Six years ago this month, LA classic rockers mourned the loss of KSWD, The Sound, something of a rarity these days. The station was only around less than a decade – not long by radio standards – but it burned oh so brightly. And for me, The Sound was a client that was special to me. Today’s post celebrates The Sound, its great staff, and its loyal audience nine years later.
Read MoreWhat If Miss Piggy Was Your Morning Show’s Coach?
The radio broadcasting industry has some of the best morning and personality show coaches around. But the competition is heating up as a new coach has entered the fray. She’s hardcore, in your face, a natural ham, and knows how to bring home the bacon. Even the most jaded radio stars can learn a thing or two from her. Here’s her list of 9 tips to ensure your show gets 2024 off to a great start.
Read MoreI Read The News Today, Oh Boy
The media world is roiling with change as traditional new outlets fall by the wayside and even new startups struggle to find an audience. Despite the avalanche of websites and sources, “news deserts” are growing in the U.S. particularly as newspapers go under. Is this an opportunity for radio – even for stations that don’t broadcast news already? Today’s blog post has the schematic – six moves broadcasts big and small can make to create new content revenue models. Yes, it’s a bit ouf of the box, but isn’t that precisely what’s needed now?
Read MoreWhat A Drag It ISN’T Getting Old
The Rolling Stones announced their “Hackney Diamonds” tour last week as the band celebrates its 60th anniversary as mega rock stars. But perhaps the surprise is the tour’s title sponsor – not exactly a brand Swifties embrace or even know about. The Stones are both brilliant marketers and unapologetic capitalists. For them, it’s about green, not gray. Indeed, it is NOT a drag getting old.
Read MoreThank You, Thank You, Thank You
Welcome to the weekend whose middle name is “THANKS.” For this year’s holiday, it is all about gratitude – giving it to those who’ve made a differrence in your life or career path, as well as those receiving the appreciation for their generosity. I’ve got one of those exercises to help us put this holiday in perspective, as well as thoughts about why gratitude can actually make us feel more optimistic about the road ahead. Ready?
Read MoreHow Many People Do You Know?
One of the more profound way these troubled times have taken their toll is that most of us have fewer friends and we see them less often than ever. So how can the audience’s need for companionship be met? According to our Techsurvey, one of the top ten reasons why people still listen to broadcast radio is to “keep them company.” Companionship is one of radio’s remaining superpowers, and it very much figures into how great stations can succeed over the long haul. Click to learn more.
Read MoreTechnology’s New Math: ChatGPT – CEO = WTF?
Almost exactly one year ago to the day of ChatGPT’s release to the public, it has already been responsible for a key job loss – its CEO. Last week, OpenAI – the company that brought this platform to market – fired Sam Altman, raising questions about where this technology is headed. Radio broadcasters should be asking their own questions about AI, learning as much as they can to both protect and grow their companies. With our upcoming Techsurvey fielding in January, commercial radio listeners will take a crack at telling us their perceptions, hopes, and fears about this amazing technology. We will most definitely paying attention.
Read MoreEverybody’s Talking At Me
A new study from two very credible radio organizations – Edison Research and NPR – ought to heat up a few strategic discussions in industry boardrooms this quarter. As CEOs and CFOs wrap up the often painful budgeting process for 2024, they might ask themselves why the industry continues to be fixated on the same […]
Read MoreRadio Headlines We’d Like To Read
Exactly one decade ago, Jacobs Media launched our first DASH Conference here in Detroit, in collaboration with Radio Ink and auto consultant, Valerie Shuman. Appropriately on #TBT, I’ve dusted off a blog post that’s 10 years-old that hopefully still resonates when it comes to radio’s newly defined position in the automotive world. In this old post, we laid out a 6-point plan of action for the radio broadcasting industry in its effort to keep up with its #1 listening location – the car. Check out that post, and keep score for me, OK? How did WE do? And how has radio done?
