Time flies…when you innovating. Or in this case, writing about innovation.
We started “Radio’s Most Innovative” exactly one year ago on the premise that there’s a lot more invention and creativity in broadcast radio than many think. From innovations of the past – like Dr. Demento – to new creations today – like WRIF’s Dave & Chuck the Freak’s mobile app game – there are many in radio who continue to ask “What if?” And then they act on it.
And as long as there are clever, creative, and determined radio people out there, we’ll continue to showcase them every Friday on this blog. In the meantime, we went back over the past year to highlight every one of our innovators, leaving you with 44 pithy quotes about innovation, invention, and advice to people with an idea who may not know how to bring it to market.
If you’re so inclined, each “RMI” post is linked, so you can easily explore any of the innovators and their concepts that we’ve featured over the past twelve months.
We’d like to thank All Access’ Joel Denver for instinctively knowing we were onto something. He provides coverage of “Radio’s Most Innovative” every Friday. Thanks also to Mike Stern who has done much of the writing and heavy lifting during the past year.
We hope that “Radio’s Most Innovative” has been inspirational, interesting, and instructive during these past twelve months. And if you or someone you know is doing something innovative in radio, tell us about it. If we agree, we’ll feature you and send you one of these nifty trophies.
Contact us at innovation@g5j.8ac.myftpupload.com.
“I believe in getting your hands dirty with a real, functioning product as quickly as possible, even if all the features aren’t immediately present.”
Kurt Hanson, founder of RAIN and AccuRadio
To read the post, click here.
“We had to take risks to win. Our competitors could easily outspend us, we had to have people look at the dial, find us, and build an emotional attachment to our brand.”
Jerry Ryan, former GM at KEZ (KESZ/Phoenix), the first station to go All Christmas Music
To read the post, click here.
“It’s a beautiful partnership (with Radio). I provide content and they help promote my site. When the hosts endorse you, it creates legitimacy. We have nine million unique visitors a month, and I’ve never spent a dime on advertising. Don’t tell me radio isn’t powerful.”
Jim “Mr Skin” McBride
To read the post, click here.
“Listeners don’t understand, or care about distribution platforms. They just want to listen to our great content. That’s not to say we shouldn’t discuss distribution behind closed doors but radio folk tend to obsess about platforms at the expense of content.”
Michael Hill, Managing Director, UK Radioplayer
To read the post, click here.
“When I was 10 years old, I started creating my own Top 40 charts based on the music I personally enjoyed. I always joke about my dad coming into my room and seeing the charts taped on my wall. He would say things like, ‘Exactly how are you ever going to make a living making music charts?’”
Rich Meyer, founder of Mediabase
To read the post, click here.
“Lack of vision is the biggest hurdle (to innovation). The phrase ‘We’ve never done it like that before’ and the business mindset that ‘Saying no won’t hurt you, let somebody else take the first chance,’ gets in the way of innovation. Many people are so worried about their place in the corporate tree, that they stifle innovation on a daily basis.”
George Gimarc, format innovator and author
To read the post, click here.
“Honestly, learning the beer business was the toughest part. Spend 30 years in rock radio and you think you’re pretty clever. Well pal, you have a lot to learn.”
Dave Richards, Entercom/Seattle EVP Programming/Operations on KISW’s Men’s Room Red
To read the post, click here.
“Radio is full of some of the most creative and passionate people you’ll find in any industry. Providing an entrepreneurial outlet for that creativity and passion not only helps employees feel more invested in the future, but can also create great opportunities to learn, grow, and make a difference.”
John Fullam, Greater Media Philadelphia VP/Market Manager
To read the post, click here.
There are a ton of things that make a podcast great. But to be great for me it has to have an audience in the hundreds of thousands, a host who understands the importance of content to an advertiser, and someone who thinks PodcastOne is a good place to be.”
Norm Pattiz, CEO, PodcastOne
To read the post, click here.
“For those few who started businesses and became an overnight success bless them, but that is not my story. For me it meant hard work, long hours and surviving scary financial times. It was a wonderful journey.”
Dr. Andy Economos, creator of Selector
To read the post, click here.
“Guglielmo Marconi could not have known that his invention would spawn Casey Kasem, Howard Stern, Rush Limbaugh, Rock of the ‘80s, and All-Christmas Music. Radio became America’s companion, reinventing itself several times over the ensuing decades.”
