Kramer and Jess are the dynamic morning team on Mix 106.5 in Baltimore, known fortheir infectious energy and witty banter. Other broadcasters can learn from their relatable humor, ability to connect with listeners, and skillful interviewing of a wide range of guests from celebrities to local heroes. Their chemistry and genuine friendship shine through on the airwaves, making them a beloved voice in the Baltimore community.

Key Takeaways:

(0:15) Kramer and Jess share how they became a morning team, and offer tips on some of the key things on-air people should know about each other before teaming with a partner.

(03:11) Everybody in radio usually moves around during their careers. Kramer and Jess tell what it was like when they first relocated from San Diego to Baltimore, and offer some great insights for any show or host moving to a new town.

(06:07) As support staffs decrease, the duties of show hosts increases. Kramer and Jess outline who does what ON and OFF the air. They also share the benefits of doing their popular "Uncensored’ podcast and explain how it can stay "on brand" even if it's not for 'on air'!

(08:34) With everything changing faster, Kramer and Jess delve into how they see radio brands like theirs continuing to evolve, and offer tips on things media hosts should be preparing for today to be ready for the media world of tomorrow.

 (11:42) Jess shares some advice, especially for women who are launching a radio career, while Kramer offers tips for people who’d like to move to a larger market.

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I've stopped thinking of the radio show as like the, the

central force of what we are.

Welcome to Brandwidth On Demand, your Guide to Rebooting Radio

...because I think that once what we saw during the

pandemic was way different, where all of a sudden consumption of

media was all over the place.

Mm-hmm.

you didn't know they were on social media a lot more now and

where we can't really just think.

Is gonna sound the best on the radio.

Like Jess and I will kind of sit there in the morning, decide

what's gonna look best on video.

Is this segment gonna work great for Instagram?

Is this gonna work?

Something's just worked for the radio, or does this topic work for Facebook?

Will that, will that translate for that audience?

I think you always have to be constantly thinking, where's the best

place to put each piece of content,

Brandwidth on Demand, rebooting radio with a different take on all radio can be.

Now your guides through the media Morphosis, David Martin and author

of the book, Brandwidth Media Branding, coach Kipper McGee.

Well, today's guest, none other than Kramer and Jess.

The stars of mornings at Mix 1 0 65 in Baltimore.

How are you guys?

Hi guys.

Hi.

Doing well.

How are you?

Thank you for having us.

Good.

. What led you to to becoming a morning show?

I just always wanted to do this.

I don't know.

I can, I can't ever really explain this phase of how I actually got

here because I just was just a kid that wanted to be on the radio.

I used to listen to Steve & Vicki in Atlanta.

And I just knew that's what I wanted to do.

And at age seven I started playing radio station.

I would get tape cassettes, record myself, and then it just kind of went

from there, went to college radio, and bounced around like everybody else.

But it's just, I don't know.

I, I hate to say I was born to do it, but that's just kind of how my, my path went.

And you wanted to do mornings, wanted to do mornings, and now here we are.

And how about you, Jess?

I think my story's a little different.

I.

More so fell into it.

I've always been into performing arts, so it was, I never,

uh, knew how to stop talking.

So I think it just kind of makes sense.

And I actually called into a radio station to talk about something

and they presented an internship to me and I ended up taking it and.

I spent a lot of a long time there and did street team and I would shadow different

shows, so I never knew that the interest was there, which kind of makes me sad

knowing that I don't think internships are as readily available as they used

to be, because I definitely would not be where I am if I did not have the

opportunity because I had no idea that it was gonna be something that I loved.

What advice can you guys give people that might think

about teaming with someone else?

I think Kramer should touch on teaming with people that he doesn't have

experience with first, because I feel.

Yeah, it's very different working with someone that you, you know, luckily we've

had experience together before we did a show together, and I know that would be

a different story with kind of being put with someone that you've never met before.

I think it's becoming way more rare nowadays.

