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Cost cutting ideas for Emmis/Hot 97

J

JerseyDude

Seems like a lot of radio companies are cost cutting. Emmis could make some cost cutting moves at Hot 97 also.

Afternoon host Angie Martinez (38 years old) is a 15 year vet. She could be replaced with a part-timer or some young latina right out of college or broadcasting school at half the salary. Some of the audience may notice, but would get over it quickly.

Another 15 year vet, Flexmaster Flex (41 years old) could be replaced with one of the younger Mix DJs (DJ Whoo Kid or DJ Absolut) at half the salary. Some of the audience may notice, but would get over it quickly.

As long as T.I. and Lil' Wayne are spitting out ignorance, it doesn't matter who talks between the songs.
 
Maybe somebody should replace you at your job for half the cost.

Not real nice when somebody attacks your salary, is it?

This has to be one of the worst threads of the year. It's a New York radio station. It has a license to print money. Why replace heritage talent? Who's a bigger celebrity in New York radio outside of morning drive than Funkmaster Flex?
 
Personality radio requires personalities. Personalities that people like a lot. That's the problem that Lite had. The bean counters thought the same thing and now look at the struggle they're in.
 
Will said:
Maybe somebody should replace you at your job for half the cost.

Not real nice when somebody attacks your salary, is it?

This has to be one of the worst threads of the year. It's a New York radio station. It has a license to print money. Why replace heritage talent? Who's a bigger celebrity in New York radio outside of morning drive than Funkmaster Flex?
Click to expand...

APPLAUSE!

I felt bad for Andre "The Dredog" when he was let go at Party 105 due to cutting costs. Especially in these hard times, I would hate for ANYONE to lose their jobs. It stinks for the XM people recently let go, it stinks for the local guy making a decent living busting his tail for whatever pay he can get to raise his family (wife and children).

Aside from the fact that Angie Martinez and Funkmaster Flex are still RELEVANT to Hot 97, they're also good people. Angie is so sweet, she didn't want to be the fourth judge any longer on "American Idol" (I think it was season 3?; she only judged at one location during the rehearsals) because she didn't want to be responsible for squashing one's dreams! And even though I haven't spoken to Flex for quite a long time, the man still has "skillz", is not only relevant to radio but to popular culture as well with his clothing line and "tricked out" custom rides!

Regardless of outside interests, if Hot 97 were to let them go that would be a HUGE mistake.
 
I don't want ANYONE to lose their jobs either - it stinks!! :)

i remember when Angie and the whole "American Idol" thing - a class act who didn't want to "knock" anybody on "...Idol....." 8)

And Flex? how could Hot 97 be stupid enough to even THINK about letting go of either him OR Angie?? My fingers are crossed on this one...
 
Nothing against Angie or Flex.

Do you think letting them go and replacing them with younger,cheaper DJs,the numbers would decrease? I don't think so. If so, it would only be for a short time. The audience would adjust. DJ Whoo Kid and DJ Absolut are younger and both have street cred.
 
It's not a question of street cred skills. I've heard DJ Whoo Kid and Absolut, and yes, they both have mad skillz!

It IS a question of the association between an on-air personality and his/her audience that follows them. It is safe to say that Hot 97, to the urban community of New York isn't "just" a radio station. It's a "family" of sorts and you're talking about two members of that family that have been around for a long time.

Now, if Flex and Angie left on their own terms to pursue interests, then I wouldn't see a drop because that was their doing to move on. But if Emmis decided not to renew their contracts or cut them free from their current contracts, there would be a HUGE uproar. The numbers would NEVER go back up to how they are now with the two personalities there.

And it all goes back to relevancy. If the two came off "out of touch" with the hip-hop/R&B community in New York, then it could be argued that with them leaving, while it stinks it can lead to new blood entering in. However, Angie and Flex STILL matter. And people will follow along with the two....no matter what younger, cheaper talent that there is out there.
 
JerseyDude,

Don't take this as an attack on you,but why would you even start a post about (Hot 97) WQHT ever replacing Angie Martinez or even Funk Master Flex? This has not been a subject of discussion.

And NO, Hot 97 won't replace either talent.

Jersey Dude, you have to give the listening audience some credit. And the listeners will notice the difference *IF* WQHT replaces any of their popular airtalent.



Thanks,
Kevin L. Sealy
 
Tony Santiago said:
It's not a question of street cred skills. I've heard DJ Whoo Kid and Absolut, and yes, they both have mad skillz!

