I'm at Radio Ink's Convergence 2009 this week, preparing for a panel called "Radio On Demand." First, major kudos to Eric Rhoads and company for putting together an incredibly well-attended conference. In this year of crisis for our industry and America, it is truly amazing how many people are here.
It all got going with a keynote from Guy Kawasaki, former Apple exec and now Silicon Valley venture capitalist, who spoke about innovation – a common topic that he presented in a novel way.
Guy brought up some great points, but two in particular resonated with me:
Make Meaning – So often, business and new ventures focus on simply making money. Yes, that's what makes the markets move, but as we've seen with consolidation and catering to Wall Street, radio clearly lost sight of its original focus – serving communities, serving listeners, and making a difference. By the way, as hard hit as radio has been in the past couple of years, all that potential is still there. We won't get there with all-syndicated, out-sourced radio, but local stations that are broadcasting to local communities can and will make a difference.
Polarize People – That's what gets their attention, whether it's a strange-looking hybrid called a Prius or Howard Stern or Rush Limbaugh. And as PPM proliferates, shows and formats that stand out – including Christmas music – stand out as big winners. They're good for ratings and even better for brands. But playing it safe, over-researching, and "programming by committee" all contribute to blanding out radio, while moving further away from an innovative environment.
So far, so good at Convergence 2009.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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Please give us some hard facts backing your observation that this was “an incredibly well-attended conference.”
* Total attendees this year vs. last year
* Total number this year who actually paid to attend
* Total number of panelists who actually paid to attend
* Total number of vendors attending and their percentage of total attendance