Boston.com saves wfnx?

[trock]

Radioinsight.com is reporting that Boston.com ollf all people are relaunching wfnx. It seems all the original staff are on on board. http://radioinsight.com/blog/headli...to-launch-alternative-rocker-with-wfnx-staff/

 

[Fenway1912]

The loyal staff just sent the middle finger salute to Steve Mindich.

I have no doubt that Mindich figured he could wait until September to launch an online WFNX and the crew would come back - and he would save a few bucks by laying everyone off.

The NY Times thinks they can make this work. ???

http://bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/na...dio-station/UmPM8LgTCZJNkAjECkuRNL/story.html

“Boston.com has been at the forefront of multimedia for some time now, producing award-winning videos, live video programming, interactive content, and more,” DeSisto said. “We’ve long thought radio would be a natural extension for us, and we’re fortunate to launch with such an incredible team.”

That team includes several former employees of WFNX, which will cease broadcasting July 23. Joining Boston.com effective Monday will be DJs Henry Santoro, Julie Kramer, Adam 12, former WFNX program director Paul Driscoll, as well as the station’s former sales rep Johnny L Lavasseur and operations and promotions director Mike Snow.

 

[ex radio pimp]

Of course the Times thinks it can work, don't they own it?

This is fairly a interesting experiment. Take the staff that destroyed the terrestrial signal and see if they can make internet radio work. If it does work, it suggests that Mindich was the problem. If it doesn't work, will that staff ever get work again? Would you hire the staff that killed two stations? Quite the gamble. Good luck to them. Glad I am long out of that crazy business.

 

[eskorch]

I don't think the staff destroyed the terrestrial signal. They put out a solid product. They have a small but fiercely loyal audience who are already very online oriented. And the one thing missing from most internet only stations is personality. I happen to think this is a very good idea. Of course I may not be very objective because I have been streaming their signal anyway for the last 5 years because I am out of market. Would I have bothered to find a FNX labeled robo stream. Nah. Why would it be better than last fm or any of the others? Will I look for the NeoFNX because the same people are there? You bet!

 

[raccoonradio]

Are college students counted in ratings? If so WFNX may have done better than expected. (In the past I don't think they were--considered "transient"; a publication like Radio Waves or the Globe
wrote about what was then WCAS and said "if college students were counted in ratings, Time
magazine would soon be beating a path to WCAS' door."

 

[Neanderpaul]

The real question is; how will it be monetized?

My suspicion is that Mindich's sales dept. didn't understand how to sell around PPM. This most-likely choked off what revenue they were obtaining, and made the running of the station and future prospects for increased revenue, bleaker than ever.

Taking WFNX online is a clear indication that the Times will use a different model for revenue than has been employed in terrestrial radio. With a good foundation-brand, they're ahead of the game. However, radio apps do tend to drain smart phones faster. So, they'll *have* to survive on impressions and monitor turnover. How much are (optimistically) 1000 streams worth?

I guess we'll see.

 

[iyiyi]

My understanding is that WFNX scored a 0.8 in the last ratings posted for the station. The internet stream posted a 0.5. That indicates to me that WFNX is very popular and the 0.8 rating is due to it's highly directional class A signal. Although 101.7 xmtr is located in downtown Boston, the station is effectively a rimshot to the Boston market as a whole. Ergo the relatively "high" internet stream ratings.

I mean; does 97.7 WKAF score 0.8 ratings for the WAAF simulcast? Does WAAF and WBOS internet streams added together equal WFNX's 0.5? I highly doubt it.

Remember, we are talking about class A rimshots in a major market.

-

 

[LA_Guy]

Mindich tried to run the station as an adjunct to the Phoenix. This resulted in decisions being made that ran counter effective to the radio side of things. If Boston.com can resist doing this then this just might be successful.

WFNX used to have pretty much a full market signal from Medford. Perhaps Clear Channel should think about moving it back there (assuming they still can)?

 

[spt87]

This move highlights how Mindich blew an opportunity. When the WFNX sale was annouced, rather than call it the end of WFNX, they should have said WFNX is "evolving" to follow their audience and moving 100% to the internet. Run some contests giving away internet radios or even some 1 year paid in full smart phones. The proceeds of the FM sale could have subsidized the internet only operation and staff expenses for a while work was done to make it self supporting.

Of course, this assumes the Phoenix operation as a whole is healthy enough to not need to proceeds to keep everything else running.

Now rather than going to the Phoenix web site for this station, the Globe will get the traffic.

 

[ex radio pimp]

Mindich tried to run the station as an adjunct to the Phoenix. This resulted in decisions being made that ran counter effective to the radio side of things. If Boston.com can resist doing this then this just might be successful.

WFNX used to have pretty much a full market signal from Medford. Perhaps Clear Channel should think about moving it back there (assuming they still can)?

