State of the Station: Ken's show

Listener comments!

6:01pm em2cl:

thank you for doing this .. these are always interesting and informative

6:01pm Keith from Oregon:

So, how broke ARE we, Ken?

6:01pm chris:

no gifs? oh god, the station's going to hell, isn't it?

6:01pm KM:

ahhh, my annual fix of neu on a loop

6:03pm dale:

i wanna know why we aren't getting a rock block of rhianna/beiber/manson every hour during drive time. what will the billboard viewers think? and two for tuesday!

6:04pm TehBadDr:

I have a question: where's that backslider Andy?

6:05pm TehBadDr:

Yeah Pseu!

6:06pm tina:

Not liking the political show , Taibbi should stick ti print . Love Pseu . Not so much 'in real lfe ' . Thank you .

6:07pm common:

so fucking sad

6:07pm em2cl:

if this isn't a sore subject -- whatever happened with "Audience Engine"? .... havent heard about that in a while

6:08pm Michael 98145:

yes, sad - www.instagram.com...

6:09pm Passaic River Blues:

Profoundly sad. People who did so much for shlubs like me seeking a place to hear music.

6:10pm glenn:

ooops. sorry, tina.

6:10pm TehBadDr:

One L Michele, tactics and what? Huzza!

6:10pm chris:

yay, Michele and Kimzilla! congrats!

6:10pm Brian C.:

Aw, dang, didn't realize Liz is gone :(

6:10pm Parq:

< obligatory request joke >

6:10pm dale:

that title was a loss leader. there was no sex at all. unless netflix cut it out.

6:10pm common:

I know Brian. I miss liz already

6:11pm TehBadDr:

I hate when my signal bumps into another signal, wait wut?

6:11pm Michael 98145:

yes - www.instagram.com...

6:12pm DonJuanTijuana:

Ken, you forgot to mention Faye, who I will truly miss. Her show was one of my faves and she played some of the best music. Huge shoes to fill there.

6:12pm chris:

i miss Liz so bad. wherever she is, i know she's got robots dancing.

6:13pm TehBadDr:

Is this a different frequency? Do I need to get an anolog tuner now?

6:13pm melinda:

I like the background music.

6:13pm cat:

wow can you play the rest of the thekenschlampen songs that only you have the power to bring to new york and new jersey?

6:14pm rob n' mtc:

whats up with that FONT?

6:14pm Paul D:

Can anyone show me what the billboard looks like?

6:14pm dale:

adweek is not what it used to be by the way. but any press is good press.

6:14pm TehBadDr:

Ken, I hear you're responsible for the awful font!

🚽

6:14pm Seanbelly:

Is this Joe Frank?

6:14pm John in Bklyn:

Nothing against WFUV, but why are they allowed to hog two frequencies on each side of FMU?!

6:15pm RomanDogBird:

the font is like, retro, kitschy, i thought people bleeping loved the 80s and s. what's a matter with people

6:15pm Jeezy:

I always say, WFUV is like the waaaaay less cool kid sister to WFMU. I said that once to them when donating and they were NOT amused...

6:15pm melinda:

@dale I liked how the Adweek piece referred to FMU listeners as rabid music fans.

6:15pm Paul D:

Can I see the billboard?

6:16pm dale:

john in bklyn - they have david byrne and steve martin on their side?

6:16pm John in Bklyn:

Never mind The Fonts, what will become of Joanie and Chachi??

6:16pm TehBadDr:

Kickstarter for Comic Sans!

6:16pm dale:

melinda - their's a series of shots for that.

6:16pm chris:

Paul D, or scroll through the homepage images.

6:16pm Paul D:

No I mean anywhere online?

6:17pm Passaic River Blues:

www.kickstarter.com...

6:17pm Mary Wing:

Here, Paul:

pitchfork.com...

6:17pm glenn:

john in bklyn - one dies, one becomes a right wing loony.

6:17pm lord_crumb:

in bed-stuy - brooklyn 91.9 is playing reggaeton

6:17pm Michael 98145:

or more - vimeo.com...

6:18pm Paul D:

I think this billboard looks fucking amazing! Font and all!

6:18pm Jeff of Fanwood NJ:

As we progress toward a more public image with the billboard and those fancy New York City values, can we please remain as outsider, avant garde, and weird as possible? WWKGD? What would Kenny G do?

