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Broadcast radio has changed a great deal in recent years, but a welcome fixture is the skill, the appeal, and the pure craftsmanship of the talented people behind the mic. Last weekend, one of the best was recognized by one of the major TV networks. It was a celebration of what makes radio great, then and now.

As the media landscape becomes even more congested by more options and choice, how can radio broadcasters make sense of their opportunities as well as the threats posed by AI. Rather than trying to be more machine-like, shouldn’t radio be looking for ways to more radio-like: that is, to accentuate the human connection – to the music, to the issues, to sports, to life…and to each other? Click READ MORE and let’s talk about it.

Over the holiday weekend, major brands revealed their holiday marketing campaigns. And a fascinating contrast appeared between Apple and Coca-Cola, and the use of AI and real people to tell each brand’s story. In today’s post, we run a head-to-head comparison. And you make the call.

What happens when you ask 13 radio pros from all corners of the industry how they define gratitude as Thanksgiving approaches? Why, you get 10 very different interpretations of thankfulness. Actually, they have a lot in common, and I hope their musings bring you a sense of joy and gratitude as you scroll through them. And I’d feel gratitude if you left a few of your own thankful thoughts in the “comments” section at the end of today’s blog post. And while I’m at it, THANK YOU for reading our blog.

The “true crime” genre shows no signs of slowing down. Always a mainstay of movies and television, “true crime” podcasts are now the third most popular genre according to new research. And there is somewhere in the neighborhood of 23,000 “true crime” podcasts, but it’s a mystery as to why the genre is virtually invisible on the broadcast radio airwaves. For a clue or two about how radio could seize this content opportunity, just click READ MORE below.

Radio and televison have always been the source of an ongoing talent merry-go-round. Never known as stable industry, many on-the-air broadcasters have moved around throughout their careers – in many cases, a lot. But in the past year, job changes, terminations, resignations, belt tightening have plagued the industry, causing instability and less reliability. Today’s post looks at a number of these changes in ’24, and what they might mean to the year ahead.

The world of video streaming may be the most competitive category in the media ecosystem. Once Netflix carved out the path to success, other wannabes rapidly followed, crowding the space. So if you’re a new entrant, how do you gain traction with the biggest players in the space? You don’t. Instead, smaller, well-defined niche players that stream narrower content categories are enjoying success with video streaming. And wouldn’t you know it – there are lessons here for radio companies trying to gain a foothold in the growing media landscape.

If you think iHeart or Audacy own the most radio stations in the U.S., think again. A Japanese company plans on broadcasting in more than 12,000 locations by the end of 2026. Their name? 7-Eleven. Gulp.

The term “mass media” suggests reaching a vast, undifferentiated audience with “one-size-fits-all” mainstream content. But more and more, consumers of all generations appreciate personalized content especially created and curated just for them and their unique interests and tastes. For a mass medium like broadcast radio, this presents a profound challenge. Yet, there are ways to customize and personalize the experience to create stronger connections with consumers and advertisers. Today’s blog post explores what that looks like.

With Forecast 2025 now in the books, we look forward to CES in Vegas in just eight short weeks. But earlier this week, we were surprised by the announcement of a new keynoter at CES, a move that will have implications on the broadcast radio business. To find out why, just click “READ MORE.”

There are momentous things happening in radio this time of year. But today’s blog post is about a more trivial matter that won’t make a ripple anywhere. After considerable thought, I deactivated my Twitter account last night. Holy Lori Lewis! But of course, there’s a reason, and it opens up a can or two of worms. So, now that I’ve hooked you, here’s my story and why I’ll be using different platforms in which to engage with you socially. I’ll miss tweeting with you, but it was time to say, “Gotta go!”

As media content options expand exponentially while attention spans shrink, the creative class is grappling with the best ways in which to present entertainment and information. In radio, most stations have played “The PPM Game” for more than a decade. And that dedication to keeping content short, concise, but entertaining is becoming part of a much larger, multi-platform trend. Long story short, keep it short.