jacoBLOG

Some of audio’s biggest personalities are weighing an important question: cash vs. cume. Podcaster Joe Rogan is the latest to test the tradeoff when he inked an exclusive deal with Spotify last year. But there’s precedence in the name of Howard Stern, and his exit from broadcast to satellite radio in 2006. Does moving to a smaller platform translate to a loss of relevance. Today’s blog post have the numbers.

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An issue that has been bubbling under in radio circles revolves around how radio LOOKS in cars. Metadata – the information that provides artist, title, and album art – has the potential to be so much more. Automakers are investing heavily in their dashboard displays. If radio is to keep pace, it must develop smart, savvy metadata standards and practices. The guy who knows more about that topic than perhaps anyone else in the industry – Roger Lanctot – is our featured guest in today’s JacoBLOG. Buckle up.

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The very visible war between Apple and Facebook over how our personal data is used just reached a new level. A new iPhone update may change the way consumers will deal with apps and data collection. Any media brand that relies on our digital footprints to sell ads should be paying attention to what’s going on – and why it’s a 2021 Clash of the Tech Titans.

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Podcasting is at the foundation of the “audio renaissance,” as more and more broadcasters cram into the space in hopes of cashing in. But media pundits often overlook some of the truths about podcasting that are “inconvenient” – how many are really listening, podcast ads, and podcasting’s impact on broadcast radio.

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While not every radio brand has the tools, the staff, or the money to compete against Facebook, Amazon, Google, or Spotify, they do have a powerful weapon: social acknowledgment. And we start the new week with a fun object lesson in just how far interacting with a single fan can take a baseball team – or a radio station – that’s tuned-in, engaged, and in the moment. Play ball.

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This week, I’ve been treated to an aural experience I haven’t witnessed in over a year.  I heard sounds that I thought I had forgotten. Slowly but surely, our mobile app company – jacapps – is stirring.  Their workforce is beginning to return to our office space.  And the result? Laughter. It’s been awhile.  Probably […]

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As we emerge from the depths of COVID, both the video and audio industries are suffering from the same malady – a lack of hits. In radio, it has taken its toll on formats once famous for playing and breaking new music. Today’s blog post features new data and new ideas to ensure 2021 is truly a great year for music – and radio.

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The world of podcasting seems to be morphing by the moment, as one tech/media giant after another has announced new initiatives and acquisitions. What does this mean to “the little guy – or gal” just trying to make a sustainable living with their podcast? Today’s blog post takes a hard look at where podcasting is headed in 2021, and what it means to radio broadcasters jockeying for position.

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Jeff Bezos walked out of Amazon last week, leaving behind a manifesto about running a business (and a career). Love him or loathe him, Bezos’ purchase of a legacy media brand – the Washington Post – provides lessons for all of us in radio about what it means to not only to thrive, but to survive in the media maelstrom. I’ve always been taught, “Learn from the best,” and for Bezos, it has always been more than just amassing capital.

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Fan loyalty is a hot commodity. But how can you convert the average listener into becoming a brand evangelist for your radio stations? New insights from our Techsurvey 2021 provide the road map. And we’ve assembled marketing insights to help any station identify and grow its hardcore fans.

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Life is transitory – for radio and for all of us. Maybe it took a year like 2020 to remind us that it can come and it can go – just like that. Thoughts to wrap up the week.

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It’s always important to follow current radio listening trends. But the new ways in which consumers are watching TV – and how they’re increasingly paying for commercial-free content – could have an even more pronounced effect on their radio usage patterns. In today’s blog post, we have exciting new data to share that sheds much light on changing content consumption, and how radio can adapt.

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In times of crisis, a culture of innovation becomes even more important. But how can the average radio cluster break through and foster that spirit while so many staffers are working from home? I consulted with one of the best market managers I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with for advice, and he didn’t let me down. I think you’ll like his prescription for how any radio group can build a winning culture – even during a pandemic.

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How do you buy a birthday gift for someone who seemingly has everything? That’s how it shakes out for Spotify, celebrating its 15th birthday this week. And attention radio and other audio players: the innovation just keeps on coming.

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Radio programmers are always seeking to make a true emotional connection with their audience. It’s about creating “the feels” for your listeners. But how do you accurately identify precisely what that is, and how to reflect it back to your listeners? We take on that lofty challenge in today’s blog post. Warning: it is not a light read, but hopefully a conversation starter.

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Technology has come a long way in recent years, but there’s no better example of its power, potential, and exploitation than AI – Artificial Intelligence. And now, that technology is being used to actually create Classic Rock songs. Today’s blog post gives you a listen, ready or not.

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Conventional wisdom is often handed down like folklore – and is often just as inaccurate. Today’s JacoBLOG takes us inside the world of videogaming, where women are increasingly making their mark, upending long-held beliefs about audience targeting. It’s a cautionary tale that demographic stereotyping has become as outdated as cart machines and pagers.

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Radio has done a fantastic job during the past year managing its remote presentation, sales, and administration. But what toll is WFH taking on station culture? New research reveals there is one group of workers especially vulnerable because of COVID restrictions – perhaps the most important people in determining radio’s future.

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Understanding a radio station’s “chemistry” – the combination of factors that makes it successful – is a key to surviving and thriving in our highly competitive media landscape. Sixteen years after leaving terrestrial radio, Howard Stern’s legacy is for every station to discover its Brand DNA. And like a simple litmus test, it can often be learned by asking just one simple question.

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Women’s History Month has come and gone, but there are big gaps in how female artists are played on the radio, as well as how women are given a fair shot at management and programming jobs inside stations and with the companies that own them. Now, a new research study reveals a surprising finding – the algorithms that are the engines of streaming platforms may be mathematically biased against female artists. Today’s blog has the story and what it means to radio.

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