6:18pm wfmu listener phillip:

WOW!!! liz berg gone? left? i dont believe it

6:19pm Jack:

Sounds fishy Ken . Wheres the money ?

6:19pm wfmu listener phillip:

im stunned! Liz Berg i listened to her for many years. and Therese as well

6:19pm rob n' mtc:

wow.. this is sad. :(

6:20pm Asheville Jon:

cornfuzed: fmu just had a marathon where i thought the goal was met and that covered the expenses for the upcoming year?

6:20pm rob n' mtc:

to hear of the cash issues.. keep getting worse.. :(

6:20pm John in Bklyn:

@glenn Ay yi yi! How soon I forgot about that idiot!
R.I.P. Erin Moran

6:20pm Paul D:

KEN THIS BILLBOARD LOOKS GREAT!

6:20pm glenn:

hey, mary wing, i was wrong. this is what i meant. www.youtube.com...

6:20pm khd:

KEN - do you have a number of unique listeners per year?

6:21pm Tommy in Neversink:

I'll start donating monthly..in addition to what I give at the marathon

6:21pm TehBadDr:

Every listener is unique!

6:21pm wfmu listener phillip:

i miss you very much mary wing on saturdays.

6:22pm Alofat:

Ive knowingly listened for about 6 months now almost daily. Ill gladly chip in monthly to keep this gem alive.

6:22pm wfmu listener phillip:

what sell the parkimg lot RENT IT OUT

6:22pm Dean:

Somebody should buy the parking lot, close it, and erect paradise.

6:22pm Ryab:

I miss Ning Nong

6:22pm dale:

i would think a parking lot in jersey city would be a million or two plot of land if it's buildable.

6:23pm TehBadDr:

Sell the Parking Lot? Where will the DJ's camp?

6:24pm JakeGould:

I want WFMU to survive, but selling the parking lot to pay off debt seems like a short term solution. Not a question, but a statement based on experience.

6:24pm glenn:

and from where will ken launch his helium balloon lawn chair?

6:25pm rob n' mtc:

5 streams seems like a ton of bandwidth $$

6:25pm John in Bklyn:

Sell the parking lot to The Kreepy Kushners.

6:25pm Michael 98145:

food trucks in the parking lot ?

6:26pm Chris:

Ken. Like the hazmat updates on Wake n Bake. Any chance you could use an old timey filter to make you sound more like an old newsreel announcer? I figure that’s what you’re already doing but maybe...

6:26pm Lin:

I concur! Rent the parking lot!

🚽

6:26pm Marshall Stacks:

If you sell the parking lot, that'll help for a while, but it's obviously not a permanent solution. (Seconding JakeGould's note, now that I see it.)

6:26pm dale:

ken - has your oatmeal scotcheroo budget been eliminated?

6:26pm John in Bklyn:

WFMU's If I Had a Hammer Demolition Party?

6:27pm rob n' mtc:

If your going to Def stay in building, Sell the Lot :)

6:27pm JakeGould:

Here is an actual question in light of the morning show “Wake” being a thing:

Is WFMU’s audience growing via FM or online?

In my mind, it seems like the online listenership for radio—in general—is growing.

Is targeting a local FM “morning” show demographic in light of a global Internet listenership really a thing that should be pursued?

6:27pm dale:

90.1 is the ONLY joy i have on my radio dial in the hudson valley.

6:28pm Tommy in Neversink:

If FMU ever became internet only I'd kill myself

6:28pm Tome:

door to door gotta shake 'um up !

6:28pm wfmu listener phillip:

KEN dont sell the parking lot charge people to park there

6:28pm Switchblade Batman:

Dear Station Manager Ken: How are you?

That's my question.

🚽

6:28pm Marshall Stacks:

Referring to your earlier comment, Uncle Ken, what radio stations does Auricle own, aside from WFMU itself? Are you counting WMFU?

6:28pm Michele:

Come to the Shut Up, Weirdo meet up Oct 19th !

6:29pm JakeGould:

@TommyinNeversink: But the reality is tons of people listen to whatever they want whenever they want—often with live DJs—online. I like being in FM range but is that where the majority of new and future listeners might be coming from?

