When you think about innovation, what comes to mind?
Typically, we think about serious breakthroughs or the clichéd term, game-changers. The personal computer, the iPhone, and the Internet itself.
For the past dozen or so years, Paul and I have made the trek to Vegas for CES (formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show). Why do we go? We’re in search of innovation – a quest to see around the corner to learn what may be next. And we’re never disappointed by the experience. Many of the companies you’d expect to see are on display at CES: Amazon, Samsung, LG, Netflix, Google, and legions of other big names in tech, all trotting out their latest and greatest devices and advances.
But an oddity is all the other companies, organizations, and
agencies that are on hand, meeting and greeting CES attendees. I’m talking about the U.S.P.S., Toto toilets, and even the FBI (I’m still trying to figure that one out). John Deere has been very active of late with self-driving tractors and other futuristic ag tech, and even RCA and Victrola are displaying their electronics, including actual radios.
And then there’s Delta Airlines, the first commercial aviation company to display their wares at CES. Back in 2020, their CEO, Ed Bastion, keynoted at CES, and the company created a major exhibit, showing off their innovative spirit.
So you might be wondering what a commercial airline could possibly unveil at the world’s largest consumer technology gathering that would stand out and get noticed.
One of the coolest innovations was a partnership with Sarcos Robotics. The product is a wearable exoskeleton called Guardian XO (pictured) It allows mechanics, bag handlers, and other workers literally doing the heavy lifting to increase their strength and capabilities wearing this amazing hi-tech suit.
Another technology was called Parallel Reality, a collab with a company called Misapplied Sciences. It was a concept designed to help air passengers traveling through airports by displaying personalized information about itineraries. The concept was to enter the airport, look up at a video screen, and see your personal information – your flight, your gate, your miles, etc.
Last month, Delta’s Parallel Reality Technology became a reality at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport. You walk through the portal (below left), a device scans your boarding pass, and the display (below right) instantly lights up with your info.
OK, it’s not a flying car or a restroom that expands to your height (wouldn’t that be amazing?), but it’s a wonderful example of how innovation comes in all sizes, types, and varieties. And travelers are enjoying test driving it.
It proves that any company can innovate. They just have to elevate the process to priority status.
And you know the technology will only get better, more personal, more useful, and more seamless over time. Air travel should be more fun and enjoyable. By positioning itself as the world’s most innovative airline, Delta can win an all-important “hill.”
And then there’s innovation in radio – NOT an oxymoron. And I have the receipts to prove it.
Back in 2014, we launched a campaign to celebrate innovation in the radio broadcasting industry. And for about a year, we celebrated inventions, novel ideas, and creativity throughout the industry. All told, we awarded nearly 70 of those snappy trophies you see pictured at the top of today’s post to innovators from all different walks of radio life. The premise behind “Radio’s Most Innovative” was that Silicon Valley wasn’t the only locale where cool ideas are spawned. Each Friday, we highlighted an innovator in radio broadcasting, and those designated received one of these mementos.
Our “R.M.I.” awards ran the gamut, from Andy Economos, inventor of Selector, to Dr. Demento, inventor of himself and a crazy radio show featuring novelty songs that enjoyed a nice
long run on rock stations throughout the country. And we saluted a real doctor, Dr. Ruth Westheimer (pictured), who spawned sex/talk radio in the 80’s with her wildly successful and hugely buzzworthy “Sexually Speaking” show. (Why isn’t a new version of this on the air somewhere?)
And then we high-fived NPR’s “Car Talk,” the most unlikely public radio show of all time, featuring a couple of wisecracking auto mechanics from Boston lighting up the airwaves. Its executive producer, Doug Berman, would go onto a create another public radio hit you may be familiar with, “Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me!”
We even surprised ourselves by how many truly inventive ideas happened on and off the radio airwaves, as well as how many truly creative people roamed the halls of radio stations all over the country…and the world.
There was Dan Vallie’s National Radio Talent System and also the innovative WNYC Studios. And out-of-the-box on-air ideas like Alan Almond‘s “Pillow Talk” program on WNIC/Detroit, as well as Jeff Smulyan‘s first, the all-sports station, WFAN/New York. Initially, many said neither would work. Well, they were wrong.
During these many weeks and months of honoring great ideas, we saluted the first station that went “All Christmas
Music” (KEZ in Portland), KSHE/St.Louis’ “Real Rock Museum,” and public radio group PRX’s clever “Podcast Garage.”
