The Jacobs Media Blog

Over Super Bowl weekend, broadcasting lost one of its legends.  And many of you probably never heard of him or you know very little about him. Frank Magid, the founder and president of Frank N. Magid Associates, passed away.  Frank was the brains and vision behind audience research for both television and radio.  If you've […]

Our consultant, Ralph Cipolla, is still frustrated that his beloved Buffalo Bills still haven't won the big one.  Undaunted, here are some of his observations from Super Bowl XLIV: Here are some reflections of the big game from my couch:  We saw The Saints win their first NFL championship in their history, a franchise that […]

Five years ago, an interactive radio advertising campaign looked like this: You bought a bunch of spots, and we'd send over the street team, the van, and our tent to your event and hang out with your customers.  Of course, you'd get a series of live "cut-ins" throughout the afternoon. Today, interactive has an entirely […]

So Sunday's the big game (I don't want to say Super Bowl for risk of being sued).  It should be a good one.  Two exciting teams.  Two great quarterbacks.  And lots of much-talked about commercials in between. I would invite you, however, to skip the food and the beverages during halftime and check out The […]

Recently, Bill Gates surprised a lot of the web 2.0 elite by re-establishing a Facebook fan page, and joining the Twitterati.  The coverage has revolved around Gates finally learning how to use these basic fundamental social networking tools that teens and the Internet's leading edgers have used for years.   Based on his posts and his […]

As we discussed in a blog post a couple of weeks ago, say whatever you want about the Leno/Conan debacle, but the fact that NBC let all this get so public may go down as their biggest mistake. Bad programming decisions are made all the time.  We've all made them.  But it is how you […]

So, you're trying to figure out what this whole iPad thing is all about? Well, Fujitsu says they have an iPad and "the name is ours."  Of course, they may have to get in line behind Magtek and Siemens, each of whom says they have an electronic product with the very same name.  But perhaps […]

Hanging on Steve Jobs' every word last Wednesday, Paul Jacobs weighs in with his take on the iPad and what radio needs to do to become part of the conversation. Growing up in Detroit, I remember every September we would head over to the auto dealers on Seven Mile Road to check out all of […]

Hanging on Steve Jobs' every word last Wednesday, Paul Jacobs weighs in with his take on the iPad and what radio needs to do to become part of the conversation. Growing up in Detroit, I remember every September we would head over to the auto dealers on Seven Mile Road to check out all of […]

A recent New York Times article frames a phenomenon we first saw in "The Bedroom Project" back in '07, and what many of you with little kids have probably experience first-hand in your kitchens and media rooms. There are now multiple generations of technology-enabled kids, even within traditional 10-year demographic groups.  Yet, somehow agencies still […]

A recent New York Times article frames a phenomenon we first saw in "The Bedroom Project" back in '07, and what many of you with little kids have probably experience first-hand in your kitchens and media rooms. There are now multiple generations of technology-enabled kids, even within traditional 10-year demographic groups.  Yet, somehow agencies still […]

It is incredible how new gadgetry has captivated the media world.  And for more proof, think of the frenzy that has only intensified as the announcement of the Apple tablet or iPad or whatever it will be called will apparently happen today. But what drives adoption of new technology and devices – the thing itself […]

As the mindset of Americans continues to morph, the ways in which your listeners think, dream, and obsess may be undergoing important change.  Given how little research most stations are doing these days, some of the fundamental ways in which consumers attitudes are moving may be flying under the radar. As it pertains to contesting, […]

It is a basic rule in military strategy that cautions against fighting wars on two fronts.  Of course in history, it has been done, but it is indeed a difficult task especially in a climate of diminishing resources. When we advise client stations that are surrounded by music competitors on both sides, our response is […]

This morning’s guest post comes from Jacobs Media’s Ralph Cipolla, who braved the crowds and the cold to provide some perspective from the North American International Auto Show.  Or as we like to call it, The Detroit Auto Show.  This event was more than just cars, which JacoBLOG readers read up on during Paul Jacobs’ […]

We're all hopeful that 2010 is more than just a bounceback year, but a period that starts a true rebound for advertising and, of course, radio. In reflecting on last year's challenges to media, one of the big developments was the PPM rollout.  And at of the end of the year, more and more markets […]

Over that long holiday break, Jacobs Media's Paul Jacobs had plenty of time to ruminate over "value added," focus group facilities, and what it all means for the radio business in the new year. One of the ugliest new words in business jargon is "commoditization" – defined (by the Free Encyclopedia of Ecommerce) as the […]

We pay a lot of attention in this blog to the power of personality, and the importance of audience and sales engagement.  But we are typically opining from 35,000 feet.  For a look from the trenches, 96rock/Raleigh programmer and afternoon drive personality, Jay Nachlis ("Foster"), chimes in with his thoughts. When a major broadcasting company decided […]

OK, this blog post may wreck your Monday, so if you're feeling a little fragile this morning, it might be a good idea to watch The Today Show or turn on the local Adult Contemporary morning show.  Or simply surf over to TMZ and look at something more frivolous.  If you're still reading, this post […]