I am not 100% convinced of this. When I worked at WFNX (05 - 07) we ran spots for The Phoenix. By 2010 I noticed those spots were gone. There was hardly a mention of the paper on the airwaves except for some minor symmetry with Fletcher and Dakin on The Breakfast Show. I thought they should have worked together more. The Sandbox had contributors from The Globe when the company owned a newspaper. I found that odd.

This will be interesting to watch. I have heard that Mindich is selling everything and retiring. He sold FNX and the spanish newspaper. He sold the Phoenix HQ building. I don't think he has any interest in wfnx.com. It looks to me like he is out.

 

[promixcuous]

Let's think about this. The NY Times is still thought to be mulling a sale of The Boston Globe.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2012/05/the-boston-globe-could-soon-be-for-sale-124709.html

Mindich seems to be getting out of his businesses and into retirement.

It it a stretch to think that the Phoenix could wind up being bundled with the Globe by new buyers, and that the Globe, Phoenix, and WFNX brands could all end up under the same umbrella by a third party?

As for WFNX.com continuing vs. New-Boston.com-WFNX commencing, that seems an unfortunate way to fragment the audience. In the short run, Mindich should just sell the WFNX brand to the Globe. With its personalities having fled to the Globe, "WFNX" as a brand is worth a whole lot less now, so it seems the winding down of 101.7 should have been managed more strategically by Mindich's team (in terms of recouping value).

 

[ex radio pimp]

Let's think about this. The NY Times is still thought to be mulling a sale of The Boston Globe.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2012/05/the-boston-globe-could-soon-be-for-sale-124709.html

Mindich seems to be getting out of his businesses and into retirement.

It it a stretch to think that the Phoenix could wind up being bundled with the Globe by new buyers, and that the Globe, Phoenix, and WFNX brands could all end up under the same umbrella by a third party?

As for WFNX.com continuing vs. New-Boston.com-WFNX commencing, that seems an unfortunate way to fragment the audience. In the short run, Mindich should just sell the WFNX brand to the Globe. With its personalities having fled to the Globe, "WFNX" as a brand is worth a whole lot less now, so it seems the winding down of 101.7 should have been managed more strategically by Mindich's team (in terms of recouping value).

I agree with all of that. But boston.com vs. wfnx.com would be fun to see.

 

[4CX1000A]

The SoundExchange payments are going to eat up any profit they make, and probably a lot more. As a commercial Internet-only stream, they're going to be paying more than twice what a radio station Internet stream would pay, unless I misremember.

 

[frankfurter]

a WFNX.com automated stream would not have succeeded - aside from maybe a few die hards, most wouldn't hear it. Having the DJ's (and maybe the imaging too) is essential - without it, all you really have is Sirius radio that you can't listen to in your car. Pairing it with Boston.com, one of the area's most popular websites, is a great idea because it doesn't require listeners to learn a new URL or form a new habit - all they have to do is go to the site they already visit for local news and click on a (likely) prominently displayed button.

 

[WBIMDJ]

So does this mean Paul D is gone from his PD/managerial duties on WFNX til the end? (7/23)?

 

[ex radio pimp]

So does this mean Paul D is gone from his PD/managerial duties on WFNX til the end? (7/23)?

I heard Jim Ryan on the air today and he said he's there til the end.

I agree that the only way WFNX.COM could compete would be with DJ's and imaging. They'll never pay for it, which is another reason why it's over.

 

[DJbobo]

So does this mean Paul D is gone from his PD/managerial duties on WFNX til the end? (7/23)?

What/who was there to manage til the end?

 

[nd2023]

I'm guessing that Boston.com will purchase the intellectual property of WFNX too. An 0.5 rating in Boston could generate a profit as an Internet station, since their expenses will be lower than an FM station.

Perhaps they can put it on an HD2 somewhere.

 

[inorm99]

Or a 100-200 watt translator in and around Boston metro, maybe several here and there, maybe a Franken FM plus their stream on Boston.com which will be what? who could hear it?

I'm guessing that Boston.com will purchase the intellectual property of WFNX too. An 0.5 rating in Boston could generate a profit as an Internet station, since their expenses will be lower than an FM station.

Perhaps they can put it on an HD2 somewhere.

 

[Fenway1912]

WFNX To Live On As Streaming Web Radio Station

“We are excited to be able to maintain a unique, independent spirit and a commitment to serving the greater Boston and New England community with the best there is in new music,” says Stephen Mindich, founder and CEO of The Phoenix Media/Communications Group. “With insightful, entertaining programming, WFNX will continue to live online. We haven’t missed a beat and we look forward to announcing more exciting news and developments around our new online broadcast in the coming weeks,” says Mindich.

http://wfnx.com/shows/fnxweekenders/wfnx-online-stream