The Jacobs Media Blog

If every day feels like another chapter in “Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!,” have I got a blog post for you: four media and tech stories that may seem just a tad unbelievable. Except they’re true.

Both the Infinite Dial and Techsurvey 2025 reports reveal strong numbers for podcasting. In fact, each study reveals that podcasts have entered the mainstream. Smart podcasting studios like Wondery are seizing the moment, and proactively marketing their companies to audiences, advertisers, and podcast creators. It turns out that many of the attributes that make podcasts popular are the very same characteristics common to great radio shows and stations. But there are some key differences, too, that are determining factors.

Broadcast radio of all varieties finds itself under growing pressure to figure out its most advantageous place in the media hierarchy. How can it both be different and viable? Public radio stations have increasingly faced challenges to remain credible, relevant, and financially stable. Of course, there are no simple solutions, but there may be an available pathway that could solve myriad problems. That’s the basis of today’s blog post.

We love to have the generations debate where we argue about which demographic block has the edge, is more innovative, or simply lucked out. Whenever we have this discussion, it seems the one group that is invariably left out is Generation X. Time after time, they’re overlooked, ignored, or simply not given the credit for what they’ve accomplished. And now, it appears that technology—including AI—may be leaving them behind…again.

Wouldn’t it be great to have a logo for your brand that millions want to buy and proudly wear? That is, until it ends up on the shirt of a less-than-desirable citizen who just might make your precious brand look bad? It recently happened on a popular TV show to one of America’s great universities. And be careful—it could happen to your radio station brand, too.

Over the past week, the two big stories in radio have been the NAB and the Trump Tariffs. But a major format change in the Twin Cities has sparked lots of conversations, and today, I joined the fray.

There is no bigger radio conference in the world than the NAB convention, happening this week in Las Vegas. What are broadcasters talking about? Where are the speed bumps? Where are the solutions? It all starts with conversations. And let’s hope radio is thinking BIG and talking about the right stuff.

It’s NAB week for broadcasters, the annual industry gathering in Las Vegas. And it is coinciding with economic uncertainty, highlighted by plummeting stock prices and much hand-wringing. This isn’t the first time radio’s signature conference happened concurrently with an economic meltdown. If you remember the Radio Show in Austin in 2008, this year could be déjà vu all over again. And you know what? We got through that one, too. Here’s the story.

The battle for dashboard primacy just got more heated. That new Quu report has a key takeaway—the “last touch/first touch challenge” in cars should generate strategic conversations in every radio company, big and small. Today’s blog post breaks it all down, and leaves you with some important action items. I hope you’ll take some time today or over the weekend to read it over and give it a think.

What can radio broadcasters learn about strategic marketing from companies that make blue jeans and sell shoes? You might be surprised about the through-line connecting some of the best examples of serving audiences and growing brands.

The world is a competitive place, whether you’re one of the four still standing in March Madness, trying to get your hands on one of those New York Yankee “torpedo bats,” or you’re trying to navigate your station or your company through these “tariff terrors.” Sometimes, life is just unfair. But here are some ideas about how to put it in perspective.

Are you one of those people who keeps a “bucket list” of all the things you want to do before you die? According to Stanford University’s School of Medicine, 90% of us have one. And now, rock n’ roll’s biggest hype artist is launching a “bucket list” promotion where fans are being asked to pay thousands of dollars for the privilege of being his roadie for a day. Who is he and why does he matter to experiential marketing mavens? And could your radio station pull off something similar?

Since the advent of smart speakers, radio broadcasters have seen an opportunity to promote these devices as ways to listen to their stations at home and at work. But now, Amazon is changing their Alexa business model and it has implications on everyone in radio. Today’s blog post has the story about the transformation of Alexa and what it may mean to your station.

Yesterday’s post about Apple CarPlay triggered questions about the impact of technology on in-car AM/FM listening levels. I’ve got new Techsurvey 2025 data that may make you think twice about the research you see. I also have thoughts on what broadcasters can do to control their fate in the car. Just click “READ MORE.”

Radio people know the continuing story of the car dashboard has had a major impact on the way consumers listen to radio in the #1 listening location. But dashboards have gotten exponentially more complicated in the last decade, often confusing and frustrating drivers. General Motors has been the car company that has pushed the envelope hardest. And now a controversy revolving around Apple CarPlay threatens to complicate an already confusing listening environment. We’ve got this important study for you in today’s blog post.

By now, we know the real truth – designing and creating successful digital content is hard, and the fail rate is high. But as our Techsurveys continue to show, there is one digital piece that is simpler, less expensive, and doesn’t require teams of employees: online newsletters. Today’s post shows not only why they’re already highly appealing to your audience but their extra-added bonus: first party data in the form of email addresses, a valuable asset for any radio brand. Let me walk you through it. Just click READ MORE.