitos-Stalin Martinez

How do you see the future for you and your show Exitos?

I have been in this industry for many years, and I do not see much future in traditional Radio, and it is unfortunate. Technology has changed to satellite radio, now cars come with applications installed so that people can listen to hundreds of radio stations from local to international. I hope it doesn't happen, but I predict that in 5 years, the traditional Radio will not last. It is sad because you are going to lose the connection that people have with the announcer. The exciting thing about the radio is that people interact and get connected.

What advice would you give to people who want to be in this field?

I would tell everyone always to do what they like. If you want to be a millionaire, then study business, but communications will not lead you to that path. Sometimes we as communicators put our families aside because we work hard for our public. There have been times when I had to temporarily leave the Radio because I had to spend more time with my family, but then I come back because the public deserves my respect, and I miss them too.

That respect is something that is no longer seen. There are radio hosts who speak obscenities on open-signal Radio, they say nonsense. How can a professional talk to the public like that? That is not respectful. Punctuality is also part of that respect for the people.

Radio Exitos-Stalin Martinez

Stalin thank you very much for this interview, and I wish you lots of Exitos (success)

Thank you! Likewise, it has been an honor to have this interview. 

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