The Jacobs Media Blog

The New York Times points out that research and development initiated by the U.S. government is often a way of determining how the future will unfold.  Of course, the U.S. is the world’s biggest investor in R&D, but its overall spending has been going down since 2002.  Not surprisingly, The Times’ analysis finds this alarming. […]

Today’s New York Times features yet another article on the sagging radio business. Most of it circles around the same turf you’ve read again and again, but one quote stood out. In an attempt to explain why radio stocks have fallen out of favor with Wall Street so quickly, the article notes: "A possible reason […]

Today’s New York Times features yet another article on the sagging radio business. Most of it circles around the same turf you’ve read again and again, but one quote stood out. In an attempt to explain why radio stocks have fallen out of favor with Wall Street so quickly, the article notes: "A possible reason […]

OK, I’ll admit it – I’ve been more influenced by Seth Godin’s rants and raves over the past several years than any other pundit or marketing guru.  If Reis & Trout were the mavens of the ’80s, Seth has clearly supplanted them in the digital age.  He has had a firmer grasp on the consumer […]

As Kurt Hanson reported in RAIN, CBS News has changed tactics with the debut of Katie Couric on the "CBS Evening News."  To cater to the web audience (many of whom get their news on the Internet, rather than from newspapers or television), Couric’s network news is simulcast on the CBS News Web site. More […]

L.A.-based fashion design shop City Rags reports the hottest selling wearables are Classic Rock-influenced.  The Beatles’ "Let It Be" album cover sits on top, followed by the Stones’ "40 Licks," and of course, "Dark Side of the Moon."  Here’s the whole top 10: Beatles ‘Let It Be’ Rolling Stones ‘40 Licks’ Pink Floyd ‘Dark Side […]

The news that YouTube inked Paris Hilton points to an interesting marriage between a celebrity who "gets" video streaming and generating buzz, and a Web site that specializes in both.  A recent news story in the Financial Times points directly to some of the key differences between "old media" and new players that are all […]

Huh? Well, around here, gearing up for another Jacobs Media Summit is always celebratory.  And as you’ve probably garnered from our self-publicity, as well as ads that you may have seen in R&R, we have a killer line-up for this year’s combination R&R/NAB Conventions.  This is the first year the Summit has been scheduled for […]

Huh? Well, around here, gearing up for another Jacobs Media Summit is always celebratory.  And as you’ve probably garnered from our self-publicity, as well as ads that you may have seen in R&R, we have a killer line-up for this year’s combination R&R/NAB Conventions.  This is the first year the Summit has been scheduled for […]

If you’re wondering why bar night attendance isn’t exactly going through the roof these days, it might have something to do with the cost of gas.  A BIGresearch July Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey of truck owners reports that 60% are now making fewer shopping trips, plus they’re staying closer to home.  Car owners aren’t […]

If you’re wondering why bar night attendance isn’t exactly going through the roof these days, it might have something to do with the cost of gas.  A BIGresearch July Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey of truck owners reports that 60% are now making fewer shopping trips, plus they’re staying closer to home.  Car owners aren’t […]

We welcome back Jacobs Media’s Dave Beasing for another guest spot: So sang Jack White of The Raconteurs during MTV’s Video Music Awards, an apt revision of the lyrics of the first video ever played on MTV 25 years ago.  This year’s good news/bad news scenario for the VMAs is that ratings were down again […]

The always-interesting Katz Media Group report on National Format Averages and share trends has just been released.  These surveys are always valuable tools that help us measure where formats – and the entire radio business, for that matter – are heading. For those of us who work with the Rock formats exclusively, these Katz studies […]

Headline 1:  "Pontiac G5 Blazes Trail to Internet-Only Advertising" Headline 2: "Meet The New Boss" (Time Warner’s Jeff Haley Becomes CEO of the RAB) What does it all mean?  Describing Pontiac’s move to the Internet for advertising as a "radical experiment," Mark Hans-Richer, the car company’s marketing director notes that this strategy should effectively reach […]

Sunday’s New York Times affirmed the trend that has been developing in media in general and of course, terrestrial radio, for a few years now.  In "The New Tastemakers," columnist Jeff Leeds describes the new world of radio that has been paved in large part by NeoRadio philosophy. As MTV’s Courtney Holt notes, "The tools […]

Every time I go shopping with my wife, she’s armed with a booklet of coupons, nicely organized by product category.  As a guy who never took a second look at these promotional items back in my single days, I have been amazed how much money can be saved with a little prep and an array […]

…Of new NAB CEO David Rehr, what would it be?  Would it address indecency issues, youths and radio, iPods in cars, satellite radio regulation – or something altogether different? I’ll be interviewing him to kick off Jacobs Media’s Summit 11 on September 19th in Dallas, and your input is welcome. Post your question in the […]

It’s time to test your knowledge about how quickly the iPod phenomenon is going to affect those of us in radio – satellite or terrestrial.  According to Automotive News, what percentage of 2007 vehicles sold in the U.S. will have iPod/Mp3 connectivity?                 a. 40%                […]

For an industry famous for its lack of customer service, isn’t it interesting how a simple gesture like the one below gets you noticed? That is the question! As you may have heard, Southwest Airlines is reviewing the idea of whether or not to add assigned seating to our service. Through the years, assigned seats […]

A few years ago on "ratings day," I spoke with a PD/client who happily informed me that his Classic Rock station finished #3 25-54 Adults in the recently released Arbitron survey.  That performance earned him a nice ratings bonus. A week or so later we spoke again, and he sadly told me that in fact, […]