The Jacobs Media Blog

Welcome to February where it’s become clear that many of the changes we saw in 2020 have carried over to the new year. There’s opportunity for radio broadcasters despite the accelerated pace of change. And in today’s guest blog post, Paul Jacobs puts on his sales hat – er, face mask – to discuss the doors that are closing – along with the new ones opening.

2020 may not have been a great year for the economy. But one industry made substantial headway in growing its footprint – the cannabis business. As marijuana sales become legal in more and more states, smart marketers are moving into the space. And many of their strategic tenets have a ring of familiarity to what we consider “best practices” for broadcast radio.

COVID has presented tough times for musicians and bands, especially those who aren’t the Foo Fighters or Adele. And for radio stations dependent on a healthy supply of great new music, 2020 was an arduous year. What can we learn about how music is now being exposed and enjoyed that can inform the way we program our stations? To gain more insight, I went back to one of radio’s gurus. And I share those observations with you in today’s blog post.

It was a challenge to find the hot new gadget at CES 2021 because of the virtual nature of this iconic event. But after looking far and wide, I’ve found an innovation that combines the paranoia of these times with audio – yes, a hi-tech way to listen to the radio while avoiding the virus. What a deal!

Like everything else in our COVID lives, even the Super Bowl is not immune to the pandemic and its effects. From the halftime show to this year’s lineup of multi-million dollar advertisers, LV promises to be a very different “Super Sunday.” And perhaps that’s an opportunity for radio.

These days, marketing dollars are scarce for radio stations, but there may be a smart solution: UGC – or user-generated content. Brands are putting their fans to work, a clever strategy showing signs of success.

The radio industry lost one of its superstar executives this week when Marty Greenberg passed away. He was the face of ABC’s Owned FM stations when I worked for the company, influencing and mentoring scores of us to become better broadcasters – and better people.

Now that CES 2021 is in our rear-view mirror, the question we keep hearing is “What was the coolest gadget you saw this year?” But the better query revolves around determining the ONE BIG TAKEAWAY from this sprawling, virtual event. And we think we’ve figured it out. Let’s compare notes in today’s blog post.

You haven’t heard of Clubhouse? It’s a new invite-only social network. Before you start groaning, consider this: it’s an AUDIO only medium where you can socialize with friends, colleagues, experts. And to test drive it, Lori Lewis put on her crash helmet, buckled in, and pulled out her iPhone to check out Clubhouse. Here’s what she learned…

Do you really trust the media brands you interact with or subscribe to? Does your audience trust your radio station? In 2021, many media organization may need “credibility rehab” – or at least make bold statements about what they stand for. To that end, Netflix and Axios are publishing clear statements of purpose that promise key performance attributes. How will these “bills of rights” go over, and can radio broadcasters use this technique to make an impact?

Last year was a tough economic road for many businesses and industries. But when it came to mobile apps – new downloads and revenue – it was a banner year for the two biggest stores, owned and operated by Apple and Google. Today’s post provides perspective on a record-setting year for mobile apps, and a reminder just how important they were to radio broadcasters.

As CES Week draws to a close, this year’s show – even virtually – is another reminder that the hottest aren’t just shiny objects or whiz-bang gadgets. More and more, we see up-and-coming brands building fan communities, creating loyalty, emotional investment, and yes…profits. Radio can do this, too, and today’s post provides the playbook for how audiences can be leveraged to amplify brands.

Our CES 2021 Tour yesterday was an exercise in the “Pandemic Pivot,” a major theme at this year’s show. Here’s a look at our event, as we ate our own dog food.

Auto technology continues to be a big story at CES 2021, especially as COVID is changing the way we use our cars. Today’s post looks at new features – and new behaviors – from bigger than life dashboard displays to a fascinating controversy among two tech giants over so-called “self-driving cars.”

Over the weekend, Nick At Nite took over an NFL playoff game – and magic happened. For 60 minutes of football, green slime was everywhere, making the game fun and compelling for even veteran NFL watchers. When mature entertainment brands go after teens (and tweens), it can be a thing of beauty. (Radio, are you listening?)

Welcome to the brave new world of CES 2021. The event kicks off today – virtually. And Jacobs Media’s virtual tour of CES takes place Wednesday. To give us the perspective on what to expect, our blog post today features an exclusive interview with the Consumer Technology Association’s CEO, Gary Shapiro. He and his staff have been in all hands on deck mode, prepping CES 2021. Here’s the story.

Tonight is a special night – the final episode of “Jeopardy!” hosted by the show’s iconic late host, Alex Trebek. The run-up to the last show has been a textbook example of how to say goodbye to popular talent. All of us in radio can learn a lot by studying the “Jeopardy!” process – keeping fans first.

We can’t stop talking about the president – especially after days like yesterday. But today’s blog takes a lighter, human look at a side of U.S. chief executives we don’t often see – their love for music and the imprint it makes on their time in office.

The sports world had a very challenging year in 2020, trying to maintain seasons in the midst of the pandemic. But the changing tides weren’t just about playing the games. Over the holidays, the NFL and Amazon embarked on a unique experiment – one they will repeat this weekend as the playoffs begin. And the results can help inform radio about the changing relationship between content and distribution.

2020 was a year we’ll never forget. Today’s post finishes up our list of the 20 positives to come out of the Worst. Year. Ever. It turns out many of the trends bubbling under in previous years were accelerated and even amplified by what we all experienced last year. Check out our last 10 big radio trends, and see if you haven’t been impacted by some of the many changes wrought by COVID and 2020.