The Jacobs Media Blog

While the traditional radio ad revenue picture looks bleak, digital radio expenditures actually jumped 13% during Q1 of this year.  Of course, that doesn't make up for the 24% decline in total radio ad revenue during the same period, but it says a great deal about changing tides. As Jeff Haley noted, "Radio's digital platforms […]

In just a few short days, Conan O'Brien gets his dream job – host of The Tonight Show.  In a great profile in this past Sunday's New York Times magazine, the challenge that Conan is facing is spelled out.  Between Jay Leno's 10 p.m. show, Letterman, and the competition from guys like Stewart, Colbert, and […]

Now that our Tech Poll V is out, and being discussed within the industry… and beyond… it's always interesting for us here at Jacobs to compare our data with what other research companies produce.  Keep in mind – our survey is a web poll, only among Rock-centric listeners in station databases.  You'd think that based on […]

Now that our Tech Poll V is out, and being discussed within the industry… and beyond… it's always interesting for us here at Jacobs to compare our data with what other research companies produce.  Keep in mind – our survey is a web poll, only among Rock-centric listeners in station databases.  You'd think that based on […]

  JacoBlog will return tomorrow.  Have a safe and enjoyable holiday.

Some technological changes – like the TiVo or iPod – take the world by storm.  It's hard to get away from their sweeping impact, and everyone is well aware of how these devices change your life. Then there are the more subtle changes – the ones that sneak up on you.  That's the case with a couple […]

Some technological changes – like the TiVo or iPod – take the world by storm.  It's hard to get away from their sweeping impact, and everyone is well aware of how these devices change your life. Then there are the more subtle changes – the ones that sneak up on you.  That's the case with a couple […]

To the many who enjoy social networking sites, our own Keith Cunningham would like to tell you about one particular "radio unemployed" person who is using social networking and the Internet to his advantage during these tough economic times. The incredible data on social networking from Tech Poll V leaves no doubt about the importance for […]

Last week, I had the pleasure to participate in a panel discussion with Greater Media Chairman/CEO, Peter Smyth, Kay Olin, the President of Local Focus Radio, and chaired by Marcia McBride, former Chief of Staff to FCC Commissioner Michael Powell, at the Media Financial Management conference in Atlanta.  It was a great opportunity to talk about how radio […]

We're all looking for indications that it's getting better, whether it's real estate sales in our market or pacing reports at our stations. That's why the news that Larry Wilson bought a couple of radio stations in Portland, OR last week struck me as significant given the turmoil that the radio broadcasting industry is in.  […]

A recent interview in The New York Times with Zurich Financial Services CEO, Jim Schiro, revealed his interesting corporate philosophy that is obviously a work in progress. Schiro has canceled his company's midyear meeting (where they used to fly in 400 employees), and now provides his "state of the company" messages on YouTube.  They are […]

As a life-long research guy, I always love when I read about new methodologies and survey techniques that chase after the "Holy Grail" of why consumers do the things they do.  That's why I love focus groups (and Listener Advisory Boards) because they are more about stories than data.  Or ethnography surveys, such as "The […]

As a life-long research guy, I always love when I read about new methodologies and survey techniques that chase after the "Holy Grail" of why consumers do the things they do.  That's why I love focus groups (and Listener Advisory Boards) because they are more about stories than data.  Or ethnography surveys, such as "The […]

I'm sure this has happened to you.  You're at a gathering with non-radio people, and inevitably the conversation turns to what you do for a living.  And how many times have you been asked, "Isn't satellite radio killing you guys?"  Or "How is AM/FM radio doing now that satellite radio has become so popular?" Perception […]

There's been lots of buzz – good and bad – about KFC's attempt to reinvent itself (Kentucky Grilled Chicken) by offering the Western World a coupon for free chicken.  Like the screwed up Dr. Pepper promotion last year (free soda if Guns N' Roses released Chinese Democracy), these offers are often unfulfillable because of their […]

We decided to conduct a little experiment at Jacobs Media yesterday morning.  We had a feeling that Star Trek would do well, but at more than $76 million in box office receipts over the weekend, the movie exceeded just about everyone’s expectations. If you buy into the notion that morning shows ought to be a […]

You may have seen the story that at the recent OMMA Mobile Conference, a major exec from Papa John's Pizza, Jim McDonnell, expressed his disappointment with the company's iPhone app.  There's only one problem – his company doesn't have an app available at the App Store. If you own an iPhone (or Touch), you know […]

Today's post is a guest entry from Tom Yates, owner, manager, DJ, and salesperson at The Coast, KOZT, Mendocino.  Some of you may recall that among other major market operations, Tom programmed KLOS "back in the day," and was the first PD of KLSX in the late '80s.  Not long after, Tom "dropped out," and […]

As I mentioned on this blog some months back, I bought a Kindle II from Amazon.  For someone like me who's on airplanes every week, this device is perfect.  I download new books in under a minute, and the device can hold hundreds of novels, along with newspapers, and even Word docs and pdfs.  For […]

Josh Lovison, who writes for MediaPost magazines – whose emails I read every day – wrote an incredibly incisive analysis of the Apple App Store, and the unknown guy who made it happen.   While you might assume that the success of the iPhone/Touch apps was born at Apple headquarters in Cuppertino, the fact is that […]