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The election and 2020 are thankfully in the rear-view mirror, but that hasn’t quieted the political noise we hear every day. New research shows that politics is impacting just about every aspect of our lives. And radio is being affected as well – in good, bad, and even some surprising ways. It’s a mine field out there, and today’s blog post looks at this important trend that every broadcaster has to navigate.

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We love technology, but when it enhances radio, that’s a big deal. So, when I started seeing lots of Twitter activity around an Amsterdam-based site, Radio Garden, it got my attention. It’s a brilliant discovery tool, and allows users to find radio stations all over the globe – on their phones or laptops. Maybe they’re discovering your station.

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Nothing surprises us anymore. But when I read that 98% of retail brands in the U.S. will be increasing their marketing this year in one key area, it caught my attention. Usually an afterthought – email database marketing – is a go-to tactic for 98% of some of the biggest and best retail brands in the US. Today’s blog post revisits the power and value of this great – did I mention virtually free? – under-utilized tool in the digital “tool kit.” Here are 7 tips to ensure you enjoy email database success.

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A few years ago, our DASH Conferences were developed to bring the radio broadcasting and automotive industries together with the goal of working on mutually advantageous initiatives. All these years later, the car remains radio’s #1 listening location, even though vehicle dashboards and infotainment systems are rapidly changing. On the heels of CES, new announcements from the auto companies promise major impacts for radio – and we’ve got three of the biggest in focus in today’s blog post.

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Harley-Davidson, that venerable Baby Boomer brand, has fallen on hard times in recent years. Sales were down-trending long before COVID, and a new CEO has taken over the helm in an effort to turn things around. Today’s blog post lists a 6-pack of challenges Harley is facing – and they’ll have a similar ring to what we’re experiencing in radio. Have a beer, and check it out.

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The planets lined up 50 years ago in two U.S. cities more than 2,000 miles apart. WRIF and KISW first hit the airwaves in February 1971 – and both the Detroit and Seattle radio markets have felt the tremors ever since. Last weekend, both stations celebrated their 50th anniversaries. And rather than living in the past, each used the “new tools” to design appropriate tributes to former staffers, loyal listeners, faithful advertisers, and proud communities.

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Super Bowl LV set all kinds of records – on the gridiron and off. On the one hand, there was Tom Brady’s heroics; on the other, CBS’s broadcast TV ratings were down, lower than they’ve been for the “Big Game” in years. But it turns out streaming numbers achieved an all-time high for the matchup between the Bucs and Chiefs, sending an important message about how the game is changing for consumers, content creators, and advertisers.

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It’s that time of year again – the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame has just announced its 2021 nominees. And already, millions of music fans are hacked off by their outrageous snubs. In today’s blog post, we take a look back at some of the Hall’s historically lame choices, with assurances that eventually, your favorite artist will one day be inducted. Until then, there’s always Twitter.

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As James Taylor used to complain, “Damn, that traffic jam!” But these days, what radio wouldn’t give for any tie-ups, back-ups, and more congestion, especially during morning and afternoon drive. Trying to assess the damage – what is real, what isn’t, and where our radio stations are in the recovery process – is the tough part. Thanks to fresh new data about traffic patterns in more than 400 markets, we can begin to put together the drive time puzzle. There’s a good chance your market is listed in this helpful index from TomTom.

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We’re all doing our best to learn on the job – understanding the hot new technology, discovering new tools that can help us accomplish our goals, and face the challenge of doing all this while coping with COVID. So, last week, when I got the news that House Democrats got schooled in social media by an unlikely instructor, it caught my attention. And it will likely grab yours, too.

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A big question many of us are asking is when concerts, events, and conventions will be back. Rather than speculating or waiting for them to return, we believe that developing a virtual event strategy is a key to surviving – and thriving – in 2020. And we’ve put together a great checklist based on our own experience. “See” you there.

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Super Bowl LV is in the books, and already the center of a number of controversies that include the halftime show, the officiating, and of course, the commercials. I foolishly weigh in on all these topics to get the juices flowing to start a new week.

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An unintended consequence of the pandemic has been a mass movement to sharpen skills – like baking or learning Italian. One of the beneficiaries of this movement has been the guitar, which made a huge comeback in 2020. While this trend bodes well for Fender and Guitar Center, could it also signal a change in music, and therefore, radio, in the coming years?

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Radio format stunts used to be packed with drama and anticipation. After all, you’re only new once. And to inspire the next great new format debut, look no further than your nearest television set where the producers of “Jeopardy” have been stunting for weeks, building up anticipation for who will follow in Alex Trebek’s mighty shoes. There’s a lot to be learned from this nightly game within a game, as fans speculate about “who’s next?”

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Not every innovation we see at events like CES has a direct application to radio broadcasting. But when we look beyond gadgetry and focus on technology and utility, it becomes easier to figure this stuff out. Today’s blog post is about drones, and new uses for these smart flying devices. What do they have to do with radio? You tell me.

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Remember when radio stations hired music directors because they had “great ears?” Today, a new app mashes up music discovery, crowd sourcing, and contesting in a unique combination that fosters music discovery. Today’s blog looks at how it works and how broadcast radio can still play a key role in finding “the next big thing.”

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2020 may not have been a great year for the economy. But one industry made substantial headway in growing its footprint – the cannabis business. As marijuana sales become legal in more and more states, smart marketers are moving into the space. And many of their strategic tenets have a ring of familiarity to what we consider “best practices” for broadcast radio.

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COVID has presented tough times for musicians and bands, especially those who aren’t the Foo Fighters or Adele. And for radio stations dependent on a healthy supply of great new music, 2020 was an arduous year. What can we learn about how music is now being exposed and enjoyed that can inform the way we program our stations? To gain more insight, I went back to one of radio’s gurus. And I share those observations with you in today’s blog post.

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It was a challenge to find the hot new gadget at CES 2021 because of the virtual nature of this iconic event. But after looking far and wide, I’ve found an innovation that combines the paranoia of these times with audio – yes, a hi-tech way to listen to the radio while avoiding the virus. What a deal!

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Like everything else in our COVID lives, even the Super Bowl is not immune to the pandemic and its effects. From the halftime show to this year’s lineup of multi-million dollar advertisers, LV promises to be a very different “Super Sunday.” And perhaps that’s an opportunity for radio.

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