The Jacobs Media Blog

We’ve talked a great deal about the wisdom of parternships to help broadcast radio brands make that leap into an unpreditable digital future. Yesterday, the world of public radio shook when it was announced that PRX and PRI have merged. If you’ve never heard of these organizations, you may be missing a great example of digital media strategy. It’s happening right now down at the left end of the dial in public radio.

Despite the brickbats and critcisms, broadcast radio has millions and millions of fans. In fact, some of them are famous – and even infamous – people. One of the most mysterious figures in music history has come out in support of the radio medium, triggering a slew of positive Twitter comments, likes, and retweets. For radio, it’s something to build on, as the industry faces an uncertain future with those up and coming consumers known as Gen Z.

At last week’s Morning Show Boot Camp in Chicago, I had the honor of presenting AQ, the radio’s first-ever “talent on talent” research study. More than 1,100 DJs, personalitiies, producers, and shows across the U.S. took the time to complete our questionniare. And in the process, they’ve sent a powerful message about their role in 2018 as well as the state of the storied broadccast radio industry – and how they fit in. Thie study is loaded with great data that we preview in this morning’s blog post, along with a link to attend our upcoming webinar and download a free slide deck.

The future of urban transportation — including electric cabs, ride sharing, scooters, and shared bicycles — has already come to Austin. And you can see the impact it’s going to have on radio broadcasters.

Who is the best program director in Amreica? Who is the most dynamic morning show? This morning’s blog post dives into a conversation of what it means to be compeling, provocative, controversial, and “cume urgent” day in and day out. And the bread crumbs may just lead us to the current occupant of 1600 Pennylvania Avenue. At the intersection of politics and radio is an interesting look at what it means to “miss day and you’ll miss a lot.”

What is the impact of music in the workplace and how can radio benefit from changing at-work listening. Research now shows some of the contradictory effects of music while we work. Just like on the radio, the more familiar the music, the better.

Lollapalooza 2018 is now history, but the thousands of attendees this year may have been witness to the next big thing: Activation. No, not a band, but exciting, innovative initiatives by Lolla’s sponnsors to engage with fans in unique and memorable ways. Mike Stern pens today’s blog post that focuses more on the changing nature of event sponsorships, and how they impact both radio programming and sales.

Technology now allows for hi-tech sleep disruption. As more consumers wake up to mobile phones and smart speakers, the clock radio is on the endangered gadgets list. A new partnership from Google and Spotify is just the latest in the recent rash of innovative wake-up technology, creating a deeping challenge to broadcast radio’s coveted morning drive daypart. The latest is in this morning’s JacoBLOG.

Big brands – from the New York Times to Metallica – are using technology to help localize their brands. Radio is the most local medium of them all, with opportunities to tap into those same digital tools. Today’s blog post is a fascinating marketing story that underscores the value of local.

Innovation shouldn’t just be happening in the programming and digital departments. As the media world is disrupted, radio sales managers are discovering they have to get creative to discover potential new sellers and to modernize their systems. The retail world is undergoing similar pressures to radio broadcasting, and some of the more inventive brands have come up with a smart new concept to attract new salespeople. It’s the subject of this morning’s JacoBLOG post.

Whether you attended last week’s Podcast Movement convention in Philadelphia last week or weren’t able to join us, today’s blog is our veritable “greatest hits” from our “Broadcasters Meet Podcasters” track – two days of sessions, panels, and keynotes designed to bring our two industries together. We’ve got some of the best quotes and one-liners from the event.

Sports is for guys, right? New social media research reveals some eye-opening data about the role women play in social media engagement in sports. And that suggests that in sports and rock radio, the game may, in fact, be changing: women in the air studio and the corner office.

One of the most-asked questions in the past year is whether smart speakers are additive or erosive to broadcast radio listening? And not surprisingly, the answer is “It depends.” Research points to multiple outcomes, reminding us that when it comes to Alexa and her counterparts, it’s still early days. Today’s blog post offers much-needed perspective to the question “Alexa, are you good or bad for radio?”

In these fast-paced, entrepreneurial times, distinguishing betweeen a truly bad idea and “the next big thing” is an art that can make or break a business. Today’s post talks about the true breakthroughs, the “nothingburgers,” and how to tell the difference.

Whats the best way to market a brand new podcast? Even if you had a large budget to spend? Seth Resler asked a number of leaders and luminaries in the podcasting and broadcasting space. Their answers may surprise you.

Just about every business sector is coming to grips with the sobering reality that without risk, there’s no reward – including radio broadcasting. Owners, managers, and talent willing to “jump into the fire,” even in the face of sure disruption can save radio from suffering the same fate as MySpace, Yahoo!, and Blackberry – once market leaders in their respective spaces.

The more reseaerch we see about consumers and their cars, the more we glean insight into the future. Cosnumers have long been in love with their cars, so much so that many people name them. Will that practice carry over to the autonomous driving revolution?