The Jacobs Media Blog

People often ask about the one key chart from Techsurvey that I think packs the most punch. Of course, it varies from year to year. But in 2026 – the 22nd consecutive year in which we’ve produced these studies – there is one chart that jumped off the screen for me. See what you think.

Those elusive P1 listeners can be challenging for most stations to track, much less identify. But a “deep cut” of our Techsurvey data indicates radio’s MVPs may have been there for many stations all along. Do you know the one thing they have in common?

There’s the marketing your station or brand does intentionally. But then there are the unplanned opportunities that drop in your lap. Some are serendipitous gifts—those lemonade moments that are simply golden. Then there are others that might be disastrous or even threatening to your brand—the lemons that you need to turn into lemonade. And where does radio fit in? We’ve got it all in today’s blog post.

“The World’s Largest Media Company”—that’s quite the crown. And who’s now wearing it in 2026 might surprise you. We suspected there might be a new leader this year, and as a result, we made some noticeable modifications to our new Techsurvey. I’ve got some preliminary results that should whet your media appetite, along with a registration link for our upcoming TS26 webinar. So, let’s dig in.

Today’s blog post is about getting with the program. It’s all about revenue generation no matter what level of radio you’re into. And yet in so many different aspects of radio, we find ourselves in the familiar position of covering the same ground. And in the process, the ball is not being advanced.

It seems like every time you look up from your dashboard metadata, another automaker is threatening to do something wrong-headed revolving around keeping radio standard in their vehicles. Last week, it was the CEO of Stellantis, makers of Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep, and other brands, speculating about what life would be like without radio in his company’s dashboards. In today’s post, I talk about that bad idea, as well as take a look back at cult film where a hot white Dodge Challenger was the star. And it had an AM radio.

Apple turned 50 last week. While it is truly one of the most successful American companies in its history, the rise, the fall, and then the next rise are the result of Apple not fearing disruption, change, or even failure. Apple’s half-century contains important lessons for broadcast radio at a pivotal time for the industry. And if you think it’s not fair to compare radio to a company the magnitude of Apple, think again.

New music discovery, once a radio mainstay, has now been fragmented across thousands of entertainment brands all over the Internet. And now an airline has jumped on the new music bandwagon, begging the question of whether radio can ever recapture its former glory—assuming it wants to.

The saga of a song about chasing an elusive girl, trying to get her phone number, is one of those iconic “stories behind the song.” In this case, it’s a one-hit wonder released 45 years ago that has become legendary. And lately, this MTV and radio hit has found a new application—battling cancer.

As a wise Cajun once said, “It’s the economy, stupid.” And today’s new “spicy meatball” finding from Techsurvey 2026 sheds some fascinating light on how Americans view the country’s and their personal economic conditions. Does this have implications on radio? You betcha.

The numbers tell important truths about the sometimes shaky marriage betwee the broadcast radio and automotive industries. As we’ve watched the car dashboard not only grow, but also evolve, radio’s fortunes in vehicles rise and fall by different metrics, but also by experiences. Radio’s metadata leader, Quu, recently released their third annual “In-Vehicle Visuals Report.” In an upcoming webinar, we’ll look at how the Top 100 most-popular vehicles are equipped and why it is of paramounnt to today’s radio broadcasters.

In recent years, broadcast radio has struggled in a highly fractionalized, hyper-competitive digital media environment. It is no longer a matter of basic messaging or even sounding good. To effectively compete today, a local radio station needs to stand out—and show up. Here’s what that looks like in 2026.

The trend might have started with the demise of CBS Radio News, a move that sent shockwaves throughout American radio. A series of other high-profile shutdowns have followed, impacting companies as diverse as Meta, OpenAI, Honda, and ABC Television. What do these “fails” say about the media and tech environment we’re in now?

The finishing touches are being applied to this year’s Techsurvey 2026, our 22nd annual study comprised of mostly core radio listeners, this year more than 30,000 strong. And while we asked the usual questions (digital usage, smart speaker ownership, and the state of AI), we always make room for a few “spicy meatballs”—those tantalizing questions we all want to know the answers to. So, while we polish up our stakeholder TS26 webinar next week, here’s a tasty hors d’oeuvre I know you’ll enjoy.

Most radio talent do their best to expose their brand to the widest listening audience possible through personal appearances, charity and community work, and creating highly visible profiles all over social media. But there’s an alternative. A handful of DJs have made it part of their schtick to conceal their identities, leading fans to speculate about who they really are, thus amplifying their legends. Today’s blog post focuses on these mystery personalities and why this strategy could work again in 2026.

One thing’s for sure—we can all learn from the best. And for today’s blog post, we get a lesson or two from one of the masters: SNL executive producer Lorne Michaels. To learn about his newest innovation that applies directly to radio, click “READ MORE” below.