Uh, I think now it's more of a pairing.

Let's hope this works and smile when the microphone turns on.

Uh, I've worked with people that I've, I've liked and I've worked with

people that I haven't liked, and it's a whole lot easier to work with people

that you like , that's for sure.

Yeah.

But I also know that there's many times where you almost have to separate

the, the friendship from the job.

And I don't know if it ever comes off as authentic as, of course, when you

can find two people that genuinely get along, but sometimes you won't

even know if that's the case, you know, until, until six months in.

But I think if you go in with an open group mentality, Take out the eye and kind

of work on the team more than the eye.

I think that's the best thing that you can do when it comes to trying

to pair, you know, 2, 3, 4 people.

Jess and I got lucky because when Jess and I had already worked together

in California and when they were looking for a show in Baltimore,

the question was kind of like, well, who, who would be the great, the

like the right payer for this show?

I instantly, Jess was the third Mike on our show.

She wasn't, you know, wasn't my co-host and I just knew that she was a star.

So I would say also look for those people that you already have chemistry

with, because you never know in this radio world when two people may need

to link up once again for a gig.

So always have those people in mind too.

So it seems that like everybody in radio usually has at

least some experience moving, right?

Mm-hmm.

, you guys just did a transplant from, uh, San Diego all the way to Baltimore

a couple years ago in pandemic time.

It's like just dead.

And also you just kind of got renewed, so congratulations on that.

Thank you.

But what was it like when you first relocated basically coast to

coast, uh, and end up in Baltimore?

I mean, how did you first get the attention of our friend Tom Cook?

Hmm.

That was very difficult because when we moved, everything was closed.

So it was kind of like moving to a ghost town.

Nobody was out and about, and then you definitely get a lot of attention

because when we had a relationship, when we started a relationship with

Audacy, we were replacing a show that had been there for 20 years.

Mm-hmm.

. So we got a lot of, a lot of attention and not the nicest attention.

Mm-hmm.

. And so it was hard to work through that, I think, especially during

a time when people just wanted someone and something familiar.

But since then, that difficult time has almost made our community and

listeners that we have even strong.

And so I think it's very, you have to be honest and acknowledge that it was very,

very difficult and was not the easiest.

But if you push through, then you definitely can see light

at the end of the tunnel.

I'd say.

. Kramer: Yeah.

To that, I would say really no attention is, is bad attention.

Especially at the beginning if you're starting a new show.

I think that Jess and I can both attest to like, they're going to probably

hate you way before they love you.

Yeah.

But the fact that they hate you, I mean it's just, it's just true.

But the fact they hate you means they genuinely care.

Mm-hmm.

, you have a group of people that genuinely.

What you can hope for is that hopefully they'll care for you

as much as they care against you.

Yeah.

So, and that's really what we've seen over the last, you know, and this is not

my first rodeo of going show to show, but it's almost a consistent thing.

The people that hate you at first, you gotta remember they hate

you because they are genuinely invested in that radio station.

So it's, yeah.

Now your responsibility to.

Take that same passion they have against you and make it for you.

And, and Jess and I can tell you, it, it does happen.

It definitely does happen.

Which it takes, you know, it's, it's little slow chips every single day until

one day all of a sudden that person that sent you like the, the nastiest

comment or the nastiest message Yeah.

Uh, is now saying, I love that bit today.

I love that segment today.

I love what you guys did with this or that, and it's got a funny transition,

but you just have to know it's there.

I think if anything, we can pass along from starting a new show.

Recently it's just remember those people will come over.

It just takes a little bit of time,

And I think it's important to mention too, to anyone that's

considering moving and doing a new show and being afraid.

I think it makes it a little easier if you put it into personal terms.

Like when you meet someone new, it's not like you love them right away and it's not

like they're your best friend right away.

Obviously, it's gonna take some time to build that relationship,

so I think that also has to be applied in this kind of setting too.

Good point.

Well, tell us about your show.

