The Jacobs Media Blog

There’s nothing like a blog post about layoffs, job cuts, and pink slips to brighten your day. But they are a fact of life in business – and in the radio industry. And there are ways to make these difficult moments better for employees and the organization. I’ve done some homework and have some “better practices” of pink slips to share with you.

While streaming may be the dominant way in which consumers now enjoy content, making massive profits in the space has become increasingly more difficult, whether you’re Netflix or Spotify. Yet, streaming has decimated broadcast media. In today’s blog, media moguls debate how much time television has left, and of course, radio’s survivability is a logical offshoot. Making money in media and entertainment has never been more precarious, fueled by choice and access – two variables that were in short supply just a couple decades ago. But there’s a way out of this for media honchos who are more about strategy and smarts than size and scale.

When you’ve been an entertainer for a long time, peaks and valleys are inevitable. Sometimes, talent actually regresses, something to always take note of. In today’s blog post, we look at two celebrities who have become famous for their popular performances. Even the stars evolve – sometimes for the better, but at other times for the worse. And radio talent can always learn from their best – and worst – practices.

The Super Bowl cometh, and once again, it’s a battle of superstars. The Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes is the face of his team, but he may also be the poster boy for the whole NFL. His intense promotion might make you wonder why radio broadcasters don’t lean into their superstar franchise players – great shows wand hosts – with marketing of their own. Call me crazy, but to turn around those “nobody listens to the radio” naysayers, a little marketing of radio’s stars might be just the thing to shake up the local media business.

If this photo of a minor league baseball park somewhere in America reminds you even a bit of your radio station’s website, you are not alone. A new research study conducted by Storyblok among 6,000 online shoppers in the U.S. and Europe conducted this past November will have a familiar ring to it.  All told, […]

In a mere five days, that AI phenomenon known as ChatGPT achieved an impressive one million downloads. Today, I put it to the test, asking it how radio broadcasters could achieve higher ratings and build better brands. You may be surprised by the cyber-advice it gave me in just the blink of a cyborg’s eye. Radio will use these tools this year, so understanding how they work and what they can do will be essential in keeping up and staying ahead.

A hot new trend in corporate America – and now in radio – is rebranding. It means changing out or redesigning a logo or even the brand’s entire identity. Who’s doing it, how’s it working, and what’s the one iteration of it you should avoid at all costs? Literally.

We frequently hear the question, “What is your digital strategy?” But for radio broadcasters, the Holy Grail is the confluence of the old and new, the traditional and the digital, the terrestrial product and the stream and its outlets As companies seek their solutions that will generate profits and move the stock price, certain historic, time-honored truths continue to re-emerge. Radio broadcasters would be wise to deliver on their message.

These days, it’s not uncommon to hear someone utter the cringeworthy phrase: “No one listens to the radio anymore.” But take comfort, radio types, because a highly popular global brand is going through the same uncomfortable ordeal – and it’s fighting back with marketing aimed at turning those perceptions around. For a first look at this campaign, click here, and let’s get the new week started.

While radio programming has become a more technical endeavor the decades, one thing hasn’t changed; basic age and sex demographics that don’t do justice to the complexity and richness of audience affinity groups. Now a music analytics company has developed exciting analytics in the form of personas to better describe target audience groups. Today’s blog post gives you a good luck at the five music personas, along with a quick quiz to determine which one you fall into. Game?

What IS local news and why does it matter? Is it school board meetings, cultural activities, election coverage, or a combination of these things – and more? While many mainstream media companies struggle with their news budgets, a surprising new group of journalists is ready to grab the golden ring and make local journalism their driving force. And some of them may be living in your home.

Are we headed into a recession? What does that portend for the local retail landscape, especially as we come out of COVID. Paul Jacobs takes a look at the current environment, and lays out a strategic plan that hopefully gets the juices flowing – and hopefully, the cash registers ringing.

It’s still early January, but rock n’ roll heaven is one occupant larger with the passing of guitar god Jeff Beck. His passing is a reminder of the music’s transcendent appeal not just on the radio airwaves but our entire entertainment culture. Today’s post bring you three stories from that well-traveled Classic Rock highway.