The Jacobs Media Blog

In that ongoing debate about whether Pandora’s numbers are “real,” how their ratings are being calculated, and whether it is truly “radio” or not, something is being lost in translation. Music services are simply just that – plentiful and easily duplicated.  Over time, they’ll be a dime a dozen.  Perhaps Pandora will remain the top […]

Yes, every dog has its day.  And so does every format. That’s why the nonsensical coverage of how radio formats are doing in the ratings all tend to even out over time.  One month, it’s Country.  Then it’s Sports.  Let’s not forget how hot CHR is. But last month, even Rock and Classic Rock “exploded” […]

Lori Lewis spends more time than you can imagine studying the social space.  Not long after she joined us at Jacobs Media, she told me about how she spent part of a weekend reading the Department of Defense’s social media guidelines.  I was sold.  Today, we’re posting an article she’s written that goes to the heart […]

So I didn’t attend Forecast 2014, an event that is unique in radio.  Taking place late last month in New York City, it is mostly made up of CEOs and the upper echelon of radio broadcasting.  And there’s scant coverage of this event – by design.  It is billed as a conference where broadcasters can speak […]

Now that the Thanksgiving holiday has passed and you hopefully had a chance to share some quiet time with friends and family, we start the final stretch of 2013.  It’s a great time to think about the hyper-rate of speed in which our business is changing, and what it means as we head into the new year. A couple […]

Where has the year gone? As we usher in some great time with family and friends this Thanksgiving weekend, all of us at Jacobs Media and jacAPPS want to wish you good tidings, good health, good times, and great food. We will be back with some original thoughts on Monday – no leftovers. Enjoy the […]

No stranger to live concerts, Bill Jacobs is now connecting the dots and building an impressive argument about how stations events – including music-centric ones – can pay off for radio in many ways.  Here’s his take. – FJ We talk a lot in this space about the advantages radio has over pure-plays like Pandora […]

Mike Stern is often guilty of letting his imagination run away from him.  And in today’s guest post, it’s definitely a good thing.  Painting pictures with words – and sound – is what got many of us into radio.  Here are some great observations. – FJ One of my Facebook friends recently posted a link […]

I am always surprised when I hear that Classic Rock DJs or salespeople are “bored” with their station’s music…or even their format.  As the guy credited with signing on the first true FM Classic Rock station coming up on 30 years ago, I can’t think of another format that has been more successful for so […]

Every day, it’s another story about a media/tech partnership of one kind or another.  Or it’s another innovation that digital, social, tech, or automotive companies are dreaming up. Lori Lewis shared a headline with me the other day from Venturebeat, and we both had the same thought when we read it: “Facebook scoops Google ad […]

We have a lot of traditions here at Jacobs Media, but one of my favorites is our annual Summit that now is in its 17th year.  What started as a conference for Alternative PDs has changed, morphed, and adapted to the times.  We’ve had partners from Gavin to R&R to the NAB to Arbitron.  But […]

An ongoing conversation in radio – and a very good one – is the debate about whether/how FM music stations will continue to be viable in a growing universe of seemingly infinite music choices.  Every month, a new music service of one kind or another comes on the scene, giving consumers even more options to […]

Later today, 12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief, a documentary film featuring backstage glimpses and performances from that famous concert benefit that took place at Madison Square Garden will open. From Paul McCartney to Bruce Springsteen to Kanye West, the concert featured some of the biggest names in music, raising more than $50 million in just […]

With all apologies to Will Shakespeare, the trend toward self-indulgence and the power of the average schlub continues to get stronger as the Internet age evolves (or devolves). This week in her “Merge” column, Lori Lewis highlighted the rapidly growing “selfie” trend as a mobile phone fact of life.  And the trend continues to blossom […]

For decades and decades, there was never any doubt about how consumers discovered new music, new artists, new albums, and new releases.  Apart from word of mouth from friends, siblings, roommates, and perhaps in recent years, sources like MTV, it was always about one source: Radio. But in recent years, that dominance has been disrupted […]

When you think about some of the major brands that have gone under or have been neutered in just the past few years, it’s mind-boggling. Newsweek, Kodak, Border’s, FAO Schwarz, Hostess, and so many others have been replaced, bounced, or otherwise disrupted out of business. The latest victim – but one that’s been coming for […]

Last week’s post – “Are We There Yet?” – lamented about just how slow it can be for business leaders to adapt to digital.  In the comment’s section of that day’s post, Bob Bellin articulated his frustration with corporate leadership, citing that the only way that organizations can thrive is with forward thinking from the […]