A common theme in this blog the past many years has revolved around the lack of any viable Gen Z strategy for broadcast radio. In fact, many C-suiters don’t even acknowledge the aging radio platform as the existential problem that it is. But in today’s post, I’ve got exciting news coming from two very different places: Christian music radio and a famous commercial radio News/Talk station. Both are breaking ground – and maybe some china – as they both boldly go where few broadcasters in 2024 dare to go.
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Our founder, Fred Jacobs, discusses the issues facing broadcasters today.
Big, Bigger, Biggest
Buckle up tight because for today’s #TBT, it’s a post that first appeared exactly 14 years ago, back to 2010. At the time, we were still feeling the reverberations from the fading Great Recession. As you read my words from back then, some of you might flash on to what we’re experiencing right now. And even though radio in 2010 has some mega-challenges, you might even long a bit for “the good old days.”
Read MoreRadio Listeners Don’t Get Tired Of Music, Only PDs And Music Directors Do
One of the existential quandaries in radio programming involves how long to keep spinning those songs on the playlist, whether you’re the new hip-hop station or the classic rock king. Knowing when to default to that “hold” category is an art that’s part of the programming craft. And now a marketing whiz lends his insights about ad “wear-in” to the conversation. I think you’ll find it helpful.
Read MoreWhat Wasn’t So Hot At CES 2024
“What’s hot at CES” is always part of the conversation when you make the trek to the biggest electronics show on earth. But it can also be instructive to learn what’s not so hot at CES each year. And two of those cooling trends might have implications for radio broadcasters in the coming year. It was like the Metaverse and autonomous driving took the year off. We’ll see if either or both can mount a comeback at CES 2025, but this year, each was anything but hot.
Read MoreMove Over Swifties, Here Come The Lawnies
Before we know it, outdoor concert season will be upon us. And consumers will be at odds over how they can afford to see this year’s headliners. The most budget-conscious are known as the “lawnies” – those who sit on the grass and spend the least amount of dough Why have they become a community, and why is Live Nation earmarking them as a key concert-going category for 2024?
Read MoreMay You Live In AInteresting Times
Another day, and more AI “Breaking News.” How can overworked, multitasking radio pros keep up with all the changes? Our new newsletter – AI EDGE – was designed to do just that. In today’s post, a guided tour of the AI news and happenings, along with info about how you can sign up for our free newsletter and stay ahead of the pack.
Read MoreDashboard “Mayhem” and Radio
As cars become bigger players on the technology stage, automakers are working to develop a better, safer, more intuitive dashboard experience. But are today’s touch screens really better than the buttons and knobs we all remember on traditional car radios? Today’s #TBT suggests it’s the “same as it ever was.” For drivers, passengers, and for radio people trying to entertain and inform, we all deserve better. Let me know what you think and what your infotainment experience is like.
Read More“Ladies And Gentlemen….THE LEGOS!”
The Holy Grail of pop culture is when a brand weaves a powerful nostalgic moment with a current event that has the power to “go viral.” Today marks the 60th anniversary of one of rock music’s most seminal event ever. And one of the world’s most popular toymakers is ready to reap the rewards. It might even make for some water cooler talk for your morning show. And it might be something you order for your kids, your grandkids – or yourself.
Read MoreOn World Radio Day 2024, Assessing Radio’s Impact
Yesterday’s post about Bell Media’s decision to divest 40% of its radio division while laying off more than 4,000 employees was overshadowed by the company’s assertion that radio is no longer a viable business. It was a lighting rod for many of you. So, it’s only fitting that on World Radio Day 2024, we follow up the Bell Media controversy with a celebration of radio – from two of the new owners of these stations, and a number of broadcasters who tell their stories of radio’s incredible impact.
Read MoreOne Man’s Trash Is Another Man’s Radio Stations
The big – and rather shocking – radio story last week came from across the border. It wasn’t that Bell Media was selling off more that 40% of their radio group to seven different broadcast companies – it was that one of their corporate officers announced the reason for the sale: radio is no longer a viable business, according to the company. In today’s post, I’m going to talk about what it means to say the quiet part out loud, and why the effects of their announcement may be felt in the 50 states.
Read MoreAre You Programming Your Radio Station (Or Just Changing The Oil)?
The elements of great radio programming are becoming more elusive with each passing year. In today’s blog post, I go to a TV station about a dysfunctional restaurant for inspiration. Whether in the food business or the radio business, it’s about surprise and delight.
Read MoreAm I A Radio “Homer?”
These days, you’re either “fer or agin.” It’s no longer possible to straddle the center. You’ve got to take a position, an extreme, a pole. And that’s been the case in radio for several years. The haters gonna hate, and the diehard fans will defend Marconi’s medium ’til its demise. Isn’t there any common ground? That’s the tricky topic of today’s blog post. Which side are YOU on?
Read MoreHas Radio Gone To The Dogs?
Radio stations are always in search of mass appeal promotions that generate buzz, go viral, are sales friendly, support public service, and are community focused – without spending any money. Impossible, you say? I have been doggedly pursuing the answer and may have found it, ready for you to read all about it in today’s blog post.
Read MoreThe Art Of Leveraging Nostalgia (And Why Radio Keeps Screwing It Up)
One thing all us humans have in common is the power of our memories. And thanks to the media-rich time in which we live, millions of us share and cherish these collective memories of the past. Today’s post looks closely at how brands like McDonald’s lean into nostalgia, one of the most successful tools in their tool kit. For radio, “mental time travel” has been there all along, but stations often don’t leverage it as wisely as they could. From the Grammy Awards to Harry Potter tot Happy Meals, let’s do a little time-tripping.
Read MoreThe Constant Cha-Ching Of The Plus
There’s a noticeable shift happening in the world of subscription entertainment. Some of the biggest companies – among them, Amazon, Comcast, and Netflex – are changing up their business models to pile on even higher monthly fees. Some are even adding commercials to what used to be commercial-free services. As a longstanding member of the entertainment and information club, broadcast radio might have a pathway to driving home a positive difference. Now that would be a plus.
Read More3 JacoBLOG Follow-Ups
In a follow-up to recent blog posts, I’ve got three tantalizing “whatever happened to stories” – AI DJs, radio stations in video games, and the ever-widening incidents of mental health issues – thanks to a furry muppet.
Read MoreWhat’s Your Favorite Album?
What’s your favorite album? It’s a question we’ve been asking each other for decades. In fact, I asked it four years ago this month. To get a look at what I was saying and you were thinking back in early pre-pandemic 2020, click below and let’s have that conversation.
Read MoreWhat’s Luck Got To Do With It?
If you’ve achieved a modicum of success in the radio business, chances are you attribute it to talent and hard work. But the odds are also good that luck figured into it as well. We don’t always talk about the happenstance of good fortune, but it’s a factor in more successes than we may realize. Like mine.
Read MoreIn 2024, The Forecast Calls For Pain
You’re looking at one of my favorite blues titles for a song. As bluesmen go, Robert Cray is a youngin’ at just 70 years of age. Compared to his elders – folks like Muddy Waters, B.B. King, and so many others who forged the trail, Cray is still earning his chops. But the lyrics of […]
Read MoreFixing CNN, Fixing Radio?
Whether you love, loathe, or are indifferent to CNN, their new CEO has created a turnaround strategy for the once-proud cable news pioneer. Sir Mark Thompson has held the top spot at the New York Times and BBC. His schematic for CNN is a brilliant analysis of what it will take to reverse his network’s course. And it’s a great read for any legacy brand hoping for ongoing success and sustainability. Do you see your company in his step-by-step recovery plan?
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