The Jacobs Media Blog

The controversy rolls on about Internet radio royalty fees, accentuated by NPR’s strong statement of protest. Today, they will issue a formal petition with the CRB panel that instituted the new exorbitant rate structure.  This is the first step in the appeal process. As NPR spokesperson, Andi Sporkin noted, "This decision penalizes public radio stations […]

The big political buzz on the Republican side is coming from Mitt Romney.  He recently spoke at the Detroit Economic Club and wowed the room because he used a PowerPoint presentation rather than just standing there and orating. Imagine that. None of the other candidates uses this revolutionary Microsoft tool, thus giving Romney a distinct […]

The big political buzz on the Republican side is coming from Mitt Romney.  He recently spoke at the Detroit Economic Club and wowed the room because he used a PowerPoint presentation rather than just standing there and orating. Imagine that. None of the other candidates uses this revolutionary Microsoft tool, thus giving Romney a distinct […]

In this third month of 2007, you have to wonder how many more hurdles radio operators will continue to face.  The recent announcement that royalty rates are skyrocketing, thanks to the short-sightedness and greed of the Copyright Royalty Board not only threatens radio’s revenue opportunity, but its future on the Internet, cell phones, and other […]

A new research study about emerging video services, conducted by Leichtman Research Group, provides important clues about what 18-34 men really want.  While 4% of 18+ adults watch video online daily, it’s 18-34 guys who make up a whopping 41% of that viewing.  And these same young men account for over two-thirds of adults who […]

It’s a fast-moving world out there in Medialand.  Each day, a new bigger-than-life story seems to cascade across news channels and information/entertainment websites.  From the crazed astronaut, to Anna Nicole Smith, to the Walter Reed scandal, to the Scooter Libby verdict, it seems like every day has a big story. It almost doesn’t matter whether […]

You’re probably looking at the title of today’s entry and wondering if it shouldn’t read "Apples and Oranges." But while the Rock Radio community was running around trying to find that next big hit or figure out the "Cell Phone Only" problem, the "Hispanic problem" has become an issue in many markets. Sure, if you’re […]

You’re probably looking at the title of today’s entry and wondering if it shouldn’t read "Apples and Oranges." But while the Rock Radio community was running around trying to find that next big hit or figure out the "Cell Phone Only" problem, the "Hispanic problem" has become an issue in many markets. Sure, if you’re […]

OK, with baseball season approaching, you just have to expect some obvious analogies in this blog space.  But, hey – good coaching is good coaching. A case in point is Tigers manager Jim Leyland.  As he settles into spring training, he has already set two very important priorities for his team:  better hitting on two […]

Thought you’d find it interesting to hear NAB CEO’s David Rehr’s testimony about satellite radio, in addition to a feature on the same topic that ran last week on NPR’s "Morning Edition."  You’ll hear David again, as well as Mel Karmazin’s testimony.  This is clearly the biggest issue facing radio so far this year.  Enjoy […]

A new report from IBM confirms what many in our business have been feeling:  a media divide between old and new media could result in billions of dollars in lost revenue if smart decisions aren’t made going forward. Maybe that’s not even a headline in 2007, but as broadcast companies continue to grapple with various […]

I was all set to put together an extensive analysis of the impact of Christmas music this past fall, based on my sense that holiday programming was a huge factor in the Fall ’06 book.  Then Inside Radio’s Mike Kinosian beat me to it, with a report that goes far beyond what I was planning […]

Arbitron’s new report about the impact of satellite radio listening on the Fall ’06 survey is a fascinating look at how overall usage is changing.  As you have no doubt read by now, satellite radio’s overall share falls in at a 3.4 level.  Divide that among all the different satellite channels mentioned, and their average […]

Today we’re happy to bring you a guest entry from Jacobs Media’s Bill Jacobs: A recent Business Week cover story called "McDonalds 24/7" is a great reminder that as another 24/7 business, radio has "customers" at every time of the day or night, too.  As the article points out, not only are there plenty of […]

Yes, Sweet Meat enters the "digital revolution" as KSHE celebrates its second straight "Webruary" – a month-long celebration of hi-tech.  For women, it’s purses, but for men it’s toys and gadget.  St. Louis’ dominant rocker continues to show why it’s so in-touch with its audience. These days, it’s important to do more with less, while […]

The speculation has run rampant since the proposed merger between XM and Sirius was announced.  In no surprise to any of us in radio, Mel Karmazin has emerged from the wreckage of both companies as the CEO.  It’s been interesting to read about all the different plans that Mel is rumored to be considering.  Yet, […]

One of the goals accomplished by Budweiser’s heavy advertising in the Super Bowl was the launch of Bud.TV, the new channel recently launched by the King of Beers.  It’s an interesting combination of comedy, girls, and CGM, designed to keep guys entertained. So, what’s the point here?  Of course, Bud’s TV commercials are legend – […]

One of the goals accomplished by Budweiser’s heavy advertising in the Super Bowl was the launch of Bud.TV, the new channel recently launched by the King of Beers.  It’s an interesting combination of comedy, girls, and CGM, designed to keep guys entertained. So, what’s the point here?  Of course, Bud’s TV commercials are legend – […]

It becomes more and more clear to us with every CGM-type campaign our clients run that there’s talent "out there."  The quality of the TV spots, billboard slug lines, and parody songs gets better with every passing month.  There’s no doubt in our minds that when stations and radio companies are thinking about who’s going […]