The Jacobs Media Blog

There are few things in life you can count on, but baseball is one of them. Every February, the teams recongregate in Florida or Arizona for spring training – the beginning of a new season. And the other thing you can depend on is that these games will be broadcast on the radio, as they have been since KDKA started the tradition in 1921. But not this year. The Oakland A’s games will be stream only. Is this a blow for broadcast radio or the test the industry needs to prove its amazing value and worth to fans, advertisers, and yes, the teams themselves. Play ball.

The recent layoffs in radio have caused many of those looking to stay in the business to review their skills and talents. The radio broadcasting industry is undergoing change, so it’s critical to know what those in hiring positions are prioritizing. Seth Resler contacted a smart, thoughtful group of programmers to get their “take” on what’s important to their operations. It’s a great way to start the work week.

Every song has a story. And now the demand for more and more compelling content – in films, on TV, in podcasts – is on the rise. Today’s blog post tells the story of a 40 year-old album being adapted for a new film, and a podcast devoted to telling the stories about Classic Rock – the songs, the albums, the artists. What impact does this have on radio – and how could this trend become even more important to the medium down the road?

Start-ups in the tech and gaming space are a dime a dozen. But when HQ Trivia debuted in 2017, it rapidly exploded in popularity – a real-time, appointment-setting mobile trivia game played by millions around the world with a live entertaining host. Last week, after steadily climbing numbers, HQ Trivia folded. It’s rise and fall provide great lessons for new entertainment brands about what – and what not – to do for that all-important second act.

Presidential campaign spending will likely break records this year, as billionaire candidates empty their pockets to advertise – especially on television. So, how do these Presidential hopefuls set themselves apart from the pack? Marketer Seth Godin’s “Purple Cow” is the gold standard guide for differentiating brands. And the Bloomberg campaign has obviously read the book. Their newest social media advertising is not only “purple,” it is being widely shared and written about. Including right here.

When it comes to building great station brands, radio’s pioneers created “rules of the road.” When followed, they often led to long-term success that made a lot of people a lot of money. So, why then do so many radio broadcasters skip some of these same key steps in the building of their companies’ digital assets? Our blog post today looks at what it will take for broadcasters to stay competitive in the digital arena.

One of the biggest challenges for professional athletes has nothing to do with shooting the puck or hitting the ball. It’s planning what happens after their playing days are over. Whether you watched last night’s NBA All-Star Game in Chicago, Earvin “Magic” Johnson was a presence – even though he was wearing street clothes. Magic’s post-basketball accomplishments have been as important as how many baskets he score with the Lakers. And in today’s post, he’s got 7 great lessons for radio talent as they inevitably deal with their next moves.

Innovation in radio is often talked about, but rarely does it surface. That’s because so many truly original ideas don’t sound that good while they’re in their early stage don’t sound very appealing. Today’s blog post takes a hard look at innovation in the radio broadcasting industry, and why it’s so hard to launch a truly breakthrough concept, product, or service. And I’ll give you a phrase to watch out for when someone reacts to your next brainstorm idea.

Did you forget it’s World Radio Day 2020? Not to worry, our blog post today is a celebration of the medium from the standpoint of the people behind the mic. Their most impactful day in radio? There are great stories here (and we hope you add yours).

How many times have we seen tragedy strike a high-flying radio station? A PR disaster can be a nightmare especially if if not handled swiftly and deftly. Right now, the world of sports offers radio a crash course of what to do – and what not to do – when disaster happens. And Forbes provides a handy checklist of action steps to take when it all goes wrong.

The news landscape is hyper-tense these days – especially on cable TV. But on the audio side, public radio groups are making serious moves designed to provide better local, state, and regional coverage by creating content hubs. There’s a lot on the line, especially entering an election that promises to be loud and controversial. Today’s blog post tracks public radio’s strategy – not just in radio news coverage, but in podcasting. That’s where the action is.

The Oscars went “jockless” again last night – the second straight year without a host. And it showed. Whether you stayed up late to watch the festivities or flipped over to Netflix, the Academy Awards lacked continuity, flow, and energy, while not always making sense. As we know in radio, that’s the role of a talented, entertaining host – even a “zookeeper.”

Some radio station brands have proved to be built to last – surviving decades in the same markets, with the same call letters, in the same format. What are the attributes that define these stations, and what can we learn from their staying power and success?

What’s your favorite album? It’s a question we’ve been asking each other for decades. But if current music trends continue, the album will become a thing of the past. And that is already having an impact on both the music and radio industries.

There was lot of anger, hand-wringing, and finger-pointing in Iowa Monday night.. The epic fail of the Iowa Democratic Party’s mobile app was the big water cooler topic yesterday. To gain insight about how these debacles can happen – and how to prevent them – I went to our resident app guru, jacapps CEO Bob Kernen. Even if you already have an app (that works), this is a good read.

Yesterday, we talked about politics and radio – strange bedfellows, indeed. Today’s post starts with a Senator from Ohio, Sherrod Brown (pictured below right) and an odd mashup with radio.  Aside from considering a run for President this year (he wisely decided against it), Brown made some headlines of his own last week.  It seems […]

Hopefully, you’re not sick of politics as we roll headlong into the Presidential campaign. Radio programmers, managers, and owners can learn valuable lessons from how the candidates are using strategy and tactics to beat the pack in this winner-take-all race. Put your politics aside, and check out our awards for the best political moves that can teach us programmers a thing or two about winning.

Last week, Nielsen’s Holiday book was released in America’s top 48 markets. For stations playing Christmas music, it was the best of times. For those who own, operate, and program radio stations in other formats, there was much “Bah, Humbug!” So, what’s the need for the Holiday book? What value does it have and how is it benefiting broadcast radio? Those are the easy topics tackled in today’s blog post.

Yesterday was Data Privacy Day – an opportunity for all of us to think a little harder about online privacy. Our recent trek to CES revealed growing use of Artificial Intelligence, but let’s not forget it’s powered by data. When consumers get skittish about giving up their information because of privacy concerns, everything slows down. And radio stations and the companies that own them are affected by this breakdown of trust. Read on and weigh in, please.