MIAMI – There was a parade of Republican elected officials. One after another, they said they were deeply concerned about the sale of iconic radio stations, Radio Mambí 710 AM and WQBA 1140 AM, in Miami.
Lieutenant-Governor Jeanette Nuñez said she fears this would be a takeover of the only true local conservative radio station in South Florida. She accused Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros of a “liberal” takeover.
Soros is a favored target of many on the political right and has been a frequent subject of conspiracy theories, some of which have been called anti-Semitic.
“What we will not stand for is an attempt to control the narrative, to silence conservative viewpoints because it doesn’t fit with an overall agenda that is, in my opinion, very damaging to this country,” Nuñez said.
The local AM radio stations, now owned by Univision, will be sold to the Latino Media Network, which is buying 18 stations across the country for $60 million. The financing for the deal is coming from a company associated with Soros, who is known for his generous political donations to Democratic politicians.
“This is a radio station right now, which promotes the Great Replacement Theory, which promotes xenophobic thought, which has said anti-Semitic things,” said Joe Garcia, a former Democratic Congressman, adding he welcomes the sale because it will add some balance to the local journalistic discourse.
The company vying to own the radio stations released a statement: “The stations we acquired in Miami have been institutions in the Cuban community for decades and Cuba’s freedom is one of their flagship issues. we believe wholeheartedly in that mission, and we will remain true to that spirit of liberty that has guided them over decades.”