The Jacobs Media Blog

What a week – Nielsen wearables, the AllAccess Audio Summit, Elon Musk, Twitter, and we’re on the precipice of the first NAB Show in three years. It’s a perfect Friday for a “junk drawer” edition of JacoBLOG. I’ve got three stories that will make you the hit of this weekend’s visits to the farmers market or your kid’s soccer game.

OK, I’ll admit it – I’m geeked about the NAB Show starting this weekend in Vegas. Sure, it’ll be great to see colleagues and friends, but the NAB has put together a trifecta of great automotive + radio sessions that are must-see. I’ve got the scoop in today’s blog post. Let’s take a ride.

Unfortunately, failure is an integral part of the innovation process. Some of the biggest brands have recently suffered serious setbacks. And yet, they dust themselves off, reconfigure and pivot a bit, and get right back to the ideation process. Radio broadcasters would be wise to learn from the mistakes of the big boys and girls. Remember, Babe Ruth led the league in home runs….and strikeouts.

In-dash technology continues to take innovative leaps, expanding and making increased use of larger screens and AI. And yet, some in radio broadcasting still argue the industry should be cautious and take a “wait and see” attitude about dynamic displays on digital dashboards. Today’s blog post is an appetizer for the upcoming NAB Show where this issue will be on the agenda. When it comes to the medium’s top listening locations, it’s time for radio to get with the program.

News used to be a content staple for mass media, from TV to radio to print. But in our polarized world, trust in news, the media, and personalities is in flux. Thanks to a new study, we’ve got some valuable perspective. For radio – commercial and public – what is the role of news in 2022? And how can we make sense of the data to make smart decisions?

Music scheduling in radio has become a fine art.  The various scheduling systems provide infinite possibilities for coding, sequencing, and arranging the music as strategically as possible. And what’s the yardstick?  Popularity scores, for the most part.  But as smart programmers know, there’s more to music than the popularity of a song.  Is it a […]

One of the things most people missed most during the worst days of the pandemic was concerts. Summer will be here before we know it, and many are beginning to map out their concert strategy. The problem is – too many concerts, and not enough money. Radio can be that knight in shining local armor. Today’s blog post walks you through key research on the topic, as well as tactics you can use to make sure this is a great summer for your audience – and your station.

The importance of personality to broadcast radio continues to be a topic at industry conferences, and more importantly as a line items during budget season. As the audio ecosystem becomes infinitely more crowded, radio brands have a major challenge standing out and remaining relevant. And that’s where talent comes into play. Today’s blog post tells you all you need to know – quantitatively and qualitatively – using data and storytelling to remind us about radio “steel sword” – the folks behind the mic, the face of our radio stations.

The word of the year may be “metaverse,” that virtual playground that promises to deliver boxcars full of cash.. These days, the concept is making its way around the radio broadcasting industry, possibly being that “next big thing.” But before we strap on those Oculus glasses, we might want to study up a bit on all things meta. And in today’s post, I’ve done the homework for you.

Of all the great thinkers in the business world, who would you gladly include in your next creative brainstorm. If Richard Branson were available, most of would not hesitate to welcome him into our process. Among his many skills and unique traits, Sir Richard has the gift of “neurodivergence,” a way of thinking about things differently. But you might know it by another name.

What do you do when you run a legacy business that has unsuccessfully tried to attract young, new upscale customers? You embrace the core. A major retailer whose name you know is in the middle of an important pivot, now catering to radio’s equivalent of daily cumers. How would this “dance with those who brung ya” strategy play in commercial radio in 2022? Let’s find out.

Megatrends represent massive societal and industrial change. Like the inventions of the electricity, personal computing, or the advent of smartphones. Most people think megatrends move glacially. But the reality is that once they take root, they can take off. Think electric and autonomous cars – coming sooner than we think.

Even in the midst of pandemic, the creative juices are flowing. Today’s guest post from Bill Jacobs is a guided tour of some of the best, funniest, weirdest, and wackiest brackets from this year’s round of March Madness. You might see your station’s best effort in this post, or certainly one that you could steal – er…appropriate – for another time. This post hits nothing but net.