The Jacobs Media Blog

Controversy is swirling around Michael Jackson, thanks to a new HBO documentary. But separating the man from his music is not a new dilemma for audiences. It’s been happening for more than a century. Today’s post asks some difficult questions of radio programmers, the managers who are tasked with making these tough calls.

A common concern in radio circles is how the medium will connect with Generation Z – today’s kids prefer other media diversions rather than listening to an FM music station. But now, a small market broadcaster has a big idea on the table – creating WLGO, a Lego radio station that kids from all over the world can build and enjoy. It’s a very different strategy for reaching out to young people – and readers of this blog can help make it happen.

The podcasting space is exploding, and everyone is jumping into the fray. New technology has enabled seemingly every celebrity on the planet to get behind the mic and become an on-air talent. Do they have the skills? Do they have the content? And does it even matter? In today’s guest post, Seth Resler answers these key questions about the frenetic world of podcasting.

The ultimate goal for any radio brand is to establish an emotional connection with an audience (and advertisers). Today’s post is a follow-up to yesterday’s conversation about building brands that consumers can’t live without. And we list a not-so-simple 12 step plan for radio to achieve brand intimacy. The rewards can be great for stations vying for attention in an over-saturated media environment.

There are brands we feel we can’t live without. And then there are the ones with which we have developed an emotional connection. Today’s post explores a new study that ranks the best brands on both of these measures. And it reveals an opportunity for radio stations in the biggeset and the smallest markets to achieve a solid level of brand intimacy – a more important measure than “What’s your favorite radio station?”

Last night’s Oscar awards ceremony was “jockless” after comedian Kevin Hart pulled out of the hosting role. So, how was the show and will radio executives be inspired by the results?

Who are the most over-exposed sports celebrities?  We’re talking about the ones that get on our nerves, the ones we think are overpaid or overrated, the jocks who despite their obvious talents and accomplishments simply rub us the wrong way. Lots of names come to mind – LeBron, Colin Kaepernick, Sidney Crosby – the list […]

Morning radio is the prime daypart that often makes or breaks a station. A great show can entertian, inform, and even improve a consumer’s mood or outlook for the day. When I read a story in Medium about seven ways to relieve angst at the beginning of the day, I got a bit stressed out when I learned that listening to morning drive radio was not even an option. Here’s a look at that story, along with a challenge.

Last Friday, we ended the week with our blog post about radio making the transition to digital – that is, “turning the Queen Mary.” In today’s post, we offer up a handly little tool – an everyday reminder of the need to not just change our strategies and tactics, but our mindsets. We need to ask ourselves, “Whats the digital application?”

A research team at NYU has concluded that MIllennials are more likely to remember classics from decades ago than contemporary hits from just the past few years. That tells us a lot about the staying power of older music – a phenomenon that will be showing up at movie theater near you later this year. And we happened across a new movie trailer thaat’s an odd twist on the biggest band from the Sixties.

Disruption comes in many forms.  It’s not just about having the vision and the wherewithal to make the transition to digital. Some organizations have many “legacy” staffers who simply don’t have the will or the aptitude to adapt.

Today’s post fits the definition of “crowd sourced.” More than 50 broadcasters – then & now – told us their “love story” with radio. You will not believe some of the people who shsared their stories. And while we didn’t plan a Throwback Thursday angle here, some of their photos will test your ability to correctly name names. What’s YOUR “radio romance story?”

Believe it or not, I still have friends in the record label community, despite my lurid past as “The Classic Rock guy.” And just about every conversation is another Kabuki dance about whether radio plays enough new music versus whether there’s any good music to play.  It’s a chicken-egg thing.  Stations are loath to play […]

We’re living in an era of “Big Data,” so today’s post looks at some of the numbers that are driving news that impacts the radio industry. It’s “Radio: By The Numbers,” water cooler talk to start the new week.

Back in the late Sixties, rock n’ roll music was steeped in protest. And much of it spilled over to FM rock radio. Back then, Baby Boomers were the activists. Today – a half century later – it is Millennials who are more apt than their parents to take a stand for or against a product, company, or a brand. Today’s post talks about this generational shift, and highlights one of the greatest on-air protests in radio history.

You could have been reading a good book or spending quality time with your family. Instead, you watched the Super Bowl. Outside of the 617, the game packed very little entertainment value. But the commercials – usually entertaining to even non-sports fans – were once again underwhelming. Is it that agencies can no longer create buzzworthy ads or does it involve another culprit – social media?