Read More“Gen Z’s Have No Interest In Working In Radio” And Other Myths
In yesterday’s post, I highlighted Scott Westerman, the broadcast vet who has resurrected the radio station he grew up with – Keener 13 in Detroit. Today, it’s two modern-day stories of radio’s magnetic pull among Gen Z’s of today – on a huge scale at Ford Field in downtown Detroit, and in the Upper Peninsula in a small town on the shores of Lake Superior. But the narrative is the same – expose teens to radio, and then get out of the way. The dream of young generations embracing radio is becoming a reality. Click here to check it out.
Read MoreHow Were YOU Bitten By The Radio Bug?
How did YOU get into radio? Surely, there’s a story, and it’s probably unique to you. As today’s radio industry struggles to entice young people to consider a career in radio broadcasting, perhaps we can learn something from our history. Past is indeed prologue. And as some of us are beginnning to find, today’s Gen Z’s may be every bit as smitten by radio as many of us were. Maybe we just need to create the on-ramps for them. Ready, set, go!
Read MoreGames People Play
The drumbeat for digital revenue gets louder for radio companies with each passing quarter. But as 2023 has taught us – often the hard way – generating serious, sustainable digital revenue can be a diffiicult and painful task. For some organizations, it has resulted in staff layoffs and massive losses. But today, we’re going to point to a template of success that can work for any media team willing to do a minimum of due diligence and brainstorming. It’s about learning how to play a new game.
Read MoreThe Debate Over AM Radio In EVs
With Congress facing another government shutdown one week from today, you may be wondering what’s going on with that AM For Every Vehicle Act that was in the news a few months ago. After a quiet time, we’re seeing signs that it has once again become a topic of conversation. In fact, the issue of what it costs to install AM radio in electric vehicles is the subject of debate. A static-free look at who’s saying what is just a click away.
Read MoreWhy Radio Should Be The Best Algorithm
Algorithms are getting smarter with each passing year. Or are they? If your experience with recommendation software leaves something to be desired, you’re not alone. There was a day when a recommendation from a savvy DJ and smart radio station was dependable and helpful. In this over-techified environment, could humans (that is, DJs) make a bold comeback? Today’s #TBT post from 2019 came before the A.I. craze dominated our conversations. But the moral of the story may indeed be the same.
Read MoreWhere Did All Those P4s And P5s Go?
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.
Read MoreMore Radio Reality Checks
Yesterday’s post teed up today’s look at Techsurvey data in the hope of gleaning insights about the rapidly changing worlds of media – and broadcast radio. As we know, research is in the eye of the beholder; in this case, the interpreter. And we can’t help but notice in the growing onslaught of political polls, […]
Read MoreA Reality Check For Radio
We’re heading toward the shaky finish of another challenging year for the radio broadcasting industry. And as budget season commences, tough decisions await. Reliable audience research has never been more critically important, but it doesn’t come cheap. Here’s the good news: the research is right in front of our faces, IF we are prescient and courageous enough to face it. So, let’s kick off the week with a “reality check.” Always good advice? Buckle up.
Read MoreWe’re In A Tough News Cycle
If you work in public or commercial radio news, you know the reality: we’re in a vicious news cycle. Even so-called “news junkies” are taking hiatuses, trying to escape all the bad news. Is there an antidote – counter-programming that can provide much-needed relief for the audience as we head into another politically charged year? Maybe. Please click through to read our “take.”
Read MoreRadio’s Short Attention Span Challenge
Consumer attention spans are shortening, making it even more imperative that content is to-the-point and “snackable.” But along the way, being “bite-sized” has become more important than making it great. In today’s blog post, we look at the challenge of attracting audiences in a sea of virtually infinite content and distribution choices.
Read More“Ladies And Gentlemen, THE BEATLES!”
The last time the Beatles and Stones had new music out at the same time was in 1969. Now, more than half a century later, it’s happening again this week when “the last Beatles song” is released tomorrow. So, how will radio play this event? Will it low-key or even ignore it? Will it squander it and give it away to Spotify and Amazon Music? Or will radio treat it like the real moment that it is? Today’s blog post puts this rare occurrence into perspective for you. Enoy.
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