SiriusXM Opens Miami Studio Ahead of New ‘Hits Uno’ Latin Channel
Written by djfrosty on May 1, 2023
With studios in New York, Los Angeles, Nashville and Washington D.C., SiriusXM can now also call Miami “home.” The audio entertainment company has officially opened their “state-of-the-art” broadcast complex that will operate in South Beach. SiriusXM is also set to launch a new Latin pop channel, Hits Uno, on Friday (May 5) which will become the station’s 17th Spanish-language channel.
“I’ve been with the company 15 years and when they told me that we were opening a state-of-the-art in Miami, in the hub of Latin music, I got so excited,” says Bryant Pino, director of Latin music programming at SiriusXM, who hosted artists such as CNCO and Zion & Lennox during a soft launch of the studios in March. “As a company, we’re doing things that really matter and are important, especially with what’s going on with Latin music right now.”
Latin music revenues in the United States hit an all-time high in 2022, exceeding the $1 billion mark on the wings of 24% growth that outpaced the overall market. According to the RIAA’s year-end Latin music report for 2022, total revenue jumped from $881 million in 2021 to $1.1 billion, with Latin music’s overall share of the total music market lifting from 5.9% in 2021 to 6.9%.
Opening studios in Miami and launching a new Latin channel is an acknowledgment of the culture’s growth, says Azu Olvera, SiriusXM’s senior director of Latin talent and industry relations.
“We’re not thinking of Latin as a backseat but as a driver of success and engagement. And when were coming up with the concept for the new channel, we wanted put together all these hits in one single channel that reflects the genre’s diversity.”
During the days leading up to Hits Uno, SiriusXM will host special live shows, including an intimate performance by Carlos Vives, an interview with Pitbull and a Becky G town hall-style conversation.
“With Hits Uno, we’ll be able to represent today’s Latin music fan,” adds Pino. “Back in the day you were a rockera, or reggaetonero but not both. Now, it’s cool to be eclectic, to listen to everything. We’re not a local radio station, this is not a Miami station but rather a nationwide platform so we’re going to be exposing people to global hits across all genres.”
The Howard Stern Show is airing live from the new Miami studios on Monday, May 1 through Wednesday, May 3. Stern, who has been working from home in recent years, will be joined live in the studio by special music and celebrity guests.
“Miami is an incredibly rich center for music and entertainment,” Scott Greenstein, SiriusXM’s resident and chief content officer, said in a statement. “SiriusXM Miami will capture the city’s unique culture and character and bring it to audiences across North America. We’re thrilled to have Howard kick things off in the biggest way with three exceptional days of shows, followed by a star-studded lineup of programming that showcases the broad array of content we offer, including the diverse and vibrant music emanating from the Latinx community.”