The Jacobs Media Blog

To my friends and clients to the north (actually to the south if you’re in Detroit), I may owe you a qualified apology. For the last several years now, I have been harshly critical of Research In Motion, creators of the BlackBerry handsets and operating system – and for good reason.  It is well known that […]

On the heels of yesterday’s post about how the New England Patriots are innovating new fan experiences, it occurred to me that some of America’s great radio stations do this every day in their own way. And it’s notable that some of the biggest and best ideas often come from the biggest and best brands.  […]

As we head into another exciting Super Bowl between two well-matched teams coached by two brilliant brothers, there is a team to feel sorry for – the New England Patriots. And not because they keep getting close to winning it all, but come up short.  Or because their receivers have a way of dropping Tom Brady’s […]

Yesterday, we talked about the impact of the Bubba vs. MJ trial in Tampa on audience and advertiser perceptions of radio DJs. I heard from a lot of you, often expressing some of the same frustration with the behavior of radio hosts and how it affects the industry’s standing. As Josh Potter, personality for WEDG/The […]

Last Friday’s guest post from Scott Westerman generated a lot of comments and reactions from a number of circles – DJs, managers, and even an owner.  The role of the air personality as audience ambassador and community conduit was a big part of Scott’s premise. Yet, as I was perusing the radio news sites over […]

I had the pleasure of attending a different kind of media event last week.  I went to a poetry reading by Billy Collins (pictured), an artist who brings a very regular guy approach to his writing.  If there was a Jerry Seinfeld of poetry, it would be Billy Collins, who sees humor, irony, and a rainbow […]

So it turns out I’ve known Scott Westerman about as long as I’ve known anyone in radio.  We met at Michigan State back in the ‘70s, but Scott was already a radio veteran having started out at WPAG/Ann Arbor at the ripe old age of 14.  By the time he earned a Telecom degree at […]

All the talk about the recent sign-on of Nash 94.7 has encompassed the notion of whether Country will work in New York City.  There’s been a lot of noise about whether Manhattan, the boroughs, and the agencies will embrace some of the hottest music out there.  The station did a fair amount of stunting, and by […]

Yesterday, I gave you a guided tour of how Jacobs Media ended up becoming major proponents and practitioners of web-based audience research. Today, there’s some interesting evidence to share that suggests that because of population shifts, landline erosion, and the mobile phone explosion, a version of web-based methodology may actually be more accurate than telephone studies. I can […]

At the risk of offending some of my brothers in media research, today’s blog focuses on how all the many tech changes in our world are impacting the ability to accurately survey a population.  The fact is that while web-based research was once a very non-conventional form of research – especially among purists – it has now entered the […]

You know how in radio, you often run across people who are fun-loving, interesting, and personable?  And then there are a lot of folks who are just plain good at the business with a keen sense for how to succeed and make things work.  Trip Savery is one of those rare guys who combines both […]

There’s been a lot written and said about Pandora, especially in broadcast radio circles over the years – some of it true, some of it wishful thinking, and lots of it just emotional. Last week at CES, I had the opportunity to interview Pandora’s Chief Revenue Officer, John Trimble (pictured).  I asked him a wide array […]

The quaint scene pictured below symbolizes a technology and platform that has served radio so well since its very beginnings.  You were granted a license and then went about building the infrastructure that would guarantee coverage and reach.  Acquiring a plot of land, erecting a tower, buying and installing a transmitter – all the costs of doing […]

OK, it wasn’t the greatest film of 2002, but Minority Report was a movie that had an indelible effect on me as a marketer and programmer.  The setting is America in 2054, and Tom Cruise plays a troubled anti-crime cop.  The screenplay is based on a book by the late writer and visionary, Philip K. […]

Radio Ink recently posted an interview with Seth Godin centered on his new book, The Icarus Deception. Greater Media’s Buzz Knight happily took on the interviewing chores, and I encourage you to spend a few minutes and hear it for yourself.  Seth talks candidly about radio’s future, and a myriad of topics that focus on […]

Now that I’m back from CES 2013 and regaining perspective, it strikes me that the deluge of content, platforms, and gadgets can make the average consumer feel a bit lost in all the options and choice.  I sure felt that way while wandering around an over-crowded Las Vegas Convention Center. While just about everyone talks […]

If you’ve never been to CES before, it is difficult for me to describe the magnitude of it all.  I know you’ve heard it all before – 35 football fields of gadgets has become a cliché.  But the daunting size and dense crowds are what make CES amazing and challenging at the same time. Over the last […]

I know this post will come off as callous or even blasphemous to many hardcore radio people, but I’ve been thinking a lot about point of view over the holidays. In fact, I’ve changed my Facebook Timeline picture to show a view (in Michigan) out the windshield – rather than looking back through the rear-view […]

Starting today, the connected car has been “unchained” thanks to the vision of Ford.  And we’re excited to tell you that our mobile apps development company, jacAPPS, will play a co-starring role.  We think it’s a big win for radio. Since 2008 when we launched jacAPPS, we’ve been fortunate to have been selected by great broadcasters like […]