The Jacobs Media Blog

A recent story in Inside Radio discussed the now-familiar dilemma revolving around how stations and DJs with lots of fans and followers can sell advertising around the strength of their social media profiles. A number of radio broadcasting mavens were interviewed, and the bottom line conclusion was that social media is a nuanced communications tool that isn’t easy […]

“Prediction is very difficult, especially if it’s about the future.” Niels Bohr Bohr was a Danish physicist who worked toward a better understanding of atomic structure and quantum theory and he gave us this quote about the difficulty of making calls about what will happen next year…or ten years down the road. But that didn’t stop Gordon […]

Today is Election Day at long last.  All those annoying political ads for governors, senators, judges, secretaries of state, and various proposals will mercifully end.  On broadcast radio  the early returns on political spending are mixed.  So this post is being written without 100% of precincts reporting, but stories in the industry trades indicate that this was not […]

A recent feature in Tom Taylor’s “NOW” column highlighted employee reviews of broadcast radio companies.  Perhaps you’ve heard of GlassDoor.com – a website that allows workers to rate, compliment, or vent about their companies. Yes, many broadcast companies are included in these ratings, along with thousands and thousands of companies and corporations in media, entertainment, […]

Since our DASH Conference earlier in the month, there has been no shortage of conversation and buzz about all things “connected car.”  Some of the stories reinforce a great deal of activity from the automakers, while others are simply making wild and crazy statements about cars that equipped with digital connectivity. For example, the early numbers […]

When it comes to digital initiatives, I’m often asked, “But who’s doing it right?” And if you search the web hard enough, you’re likely to find an interesting idea here, or a clever application there. But in terms of big picture thinking, it’s scattershot at best.  This seems to be especially true of radio station websites, often […]

You know the value of free investment advice (or free radio consulting) – not much. So please read today’s blog post with two jaundiced eyes. I am not a professional stock picker, a day trader, or someone who has always made the best choices in real estate investments. But I have a growing theory about companies and […]

You may have read about the big news out of Country radio that Taylor Swift’s new pop song, “Shake It Off,” is virtually formata non grata. Most programmers simply avoided it because it doesn’t fit the Country format. And the release of the entire album, 1989, is an obvious step by Swift to mine mass appeal contemporary […]

Yesterday’s post about Pandora’s full frontal assault on broadcast radio via the “connected car” generated a lot of comments – as intended. But if you think the story is confined to the C-suites of major radio companies, automakers and their suppliers, think again. One of the major impetuses revolving around our second DASH conference was to ensure that all […]

Today’s post title is the only possible conclusion I can reach about broadcast radio’s lack of strategic focus and apparent concern about what is happening with its present and future in “connected cars.” This became even clearer to me after DASH last week.  It was gratifying to see a large, enthusiastic crowd eager to learn, exchange, […]

As if you needed any indication that the Classic Rock revolution is alive and well, look no further than the college campus. While it’s true that the core Classic Rock listener is, in fact, an aging Baby Boomer, the reality is that “the music that has stood the test of time” continues to find new fans, […]

Now that our second DASH conference is history, I heard from a number of people late last week and over this past weekend asking about what transpired at this year’s event. We’ll be recapping DASH, especially for those who were in attendance, but I can tell you that for the second year, we had huge […]

America’s love affair with cars is a relationship that is nearing the century mark.  The freedom to get behind the wheel and drive of with the radio blaring  – whether gas prices are at $4.00 a gallon on not – is something that all of us cherish and enjoy. As a native Detroiter, this amazing relationship between […]

Now that we’re deep into the MLB Playoffs, here’s a trivia question for you: Q. Unlike Derek Jeter who spent his entire career with one team (the Yankees, of course), which Major League Player has spent time on the most number of different teams? A. The correct answer is pitcher Octavio Dotel who has worn […]

Jācapps COO Bob Kernen knows his way around an app store.  As a guy who understands the in’s out out’s of mobile strategies, his guest post today suggests a change in thinking about what makes a great app.  So stop multitasking for a second and check out his perspective. – FJ Reddit recently released an app for […]