Happy to share another guest blog from Jacobs Media’s Dave Beasing:
In case you’ve been living under a rock, Katie Couric starts anchoring the CBS Evening News on September 5. What with all the media exposure – not just on CBS, but everywhere – everyone knows that, right? So what has Katie been doing since her departure from the Today show? Redesigning CBS’ news set and theme music? Considering new hair styles? Picking wallpaper colors for her dressing room? Yes, but she’s doing something else, too.
Katie is meeting with real people, actual viewers, on a 6-city “Eye on America Tour.” As CBS News President Sean McManus explains, “Katie wants to hear about elements that people think might be missing in the nightly newscast.” The result will be that many average Americans will tell their friends that they – not just Edward R. Murrow or Cronkite or Rather or Katie – helped build CBS News.
Make no mistake. These town hall meetings are more than just local photo opportunities. In fact, CBS has barred outside media – billed as "No lights, no cameras, just your opinions." Groups of about 85 people were chosen by local station officials in Tampa, Dallas, Denver, San Diego, San Francisco, and Minneapolis from viewer submissions – not unlike the Listener Advisory Board meetings that Jacobs Media often conducts with radio listeners.
What are they learning? Executive Producer Rome Hartman tells the LA Times, “I was really struck by how people kept saying that they want depth and they want serious journalism.” In other words, they want to be treated with respect and intelligence. That’s probably no surprise. But when Katie provides more background information on subjects like immigration or Hezbollah, viewers may be encouraged to know that they are the reason.
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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