6:29pm Stanley:

If the parking lot isn't bringing in any meaningful income then it makes sense to sell it to pay off the debt.

6:29pm Asheville Jon:

Sierra Nevada: brewed right down the road from me

6:30pm rob n' mtc:

scoff...

6:31pm khd:

KEN - any chance of declaring WFMU as its own country vis a vis Seeland

6:31pm JakeGould:

@Stanley: And then with the debt gone and a new landowner decides to build right behind WFMU what happens? It’s a very aggressive real estate market out there. What if they just want to “pile drive” WFMU’s building into cracking and forcing a sale that nobody wants. I know these are not pleasant things to think about, but a lot of nasty stuff happens in NYC/NJ real estate nowadays.

6:31pm dale:

how about c.b. ken - when i lived in brooklyn the pirates loved c.b. - you should too.

6:31pm rob n' mtc:

I had no idea radio was more popular that shocks me.

6:32pm Karen in Sleepy Hollow:

No wonder we have been able to get FMU in Yonkers on 91.9

6:32pm chris:

mmmmmmmm, audio pie.

6:33pm Michael 98145:

( developers can be bad neighbors : www.gofundme.com... )

6:34pm mrdonutsu:

Every time Ken says digital, I think he's channeling Shingy.

6:34pm glenn:

ummm. croatia kinda is dalmatia.

6:34pm khd:

KEN - Call Andy live

6:34pm Jack:

Try 3 million for the parking lot , plus wealthy new neighbors towering over the djs on the fire escape smoking pot

6:34pm Stanley:

@jakegould - I'm unaware of such goings-on. I would imagine the lawyers would have to guard against that in the terms of sale.

6:34pm Switchblade Batman:

Welp, you got my $50 for that tee Ken.

6:35pm khd:

KEN - how many grams per stick of butter?

6:36pm TehBadDr:

$50 bucks for black wf-mu shirt? I'm in!

6:36pm JakeGould:

@Stanley: Sorry, but that is pretty naive to say. NYC/NJ real estate is simply ugly.

6:37pm Joe in westfield:

Just wanted to comment that the over the air eq sounds very good after being a little off for awhile

6:37pm John in Bklyn:

I still say we all grab sledgehammers and dust masks and help rip out the old stucco. That could save a few bucks. ?
Think about the camaraderie and shared sense of purpose.

6:37pm khd:

best wfmu tee was the day of the dead tee. preach.

6:37pm JakeGould:

@Jack: “Try 3 million for the parking lot , plus wealthy new neighbors towering over the djs on the fire escape smoking pot” Exactly! Even if construction goes smoothly, new rich folk neighbors complaining is the norm nowadays.

6:38pm glenn:

huh. i bet there was a cease and desist notice in wfmu's recent past.

6:38pm Passaic River Blues:

Jersey's liquor laws are absolutely protectionist bullshit that privilege a tiny booze cartel.

6:38pm TehBadDr:

No Liquor license? Ken, that must be rectified, or declare it a free smoking venue.

6:39pm JakeGould:

@glenn: You mean regarding Monty Hall? Probably not. Local bar politics in NJ are nastier than the community board stuff in NYC from what I hear.

And look… Genuinely. Positive hopes to all of this. Hope all works out to help all and keep WFMU alive. But gotta say what I know when it pops up.

6:40pm dale:

re: liquor license - can people byob and you just charge a few bucks more for admission? or give it away for under the table donations?

6:40pm Michael 98145:

@dale, club memberships at the door ...

6:41pm melinda:

Jon Ronson is the best.

6:41pm JakeGould:

@dale: And when the Jersey City cops come to deal with piles of drunks on a normally dead part of Montgomery Street on a weekend night what happens next?

6:41pm Jack:

With the heavy Jewish presence , can't you get a religious tax break like kurious joel ?

6:41pm Bas NL:

I like the new Techtonic program very much!

6:41pm Irwin:

I've been trying to Shazam this show but getting no results.

6:42pm Dean:

Second re: the Techtonic program.

6:42pm geo in jc:

WFMU’s money is in your wallet.

6:42pm melinda:

I'm a fan of Techtonic too.

6:42pm Dean:

Shazam tells me "Yes, You Can, No, You Can't."

6:42pm khd:

haha those pirates in brooklyn are going to be so surprised

6:43pm Michael 98145:

do the FMA contributions help the station at all?

