The Jacobs Media Blog

Monty Hall knew what he was doing – the deal business for radio is worthy of your time and thought.  Yesterday, we broke down overall interest in deals around the world, how businesses that have tried deals value them, and the need for radio to not walk away from this space. As we discussed, radio has an […]

The rise of deal sites in our online world has been nothing short of amazing.  As of late last year, there were nearly 1,800 deal sites in North America. Yet, to hear many broadcasters and other analysts talk about the deals vertical, you’d think that the whole thing was one big fad or even an […]

A recent story about changes at The Washington Post (that ran in The New York Times!) takes on the tough topic of legacy media’s struggles to adapt to the new media realities. There are obvious connection points here for radio, and a lot to be learned from The Post’s struggle to make the transition with less staff and […]

In case you’ve somehow missed it, there’s an incredible story sweeping the NBA – and it’s not LeBron or Kobe or bizillion dollar paychecks. The new sensation is the unlikely Jeremy Lin.  Now lighting it up for the Knicks (and setting NBA records), no one expected Lin to be a pro, much less a star. […]

Maybe you’ve heard about a new game that only daring smartphone owners have the nerve to play.  Called by some “The Phone Stacking Game,” the idea is that when you’re out to dinner with friends, everyone takes out their phones, turns them upside down, and stacks them. Throughout your meal, you’ll hear ringing, beeps, tones, […]

Every programmer who has suffered through the challenges and heartache associated with being judged by Arbitron, Nielsen, or the services that have come and gone over the years knows all about the realities of the ratings roller coaster. I once worked with a PD who told me how excited he was about the upcoming book.  The station […]

You can thank the politicians for this one. Katz Media Group maven Bob McCurdy wrote a recent piece for MediaPost that illustrates how negative political advertising takes its toll on the “mother ship.” On the premise that nearly two-thirds of all political advertising on TV is inherently negative (not to mention untrue, sensational, and heinous), […]

As Lori Lewis will tell you, radio often struggles with social media.  It is fascinating that while everyone in the business recognizes that its essence is communication, the gap between how it’s done on the air and on social sites is often vast. While most stations understand how to talk to listeners on the radio, […]

I believe we are moving into a different phase of content creation.  And a large part of the credit goes to innovators like Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg.  We know enough about both of these guys to understand their respective penchants for getting the product right before it goes to market. This philosophy where design […]

Earlier in the week, Lori Lewis broke down some of the key points from Mark Zuckerberg’s letter to investors.  I have read it over and shared it with our clients and staff this week, and I must tell you that it’s remarkable.  No matter what you think of Facebook as a personal or business connection […]

We’ve been talking about Facebook all week.  And why not?  Its IPO filing is the buzz of the Internet, not to mention over coffee, dinner, and work breaks. A new chart released by the Silicon Alley Insider shows the gradually changing nature of Facebook’s revenue model.  What was once nearly 100% advertising is now morphing […]

Today, our social media maven, Lori Lewis, takes a look inside Mark Zuckerberg’s letter to investors.  There’s a thesis or a dissertation here – five philosophical tenets that speak volumes about Facebook and the changing face of companies around the globe.  Later in the week, we’ll look deeper into Zuckerberg’s letter and even give you […]

jacAPPS head honcho and sales maven, Paul Jacobs, takes a closer look at all the hubbub surrounding Facebook, and what the mobile future holds for radio. With all the attention circulating around Facebook’s IPO disclosure, this quote was “best in show” in our opinion: We all know that radio, like many other industries, has struggled […]

With all this talk about Facebook’s IPO, there’s been an incredible amount of attention in both the digital and financial worlds about this amazing company.  So I won’t bore you with any financial predictions or even attempt to advise you about the wisdom of “getting in on the ground floor” of Facebook. But the open […]

Every programmer and promotions/marketing person knows exactly where I’m headed – especially at heritage stations where annual promotions get locked in.  The challenge is how to make them better, more compelling, and more profitable every year. That’s why while reading Mr. Prep (the prep service put together by our good friends at Mr. Skin), one […]

Our friend Mike Anthony made some nice contributions to our blog in 2011.  One of his ongoing themes revolved around partnerships – the need for radio companies to explore smart alliances that can enhance content and/or distribution – all under the umbrella of financial responsibility and just plain common sense. Late last year, the New York […]

I recently returned from a visit to Philadelphia, and on a follow-up conference call with the WMMR management team, the idea of non-traditional dayparts came up.  At least that’s what we now call overnights and even nights. PD Bill Weston mentioned that his station has a live jock in overnights, the flamboyant up and comer, Jacky […]

Traditional media is so easy to bash, and radio has its share of bashers.  I hope that through the posts of this blog – now celebrating its 7th year – you’ve come to know us as strong supporters of the medium.  But we’re always hoping for better.  We are definitely core supporters of broadcast radio, […]