English Media Tracks Spanish DJs
False Assumption: Los Angeles English-language media elites closely monitor Spanish-language drive-time radio and its influence on immigrant communities.
Written by FARAgent on February 10, 2026
In March 2006, Los Angeles hosted La Gran Marcha, a massive rally with estimates from 500,000 to 1,000,000 participants supporting an amnesty bill. The event was peaceful, featured American flags, and followed the Senate passage of the bill two weeks prior. English-language press covered the scale but speculated on organizers without insight, treating the instigators as a mystery.
The revelation came later: a dozen L.A. Spanish-language drive-time disk jockeys, led by Eddie "Piolín" Sotelo, orchestrated the turnout. Los Angeles media elites from Santa Monica to Silver Lake paid zero attention to these figures or what Spanish speakers consumed, exposing their disconnect from the immigrant audience. This ignorance persisted despite the march's size dwarfing suburban events like the 10,000 in Van Nuys.
Today, the episode underscores elite blind spots, with current 2025 protests estimated at under 10,000—about 1% of 2006's scale. The 2006 story broke the spell on assumptions of media omniscience over Hispanic opinion, now widely recognized through retrospective accounts.
People Involved
- Eddie "Piolín" Sotelo worked as a top Spanish-language drive-time disk jockey in Los Angeles. He promoted the 2006 marches that drew huge crowds in support of amnesty. He acted in good faith. [1]
- Mickey Kaus doubted the immigration push. He went to La Gran Marcha in 2006 and saw no violence or damage. He noted the event's calm nature. [1]
- George W.
- Bush, Ted Kennedy, and John McCain backed the amnesty bill. They gained from the large immigrant turnout. [1]
▶ Supporting Quotes (3)
“Eventually, it turned out … that the chief promoters were a dozen funny L.A. Spanish-language drive time disk jockeys, led by Eddie "Piolín" Sotelo.”— The L.A. "Protests" Are About 1% As Big As in 2006
“Immigration skeptic Mickey Kaus attended La Gran Marcha in 2006 and reports that he didn’t see any violence or property crime.”— The L.A. "Protests" Are About 1% As Big As in 2006
“these vast throng 19 years ago was much better behaved than the less than 10,000 that turned out last Sunday in downtown Los Angeles. ... more in support of American political elites like George W. Bush, Ted Kennedy, and John McCain pushing amnesty.”— The L.A. "Protests" Are About 1% As Big As in 2006
Organizations Involved
Los Angeles media elites lived in places like Santa Monica and Silver Lake. They overlooked Spanish-language radio stars. They missed how these influenced immigrant groups. This blind spot kept them from grasping the marches' roots. [1]
▶ Supporting Quotes (1)
“The belatedness of this revelation pointed out that Los Angeles’s sizable media elite pays almost zero attention to whom Los Angeles’s Spanish speakers are paying attention. Apparently nobody who was anybody in Santa Monica to Silver Lake in 2006 had ever heard of Eddie "Piolín" Sotelo, much less listened to him.”— The L.A. "Protests" Are About 1% As Big As in 2006
The Foundation
The English-language press in 2006 called the march organizers a puzzle. They guessed a lot but knew little. This fed the wrong idea that elites watched Hispanic views closely. It also built false trust in media skills. In truth, Spanish DJs like Piolín led the effort. [1] The assumption looked solid because elites lived near immigrant spots in Santa Monica. Yet they ignored key players like Piolín. It was wrong. [1]
▶ Supporting Quotes (2)
“Still, who successfully instigated this colossal 2006 turnout remained a mystery in the English language press for quite some time, with much speculation but little insight.”— The L.A. "Protests" Are About 1% As Big As in 2006
“Apparently nobody who was anybody in Santa Monica to Silver Lake in 2006 had ever heard of Eddie "Piolín" Sotelo, much less listened to him.”— The L.A. "Protests" Are About 1% As Big As in 2006
How It Spread
The idea grew as English media paid no mind to Spanish listeners. This let guesses run wild without spotting the DJs' part. [1] The press kept the mystery alive with their clueless takes on who set up the marches. [1]
▶ Supporting Quotes (2)
“Los Angeles’s sizable media elite pays almost zero attention to whom Los Angeles’s Spanish speakers are paying attention.”— The L.A. "Protests" Are About 1% As Big As in 2006
“who successfully instigated this colossal 2006 turnout remained a mystery in the English language press for quite some time, with much speculation but little insight.”— The L.A. "Protests" Are About 1% As Big As in 2006
Resulting Policies
The U.S. Senate passed an amnesty bill on March 25, 2006. This came two weeks after La Gran Marcha. Leaders saw the big crowds as backing for the bill. They acted on that view. [1]
▶ Supporting Quotes (1)
“backing the amnesty bill that passed the U.S. Senate two weeks later, but then failed in the House.”— The L.A. "Protests" Are About 1% As Big As in 2006
Harm Caused
Elites did not grasp how immigrants could rally. This slowed their read on politics around amnesty. The bill cleared the Senate but died in the House. [1] A march of about 10,000 in suburban Van Nuys drew no wider notice. It showed the same elite gaps in spotting immigrant moves. [1]
▶ Supporting Quotes (2)
“The enormous marches of 2006 and 2007 are often labeled “protests,” but they were more in support of American political elites like George W. Bush, Ted Kennedy, and John McCain pushing amnesty.”— The L.A. "Protests" Are About 1% As Big As in 2006
“I attended one of these marches in suburban Van Nuys. Nobody outside of the San Fernando Valley ever heard about it, but it looked like about 10,000 marchers”— The L.A. "Protests" Are About 1% As Big As in 2006
Downfall
The truth came out that DJs like Piolín Sotelo ran the marches. This showed how cut off elite media were from immigrant outlets. The assumption proved false. [1]
▶ Supporting Quotes (1)
“Eventually, it turned out … that the chief promoters were a dozen funny L.A. Spanish-language drive time disk jockeys, led by Eddie "Piolín" Sotelo.”— The L.A. "Protests" Are About 1% As Big As in 2006
Sources
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[1]
The L.A. "Protests" Are About 1% As Big As in 2006reputable_journalism