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Today’s post cuts right to the quick: the 10 radio lies we tell each other, our advertisers, our listeners, and our staff. Some will have a ring of familiarity to you, while others may surprise. And I’m sure I’ve left a few doozies out. See for yourself.

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Hard to believe, but this week marks the end of the first half of 2019. Just like in any football game, it’s all about reassessing and making adjustments at “halftime.” In today’s post, we’ll recap some of radio’s first half highlights, and then share with you some of the big plays you can expect to see during the rest of the “season.”

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Podcasting has been around for quite a while now, and yet, it still feels like a nascent media platform. A lack of great data is the culprit, and so analysts continue to debate precisely who is the target audience for podcasts. A new Nielsen report seeks to clarify things, but a little “data mining” on our part might turn out to be even more revealing. Check out today’s blog post for more perspective.

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We’ve talked about sonic branding in past posts over the last year or so. More and more brands are finding ways to use audio as a device to build awareness and even usage. As counter-intuitive as it sounds, every radio station needs an audio strategy. And audio signatures are a great place to start. We’ve got some great examples in today’s post.

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Where is the next generation of radio staffers going to come from? A new survey suggests mass media majors are less desirable than ever. Job One for radio broadcasters should be engaging with local colleges and universities in their home markets. Today’s blog post charts the way forward.

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All of us at Jacobs Media are excited about our expanded “Broadcasters Meet Podcasters” sessions at this year’s Podcast Movement conference in Orlando. We’ve got some great guests, keynoters, and panelists set to go. Details on sessions, speakers, and what you’ll learn at this year’s session is today’s blog post topic.

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Last week, the Conclave celebrated its 44th year with a great conference in its home of Minneapolis. Many of you know Paul Jacobs was awarded the Conclave’s highest honor – the Rockwell Award. It brought out the best in Paul. His speech about six life and career lessons has generated much buzz. If you didn’t attend Conclave or didn’t watch the video, today’s post provides a primer for how to navigate a great career in radio – the victories, the joys, and yes, even the mistakes.

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Yesterday at the Conclave conference in Minneapolis, digital media dominated the conversation in one session after another. “Where is the audience going when they’re not listening to radio?” and what should broadcasters be doing about it – was a central theme. A newly released study for newspapers addresses this very topic, providing hints about how radio can make the adjustments in content creation and distribution choices in order to stay relevant and profitable. As radio broadcasters address these very same issues, today’s post will help strategists connect those dots.

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Digital media brands may have amassed large audiences, but when it comes to marketing, data is pretty much what they bring to the table. Radio has the potential to be so much more than numbers and attribution. Today’s blog post looks at the current state of media marketing, focusing on radio’s pathway to not only staying in the game, but one-upping digital players when it comes to sales, marketing, branding – and results.

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These days, it’s easy to point to disruption as the root cause of audience erosion. The most successful startup companies – or upstarts – are building their businesses on customer focus – capitalizing on truly listening to customers and responding to their needs. In today’s post, we look at ways for radio to recenter its energies on the customer, right down an old trick that can transform your station’s strategy sessions.

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There’s a new model of Amazon Alexa – Echo Auto, an affordable, aftermarket product that brings voice technology to virtually any car. It’s a reminder that voice will come to cars at a rapid rate. And it’s an incentive for radio broadcasters to develop an audio strategy in this new voice environment where preset push-buttons may be replaced by “Alexa, ….”

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We talk a lot in this blog about who is radio’s REAL competition. While you’re reading this post, media giants from the New York Times to Spotify are furiously going after your most prized possession – your morning drive audience. And they’re using podcasting’s habit-forming, on-demand qualities to lure your listeners away. Here’s how they’re doing it and what you can do in response.

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Earlier in the week, comedian and talk show host, Jon Stewart, flew to Washington, D.C. to address the House of Representatives. The issue? Passage of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund – legislation guaranteeing health care for those heroic first responders, many of whom are suffering from serious health problems as a result of their bravery. It was a powerful speech, and a reminder to those of us in the communication business about how to effectively get our point across whether we’re behind the mic or in the corner office.

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We keep saying and repeating that “content is king.” And in the radio business – past and present – that has always meant the role, talent, and coaching of on-air personalities. Today’s post looks at a former NBA coach, now an ESPN analyst, and how he has raised his radio game. It’s something every DJ and host should read. And we’re also pleased to announce the launch of our AQ2 study – our nationwide online survey of commercial radio personalities in the U.S. Everything you need is right here.

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The challenges facing broadcast radio are mounting. Wherever you look, the industry is under pressure. But what’s the biggest challenge facing radio in 2019 – and beyond? Digital media? Satellite radio? Alexa? Podcasts? Gen Z? Or something else? Our blog post today answers the bell to discuss radio’s biggest roadblock to success in the digital era. And guess what? It’s fixable.

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Some brands are survivors. They have the amazing ability to endure hardship, bad times, and strategic mistakes. You don’t hang around in radio for 50 years by accident. The radio stations that have stood the test of time have “great bones,” thanks to the hard work and creativity of their pioneers. In the automotive industry, marketers are keeping a close eye on VW’s revival, as they attempt to raise themselves from the ashes of “Dieselgate,” and leap into the electric era. Radio managers and owners should be taking notes. The analogies are obvious.

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There are now 700,000+ podcasts to choose from, but very few “best practices” to guide podcast producers. Last year, we were involved in a company-wide competition that spawned a podcast that won a coveted Edward R. Murrow award. Seth talked to the podcast’s producer on the path to creating 10 key steps to creating a winning podcast. This is good stuff.

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We love to celebrate musical milestones. That’s part of the “secret sauce” of the Classic Rock format. But nostalgia isn’t just about remembering the good times; it has the power to transforms debacles, fiascoes, and screw-ups into memorable moments. Cases in point: the anniversaries of Steve Dahl’s “Disco Demolition” and the debut of New Coke, proving once again that time heals all disasters. We go back in time in today’s blog post – but it’s a fun journey (mostly).

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It’s a glass half empty, glass half full question: How’s radio doing? We’ve got two brand new charts that speak volumes about how radio is being consumed and how it continues to attract local advertising dollars. Will they settle all arguments and disputes? Probably not. But they will illuminate broadcast radio’s position in the new media environment.

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