It IS a question of the association between an on-air personality and his/her audience that follows them. It is safe to say that Hot 97, to the urban community of New York isn't "just" a radio station. It's a "family" of sorts and you're talking about two members of that family that have been around for a long time.

Now, if Flex and Angie left on their own terms to pursue interests, then I wouldn't see a drop because that was their doing to move on. But if Emmis decided not to renew their contracts or cut them free from their current contracts, there would be a HUGE uproar. The numbers would NEVER go back up to how they are now with the two personalities there.

And it all goes back to relevancy. If the two came off "out of touch" with the hip-hop/R&B community in New York, then it could be argued that with them leaving, while it stinks it can lead to new blood entering in. However, Angie and Flex STILL matter. And people will follow along with the two....no matter what younger, cheaper talent that there is out there.
Click to expand...

yes, yes, and yes - YOU NAILED IT, TONY!! :) and as i said BEFORE, let's hope that Hot 97 keeps Flex and Angie around for a LONG time to come!! :):):)
 
One phrase comes up here on this "Penny Wise Dollar foolish"

Angie and Flex ARE Hot97! There are people that you just don't replace due to a Budget. These two are without Doubt in that group.
 
HUGE! Star and Bucwild when they were on HOT97 was one of the only if not THE ONLY Morning Show in NYC to BEAT STERN!! in ratings.

Hot97 never really recovered, in mornings, to this day since Star and Bucwild left.
 
htowler said:
One phrase comes up here on this "Penny Wise Dollar foolish"

Angie and Flex ARE Hot97! There are people that you just don't replace due to a Budget. These two are without Doubt in that group.
Click to expand...

Angie & Flex are doing a lot for Hot 97. The station is ranked #13 in the market.
 
as much as I have to say how much I love how this site is flooded with bitter, overqualified board ops...I have to say this - the cuts made that allowed big boy to come in should be more than enough...the show isn't produced well but don't cut @ you flagship station in NYC....f!!!ing ridiculous! Out of the two brought up....yeah it would make sense for Angie to move to Urban AC sometime in the next 5 years and well flex...is getting up there and is only a few years away from "Red Alerts lives too much in the past and gotsta go" status.
But man...it's people like you who want to continue the homogenization of radio by replacing talent with 1/2 ass jocks with the same vocal inflections because the public won't notice...if you haven't already...please leave radio!
 
1 word "Jerseydude"
KARMA!
Hope you're not the victim of some budget cuts...
Let's remember 1 thing people.
This isn't a hobby for those on air...IT'S A CAREER. It's what pays fpr food clothing and shelter.
 
JerseyDude said:
Seems like a lot of radio companies are cost cutting. Emmis could make some cost cutting moves at Hot 97 also.

Afternoon host Angie Martinez (38 years old) is a 15 year vet. She could be replaced with a part-timer or some young latina right out of college or broadcasting school at half the salary. Some of the audience may notice, but would get over it quickly.

Another 15 year vet, Flexmaster Flex (41 years old) could be replaced with one of the younger Mix DJs (DJ Whoo Kid or DJ Absolut) at half the salary. Some of the audience may notice, but would get over it quickly.

As long as T.I. and Lil' Wayne are spitting out ignorance, it doesn't matter who talks between the songs.
Click to expand...

Wow. This is the probably the most class-LESS post I've ever seen on this site -- ESPECIALLY considering the economic mess that this country is in right now.

JerseyDude, how would you like it if someone went on a message board and suggested that YOU get fired from YOUR job?

Or do you even have a job?
 
This post is just sad. Feeding this issue is so upsetting. Great talent can never be replaced and all of the years of being with New York, your right.. it's like a family and familiar voice that goes beyond any replacement. i think every genre has certain people. Have some respect, noone is calling out your name to be replaced at work for a younger intern, that is soo not cool and the main problem about these boards. I see junk like this all the time. SUCKS
 
I miss Valerie Smaldone- another voice of New York

COST CUTTING = cheap replacement garbage

what ever happened to quality and staple voices? Have some respect !!! Angie and Funk Master Flex ARE New York and irreplaceable and worth everything they make and then some.... it's food on their table, how dare you go there dirty Jersey :eek:.
 
Cost cutting is one of the reasons radio has lost some of it's luster. Maybe the listeners didn't really notice at first when companies began replacing live people with automation, but it's taken a toll on the industry over the last 10 years. Now radio operators are being forced to make cuts just to survive. Granted, the reasons for this have more to do with the economy, but radio would be in better shape had Wall Street not become so involved. For them a decent profit is never enough, it's always about more, more, more.
 
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