Sistema de Radiodifusoras Culturales Indígenas

The Sistema de Radiodifusoras Culturales Indígenas (SRCI; English: Indigenous Cultural Broadcasting System) is a state-owned network of radio stations in Mexico. The radio stations it operates are community radio stations that aim to serve different sectors of the country's indigenous peoples. Pursuant to Article 4 of the Constitution, their mission is to strengthen the multicultural nature of the nation by promoting the use of 31 indigenous languages.

As the stations are owned by the federal government, they hold public concessions.

History

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The SRCI began operations in 1979 with the launch of XEZV-AM, "La Voz de la Montaña", in Tlapa de Comonfort, Guerrero. The network was initially managed by the National Indigenist Institute (INI), an agency of the federal government In 2003, the INI was dissolved and replaced by the National Commission for the Development of Indigenous Peoples (CDI), which consequently assumed control over the network. The CDI was in turn replaced by the National Institute of Indigenous Peoples (INPI) in late 2018.

Until 2019, the station was known as the Sistema de Radiodifusoras Culturales Indigenistas (Indigenist Cultural Broadcasting System).

Stations

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The SRCI operates 22 primary radio stations, most of which transmit on AM and eight of which are high-power FM stations. It also previously operated four 10-watt FM stations in Yucatán.

The 22 main stations transmit for an average of 12 hours a day, during daylight hours, covering 928 municipalities with high levels of indigenous inhabitants. The stations' potential audience comprises 5 million speakers of indigenous languages and more than 22 million Spanish speakers. They all broadcast an array of programming in both Spanish and the particular native languages spoken in the coverage area.

Four stations are AM-FM migrants: XHCARH, XHPET, XHTUMI, XHNKA. XHCARH and XHPET are required to maintain their AM frequencies because they are the only radio service for certain communities in its AM coverage area. The second and third stations reacquired their AM frequencies under new callsigns.

In 2016 and 2017, the CDI applied for and received FM radio stations that provide simulcast service for XETLA (XHPBSD-FM 95.9), XEGLO (XHGJO-FM 88.3), and XEQIN (XHSQB-FM 95.1).

On February 28, 2020, the INPI relaunched La Voz de los Chontales, which had been shuttered as XENAC in 1989 for political reasons, as XHCPBS-FM.

Call sign Launched Transmitting from Coverage Languages Frequency
XEZV 10 May 1979 Guerrero
(Tlapa de Comonfort)
Guerrero
Oaxaca
Puebla
Nahuatl
Mixtec
Tlapanec
800 AM
XETLA
XHPBSD
15 September 1982 Oaxaca
(Tlaxiaco)
Oaxaca
Guerrero
Puebla
Mixtec
Triqui
930 AM
95.9 FM
XEPUR 2 October 1982 Michoacán
(Cherán)
Michoacán Purepecha 830 AM
XETAR 11 November 1982 Chihuahua
(Guachochi)
Chihuahua
Sinaloa
Durango
Tarahumara
Tepehuano
870 AM
XHPET
XEPET
29 November 1982 Yucatán
(Peto)
Yucatán
Quintana Roo
Campeche
Yucatec Maya 105.5 FM
730 AM
XEVFS 27 April 1987 Chiapas
(Las Margaritas)
Chiapas
Guatemala
Tojolabal
Mam
Tseltal
Tsotsil
Popti
1030 AM
XEANT 28 September 1990 San Luis Potosí
(Tancanhuitz de Santos)
San Luis Potosí
Hidalgo
Querétaro
Veracruz
Nahuatl
Pame
Wastek
770 AM
XEGLO
XHGJO
18 November 1990 Oaxaca
(Guelatao de Juárez)
Oaxaca
Veracruz
Zapotec
Mixe
Chinantec
780 AM
88.3 FM
XEZON 20 November 1991 Veracruz
(Zongolica)
Veracruz
Oaxaca
Puebla
Tlaxcala
Nahuatl 1360 AM
XEOJN 14 December 1991 Oaxaca
(San Lucas Ojitlán)
Oaxaca
Puebla
Veracruz
Mazatec
Cuicatec
Chinantec
950 AM
XEJMN 3 April 1992 Nayarit
(Jesús María)
Nayarit
Jalisco
Durango
Zacatecas
Cora
Huichol
Tepehuano
Nahuatl
750 AM
XEJAM 5 May 1994 Oaxaca
(Santiago Jamiltepec)
Oaxaca
Guerrero
Mixtec
Amuzgo
Chatino
1260 AM
XEQIN
XHSQB
15 June 1994 Baja California
(San Quintín)
Baja California Mixtec
Zapotec
Triqui
1160 AM
95.1 FM
XECTZ 21 August 1994 Puebla
(Cuetzalan)
Puebla
Hidalgo
Veracruz
Nahuatl
Totonac
1260 AM
XEXPUJ 22 January 1996 Campeche
(Xpujil)
Campeche
Quintana Roo
Yucatec Maya
Ch'ol
700 AM
XEETCH 19 February 1996 Sonora
(Etchojoa)
Sonora
Sinaloa
Chihuahua
Mayo
Yaqui
Guarijio
700 AM
XECOPA 17 July 1997 Chiapas
(Copainalá)
Chiapas
Tabasco
Zoque
Tzotzil
1210 AM
XHTUMI
XETUX
12 May 1998 Michoacán
(Tuxpan)
Michoacán
Edo. de México
Querétaro
Mazahua
Otomi
107.9 FM
1010 AM
XHCARH
XECARH
1 August 1998 Hidalgo
(Cardonal)
Hidalgo
Querétaro
Veracruz
San Luis Potosí
Ñha-ñhu
Nahuatl
89.1 FM
1480 AM
XHNKA
XEFEL
15 June 1999 Quintana Roo
(Felipe Carrillo Puerto)
Quintana Roo Yucatec Maya 104.5 FM
1030 AM
XETPH 8 November 2012 Durango
(Santa María de Ocotán)
Durango, Nayarit O'dam, Wixarika 960 AM
XHCPBS 28 February 2020 Tabasco
(Nacajuca)
Tabasco Yokot'an, Ch'ol, Ayapa Zoque 98.7 FM
XHCPCT 28 September 2021 Sonora
(Vícam)
Sonora Yaqui 89.3 FM

Defunct stations

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Between 1982 and 1989, the SRCI system included a station at Nacajuca, Tabasco, XENAC-AM 1440. That station was shut down in 1989; the station was revived more than 30 years later as XHCPBS-FM.

The CDI also formerly held a trio of permits for low-power FM stations at three communities in Michoacán;[1] these were not renewed.

Programming

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The stations' programming is eminently community-focused. Bilingual presenters attend inquiries from listeners, convey community and personal announcements, and promote various government assistance programs in the areas of health, education, human rights, etc. Traditional music is also a key component of the stations' broadcasts, and their recording collections, frequently gathered in the field, constitute an important cultural resource.

References

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