This would be a great time to honor radio innovators again, because if there was ever a time to celebrate invention and ingenuity in our business, it is right now. But as I’ve learned, if you don’t make it a priority and you don’t recognize and reward the true brainstormers in your midst, they probably won’t happen. Most employees in radio – up and down the org chart – are pretty busy dealing with the tasks at hand.
Who has time for invention?
The fact is, most of your employees – in the air studio, the sales cubicles, the traffic department, HR, and the executive wing – are thinking about new ideas that might make the company or (gasp!) the industry better. But there’s typically no forum for them to emerge. By asking for and elevating innovation, creating a structure where it can be displayed, and rewarding the best of these labors, companies will no doubt surprise themselves with the input. Not only will they discover that some of the most unlikely members of their workforce are smarter and cleverer than they thought – they just might find that next big innovation that can propel a new initiative for the company.
Elon Musk and his ilk don’t have the market cornered on innovation. Neither does Apple or Google. But they make it a priority – something they expect and even demand from their people.
It can happen in your company if you create an environment that celebrates it. I’ve met a lot of creative people over my five decade career, but none as brilliant, smart, and energetic as the people I’ve met along the way in radio.
What will be the most innovative idea to come out of radio in 2023? I have no idea, but I know the concept is out there, waiting to be discovered.
If we encourage it and give it a chance to break on through.
Speaking of innovation, Paul and I will be back at CES 2023, and you’re invited to join us. We’re still nailing down the particulars, but it looks like we’ll be running two tours in January, especially curated for radio broadcasting professionals. We’ll go public after Labor Day, so stay tuned. We hope you can join us at CES for a truly amazing experience. – FJ
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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Talking about innovation… iHeartMedia gets into the metaverse with iHeartLand, launching on Fortnite today.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/iheartmedia-iheartland-fortnite-1235204209/
This came out as I was publishing the post, Tito. It’s a very bold move on their part, and very much aligned with where they’ve been as a company. Thanks for the comment.
In many cases (both at the network and local levels), broadcast TV is trying to adapt to changing viewing habits by expanding daytime news programming. NorthPine has been following announcements by stations throughout much of the Upper Midwest of local replacements for the departing Ellen–while ABC and now also NBC are focusing more on early-afternoon news…
https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/afternoon-tv-news-gma3-nbc-news-daily-streaming-1235347351
On a different note, now that I’ve finally read a recent Financial Times story largely previewing an upcoming exhibit and an equally upcoming book on Hallyu (“K-style — the rise and rise of Korean pop culture”), this quote really jumps out…
“‘Being number one matters, but being first does not. Almost every area in which Korea achieved dominance occurred in territory that was well covered by other nations,’ writes [Euny] Hong in ‘The Birth of Korean Cool’.”
https://www.ft.com/content/e2babb5e-91f9-4f83-a48c-6331ac64bc6b
In my original comment, I might’ve inadvertently implied that “The Birth of Korean Cool” is the “equally upcoming book”. Instead, that reference is to the fashion-focused “Make, Break, Remix: The Rise of K-Style”. “The Birth of Korean Cool” itself was published some years ago.
I always think of the iPod and the iPhone, neither of which were first-in, but they were far superior to similar devices that had come before. I look forward to reading the article.
Tuesday–the triumph of hope over experience.
Like you, Fred, my hopes for radio spring eternal, but it’s challenging when radio has such a poor record of implementing past innovations that held (and still hold) promise for the industry. Like, if radio hasn’t been bright or brave enough to unleash enthusiastic youth on an HD3 and take back the audience who are listening elsewhere, why should we expect radio managers to run with the next bright idea that someone invents?
It seems radio never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity.
There is no doubt, John, that innovation has too few and far between in recent years. Or missing in action. And you’re right – the sandbox has been there: HD secondary channels or even those fourth or fifth failing FM stations that become the second Country or Classic Hits station in the market. For my tastes, Spotify starts and then stops too many initiatives. But at least they’re out there slugging away.
From what I understand the “HD radio” patent expires soon. I say let it and let that technology become open source. I think this happened with TV in 2009.
Let stations explore and expand with the “HD2/3/4” stations. Could some of those stations become the triple A of radio? Couldn’t you sell some spots there?
And reduce the size of breaks. I thought pizza land would get upset if their spot was back to back with pizza world?