The Jacobs Media Blog

What's the worst chief executive job this side of AIG?   It would have to be the guy in charge of Freddie Mac.  As you may recall, they took tons of federal aid and were roundly blamed for facilitating the housing crisis, not to mention losing $26 billion last year. So how does Charles Haldeman Jr. […]

What's the worst chief executive job this side of AIG?   It would have to be the guy in charge of Freddie Mac.  As you may recall, they took tons of federal aid and were roundly blamed for facilitating the housing crisis, not to mention losing $26 billion last year. So how does Charles Haldeman Jr. […]

I was honored to speak at the Non-COMM music industry conference last week, an interesting collection of Triple A stations from both the public and commercial radio sectors.  Produced by WXPN under the able guidance of Bruce Warren and Roger LaMay, this conference is a mashup of PDs, Indie bands, label people, and promo folks who come together […]

Last week, AT&T announced new data plans structured to get more money from heavy data users on devices like iPhones. While only 2% of iPhone owners fall into this group, this multi-tiered pricing model is focused on them.  As a result, there's been some speculation that higher prices could curtail data usage, including streaming radio stations […]

This past weekend, the world of sports lost perhaps one of its most legendary icons – John Wooden – who passed away at the ripe old age of 99.  Last fall to commemorate that birthday, we posted the following blog, reposted this morning in his memory: Earlier this week, former UCLA basketball coach, John Wooden, […]

I know there are more important things than baseball – the oil spill, any number of foreign crises, the economy – but I simply cannot get Detroit Tiger Armando Galarraga's perfect game – that wasn't – out of my mind.  As a baseball fan for many decades, I have never been more disappointed by the […]

What would you pay for a front row seat to see Eric Clapton, U2, Bon Jovi or whatever artist you've idolized your entire music life? If you're in radio, maybe not a whole lot. But if you're a true fan, the odds are good you'd be willing to part with a lot of money – […]

There have been lots of discussion in the trades about Jeff Smulyan’s recent comments about streaming and digital initiatives at the BIA/Kelsey conference last month.  In essence, Jeff threw up the caution flag about broadcasters pursuing technologies that are “very cool” but are unlikely to show a profit. And that has led to back-and-forths in the […]

While the nation was fixated on the Gulf oil spill and its implications on our ecosystem and economy, the Federal Trade Commission approved Google's purchase of AdMob. There had been some controversy that this acquisition might give Google an unfair advantage in the mobile ad space.  But at a 5-0 vote, the FTC essentially said […]

JacoBlog will return on Tuesday, June 1.  We wish you, your family, and friends a safe Memorial Day.

It turns out that the in the first quarter of this year, Kantar Media is reporting that U.S. ad spending rose 5%. Radio grew by more than 7%. Looks like David Field was right.   We're not dead yet.  Enjoy the holiday weekend.

Technology is moving so quickly that sometimes even those of us who use it all the time may not realize just how our rapidly habits are changing. The topic is about how much you use your cell phone (or better put, your smartphone) for data versus speech.  A recent New York Times article took a […]

Last week, Nielsen SoundScan reported the lowest number of album sales in a single week since it started tracking this data back when Nirvana was still roaming the charts.  At only 5.3 million total sales, it’s a paltry performance for an industry that is struggling to figure out how to market a product that has […]

Staying current and relevant – values that most radio program directors will tell you are their top priorities in keeping their stations fresh.  With declining marketing budgets and staff, it is essential for radio brands to reflect the culture and what's happening in the lives of consumers. In its own clever way, Google does this […]

Of course, sex is what powers the Internet, but now new data shows that it is the engine that propels Facebook, too. Social media researcher, Dan Zarrella, has come with a profiling algorithm to analyze how Facebook users share links.  And of course, it’s about sex. Based on 12,000 posts, articles that contain sexual references are […]

It is fascinating to look for ways that stations and personalities use social media to connect and engage listeners.  In Tech Survey VI, we asked respondents to rate a list of elements they'd most like to see included in station fan pages.  And the pecking order – while not surprising – provides clues about valuable […]

Whatever your politics, it was easy to recognize that the moment Tina Fey appeared with her devastating performance as Sarah Palin on SNL, you knew she was cooked.  The best parodies are the ones that most closely resemble the truth, and Fey's send-up of Palin immediately crystallized opinions about the Vice Presidential candidate.  And once […]

Is it possible to get big and not incur the wrath of consumers, even former fans?  After all of our years working in Alternative radio, this has been a consistent topic in focus and L.A.B. groups.  In other genres, consumers often applaud bands when they become famous and play large venues.  In Alternative, there has […]

A new survey on consumer attitudes from Econsultancy is no surprise: Radio ads are hated by lots of people, especially those on the younger side of the spectrum.   It is interesting that ads on YouTube and Hulu take "top honors," and perhaps this can be explained by the fact that most people simply don't […]

Last week, BIA/Kelsey's blog discussed the comeback of radio companies in the all-important revenue department for 2010.  While blogger Mark Fratrik noted that these improved numbers were predictable, given the low bar set last year, it is still good news. Looking forward, Fratrik talked about many of the top broadcasters have also created a "valuable […]