KMEX-TV leads early-evening ratings in 'sweeps.'

In many respects, the best-situated TV station in town today is Los Angeles' No. 1 Spanish-language station -- KMEX-TV Channel 34.

For the first time in its history, KMEX -- owned and operated by the Miami-based Univision television network -- was the most watched station in L.A. among key age groups during the 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. time period for the recent May "sweeps" rating period, according to A.C. Neilsen Co.

And on the first weekend of the World Cup soccer tournament, KMEX's coverage topped ESPN's locally. On Sunday, June 19, KMEX's broadcast of the Mexico vs. Norway soccer game was the second highest rated program in L.A. between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. It was watched by more local Neilsen families than any other show except game six of the National Basketball Association's championship finals on KNBC.

The increasing popularity of Spanish-language television in the Southland means advertising dollars in the bank for TV stations that know how to adjust and capitalize on the trend and for advertising agencies that specialize in messages aimed at ethnic audiences.

The shift of viewers to Spanish-language television reflects not only a growing Latino population in Los Angeles, but dissatisfaction with the English-language stations' neglect when it comes to Hispanic issues and programming, according to some in the media and advertising industries.

Latinos represent close to 40 percent of the population in Los Angeles, and more than 24 percent of the Neilsen television market here, yet "English-language stations don't really cover the Latino community," said Esther Renteria, president of the National Hispanic Media Coalition.

"People are a little more annoyed with it than they used to be," she said. "They're tired of being ignored."

Thus, during the 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. slot, KMEX-TV's local newscast had higher ratings last month than the three network affiliates' local newscasts combined among L.A. viewers age 18 to 34.

KMEX General Manager Augustine Martinez said about 40 percent of his station's viewers speak English but they prefer to watch the news on Channel 34 because "our news is targeted on issues that affect Hispanics."

And the one local English-language station in L.A. that gets high points from Renteria's group for its coverage of Hispanic issues - KABC-TV - does have the highest rated news from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. of the three network affiliates in L.A. Renteria said KABC is the top-rated English-language station among L.A. Hispanics.

Despite the growing popularity of Latino-oriented news in Los Angeles, the real ratings success at KMEX is its 7 p.m. evening soap opera, courtesy of Univision, called "Dos Mujeres, Un Camino" or Two women, one road." This serial stars Erik Estrada (formerly of "CHIPS") as a truck driver living in Mexico City who has two women competing for his attention -- his wife and his lover.

Martinez said KMEX tends to "skew a little bit female and young" and its viewers have an average household income of $34,000.

From 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., KMEX enjoyed an 8.5 rating in the May sweeps book in its target age group, followed by KCOP ("Star Trek: The Next Generation") with a 4.5, KTTV ("Married With Children" and "A Current Affair") with a 3.7 and KABC ("Jeopardy" and "Wheel of Fortune") with a 3.3. Among all age groups, KMEX had a 6 share and was ranked fourth in L.A. for that time slot.

(Due to the World Cup, Univision has temporarily altered its schedules since then and last week was airing a half-hour version of "Dos Mujeres.")

Each rating point reflects one percent of all televisions in a market tuned to a particular station and turned on.

KMEX's total audience in May 1994 grew 15 percent over the like period in 1993. Television networks and stations generally broadcast their best and/or most popular programming during the May "sweeps" rating period because the ratings recorded during that time frame are used to set advertising rates.

Now that KMEX is a ratings success, Martinez said the station will be able to raise its advertising rates, which historically have averaged less than half of the rates on local English-language stations.

"People have assumed they can get the Hispanics through English-language television," said Martinez. But Norma Orci, owner of the West Los Angeles advertising agency La Agencia de Orci & Associados, said that's no longer the case.

"More clients are sitting up and taking notice. They (advertisers targeting Hispanics) get more response when they advertise in the Spanish language," said Orci. "Hispanic viewers, even when they're watching English-language television, tend to tune out English-language advertising because they feel they're not being addressed."

Orci said demand for air time on Spanish-language television stations in L.A. is growing, along with the Hispanic population and her company's revenues.

"We continue to add staff," she said.

KTLA Station Manager Greg Nathanson said local English-language stations are "nuts" if they don't adapt and change to L.A.'s changing demographics.

"It's a must. It (the Hispanic population) is the biggest portion of your audience," said Nathanson, whose station recently experimented with a comedy show featuring Latino comics. KTLA also simulcasts some of its programs in Spanish on another channel, features Latino program hosts, and is talking to its parent company Tribune Entertainment about running an English-language version of a Hispanic magazine program the company will soon produce, he said.

"When 35 to 40 percent of your population is Latino, you have to pay attention to that," Nathanson said.