Spanish Radio Host Don Cheto on Mobilizing Latin Voters and His 20-Year Legacy On-Air: It’s ‘My Responsibility to Evolve’

Ryan Seacrest, Howard Stern, Larry King… and Don Cheto?

While the first three multi-hyphenates on that list might rule English-language radio, Don Cheto and his “Don Cheto Al Aire” show have a been a fixture of Spanish-language radio for 20 years. Every morning from Monday to Friday, between 6-10 a.m., Don Cheto’s loud and croaky voice narrates humorous takes on current events while singles from the burgeoning música mexicana genre play between segments. Listeners phone in to discuss everything from their relationship woes to cultural moments, like what new releases are hot on Netflix or the latest celebrity gossip or general news. The show also has its more serious moments — more recently, engaging in politics, as the upcoming presidential election between candidates Donald J. Trump and Kamala Harris is a mere month away.

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Behind the 60-year-old gray-haired character of Don Cheto is 44-year-old Juan Carlos Razo. Razo’s alias — your stereotypical working-class, tradition-driven and lightsomely problematic family member — has opened many doors for him. In the last 20 years, he’s negotiated a television show, licensing deals (many recognize him from the video game “Grand Theft Auto V”), a music career and a judge’s spot on “Tengo Talento, Mucho Talento,” the longest-running talent competition show on Spanish-language television in the United States.

Razo started his career as an unpaid intern at 105.5/94.3 FM, also known as the Que Buena station, and drew attention from executives for how well he imitated his co-workers. “I always knew I wanted to be a DJ — without romanticizing it,” Razo tells Variety from his recording studio in EstrellaTV’s offices in Burbank, Calif. The space is decorated to imitate someone’s garage, and Razo — who is out of costume — is furiously writing notes in preparation for his next morning show.

“I just wanted to be a DJ that said the shout-outs and said the time. I never imagined having my own show or having to talk for five hours a day for 20 consecutive years. Not in my wildest dreams. I enjoy doing it — don’t enjoy the makeup, though.”

One of the earliest executives to believe in “Don Cheto” was Pepe Garza, a longtime Estrella programmer and TV personality. “His humor was unmatched,” says Garza of Razo. “The character was relatable; I invited him to say a couple of things on air and then, naturally, we started messing around with music. His father was a songwriter, and he had an obvious knack for rhyming and putting it all together in an unforgettable way.”

Garza owns Arpa Music, a music publishing company, and has been recognized by ASCAP and BMI for his accomplishments as a composer. After some encouragement from Garza, Razo worked to build a media empire surrounding Don Cheto, and he was able to release two albums of original songs and parodies as the character, one in 2010, and another in 2016. “DCAA” was the most listened-to radio station with adults ages 18-49 for March, September and October of 2023, beating English-language stations in Los Angeles including KIIS, KOST and Power 106, as well as other competitive Spanish stations. Its top markets include agricultural cities in Southern California, namely Fresno and Bakersfield.

When you have such a demographic distinction, paired with the longevity of a character like Don Cheto, the show becomes an obvious tool for mobilizing Spanish-speaking voters. Many of the issues up for debate in the 2024 election have a demographic distinction, with a plethora of issues targeting younger, poorer, working-class citizens.

“The advantage of my character is that he can be completely unaware about what’s going on in the world, and not be afraid of saying it and learning from it,” Razo explains. “When I started, I was dead-set on keeping the character’s authenticity — his ‘rancho mindset,’ light-hearted and silly — and then at some point in my in my career, I said, ‘This is not going to last.’ Latinos, especially the generation of adult Latinos, have evolved. I felt a responsibility to [strike] that balance and evolve with them.”

The show recently partnered with National Voter Registration Day and invited labor rights activist Dolores Huerta on the morning show to discuss the importance of voter registration, in addition to topics targeting minority groups, such as immigration, healthcare and education.

“There is opportunity for Latin leaders in politics now, especially local government, and it’s up to the voters to ensure we are electing the right people,” Huertas explained to Don Cheto and co-hosts Giselle Bravo, Said Garcia Solis and El Chino.

Don Cheto also partnered with Poder Latinx, a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization dedicated to building civic power and bridging the gap between politics and the Latin community’s day-to-day realities.

“Representation plays a crucial role here,” offers Poder Latinx’s executive director, Yadira Sanchez. “More than just entertainment, Don Cheto embodies the familiar figure of the ‘abuelito’ or ‘tío’ many of us grew up with — witty, humorous, and deeply relatable. He captures the essence of what it means to be Latino in the U.S., giving voice to the everyday challenges we face.”

Although listening numbers for radio vary between age segments, Nielsen’s “Audio Today 2023” report found radio reaches 94% of Hispanic adults ages 18 and up (observing more than 250 U.S. markets), with its closest competitor, YouTube Music, reaching 44%.

One of the largest nationally syndicated Spanish-language morning programs of the United States and Mexico, with a reach of 33 affiliate stations nationally, “DCAA” is one of the core pillars of its parent company Estrella Media, which owns and operates seven television stations and eight radio stations in the U.S.

The Que Buena station has also routinely topped the list of highest-rated Spanish radio stations for Mexican Regional formats in the United States and Los Angeles, per data from Nielsen Audio ratings. And as stars from the musica mexicana genre become national acts — including Peso Pluma, Carin Leon, Fuerza Regida, Junior H and Grupo Frontera, to name a few — the station’s programming has transitioned to meet the demands of a changing landscape.

“It’s been a big challenge, but it’s also been a great opportunity,” says Eddie Leon, executive vice president of radio programming for Estrella MediaCo. “We need to modernize everything that we do. We’ve always been No. 1 with Mexican artists; this is their home, but Spanish entertainment consumption is increasing, and we need to address that. It goes without saying that radio itself is not at its best, but there’s more than enough space for us in streaming.”

Estrella Media is also celebrating a newly acquired and first-ever station in New York and eyeing partners in Honduras, “where the ‘Don Cheto Al Aire’ show has a large fanbase,” adds Leon.

“[Razo] was just one of those people who had great, big ideas with plans of actually executing them,” concludes Garza. “I think his legacy is once in a lifetime — the people know him, and that mutual trust hasn’t ever floundered, even despite his decision to update or not update the show. No amount of strategizing or money can replicate something like that.”

Que Buena Los Angeles celebrated Don Cheto’s 20th year on-air on Sept. 8 with its annual “Fiestas Patrias” community concert. The event culminated with Razo in costume, blowing out the candles to his “60th Birthday” cake, and raffling off a car to a festivalgoer.

“After all these years, I don’t pay attention to the numbers anymore,” says Razo. “If Eddie tells me I’m good, then I’m good. But I do notice, no matter how much time passes, I still have young listeners come up to me – the young adults are just as excited, and, well, the older listeners are still there, too. I can’t really explain it, but I don’t take it lightly.”