WLCH Radio Centro: Nearly Four Decades of Community Broadcasting Faces New Challenges

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 Blaine Shahan / LNP | LancasterOnline

WLCH Radio Centro is in the former General Cigar building on South Lime Street in Lancaster city Thursday, April 6, 2023.

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WLCH Radio Centro, a bilingual public radio station and program of the Spanish American Civic Association (SACA), is celebrating almost 38 years of broadcasting while navigating financial challenges brought on by cuts in federal funding.

Founded in 1987, WLCH has grown from a small FM station on Anne Street into a fully digital operation with multiple frequencies and online platforms. “We started just like an FM station because we were analog back then,” said Claudia Galdamez, WLCH Vice President for Broadcasting. “But now we are totally digital… you can listen everywhere and anywhere.”

WLCH provides programming that is 85% Spanish, but also includes bilingual and multilingual shows in English, Portuguese, and French. “What we want is to inform and educate our community through the Spanish programming,” Galdamez explained.

The station is closely tied to SACA’s broader mission of empowerment, cultural identity, and inclusion. “WLCH supports broader programs, linking second language learners to vital services and keeping families informed,” said Jose Lopez, CEO of SACA.

However, recent federal funding cuts pose serious risks. “A one-third reduction in federal radio funding is not just a budget loss,” Lopez said. “It’s a challenge to our ecosystem where access to information, civic engagement, and education depends on our media reach.”

Despite the uncertainty, WLCH’s team is determined to move forward. “WLCH always has done more with less,” Galdamez said. “Now we have the opportunity to show our community that we want to come together and stand up for them… we need their support more than ever.”