I mean, who does what on and off the air?

How does that Uncensored podcast differ from the morning show?

? Kramer: Uh, quite , like way different.

It's, it's great you speaking of the podcast for a second.

I think that that's, if you don't have a off air podcast for your show, I highly

recommend taking 30 minutes or an hour outta your week and adding one to it.

Uh, if not more than anything, it gives you and your partner a way better.

To learn how to, I guess maybe to build chemistry, to just have a more

free flowing, thoughtful conversation.

And I think it really helped Jess and I immensely just kind of.

almost even get to know each other a little bit better.

Um, with, with having that.

Now, when it comes to the radio show, luckily Jess is like one of

the best people ever on social media.

She's super creative.

She's also great at get, you know what, uh, coming up with topics.

I luckily have whatever, a million years of.

Radio experience.

So I come with all the board work and the, the structure of the show.

And so I, I think that our lack of knowledge in some things is

made up by the other person, but almost in like a beautiful way.

Like I love how Jess doesn't quite know a hundred percent of the logistics

of somehow the radio stuff goes and then she can just throw out an idea.

I'm like that.

I would never would've thought that Cause I'm just so stuck in radio brain.

And sometimes I'll have a stupid social media idea that really

makes no sense, but it'll make her think in a certain kind of way too.

So it's nice to have people that kind of can think a little differently than

not just all complete radio brain all the time, because then you kind of get

stuck in that, in that mentality of the same, same old thing, the way we've

been doing things forever, you know?

Mm-hmm.

Yes, absolutely.

And I think the Uncensored podcast is a really good idea too, or at least for

us, we were able to bring our audiences, I mean, not just from San Diego, but the

audiences that Kramer has built over the.

there.

So it, we still had a sense of community when there were people that hated

us and wanted nothing to do with us.

So you still felt like you had love?

And then it's kind of gives us a way to show a different side of our personalities

and have a lot of, a lot more fun.

Just because the radio show is way different than uncensored.

And it's always a fun way to promote it on air with, you know, if you hate us, then

definitely don't listen to the Uncensored, cuz you're gonna hate us even more.

And obviously people wanna listen cuz they wanna know what, what

kind of crap we're talking.

They wanna hate us even more . Yeah.

That's good.

Well, you touched on it, but today's media world really is just changing so fast.

I mean, we got audio, video, social media, and you guys are also out and

about now that we're past the pandemic.

So how do you see radio brands like yours, and I'm talking the show now,

but how do you see your personal radio brands continuing to evolve?

And what should media hosts be thinking about preparing for today to be ready

for our changing world tomorrow?

I've stopped thinking of the radio show as like the, the central force...

of what we are, even though radio still is the central force of what we are.

I've stopped kind of thinking of it in that way.

And I just started once we, once we moved here, because I think that once what we

saw during the pandemic was way different, where all of a sudden consumption

of media was all over the place.

Mm-hmm.

And you didn't know when, when they were listening, you

didn't know how they were listening.

You didn't know they were on social media a lot more now.

And so you kind of, I think the, the shift happened to.

Omnichannel really did come into effect for us where we can't really just think of

what's gonna sound the best on the radio.

Like Jess and I will kind of sit there in the morning and decide

what's gonna look best on video.

Is this segment gonna work great for Instagram?

Is this gonna work?

You know?

Right.

For just maybe just the radio, something's just work for the radio or

does this, this topic work for Facebook?

Will that, will that translate?

if we just in written form, will that translate for that audience?

I think you always have to be constantly thinking, where's the best

place to put each piece of content and or even, for example, like

some things just go on the podcast.

I mean, this isn't really good for the radio show, but it's good for the podcast.

We'll put it over there.

You have to always kind of be thinking of where's the right piece of the puzzle.

Well, radio's very regimented.

Like we know that success comes from repetition of doing the

same thing over and over again.

. Once you get those people in the loop, then they really want more content.

They wanna see your social, they wanna see your podcast, they

wanna listen to your podcast.

