When was the last time you checked the most important metric on your station – cume or reach? How is it holding up versus a decade ago? You might be surprised by what the data is telling us in our post-pandemic radio reality. And to help us understand eroding cumes and what radio can do about it, I’ve enlisted a celebrity guest blogger to explain this phenomenon, showing up in market after market in the U.S. It’s another “radio reality check” on JacoBLOG this week. This post was one of our most popular and most provocative of the year.
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Our founder, Fred Jacobs, discusses the issues facing broadcasters today.
What Today’s Radio Personalities Can Learn From Wolfman Jack
A chance opportunity to watch a classic movie on an airplane this past spring served as a reminder about the changing role of radio in people’s lives and what happens when a bigger-than-life personality has the opportunity to shine – even in the middle of a long night. If you’ve lost sight of the romance of radio, today’s post might help you rekindle it…at least for a few minutes. This “Best Of” post from 2023 lists 10 reminders any host or personality can take away from one of the most enigmatic jocks in radio history – my gift to you during the holiday season.
Read MoreThe Evolution Of “A.I. Ashley” – Why Alpha Did It
A breaking radio story occurred this past June when Alpha Media launched an AI DJ in Portland. You may recall, they took their voicetracked midday personality – Ashley Z – and used AI technology to start producing her entire shows. Why did they make this move? And what did they want the radio industry to know about it? Alpha’s Phil Becker, Dylan Salisbury, and Ashley Elzinga sat down with me in an exclusive conversation about AI and how it was being deployed at Live 95.5 in Portland, Oregon. It set the stage for many conversations at companies throughout the radio broadcasting industry in 2023.
Read MoreHappy Holidays 2023
Here we are once again – on the precipice of wonderful holidays and for many of us (present company included), a much-needed break. If that sounds like you, I hope the next 10 or so days turn out to be just what you’ve been waiting for. I’m going to keep this mercifully short for all […]
Read MoreThe Next Beatles?
Want to start a world war during your upcoming holiday gathering or end of year celebration? Try the “Beatles vs. Taylor Swift Debate,” a surefire way to engage pretty much the entire family or office in the fireworks. The fact is, both of these remarkable performers set all kinds of records during their era. But is it about revenue, tickets sold, or impact on pop culture? YOU decide. (I’m on vacation, so leave me out of it this time.)
Read MoreSo Long, “Casual One”
“Oh no, not again.” That’s what many radio people and Detroit radio listeners are saying this morning. After losing Jim Ladd over the weekend, Ken Calvert passed away this week, too. Here are some memories of “The Casual One.”
Read MoreIs AM Radio Walking “The Last Mile?”
Besides the onslaught of a new, cutting-edge technology in 2023 – AI – many of the other radio broadcasting headlines revolved around AM radio. In early 2023, AM was looking like an “endangered medium” in new cars. And then the radio broadcasting industry pulled together. Today’s post was part of that distant early warning system. And hopefully, it served as a lesson about how broadcasters handle future challenges.
Read MoreThere Goes The Last DJ
If you’ve worked in radio for more than a cup of coffee or two, you know there are certain days when things happen that are simply memorable and monumental – maybe for you but certainly for the industry. Yesterday was one of those days, especially if you’ve ever worked in rock radio. We lost an icon, no doubt about it. The last of a dying breed has sadly died. Here’s the story.
Read MoreNo One Listens To The Radio Anymore
Today’s post starts our “Best of” series for 2023. And this was a good one, all revolving around that much-uttered, cringeworthy phrase: “No one listens to the radio anymore.” But take comfort, radio types, because a highly popular global brand is going through the same uncomfortable ordeal – and this year, it fought back with a clever marketing campaign created in Eastern Europe and aimed squarely at turning those perceptions around. Come to think of it, my “Christmas Wish” is that the broadcast radio industry here in the U.S. might consider a marketing campaign of its own.
Read More“The (Car)Play’s The Thing”
Are you in the market for a new car or truck? What are your must-have features? For more and more prospective buyers, Apple CarPlay has become essential, an easy way for drivers (and passengers) to navigate the infotainment system. But now GM is dropping CarPlay in their new EVs, in favor of their own proprietary system. They’re hoping you won’t care. What are they thinking? Are they thinking?
