The Jacobs Media Blog

A key quality that sets Morning Show Boot Camp apart is its “pay it forward” mindset. For years now, established personalities have helped those working their way up. In good times and in tough ones, it is this aspect of Boot Camp that’s most impressive and makes talent want to come back. Here’s a look at some of this year’s attendees.

Last week, it was the return of Morning Show Boot Camp in beautiful San Diego. It was not only especially well-attended, the atmosphere was electric. At a time when many in the radio industry look dog-faced and fatigued, the spirit at Boot Camp is upbeat and passionate. Here’s the story.

Last week was a sadly monumental one for music fans. Aerosmith announced the end of their touring career due to persistent health problems suffered by lead singer Steven Tyler. And the last remaining original member of the Four Tops, Duke Fakir, passed away. But as we’ve learned from Classic Rock artists, it ain’t over until….well, you know. Today’s blog best looks at the newest music extension efforts, thanks to technology, innovation, and pluck. Let’s rock.

It’s not just radio. Pretty much every media brand has taken a hit this year, often leading to layoffs or worse. Many are now experimenting with variations on the subscriber model, including ad-supported free content. Wait…what? Isn’t that what broadcast radio has been for the last 100 or so years?

On the eve of Morning Show Boot Camp 36 in San Diego, I’m putting the finishing touches on my presentation of our AQ6 research study. Made up completely of commercial radio talent, more than 500 DJs, hosts, and personalities weighed in this year on a wide variety of topics. Of them all, it’s their opinions about where AI is headed that stand out as most telling and insightful. Today’s blog begins to paint that all-important picture of a radio industry in flux, looking for answers about AI.

If you’re in radio, you’re no stranger to contests. But did you know there was once a national contest to try to figure out how to monetize broadcast radio. It happened exactly 100 years ago, and you just might be surprised to learn what was the winning entry.

In part 2 of “Is Public Radio A Victim Of Its Own Org Chart?” we take a deeper dive into how “brilliant at the basics” programming and on-air marketing could help turn around a particularly challenging year.

Sometimes the organizational chart at a company says more about how it operates than the actual people who fill those job titles. In general, radio has been slow to adapt to audience and industry changes when it comes to how most stations are structured. In another year when many radio stations are facing difficult challenges, who reports to whom and who’s in charge of what can be critical factors in determining ultimate success…or failure. Just ask someone you know who’s in public radio.

One of the more amazing COVID-era trends is the growing popularity of toys and games among adults who might be just a touch age-phobic. No matter, this segment continues to expand among so-called “kidults” – those with an aversion to growing old. This trend has implications for media brands, especially those with an emphasis on entertainment – like radio.

These days, you often hear there’s not a lot of interest in new music. And to complicate matters, there’s no central discovery tool where consumers go to find out about new releases they might have interest in. Today’s post is about one of the most talented musical artists of our time who took matters into his own hands last week. He launched his own stealth promotion for his no album. His promotion was so unconventional, it worked…like a charm.

The last few weeks have been jam-packed with “BREAKING NEWS” stories, forcing news organizations to step up their coverage and resources. But in an increasingly cluttered environment where memes may be more visible to more consumers than headlines, how can radio news stations stand out amidst the clutter? Fortunately, President Biden’s decision on Sunday provides us with a fascinating look at who did what – and why.

It’s no longer enough for media brands to provide good content. It is now about providing a great experience. And even the best brands are upping their games, including an incredible new mall experience from Netflix. For radio, it’s a reminder the bored intern and a prize wheel at local festivals and events just doesn’t cut it. How is your brand’s experience?

AI may be taking over the world, but some brands are pushing back. And they’re trying to make the human touch a defining difference of how they do business. Is there a “there there” for radio?