And I think Jess and I are just constantly thinking of where to place

different forms of content and how can we repurpose different content and, yeah.

Yeah.

But not, not just to repurpose though.

We don't just repurpose to repurpose.

We try to be as thoughtful as possible of what actually is gonna.

Per format because everything doesn't work per

Right, right.

Every, I think people have to keep in mind what people wanna comment on, on Facebook

is gonna be different on Instagram and maybe you make a reel for Instagram versus

just posting a static post on Facebook.

And I think that one of the biggest takeaways for me, uh, from bootcamp

was recycling your content.

and I think sometimes we get so, uh, fixated on having a pa

just a package of something.

It nee and it needing to be perfect when really it, it's not that hard and I don't

think it, you can just, just making a ten second video and it doesn't have to be,

that's something I had to get out of my head a little bit just cuz I think I like

how things look a little more produced.

Mm-hmm.

. But if you think about TikTok, you.

, you know, randoms just blowing up and their video was less than seven seconds

and they're just saying how crappy their day was and then it's over.

And everyone was like, same.

You know?

Right.

It's not it's, it does not have to take a lot of effort to put

out something that's relatable.

I think you just have to constantly be putting something out.

Well, Jess, there's probably a whole bunch of young ladies out there that are

looking up to you cuz you're their hero.

I mean, you're in a big market job and you're a big co-host of a morning show.

What advice can you give those young ladies?

Mm.

Just because you don't have all the experience doesn't mean

you're not worth giving a shot to.

I think sometimes the biggest thing for me was getting in my own way, and you're

not supposed to have all the answers.

Why?

Why would you have all the answers?

You've never done this before.

So I think being open to being coached and taking advice is massive and wanting to

learn more, and then also wanting to come out of your shell and trying new things

and not being afraid of making mistakes.

I think that's the biggest thing for me.

And Kramer, what advice do you have for people who might want to be

following in the footsteps of a show like you guys have, but they're maybe

not ready to make the move to a San Diego or certainly a Baltimore just yet.

What would you recommend that they do and how do, how would they

approach it in today's media world?

You know, I think.

Even different post pandemic.

I, I think there's absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to stay in your market

and wanting to continue to thrive there.

Um, yeah, I, I think what we've seen, what I've seen a lot of my radio friends,

I mean we saw massive cuts in and 20 19, 20 20, 20 21, and and beyond, and I

think that what people are starting to.

Evaluate is, is it worth it now?

Like is is the move worth it?

And I think that would be one thing you'd really need to consider.

Listen, I love radio, but we gotta call it what it is.

And sometime it's a really beast of a business.

And when I got cut from San Diego, I had to really consider, I

literally sat down, I made a list of like if I was gonna do another,

Mm-hmm.

What would it need to look like?

And I literally said I would wanna work with somebody.

I had a dollar amount, I had a, a boss requirements of what

I, a PD I'd wanna work with.

And I had a co-host.

And I literally, when I, I, so I knew, it wasn't like I was just gonna move to move.

And I think what we've gotta realize is, We can't, we have to

really start enjoying life as well.

You have to really genu-- because what's, it's not, it's not

gonna be worth it if you're just moving to move and taking that.

I would really strongly ask the question of like, why are

you going to do another show?

Even if it is just.

Maybe you have a job already, maybe you're not out and you're looking at

other markets and things like that.

I would say really consider everything that goes into your life.

I don't think that I would've thought about that as much when

I was, you know, I'm, I'm 39.

I don't think I would've thought of that when I was 29.

I think it'd much been like, I'll do anything.

I'll go anywhere.

I'll do it.

Doesn't matter.

But what you don't want to be is you don't wanna be 39, 49, 59 and miserable.

You know, you really wanna make sure that you're, you're choosing gigs that work

for you because, The day of the big market move to a top 10 city is kind of dead.

Whereas you can really own your city.

You can own your city, and you can grow even bigger because of the internet.

