Commercial Free 'FNX - Fire Julie Kramer?

[Brooklyndon]

Presumable Julie Kramer costs nothing to employ, because there are no commercials on WFNX when she is on.

Why not just fire her and automate the whole thing? Is Julie Kramer really that big a threat on another frequency?

 

[DavidZ]

Presumable Julie Kramer costs nothing to employ, because there are no commercials on WFNX when she is on.

Why not just fire her and automate the whole thing? Is Julie Kramer really that big a threat on another frequency?

Why in the world would you suggest firing Julie Kramer??? Don't we have enough automated jukeboxes on the airwaves. :'(

 

[oldface]

She is also nice person.

 

[Smoke]

She's a station institution and does actually know the music she's playing. Why would you can her instead of one of the many no-names on FNX?

 

[Brooklyndon]

The woman obviously has her place in the Boston broadcasting hall of fame.  I hate to call for somebody's ouster, but she's been on the air 20 years: she's outgrown the demo.  She does the leftover lunch, a powerhouse in the 90s, and, to be fair, still a big driver of the WFNX core programming.  But how relevant is the leftover lunch's 30 year-old music now to college freshmen who were born in 1992?  Furthermore, how relevant are stories about the Channel and the Ratheskellar to anyone born after 1980?

From a strategy perspective, here is what I see: a show on which the station won't sell commercials (before 1PM) and a DJ whose appeal to younger demographics can only diminish.  WFNX, with its notable compensation packages, may, in fact, even be doing Julie Kramer a huge favor by letting her explore other options.

 

[oldface]

I think she serves the demo just fine. 95% of college kids listen to JAM'N and could really care less about alternative music that FNX plays. My neighbor is 37 years old and listens to JAM'N, I am 41 and still tune into FNX. Maybe FNX should gear itself more towards older people who still like alternative music. I think its pretty clear that the younger generation has lost interest in rock music.

 

[WBIMDJ]

I think she serves the demo just fine. 95% of college kids listen to JAM'N and could really care less about alternative music that FNX plays. My neighbor is 37 years old and listens to JAM'N, I am 41 and still tune into FNX. Maybe FNX should gear itself more towards older people who still like alternative music. I think its pretty clear that the younger generation has lost interest in rock music.

I wouldn't say that - I know lots of people younger than me (Born in '82) that tune into FNX regularly and love the newer alternative music that FNX plays. Matter of fact, last weekend the Muse & Silversun Pickups concert at the Garden was attended by lots of younger people, as much as a Jam'n concert I would think. With regard to the Karma Queen, I think she'll always have a place on FNX..same with Henry Santoro.

 

[rapking]

I think she serves the demo just fine. 95% of college kids listen to JAM'N and could really care less about alternative music that FNX plays. My neighbor is 37 years old and listens to JAM'N, I am 41 and still tune into FNX. Maybe FNX should gear itself more towards older people who still like alternative music. I think its pretty clear that the younger generation has lost interest in rock music.

And I bet 95% of college kids wish Boston had a real CHR/Rhythmic station.

 

[WBIMDJ]

I think she serves the demo just fine. 95% of college kids listen to JAM'N and could really care less about alternative music that FNX plays. My neighbor is 37 years old and listens to JAM'N, I am 41 and still tune into FNX. Maybe FNX should gear itself more towards older people who still like alternative music. I think its pretty clear that the younger generation has lost interest in rock music.

And I bet 95% of college kids wish Boston had a real CHR/Rhythmic station.

I actually agree, Rapking. Jam'n sucks, wish it were more like Hot 93.7 in Hartford.

 

[MassMusicMan]

I don't listen to WFNX, but I will admit to having killed children to the picture of Julie on her website in which she is concealing her cleaving with records. Yowza!

 

[aaronread]

And I bet 95% of college kids wish Boston had a real CHR/Rhythmic station.

I'll take that bet. That 95% of college kids probably don't even OWN a radio...much less listen to one. They've all got iPods, Pandora and "free" ultra-high-speed campus internet. Who needs radio in that environment?

 

[Father Reid]

I was born in the mid-80s and Leftover Lunch is my favorite radio program in town.

 

[MR. JAROME_CALVIN]

a Priest listenning to WFNX????