6:43pm Stanley:

@jakegould - I don't doubt you. We all want the very best for WFMU. It means so much to all of us.

6:43pm dale:

ken - what is fmu doing to #MAGA?

6:43pm khd:

ken - l@@k @ me

6:43pm JakeGould:

Has WFMU considered plating Powerball on a weekly basis?

6:43pm Dean:

The "stock market" is not per se risky.

6:44pm TehBadDr:

@khd why do you hate the new up and coming millennial generation?

6:44pm jan:

Would there be a possibility of selling all of WFMU's Jersey City real estate to a developer who would
buy the property but carve out a rent free space for all of the WFMU studios in a new development?

6:44pm Switchblade Batman:

live action role play

6:44pm glenn:

looking for wheat amongst the chaff?l.

6:45pm glenn:

chaff.

6:45pm JakeGould:

@jan: In NYC/NJ? A real estate developer who will “carve out” a space in a fancy condo for losers, popheads and weirdos… Sure! Why not? Seems legit!

6:45pm KevinfromBayRidge:

So...BigBucks Breckman should be able to buy the parking lot?

6:45pm Switchblade Batman:

www.youtube.com...

6:46pm JakeGould:

@KevinfromBayRidge: Now THAT is a good idea.

6:46pm glenn:

i mean monty hall is actually the name of a living person.

🚽

6:46pm Ken From Hyde Park:

I still think the Woof Moo flag would be a good purchase item. I'd pay plenty to own one.

6:46pm Patrick:

Ken, is Taking a Ride (Heavy Metal) in fact the most liked song on WFMU?

6:46pm Michele:

Plug the Shut Up, Weirdo meet up Oct 19th

6:46pm ChrisB.:

Ken, do you have a rough idea of how many listeners are actual contributors?

6:46pm Switchblade Batman:

Have you contacted the admiralty to deal with those pirate scums? Ken

6:46pm Jeezy:

QUESTION: Did any DJs fight their departures? Were any under bad circumstances?!

6:46pm cat:

how can we hear our thekenschlampen please? i need it like i need catnip

6:46pm JakeGould:

When is there going to be a “Shut Up, Weirdo” meet up? Nobody is saying anything about it.

6:47pm dale:

i thought a greek station had 91.9 in bklyn. maybe that was 91.5 what do i know though.

6:47pm Jeezy:

Where's the meetup Michele?!

6:47pm JakeGould:

Jeezy:

6:47pm bnowb:

silly boy questions lol

6:47pm mrdonutsu:

How could the Pulaski Skyway shirt not be the most popular of all time?

6:48pm Michele:

@Jeezy at El Cortez in Brooklyn - Come!

6:48pm JakeGould:

@Ken: Thanks for reading my comment and respecting. You know I respect you guys, right?

6:48pm jillydg:

Use second billboard to promote Wake w Clay. Great sampler of all things good and weird about FMU and consistently there for commuters 5 days/week.

6:49pm Jeezy:

Ooooh, maybe I shall Michele! I'm in Williamsburg...

6:49pm John in Bklyn:

Olde Tymie filter? Just talk into a soup can.

6:49pm Bas NL:

I always get great responses to my Pulaski hoodie.. and it's well worn.. just saying... ;)

6:49pm JakeGould:

Here is a great idea™: How about giving some homeless people WFMU t-shirts, radios and have them sell WFMU bumper stickers?

6:49pm TonyR:

Does music (royalties) vs. talk on air have an impact on WFMU's bottom line?

6:50pm Linda Lee:

Ken ~ financial times are bleak, but change is for sure. last winter i struggled to survive in my old farmhouse, this year i'll sell it for more money than i could've imagined! & i never even had to burn the shirt i won as poorest listener, so i get to wear it with money in my pocket.

6:50pm Asheville Jon:

LINDA LEE!!

6:50pm wfmu listener phillip:

gee i didnt know fmu was that cash strapped. its such a hot trendy place of happening people i thought money would be pouring in

6:51pm Linda Lee:

Hola Jon!!

6:51pm melinda:

@Linda that sounds like good news!

6:51pm Bas NL:

Clay Pigeon's Wake 'n Bake is a gold choice imho.

