Do any of us really understand the physiological impact of how songs, jingles, and advertisements somehow get stuck in our cranial cavities – sometimes over decades or more?   That's the case with me and those old Tareyton cigarette ads that were designed to promote customer loyalty.  "I'd rather fight than switch" became a powerful slogan […]

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If you've ever attended one of our Summits – first with Gavin, then a long run with R&R, and in recent years, being co-located at the N.A.B. – you know that our focus has always been on presenting sessions that are in-tune with the issues of the day facing radio.  (Selfishly, we have always booked […]

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Radio-Info's Tom Taylor and I exchanged emails after his story ran about how the Sirius XM iPhone app passed the 1,000,000 downloads milestone.  But there's another angle on apps that most of us in radio aren't used to facing – continuous, accessible, transparent listener reviews.  In Sirius XM's case, their app's bulk download stats are illusory because […]

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Yes, they look innocent enough, but these young media types are killing radio, a medium that continues to provide entertainment to millions of Americans, as well as results to thousands of advertisers. Do they hate us?  Is it something we did?  Is it the result of bad parenting? Well, not really, not really, and perhaps.  […]

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Our own Paul Jacobs provides insight on the popularity of iPhone apps and how fans of radio stations want their favorite station to be a part of the growing trend. I've become famous among my daughter's friends because my name is frequently found in the iTunes Store (go ahead, search me).  Is it because I've […]

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It seems like broadcast radio is almost always overshadowed by other media – whether it's TV, Internet, satellite radio, or movies.  Too often, radio is either overlooked or it's a putdown story about how radio is tight-listed, predictable, voice tracked, or slashing more staff.   The anti-radio press has been exacerbated by the fact that so […]

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iBiquity is doing something right.  Realizing that part of the HD Radio solution is to get inexpensive, cool-looking hardware into the hands of consumers is a key factor.  Now the Insignia portable at $50 is on the market, available at Best Buy, and it's a chance to flood the market with inexpensive, portable radios.  There […]

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You know the scenario all too well. Cluster A has a dominant Country station, so to counter it, Cluster B takes one of its loser FM signals and goes right at it with a Country spoiler of its own.   Cluster A won't take that lying down, so they deploy one of their dog FMs, changes […]

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In a recent RBR email "Opinion Box," the Tribune Company's COO, Randy Michaels, posed the rhetorical question to Arbitron about the diary versus PPM: "Since the results are so different, which time were you wrong?" And his answer: "Both times." Which raises some other questions. Why is the COO of the Tribune Company wasting his […]

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A recent New York Times article notes the smell of incense in lots of advertising these days – and there are signs that it will intensify into lots of marketing expenditures this year. A number of brands are dredging up '60s images, clothing, decor, and phrases during the 2009 version of the Summer of Love.  […]

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Here's a quote from Magic Johnson:  "Michael Jackson made me a better point guard." What?  It is truly incredible how death can instantly change one's image.  Have you ever seen so many people come out of the woodwork, "deeply affected" by Jackson's passing? This recent "research" from the website, GraphJam, says a lot about posthumous mood swings and […]

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A catchy headline, to be sure, but that's what the "Cash for Clunkers" government program could mean for radio.  But not if radio reps are going through the "business as usual boogie."  It's why radio stations that play the same drops and positioners, month after month, sound dated and out of it, when they should […]

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Last week, Arbitron broke out its April data based on the first month of Cell-Phone Only data.  They discovered that while the overall 12+ level for CPO is just under 11%, more than one-quarter of 18-24s have dumped their land lines in favor of mobile phones.   Of course, this is data we discovered during our […]

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In a recent Sunday edition of The New York Times was a full page ad for Target, asking this simple question: Tell us what more we can do for you. Customers are encouraged to send Target an email, and they'll receive a timely response. Does it get any more simple than this?  A basic question […]

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    We wish you and your family a safe and wonderful Independence Day!! JacoBlog will return on Monday, July 6.

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There's been a lot of talk in media circles in recent weeks about "The Oprah Effect."  This is where Oprah provides marketing's "Holy Grail" – an unabashed endorsement of a product that she believes in.  It's one thing to read a J.D. Power report for a car or to analyze online reviews of a product.  […]

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As we continue to dissect Tech Poll V and mine its rich data, one continual thread has emerged – Boomers are catching up.  When it comes to new media and gadgets, Classic Rockers are displaying greater comfort with technology.  While they're not moving at light speed like their kids, they are becoming increasingly immersed in […]

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As we continue to dissect Tech Poll V and mine its rich data, one continual thread has emerged – Boomers are catching up.  When it comes to new media and gadgets, Classic Rockers are displaying greater comfort with technology.  While they're not moving at light speed like their kids, they are becoming increasingly immersed in […]

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OK, I'll admit it – I'm conflicted about HD Radio.  I wanted to believe in this innovation when it was first introduced, and again when the Alliance was formed.  I was involved in the front end with RIFF 2, and have always been complimentary of what a great job they've done with this HD brand. […]

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The shocking news of Michael Jackson's death sure felt a lot like when I heard about the passing of Elvis, except that in the digital world of information, it was a whole different story.  The fact that TMZ broke the story while the so-called cable news media, USA Today, and AP all waited around speaks […]

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