 

[Brooklyndon]

Everyone raises good points, but one factor absent from the conversation has been WBOS. WBOS is actively trying to rip the male LoHaS psychographic away from WFNX. Given that introduction of rivalry into the competitive system, it makes sense to invest in the core asset that generates value for the listener. Eliminating commercials to improve TSL is certainly a valid, albeit costly, approach to do so.

But how does 40(50?)-something Julie Kramer do something that a 20-something female DJ cannot? Perhaps this brand reinvestment would be wiser if executed with new talent, a new star for the next 20 years. All investing in Julie Kramer does is make WFNX skew older and older. But if you cut her loose she can go to Radio929, and theoretically bring along the listener relationships she had at WFNX. But that is a good thing, because it will bring along older women, a group unaligned with 929's target, it will be outside their core business and they won't immediately know how to sell it. Furthermore, the smarmy delivery will certainly turn off the Ya-Dudes, alienating their core.

Parting ways with Julie Kramer makes WFNX better positioned for the Millenial generation that will drive the stations sustainability in the future, with the added benefit of really throwing a spanner in the works of WBOS were WBOS to pick up Julie Kramer (which I believe it would, in fact were that the case I would expect to see WBOS return to its "cool over 30" audience targeting that made is $$$).

 

[Don Juan]

Parting ways with Julie Kramer makes WFNX better positioned for the Millenial generation that will drive the stations sustainability in the future...

You seem to be fixated on one person (who by all accounts is doing a somewhat credible job).

They have bigger issues to deal with before they (if ever) get rid of Julie Kramer.

 

[Brooklyndon]

You seem to be fixated on one person (who by all accounts is doing a somewhat credible job).
They have bigger issues to deal with before they (if ever) get rid of Julie Kramer.

Sounds good, let's air them out. 

I'm pissed because I think they blocked my access to their stream based on my IP address.  Other than that, my knock are more based on their business strategy than their business tactics.

What are their other bigger issues?

The way I see it Julie Kramer is their biggest controlable issue, simply because she is the brand.  WFNX is, largely, the leftover lunch.  Everything else is built around the audience the leftover lunch draws.  The music, the imaging, all a function of this core asset that is rapidly approaching that certain age all modern rock djs approach before they go over to the oldies station.  Free of Julie Kramer, WFNX can realign its imaging and music so that WFNX can consistently target it audience.  And, assuming she ends up at WBOS, and WBOS does the obvious thing and goes back to over 30 targeting, WFNX can again consistently target 20 somethings most likely to read the Phoenix.  But, until the Julie Kramer program is mover, WFNX will be trapped with an aging audience open to new music, but unlikely to show up at the bars and clubs the Phoenix promotes because they already did back in early 90s.

 

[Father Reid]

a Priest listenning to WFNX????

What's it to ya?

 

[Eli Polonsky]

And, assuming she ends up at WBOS, and WBOS does the obvious thing and goes back to over 30 targeting, WFNX can again consistently target 20 somethings most likely to read the Phoenix.

It doesn't appear that anyone is going to end up at WBOS. I don't think GM wants to spend any money on air talent salaries for that station, period.

 

[Signpost]

Assuming Julie Kramer is the most recognized personality associated with FNX - she represents a lot of the station's brand equity. Arbitrarily jettisoning her for no reason other than "she's run her course" would be misguided at best. She does a fine job holding down middays, she and Henry are the only remaining familiar voices associated with that heritage station, and it's certain that any "new" talent brought in to replace her would not impact WFNX's ratings positively.

 

[Brooklyndon]

it's certain that any "new" talent brought in to replace her would not impact WFNX's ratings positively.

Is it? Over a two-year span, is it certain? Is the leftover lunch Julie Kramer, or is Julie Kramer the leftover lunch? Would new, cheaper talent, given the same opportunity to play scare music, and the same opportunity to serve as the face of the station, see similar success?

The whole thing reminds me of Parentaeu at WBCN in '97. A hertiage jock on a station still coping with the change from targeting boomers to targeting x-ers. Everyone thought Parenteau had heritage and equity and couldn't be replaced. Granted the situation is somewhat different because WBCN was in a brutal rating war at the time. But, if anything, the success of O&A should have made it harder for Parentaeu's replacement to succeed. But, from what I remember, by the spring of 98 book WBCN once again had the top afternoon show. They took a chance replacing stale talent, and it impacted their ratings positively. I think the situation is similar over at WFNX.

Plus, again, the leftover lunch audience, by and large, has kids and doesn't go to bars that advertize in the Phoenix. It needs to get younger.