6:51pm Kevin:

How much data can you gather about streamers and podcast listeners, and how useful is that data to growing your audience? Btw i am loving wake n bake.

6:52pm Linda Lee:

i'm thrilled, melinda! so nothing is hopeless :-)

6:52pm Chris J:

Perfect complement to the hazmat updates -- the End Times toxic Jersey City WFMU T-shirt of yore!

6:52pm bnowb:

Great call having Clay in the morning. Wake N Bake morning show is now the best!

6:52pm Jeezy:

Wake n' Bake has grown on me. I do wish he was a tad less verbose, though. He oughtta check out a blazing Mike Sin show for a lesson...

6:52pm Linda Lee:

still not online at home, though. so i'm off. :-)

6:52pm HOLLYWOOD BILL:

Are you sure about the "Wake and Bake" name? It's not too late. Liam from Denmark and I think "The Drive Show" is cooler.

6:53pm Readie Righteous:

Ken, is there a reason for sometimes referring to the morning show as "Wake" and sometimes "Wake n Bake"? Just curious, either way it is stellar.

6:53pm Switchblade Batman:

Do the pirates have eye patches or peg legs? Or both? Have you considered in using thier parrots for mascots?

6:54pm melinda:

I think 'Wake' is a good am show name. Short and to the point.

6:54pm John in Bklyn:

I can usually tune in 91.1 in Carroll Gardens/Red Hook but I rely on the stream a lot when things get static-y.

6:54pm TehBadDr:

Ken, I must commend you on the black-out style comment board!

6:54pm JakeGould:

Is that why we got those WFMU club cards?

6:55pm Lins:

Ok sell the parking lot! I hope y'all ya can anyway. I must say I very very happy with the wake n bake show. I hope it succeeds!

6:55pm wfmu listener phillip:

i listen on analogue radio the pirate stations come in clearer than WFMU.

6:55pm steve:

Where's sportsy talk?

6:56pm Ike:

Ken, have you ever considered asking listeners in certain areas to send complaints to the FCC about pirates interfering w/WFMU? Would that help? Certain areas are pirate hotspots.

6:56pm TehBadDr:

Don't let one bad apple with an ax spoil the whole bunch?

6:56pm KevinfromBayRidge:

Bottom line.We all have to preach the gospel to potential listeners even if it makes us seem like later-day Moonies!

6:56pm εἶk:

BTW for those you curious about the pirates, see here: twitter.com...

6:56pm bnowb:

Hi Ken :) You give all you have for the best station on the planet. Thank you.

6:56pm mrdonutsu:

What if you moved Clay's show 2 hours later, so that you could engage people on the West Coast who don't get up before 6:00 AM?

6:57pm JakeGould:

@mrdonutsu: Yup!

6:57pm TonyR:

No T-word on WFMU. Good move!! Thank you!!!!

6:58pm Michael 98145:

what bnowb said

6:58pm wfmu listener phillip:

INVEST IN GOLD!!!

6:58pm melinda:

Yes, thank you Ken!

6:58pm Chris J:

Making the End Times Happy Times!
blogfiles.wfmu.org...

6:59pm JakeGould:

Invest in ostrich meat!

6:59pm Passaic River Blues:

THANK YOU, KEN!

6:59pm Stanley:

Go Ken. Go WFMU the best station in the world

6:59pm Michael 98145:

emu oil !!

6:59pm TehBadDr:

FMU should develop that parking lot into high-rise luxury condos, with a floor for the studios, to fund the renovation, rebuilding of the current building! Thanx for the update Ken!

6:59pm chris:

thanks, Ken! go team FMU!

6:59pm TonyR:

KEN! KEN! KEN!

6:59pm Asheville Jon:

Ken: put the wfmu.org on stickers. really bummed that tomato doesn't have that

7:00pm dale:

sell colloidal silver over shortwave!

8:15pm Circo Americano:

Thank you for all that you do & do & do... You rock Station Mgr. Ken!!! These informationals rock as well... WFMU! Yeah baby yeah!

8:45pm Hemaworstje:

Ha,Ken is still alive and kicking! greets from Hema.
https://youtu.be/vtV0je-liEg?list=PLWBC4LfYSi_p9YF06K24dpsUvDDuQx5-j&t=58

2:28pm tomasz.:

thanks for the update, Ken.