At the R&R Convention, there was a great panel all about Jack, hosted by Saga’s Steve Goldstein. Recovering from the Jacobs Media Summit, I enjoyed my role as a quiet member of the audience, but after thinking about this panel, I’m going to devote four blog entries to discussing and addressing some of the points that were made.Participants were Mike Henry (Paragon), Bob Sinclair (who has a couple of successful BOB stations), Mike McVay, Kurt Johnson (Infinity’s "Captain Jack"), and Federated Media’s Tony Richards.
There was a great deal of understandable euphoria among some of the panelists. I remember sitting on Classic Rock panels exactly 20 years ago where the feeling was the same. The format was buzzworthy, the ratings were rising, and the vibe was very positive. People were asking many of the same questions. Will it last? Should there be morning shows? How high can it go? Isn’t it interesting how many different formats are impacted?
While the music and "architecture" are very different, the atmosphere was very similar. A case of deja vu all over again. Classic Rock has survived 20 years because operators took risks, built infrastructure, added knowledgeable and entertaining personalities, and elevated stations from jukeboxes to stations that had hearts and souls. As is often the case with new formats that are on the rise, Act One is the easiest.
President & Founder at Jacobs Media
Fred Jacobs founded Jacobs Media in 1983, and quickly became known for the creation of the Classic Rock radio format.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
Latest posts by Fred Jacobs (see all)
- Media And Technology In 2025: Believe It Or Not! - April 18, 2025
- In Radio, You Just Never Know - April 17, 2025
- The Secret To Making A Great Podcast (And Great Radio) - April 16, 2025
Leave a Reply