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This week, JacoBLOG has discussed what radio broadcasters can do to build their brands and strengthen their audience connections during the pandemic. I’ve saved the best for last – the creation of a station “brand advocates” program that’s still together 9 years after it was first formed. There’s a lot to learn from radio “fan evangelists” about the power of the medium, connection, and tribes.

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One of the best and yet most-underutilized tools at many radio stations is the email database. At a recent marketing conference, I saw panel after panel of smart marketers from television and print who are putting this resource to work. In today’s installment of how radio can best navigate COVID-19, we’ll look under the hood at these databases, and how radio broadcasters can strategically grow audience engagement, brand building, and yes, sales.

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Over the decades, research has become more and more important to radio broadcasters. And my go-to methodology – the focus group – was made for times like these. They’re quick, inexpensive, and agile – a perfect way to listen to your listeners. Today’s post talks about Zoom focus groups, and how they’ve become viable as we tackle the challenges of a global pandemic.

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The July 4th holiday signals the end of the first half of the year. And in the case of 2020, it couldn’t end soon enough. All this week, we’ll be looking ahead to the “second half,” and what radio broadcasters can do to make the best of a challenging situation. Today’s post is about what has become something of a lost art across the radio dial – special programs, and how they can inject much-needed electricity and enchantment in your on-air schedules.

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Social media is nearly two decades old, but is stirring up more controversy with each passing year. Facebook, not surprisingly, has been in the cross hairs of Congress, advertisers, and its users. Today’s post looks at some of these controversies, and leaves you with a riveting video that brilliantly illustrates the rise of social media that has occurred right before our very eyes.

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COVID-19 has changed our driving patterns – and our relationships with our cars. That has had a shocking impact on radio ratings and revenues. But now new research data reveals three emerging new trends that provide a sense of optimism and hope for radio broadcasters. A key will be seizing the moment and taking advantage of these new opportunities.

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A little basic math can help radio stations prioritize their on-air marketing strategies. As more and more consumers find themselves at home for the foreseeable future, directing them to the most frequently used devices is a key to maintaining and even increasing listening during the pandemic. Fortunately, we have the formula – and it’s a simple one.

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Pulling off a successful radio launch is a tough putt during the best of times. But given the current events in our country and across the globe, a new station debut is a heavy lift. For guidance, we turn to one of the planet’s best showmen – someone with a proven track record of getting new projects off the ground, and even into space.

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We’re at an amazing junction in American history as a global pandemic, an economic meltdown, and racial tensions make up a critical trifecta of events unthinkable just a few months ago. And radio broadcasters, far from exempt from these events, find themselves at an important memo. This may be the time to reassess standards and practices up and down the chain. It may also be a great opportunity to listen.

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How does a radio format where the newest song is nearly 30 years-old remain relevant in our disposable society? Classic Rock has defied all odds, continuing to reach new heights of popularity. And in today’s post heading into a summer weekend, we have a “6-pack” of Classic Rock stories to get your weekend started – guaranteed to make you smile, perhaps raise an eyebrow, and even grow.

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In this era of Spotify playists, most people routinely “skip” songs they dislike, typically after a few seconds. And that leads to this question, will music ever “grow on us” again? Today’s blog post looks at the record album – not just the hit single. And thankfully, it doesn’t contain a single chart or graph.

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The July 4th Weekend is coming up fast. And while many stations write these holidays off as anomalous periods where most consumers break their normal listening patterns to go on vacations, this year looks to be different. New research shows that Americans will likely be taking “road trips,” not straying too far from home. And that spells opportunity for radio sales and programming departments – if they take advantage of the opportunity. Here’s the plan…

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A new video by Rush celebrates the 40th anniversary of their “Permanent Waves” album. But whether you were a Rush fan or not, their anthem – “Spirit of Radio” – has just been re-imagined as an animated video that’s a love letter their late band mate, Neil Peartt, to Guglielmo Marconi’s brilliant innovation, and to all of us who’ve ever worked in radio.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has hit radio hard, especially in many of America’s largest markets. But what about in small towns? How are they coping with the virus, and how are they innovating in some of the smallest communities? As we learned from a visit with family-owned broadcasters in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, there are “best practices” that apply to major market stations.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has changed when and where we’ve been consuming media content. But it also has altered the types and genres of programming we watch and listen to. In TV, the “rerun” has been reborn because producers are hard-pressed to make new shows. And in radio, Classic Rock and Classic Hits stations have excelled these past 90 days playing music people have heard gazillions of times. This also explains why those “repurposed” radio morning show podcasts perform so well. So, why can’t radio sellers command premium dollars for these on-demand audio shows?

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The protests of the past two weeks swirling around George Floyd, racism, and the connected issues of the economy and COVID-19 are stark reminders of how common issues can become global movements. But over the past decade, music has always provided a moving soundtrack, using its power to remind us of these moments in time. So, where are the protest songs, and could an anthem like “Imagine” or “Ohio” become the theme song of a generation?

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