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?
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Our founder, Fred Jacobs, discusses the issues facing broadcasters today.
When 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.
Read MoreSound Off
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.
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