The Jacobs Media Blog

"We have to go where the audience is.  If people are hitting the iPad like crazy, or the iPhone or other mobile devices, we've got to be there with the content they want, when they want it." That’s USA Today Editor John Hillkirk, explaining why the paper is going through a major makeover to focus […]

In yesterday’s blog, we got some sage advice from one of radio’s best talent show coaches – Randy Lane.  Earlier this month, I was honored to emcee a private broadcaster conference that featured Randy and our own Keith Cunningham. The guys expertly broke down three very different personality shows, bringing their own unique views and […]

I was recently involved in a client conference where we were graced with the presence of talent coach extraordinaire Randy Lane and our own Keith Cunningham. Each coach took a look under the hood of three very different personality shows, and gave their unique perspective on what was working, not working so well, and how […]

Who said this? “We want to be in as many cars as possible. We’re beginning to embed Internet radios in all the places where you traditionally have a broadcast radio. Ultimately, the choice we hope consumers make is they’ll opt for this instead of broadcast.” Readers of this blog will recognize this quote from Pandora […]

Sometimes the way they do things in television amazes me.  There’s a much greater tendency in TV land to make sure that every season has something that’s new and different. When they run those "new fall season" promos, they'd better have something to sell. TV executives and producers realize the fickle factor that guides tastes […]

As we learn more about who’s using what from so much of the research that’s being conducted, from Alan Burns’ new study focusing on women to our Technology Surveys that are comprised of thousands of rockers, certain patterns are taking shape. Women are more social creatures to begin with, which leads to the obvious finding […]

In radio, we often assume that listeners know how to use us.  Of course, a standard radio is the easiest-to-use, most familiar device around – with fewer buttons and settings than a toaster oven. But as radio has expanded to other platforms, we tend to take for granted that consumers “get” how to access us […]

“When’s the last time an alternative station has been number one anywhere?” That’s the question that Chris Huff, Tom Taylor’s ratings guru, asked earlier this week in his “Taylor on Radio-Info” email newsletter after looking at the Salt Lake City July book, and seeing Simmons’ X96 sitting on top of the heap with better than […]

Much is being made of the Ben Fong-Torres "expose" of a real PPM respondent and her experience carrying the meter, recently printed in the San Francisco Chronicle.  I know there are some observers – and Arbitron critics – who view the story as proof of more PPM flaws.  I have read the article several times […]

I’ve heard some tough schoolyard taunts in my day, but the assertion that radio (along with the music business) is a “buggy-whip industry” by none other than the head of the Consumer Electronics Association, Gary Shapiro, is painful.  Here’s his quote, published yesterday in Inside Radio: “Rather than adapt to the digital marketplace, NAB and […]

A recent article in Radio World jumped out at me for a couple of reasons – it resonated with something I’ve been saying to PDs for years, and it was written by a former colleague and friend, Mark Lapidus.  The premise of “Are You Speaking In A Local Voice?” is that programmers need to get […]

According to Inside Radio, The Media Audit has released revealing new data about how various demographics use radio. They suggest that older Americans – those in the 75+ category – listen to the most radio: a grand total of 2:40 a day. Younger listeners – those in the 18-24 group – clock in at 2:20 […]

The Effie Awards were founded more than 40 years ago by the American Marketing Association’s New York Chapter to recognize the most effective U.S. advertising efforts each year. As you might expect, the competition is always formidable for these awards, as agencies and brands compete very hard to win the right to display these prestigious […]

No, this post isn’t about yet another faceless variety station called “Bob.”  It’s about a living, breathing personality named Bob – Bob Lester – who can teach us a great deal about how it should be done in 2010. That’s because for all that has changed in broadcast radio over the decades, one thing is […]

It seems like the more the world becomes digitized, the smaller and more connected it truly is.  Earlier in the week, the phrase was Greg Verdino’s “Everybody in the audience has an audience.” In this post, “Every company is now a media company” comes from Vice co-founder Shane Smith, speaking about how brands like Intel […]

As PPM rolls out across the land, programmers and managers often find themselves in an uncomfortable position with heritage talent.  On the one hand, a great personality show often becomes part of the station’s brand, generating loyal listening and advertiser support. On the other, some shows have a difficult time adjusting to the faster pace […]

At a recent client conference, we had the chance to meet Greg Verdino, author of the new book microMarketing.  Greg’s an interesting guy who is immersed in the development of smart social media strategy.  He also is well grounded in our business, having worked for Arbitron a number of years ago back during the days […]

Maybe Helen Reddy had it right. Women may lag behind in certain areas.  The data indicates that men are more likely to have a smartphone and download apps. But when it comes to social media, women lead the way. In profile sign-ups, time spent on social media sites, and in engagement categories. Yet, how many […]

President Obama was here in the Detroit area last week, celebrating the comeback of the auto industry.  While Chrysler and GM are clawing their way back into respectability, Ford may have had the best strategy all along. By not taking (or apparently needing) the bailout money, Ford separated themselves from the other two in a […]

I have often complained about station debuts that weren’t ready for prime time.  Management rushed them to market, and they simply weren’t good enough to compete on Day One.  In many ways, launching a new format should be like opening night for a musical on Broadway.  Unfortunately, new station kickoffs often lack the necessary rehearsal, […]