The Jacobs Media Blog

As the weirdness of 2023 meanders on, it’s becoming clear the metrics that now matter for radio broadcasters. While earnings calls may fall under the banner of “Same as it ever was,” the KPI – or Key Performance Indicator, as CFOs love to call them – is now transcending revenue, profits, and margins. Sure, growth […]

Classic Rock CURRENTS? Talk about oxymorons. But that’s the theme of today’s post. I’ve got a buzzworthy 6-pack of them for you this morning, a TikTok video, a couple of mind-blowing vintage Classic Rock performances, and other fun facts that will entertain and amaze. After all, it’s a Friday and it’s been a long week – perfect for a lighter, positive radio point of view. Enjoy.

In recent years, we’ve learned how technology can disrupt radio listening. But we’ve also experienced how digital innovation can add to the industry’s bottom line. In recent weeks, AI chat bots have dominated the conversation. But what if the next game-changer in radio isn’t about gadgetry or algorithms at all? What if it hinges on how, when, and where we work? The 4-day workweek is coming, and it is sure to impact the ways in which we program and market our stations.

In a highly charged, competitive environment, does broadcast radio still have any “special sauce” on the shelf. I have good news to start the new week – analysis and data that suggest the answers have been under our collective noses all along. Give it a read and then give me your thoughts.

Perhaps you’ve heard the term “mensch” before, perhaps wondering exactly how it’s defined. I may have just figured it out.

Podcasting. All at once, it’s a juggernaut, it’s on a roll, or it’s seen better days. Well, which is it? I did some digging and came up with irrefutable evidence that proves all three hypotheses. Check it out and you tell me: How’s podcasting doin’?

A career in radio? A few decades ago, it was a very viable option. You could attend hundreds of colleges, universities, or trade schools to learn the tricks of the trade. These days, the Burger King down the block may pay more than the radio stations in town. But it’s more than money, as radio broadcasters struggle to find that sweet spot in a tough economy that’s been especially hard on legacy media. How do radio companies – OK, media companies – find the best and the brightest, when they could make more money flipping burgers? Plus, free food.

Like your drunk uncle at the July 4th reunion, AM radio is still very much a part of the “radio family.” But its fate as a viable medium is clearly in doubt. In today’s blog post, we’ve got three compelling stories that shed a light on where AM is headed – and what it may mean to the rest of the broadcasting industry. And by the way, it’s the first time I’ve written about CB Radio in this blog’s 18 year-history. Breaker breaker 1-9.

If it seems like new radio-like digital products are launching every week, it’s not your imagination. YouTube just debuted a cleverly designed “Radio Builder” product, while Spotify is using generative AI to create personalized radio stations that are hosted an AI jock. It’s called “DJ” and it begs the question: Are you better than an AI DJ?

It’s been said that “the only constant is change.” Today’s blog post is about rolling with the changes, and developing the skill set that legacy companies so dearly need when facing turbulence and uncertainty. From your next hire to your company’s next initiative, managing that change is an imperative. Relax – this won’t hurt.

In radio, we’ve always been big believers in conventional wisdom – that is, “the way we’ve always done it.” Take contests, for example. Radio relies on contesting more than any other medium does. But do they really motivate people to listen? Perhaps they once did, but are they still effective ways to grow ratings, audience, and brands? Maybe it’s time to reconsider.

In this Friday edition of JacoBLOG, it’s a light read – I promise. After a tough week for many of us, today’s post asks some provocative questions about AI, offers up an amazing infographic, and a prediction from one of the world’s tech giants that will surprise you….and maybe make you feel better. It’s just a click away.

By now, everyone is sadly aware of the tragic news that came out of Michigan State University in East Lansing the other night. One of the violent scenes was the MSU Union Building, once the home of the school’s TV Radio Department, and a place where yours truly and thousands of others first got the “radio bug.” While we cannot forget the lives lost and those forever changed by this week’s tragedy, I’m hopeful the legacy of the Union’s fourth floor will go on, too. Forgive a little self-indulgence in today’s post, but I’m betting many of you were lucky enough to experience something similar all those years ago.