Read More…And Distribution is Queen
It’s become cliché – of course, content is king. But let’s not forget that distribution is queen for radio stations. Today’s #TBT blog post is a reminder the old content delivery mechanisms – especially “regular radios” – are becoming fewer and farther between. We can make the best content in the market, but if audiences can’t find or access it…. So honor Queen Distribution!
Read MoreThere’s Now AI In America’s Biggest Union
The phrase, “politics makes strange bedfellows” should be amended a bit for today’s post. It’s the unlikely story of a collaboration between two giants – a massive tech company and the biggest union in America. And at the center, its the tech platform of the year – AI. And as you’d expect, there’s an important piece here about whether radio will embrace this technology…or find itself left behind.
Read MoreFinding People Not Afraid To Say “Your Baby’s Ugly”
Finger-pointing and excuse making are old, tired chapters in the CEO handbook, but as Elon Musk and Daniel Ek may be finiding out, their companies may be ready for talents they don’t have: soft skills, like humility and empathy. The corporate landscape is changing. Will radio come along for the ride?
Read MoreWhen It Comes To AM/FM Radio, “Try A Little Trenderness”
With all the talk about digital platforms these past several years, you might think no one listens to your station on a “regular radio” anymore. And in fact, a new study suggests quarter-hour consumption on good old AM/FM radios is hanging in there nicely, well ahead of digital. As always, the devil is in the details – in this case the trendline. And today, I’m going to play a little “devil’s advocate” to show another side of the metrics, one I hope you’ll pay attention to.
Read MoreHowdy, Partners!
In an increasingly competitive media world, how can struggling companies find a way to survive and even thrive in this environment? And is there a way for the biggest brands to even get stronger? All without spending a dime? That last cavest is a big one becuase it’s hard to enjoy growth without significant investment. That is, unless your brand carves out smart and savvy collaborations with other key players in the space. In today’s post, we’ve got “best partner practices” from the likes of Starbucks, Taylor Swift, and Sony you can walk right into your conference room. And if you’ve put together a great partnership of your own, let’s hear about it.
Read MoreIn Radio, Whatever Happened To “4 And Out The Door?”
Today’s “Throwback Thursday” post is truly a blast from the past. But not the too distant past. In fact, it’s just 5 years old but it may seem more like 5 decades old. It’s all about work ethic and time-spent in the station back in a pre-pandemic radio industry. Back then, Elon Musk claimed he worked 120 hour weeks because “you can’t change the world” by doing any less. How have the events of just the past few years changed “Musk World” – and ours?
Read MoreAn Open (News)Letter To Radio
Deciding on the best digital content to create has stymied broadcasters for more than two decades. Even worse, it has cost most of them time, money, and people, thanks to misguided calculations and not having an idea vetting process that works. Need a best practice? Look no further than BuzzFeed. Like every company, they’ve made their share of mistakes. But they’ve righted this shift with a tactic absoultely every radio broadcasters can utilize. (How’s that for a tease?)
Read MoreThe Case For Handcrafted Radio
It seems like AI has invaded our pop culture choices, making robotic recommendations for music, TV, movies, restaurants, and other pop culture activities. But now a new media platform is emphasizing their human curation in an effort to positiveley differentiate their up-and-coming brand. And yes, there might be something here for local radio, a medium where programming decisions are still being mostly made by real people.
Read MoreIs It Time For The Music Industry To Write Radio A “Dear Genre” Letter?
One thing we have in common whether we got into radio way back in the ’70s or just last month – FM music stations are bounded by strict formats and well-defined genres. There is an acceptable list of format categories that nearly every radio broadcaster adheres to. But now, there are signs these familiar genres may be breaking down, less reflective of music types and more representative of mood and vibe. To start the new week, answer this one for me in just a word or two: What kind of music are you “into?”
Read MoreCan 2023 Be Summed Up By That “A-Word?”
In November, the dictionary people – Merriam-Webster – give us their “word of the year.” For 2023, all I’ll tell you is that it begins with an “A” and may be obvious to some of you. Let’s find out.
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