Hartford and New Haven Get New Spanish-language TV Station With Local Programming

Hipolito Cuevas' new WEPA TV Spanish-language cable station launches today, Aug. 4, 2008, in Hartford and New Haven, Conn. (courtesy photo: Hipolito Cuevas)

Connecticut radio personality Hipolito Cuevas starts a new Spanish-language TV station today, WEPA TV, that he says is the first in the state to have only local programming.

The New Haven Register described his radio career and soon-to-be TV station earlier this month.

EthnicNEWz.org managed to track him down by phone on Saturday, August 2, 2008, as he was "running around crazy" trying to prepare for the station's debut today, he said.

Cuevas talked about WEPA TV; being called the Puerto Rican "Howard Stern" and "Don Imus" ("I don't like it, but..."); and Univision and Telemundo.

Following is the edited and condensed interview.

Are you "unapologetically controversial," as the New Haven Register described you?

Yes. As a matter of fact, when I was doing radio before - I've been in radio for 20-some years now - I used to be called "the Puerto Rican Howard Stern" when I was doing the morning show.

Now that has changed to "the Puerto Rican Don Imus." I don't like the comparisons, but that's what people have said.

Don Imus is known for saying racist things. Do you do that?

I speak my mind, but not about sex, like Howard Stern does. It's more about politics and news and issues. I don't think I'm as controversial as Don Imus is.

Sometimes I just play the devil's advocate. That's part of the whole information and entertainment package that we offer.

One thing we want, we want people talking about issues. We want an exchange of ideas - and sometimes you have to be the devil's advocate to get people's viewpoints. I try to get all sides of a story or issue out.

Have you ever been accused of being a racist?

Yes.

For saying what kinds of things?

For one thing, I don't believe in the "African American" term. I don't agree with that term (to describe) a race. That was a term that was made up.

So what term do you use instead of "African American"?

Oh, black. I tried to explain to people why I don't use "African American." There are white people in Africa. That whole thing was taken out of context.

UNIVISION AND TELEMUNDO: THE CONNECTICUT CONNECTION

What do you think about Univision and Telemundo?

Well, that's another thing that I've been called "racist" for. The reason why we need WEPA TV is that we need a local TV station.

Univision's programming is mostly catered to the Mexican community because Univision has to worry about California, New York, Texas.

We want a TV station that's local, for Hispanics in Connecticut.

They should have some programs from (or for people from) the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Colombia.

Even their news is very much about issues, stories, that are not about Connecticut residents. It's about New England news. Tell me what's going on in Connecticut.

If something happened on Park Street, in Hartford, I want to know about it.

You know Univision did cover the election of Eddie Perez, the mayor of Hartford. And their news program is called "Noticias Nueva Inglaterra" - "NEW ENGLAND News."

Every once (in a while) they cover Connecticut, but not enough! That's why I've created WEPA TV. I really don't care about what's going on in Boston or Chelsea (in Massachusetts).

WEPA TV

Your morning show will be for four hours, starting at 6 a.m. What will the show be about?

It'll cover local news, local topics, and it'll have lots of listener discussion and participation. Viewers can call in and give their opinion, and interact with the host and guests.

What about the public-affairs show? Is that still a go?

Yes, that's the "Hablando en Serio" [roughly translates into "Talking Seriously"] show. It'll have serious topics. For example, the primaries are coming up. It'll air from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., but not starting this week.

From 10:00 to 11:00 this week, we'll run previews of the other shows that the station will have.

What are these other shows?

Like "Viva Hartford" [roughly translates into "Hartford Live"] on Monday afternoons at 5:00. "Viva Hartford" showcases Latino culture in Hartford, and it'll feature what's going on in Hartford.

It'll be bilingual, English and Spanish.

We'll also have a mid-day variety show, from 11:00 to 1:00. It's similar to the type of variety shows that are popular in Puerto Rico. It'll have music, comedy, a cooking section, and more. It'll feature local talent.

Just about all the Caribbean and Latin American countries, that's the (variety show) format. In Puerto Rico and other countries, it used to be that everything stopped at noon for lunch - stores and offices closed so that people could eat. TV stations would show these variety shows while people were eating.

Will you have any paid programming?

From to 1:00 to 4:00, we'll have paid programming, with people who want to have their own shows to produce, for instance. WEPA TV is a for-profit venture.

What about the critical after-5:00 programming?

From 4:00 to 5:00, we'll have "Enterate TV," which is a news magazine "Entertainment Tonight" type of program.

But, again, the focus will always be local - what's happening in Connecticut, local artists and talents, and so on.

We'll also have Reggaeton Connection, which is music videos. We haven't decided yet what time that will run. It could be 3:00 to 4:00, but we're not sure yet.

Will WEPA TV be Connecticut's first local Spanish-language TV station?

It's the only local (Spanish-language) TV station offering all programs (produced) here - no network programs, no syndicated programs, everything's going to be produced by WEPA.

source: EthnicNEWz.org

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