The Jacobs Media Blog

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.

A decade is a long time, especially when you’re taking that “10 Years Challenge” that’s had its run on Facebook and other social platforms. So, on “#ThrowbackThursday today, I’m putting JacoBLOG to the test – a trip back exactly one decade into the blogosphere. Ironically back then, I was blathering about the importance of video in radio. And nary a reference to the Buggles. Let me know if I passed the test.

The world may have slowed down during the worst days of COVID, but not the auto industry and its growing list of technology partners, most of which have been progressing at breakneck speeds. At the NAB Show next month, Jacobs Media will be taking the stage, along with an impressive array of auto and tech experts. As more and more consumers increase the amount of time they spend in their vehicles, it is paramount broadcast radio position itself in the best position possible. That’s what today’s blog post is all about. Buckle up.

Another edition of our “junk drawer” feature with stories about failures from two corporate giants, a new podcast network from a familiar, and a comeback from an unexpected player in music.

The past few days, this blog has looked at the sorry state of radio and Gen Z’s – the listening audience and the industry’s future workforce. I’ve decided it’s time to stop talking about the problem, and do something about it. Jacobs Media is supporting “Vinylthon 2022,” an effort to shine the spotlight on college radio and help support radio’s stars of the future financially. We’re walking the walk, and we hope you will join us. Just click here for all the details on “Vinylthon 2022.”

It’s not hard for most anyone who reads this blog to think of prominent radio talent – the personalities and times that light it up on the top 100 market airwaves. But what about in college radio? How well known are the top performing stages, and their student managers and talent who aspire to a career in radio? Today’s post looks at the class of 2024 – students who will come out of college well-trained, fired up, and ready to go. How can we support their efforts and tap into radio’s equivalent of college athletes?

Twitter’s got a problem. Its user base is aging, bypassed by Instagram, Snapchat, and of course, TikTok. To right the ship, they’re hired a youth expert – a techie child prodigy who knows his way around the Gen Z block. What does this have to do with radio? Everything.

Today’s JacoBLOG “junk drawer” is a special edition. We’re paying tribute to the people and country of Ukraine, courageously fighting the good fight during the worst of times. We’ve collected four great stories about media, music, and of course, radio in Ukraine. Life goes on – even in war – and I hope you’ll find these stories compelling and inspirational.