So like if you, if there's nothing wrong with staying, put where you are.

And if you're gonna move to a different city, make sure it's something that

really is gonna, you know, add to your life and not take away from it.

Cause it's really at the end of the day, what you realize.

Is it not gonna be worth it?

Wow.

Some good stuff.

Steve Kramer, Jessica Dutra, better known as Kramer and

Jess from B106.5 in Baltimore.

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Coming up.

Kramer and Jess share some things they know now that they wish

they had known way back then.

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Broadcast Consulting in Detroit.

Hey, it's Molly Cruz.

Brand manager for W M Y X and W X S S FM here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Hi, this is Jake Neman with 96 7 Cran.

Hi, this is Dave Tyler from Music Master, with even more raving fans.

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The stuff we know now.

We wish we'd known then Brandwidth On Demand.

The stars of Baltimore Radio.

It's Kramer and Jess with Brand with On Demand.

Hey guys, tell us one thing you know now.

That you wish you knew way back when you first started.

It's not always gonna suck and you will get your time to shine.

I think that's like, that's the main thing cuz usually when you're

starting out in radio, you're like putting up a tent at like four 30

in the morning before a marathon and you're freezing cold and you're

driving the van around and it's hard.

And that you gotta work all these crazy shifts and you just kind of wonder, how am

I going to get to the place where I wanna?

And you just gotta put in the work and put in the time, but

you're eventually gonna get there.

And I would say don't marry the first attractive

person that gives you attention.

. Dave: All right.

There will be plenty more and make sure it's the right fit for you, or

it could be very costly later on in life.

Okay.

That's just a little piece of advice on the outside.

Outside of the mic, they'll protest it.

. Kipper: On that note, is there any great

that has really helped you in your.

Uh, you can't forget the business side of show business I

think is one of, one of the things I had to really learn the hard way.

Um, I always felt like, who cares about the sales team?

It doesn't matter.

Just go in there, get ratings, put on a powerhouse show, take no prisoners.

And maybe that used to work back in the day, but now it's.

I would say the business side is way bigger than the show.

And to keep that in mind in almost everything that you do, how is it

going to affect the revenue and how is it going to affect the company?

Because I promise you that's the only thing they're looking at.

Okay.

, that's literally at least a priority is, is way more shifted to business than Joe.

How about you, Jess?

Uh, for me, I, I had someone share with me not to.

I don't know how to say this in like a more concise way and I, it comes up

for me just because I think we've been seeing like a lot of videos of some

shows going at each other online and that being live on the air to remember

that you're on the radio and some things need to happen off the mic.

So if you get upset or you don't agree with something that was said,

just to still remember that your intention should not make the person

you're speaking with look bad, because that's gonna make you look.

, so still remember that you're putting on a show and so some things that need to be.

Can be discussed off the air.

Just kind of keep that in mind that you have an audience listening,

...or at least do it right at 7:45.

You're gonna do it like this.

put it like right.

Don't, don't waste it.

You're gonna do it.

At least don't waste it.

Okay.

Make it good, I guess.

That's right.

A lot to think about.

Yeah.

Kramer and Jess.

Mix 1 0 6 5 in Baltimore

Boy, they are terriffic!

You can find links to the show notes.

Just scroll down on your phone.

Our thanks to executive producer Cindy Huber, also for booking Associate

Producer Hannah B, and coming up next.

Hi, this is Phil Becker, executive Vice President

of Content with Alpha Media.

I'll be next on Brandwidth on Demand.

In that episode, I will give you the four things that I look for and only

the four things that I look for when making our next hired Alpha Media.

And I'll also give you the best career advice I've ever been given that I

probably should have taken sooner.

Ran with on demand right here.

That's a wrap.

Kipper, we're gonna be talking about r and b and we're not gonna be

talking about music in the show notes.

You'll find one minute Martinizing.

I'm Dave

Martin.

And

I'm Kipper McGee.