The Jacobs Media Blog

Since the dawn of the Internet, we’ve had the desire for all our questions to be answered. With the Amazon Echo and Google Home, that wish may come true. What are the implications of voice command technology on how consumers entertain themselves at home? And how might that spell opportunity for broadcast radio, a medium that has lost share on the home front?

There’s a lot of anger and vitriol these days in the social media space. But there’s never been a better time for radio to embrace and excel at social media. Today’s post offers up 6 key reasons why radio – its personalities and its brands – can benefit by implementing a smart social media strategy.

General Motors CEO, Mary Barra, recently observed the automotive industry will undergo “more change in the next five years than we’ve seen in the last 50 years.” That means autonomous cars may be coming sooner than anyone thought. And of course, that has game-changing implications on the radio business. As we prepare for CES in Vegas, that’s the topic of today’s blog post.

A look at the most-shared stories on Facebook in 2016 speaks volumes about what works in personality radio. We broke down these viral stories themes. See if you agree with our categories and our perspective about how much social sharing and great radio bits have in common.

It’s that time of year when exciting new mobile devices will find their way under many trees. jacapps COO Bob Kernen has some great tips to ensure your brand’s mobile app is front and center on new smartphones and tablets. Here’s his list of practical and strategic hints.

In the UK, sales of vinyl records have now surpassed digital music revenue. And the hardware that plays vinyl – turntables – is experiencing a renaissance. Millennials are driving this unlikely turnaround, causing us to ask the question: Why not AM/FM radios?

Today’s post focuses on the power of “first principal” thinking – a way for a strategic team to identify and solve a problem, rather than coming up with the answer and working backwards to justify it. For start-ups – including launching a new format – “first principal” thinking should be part of that foundation.

Legacy media brands are showing signs of wear. Many stations and shows are facing change as upcoming generations of consumers have different habits and sensibilities. Today’s post looks at steps that CNN and public radio are taking to “future-proof” their brands.

As AI – or Artificial Intelligence – plays bigger role in the music selection engines of services like Spotify, Pandora, and Google Play Music, how can local broadcast radio continue to compete, resonate, and stay relevant?

It’s no longer just about ratings and sales. The yardstick for brands is the UX – or User Experience. And in today’s post, we learn about how to measure and track a station’s UX, whether it’s programming, sales, or event marketing – thanks to LEGO, one of the world’s great consumer brands. Their measurement chart is something any radio station team can emulate and utilize.
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Even in these times of low inflation, the cost of entertainment has been sharply on the rise – except for radio. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has just released a great sales piece for radio.

The anniversary of Beatle George Harrison’s death yesterday – the “quiet one” – hardly made a ripple on the radio and in social media. But the legacy of “The Quiet Beatle” is a reminder of the unheralded contributors in our organizations and stations. They’re the focus of our blog post today.