The Jacobs Media Blog

I first saw James Cridland speak at “Convergence” a few years back and immediately knew that we had to get him on the Jacobs Summit roster the following December.  You may recall his mantra was that “radio needs to speak in one voice” in order to achieve true effectiveness in an increasingly cluttered and competitive […]

Today’s post is a collaborative effort from Paul and me.  We’ve spent a lot of time together already this year, highlighted by those three crazy days in Las Vegas at CES.  As we continue to assess the many changes that are already taking place in just the first month of the new year, today’s post […]

It’s been interesting watching Howard Stern take a well-deserved victory lap as he reaches the 60-year milestone.   I remember when he turned 40, Infinity Broadcasting sprung for commemorative wristwatches.  Howard’s come a long way. I’ve been fascinated by some of Howard’s recollections during his “birthday week.”  Aside from some of the amazing rock star tributes, it’s […]

There are times that working in radio can make you wonder if we’ve been left behind when it comes to important and emerging digital trends. Looking back over the past couple decades, the radio industry has been challenged in its ability to participate in a number of new media opportunities.  From iPods to satellite radio, broadcasters have […]

If you’re a Netflix subscriber, you’ll know immediately where this post is headed. Because with House of Cards now a Golden Globe winning series, Netflix has officially changed the game for TV viewing. In yesterday’s post, the question about whether Pandora is in fact “radio” was at the center point of the discussion.  The same […]

So here we go again.  Another year, and more denial and defensiveness about Pandora. According to an Inside Radio survey of broadcasters late last year, two-thirds say Pandora (and services like it) poses no real threat to radio. Are these guys living in the same world we are?  Do they talk to consumers?  Do they […]

To continue the thread from yesterday’s guest post from Steve Goldstein, here’s something that set new sharing and comment records on Facebook for a station that does very well socially – 100.3 The Sound in L.A. The Sound’s Mimi Chen found this cartoon by German artist Gerhard Haderer.  And the resonance it stirred speaks to […]

You no doubt read about one of the great Christmas Wishes of all time over last year’s holidays.  Today on JacoBLOG, Saga EVP Steve Goldstein provides some perspective about this beyond-buzzworthy event and raises some important questions about the changing nature of what is “real time.” Right behind “twerking” in the verbal lexicon of 2013 […]

I know you’ve been there – a radio dinner with smart, passionate professionals trying to get our collective heads around “the problem.” It started out with a conversation about the rapid changes in the media world, and how they impact radio.  And around about when the entrees showed up, I expressed a theme that JacoBLOG […]

For several years now, you’ve heard my story about why attending different conferences is one of the best things radio professionals can do.  At CES 2014, there were a number of radio people in attendance, and I thought it might be helpful for you to hear from some of them about why this conference matters.  […]

So there’s that age-old axiom about marketing – that leap of faith that we somehow need to grow and sustain our brands by expanding our footprint. We were all brought up to believe that marketing works – on some level – but it’s always been a bit of a mystery as to the specific actions that took root and […]

A trend that you can take to the bank about CES is the continued emphasis on two platforms that are very near and dear to radio – smartphones and “connected cars.”  These are obviously areas that are at Ground Zero to us at Jacobs Media and jacAPPS as we continue to learn from our annual Las […]

So here’s the dilemma – you have a great brand that’s been around a long time and everyone knows it. And that’s the problem because perhaps it stands for something that’s too old to thrive in this pop culture-driven environment. There is no shortage of brands going through this process as I write this post, but […]

Maybe Paul should take more time off.  Upon his return from a much-needed week off last month, he penned the following post about how we approach our jobs and our careers.  I think there’s some wonderful food for thought in his words, and I hope you agree.  Enjoy the read and let us know your “take.” […]

Here we are – a new year, the same challenges, but a different ratings company with a new mindset. If you attended the Nielsen Client Conference/Jacobs Media Summit last month, you got a glimpse of the new guard that will be in charge of the data that radio has to work with.  From Steve Hasker’s […]

You have to believe that for someone who is on the road 40-something weeks a year, the last thing I wanted to do yesterday was hop a plane to Las Vegas and commune with 150,000 conventioneers.  At my own expense, no less. But that’s when the Consumer Electronics Association schedules their mega-event each year – […]

As the holiday period winds down to a close, we’re showcasing some of our most-read blog posts from 2013.  Today’s is a near and dear topic – the health of Classic Rock – which will no doubt be a popular one in the new year.   Over the New Year’s weekend, Houston’s Arrow flipped to Urban, […]