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"New ways of listening to music means that radio is confronted with a crisis as big as the one in the golden age of traditional radio, when television exploded in popularity." While this sounds like something an observer of American radio might say, the quote actually comes from Pierre Bellanger, a French broadcaster, who operates […]

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You can look at the proliferation of iPods as both a curse and a blessing.  It’s true that on the one hand, all those Apple iPods move users away from radio and toward alternative entertainment sources.  But there is an "other hand."  As a result of the growing legions of consumers walking around with mp3 […]

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Have you heard the term "Wireless Substitution?"  It’s the technical way of referring to the act of dropping one’s landline and going totally wireless.  In radio jargon, we know at as "Cell Phone Only." A new study by Telephia now breaks down the percent of "wireless substitution" in the Top 20 markets – and there […]

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Nope, it’s not the replacement for Opie & Anthony, but a couple of dead coaches who came alive as Michigan dueled Ohio State to determine college football supremacy.  (Yes, I am still licking my maize and blue wounds, but it was one helluva game.)  It’s interesting that in all the press coverage and hype surrounding […]

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Nope, it’s not the replacement for Opie & Anthony, but a couple of dead coaches who came alive as Michigan dueled Ohio State to determine college football supremacy.  (Yes, I am still licking my maize and blue wounds, but it was one helluva game.)  It’s interesting that in all the press coverage and hype surrounding […]

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Radio’s twists and turns get more interesting by the week, as the industry continues to seek out definition… And answers. Case in point:  Independent station owner, Bud Walters.  He owns WBUZ in Nashville, a station that is up against many of the big boys in a very competitive Rock market.  The Buzz was one of […]

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Radio’s twists and turns get more interesting by the week, as the industry continues to seek out definition… And answers. Case in point:  Independent station owner, Bud Walters.  He owns WBUZ in Nashville, a station that is up against many of the big boys in a very competitive Rock market.  The Buzz was one of […]

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Ask anyone about the newspaper business these days, and they’ll tell you it’s about over.  Circulation numbers are falling fast, young people don’t bother reading them, classified ads are moving to the Internet, and the entire model is breaking down. But if that’s the case, how come business morons like Jack Welch, David Geffen, and […]

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The bad news for DJs?  The Clear Channel purges, in particular, have put many talented personalities out of work. The good news?  They want you in India. In that growing country, radio is red hot.  More stations are signing on, and the occupation of "Radio Jockey" is highly respected and desirable.  Even professionals like physicians […]

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That’s essentially what Sir George and Giles Martin have created in the new Love collection that accompanies the hot new Cirque du Soleil show in Las Vegas.  But for Beatles fans, these new/old versions are an incredible reshaping of songs that are burned into our memories, and are now re-mixed differently using archived material. As […]

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In the wake of Jonathan Miller’s departure as the CEO of AOL comes news that Jason Calacanis – head of AOL’s Netscape Division, CEO of Weblogs, Inc., and Jacobs Media Summit 11 speaker – has turned in his ID badge. If you think 2006 has been a rough and tumble year for terrestrial radio, think […]

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…Not necessarily better.  Finally, the anticipated news that Clear Channel will now be owned by private equity, rather than operate as a public company has been announced.  While this may signal a company that is easier to run – without the burdens of Wall Street scrutiny – it also potentially ushers in a new era […]

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That’s the way Ford’s new CEO, Alan Mulally, is now greeted by his mom in emails.  Just a couple of months ago, it was "Hi, Airplane Guy," because Mulally ran Boeing.  So from aviation to automotive in one year.  And what are his chances of success? Well, that’s just the point, because the theory is […]

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That’s the way Ford’s new CEO, Alan Mulally, is now greeted by his mom in emails.  Just a couple of months ago, it was "Hi, Airplane Guy," because Mulally ran Boeing.  So from aviation to automotive in one year.  And what are his chances of success? Well, that’s just the point, because the theory is […]

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Since Jacobs Media launched the NeoRadio model three years ago, the concept of integrating the listener (or customer) into helping shape the brand has grown in acceptance and importance.  This was underscored by the fact that some of the nation’s biggest marketing managers just wrapped up one of their big conferences with a very different […]

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An interesting development occurred during a football game between Wisconsin and Penn State a couple of Saturdays ago.  Taking advantage of an NCAA rule change, Wisconsin head coach, Bret Bielema, intentionally had his team run offsides twice in order to kill the clock and win the game.  While this move created some controversy among the […]

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Yes, it’s finally happening – the Arbitron eDiary will be an option for respondents starting in the Winter ’07 survey.  This is a good sign, and this new recording tool will very likely resonate nicely with younger demographics, a long-time challenge for Arbitron (and all research companies, for that matter). Clearly, the paper and pencil […]

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I’m glad to welcome back Jacobs Media’s Paul Jacobs for a guest blog today: A recent cover of Brandweek captured my attention.  TNT was touting NBA games as THE place to reach young men.  Interesting.  In radio, outside of beers and bars, we can’t find advertisers who are interested in this demo, but on television […]

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The fastest growing, wealthiest Internet search company is looking to hire hundreds of qualified radio salespeople to get in on the ground floor of our newest venture – selling radio advertising.  But not the "old" media way – this is "new" media.  We want radio’s best and brightest – no schleppers invited.  If you know […]

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It’s been a crazy year for morning radio, especially in the wake of Howard Stern’s exodus to Sirius.  Everyone knows about the many efforts to try and replace Stern at both CBS stations, as well as stations owned by other companies. No matter where you come down on this, our strong sense is that Stern’s […]

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