Fred Jacobs commenting on the 95th birthday of radio broadcasting
To read the post, click here.
“We have newsmakers and A-list guests on consistently who break down and advance our top stories. We challenge our reporters to produce more exclusive content, so our competitors follow US. We need to continue to find ways to de-commoditize information.”
John Meyer, WTOP/Washington (Hubbard Radio), Director of Digital Media
To read the post, click here.
“The best suggestion I could make would be to come up with something as unique as my show. Not like my show, but something else unique. Of course that might not be as easy as it was in 1970!”
Dr. Demento
To read the post, click here.
“Being compelling is the key to remaining relevant, and listeners will not tolerate what’s not relevant. They have too many better choices.”
Joel Denver, founder All Access Music Group
To read the post, click here.
“As the audience becomes more multi-channel, sales teams need to think in a multi-channel way. It’s not just about the FM broadcast; it’s the broadcast combined with the stream, combined with activity on social media. I think the future of radio sales is selling that multi-channel experience.”
Mike Dougherty, Jelli co-founder and CEO
To read the post, click here.
“(The Like/Dislike feature has) become almost as much a part of the KKDO brand as a popular personality is on many other stations. KKDO listeners genuinely believe we use the data and they should, since we do.”
Jim Fox, KKDO/Sacramento (Entercom) Operations Manager
To read the post, click here.
“Research is the most important thing you can do at a station. For both the songs you play and the marketing that you do, it helps you to know when to move left and when to move right.”
Jerry Lee, owner of WBEB/Philadelphia
To read the post, click here.
“I think the artists loved the fact that they could ‘touch’ their audience in one-stop instead of going station to station. Then, after John Lennon was killed, Rockline became a very secure place for artists to come and connect with their audience without any worry.”
Howard Gillman, Rockline’s original Executive Producer
To read the post, click here.
“Stations are much stricter with their internship programs, plus there are fewer all night shows and live shifts. These policies are minimizing or eliminating the opportunity for young people to hang around and learn. There is just as much young talent available today. We just need to connect with them and prepare them and help them develop.”
Dan Vallie, Founder, National Radio Talent System
Part 1 – To read the post, click here.
Part 2 – To read the post, click here.
“Our inspiration comes from our mission to create great, unique, local content. Since some of us started in college and small town radio many years ago, we recognize the power and connection those local stations had, and still have, in their communities.”
Tom Langmyer, VP/GM of WTMJ-AM and WLWK-FM/Milwaukee and E.W. Scripps Company’s VP of News/Talk/Sports
To read the post, click here.
“Great promotions speak to the core of your audience and build cume. They are memorable, interactive and brand the station by focusing on its greatest attributes, the music and the musicians.”
Scott Segelbaum, founder of the Rock Art Show
To read the post, click here.
“We know that when radio is visual and interactive, listeners are dramatically more engaged. That’s why we are dedicated to getting FM radio chips turned on in all devices, including smartphones, tablets, autos, even clock radios.”
Paul Brenner, Emmis Communications SVP/CTO
To read the post, click here.
“I worked the phones like a crazy person. Every time that phone rang, I picked it up and talked to them. I didn’t just blow them off. I was always nice to everybody. And I always had that ’25 Theory.’ If I’m nice to one person, they’re going to tell 25 of their friends what a nice guy I am and that he played a song for us.”
Alan Almond, host of Pillow Talk on WNIC/Detroit
To read the post, click here.
“The point is that the listener’s experience of public radio content – rigorous reporting, insights on life and moments of discovery – should be seamless no matter the platform. NPR One is designed for those who expect some or all of their listening to occur digitally. It is not cannibalizing traditional radio listening; it is bringing our content to a growing audience.”
Zach Brand, VP Digital Media, NPR on the NPR One app
To read the post, click here.
“Focus on the market opportunity and make sure your value proposition is compelling to both your users and customers.”
Pat Higbie, CEO, XAPPmedia
February 27, 2015 – Pat Higbie/XAPPmedia Quote – To read the post, click here.
“Look, when you’re right, you’re a genius; when you’re wrong, you’re an idiot. It’s a very thin line and if you’re taking chances, you’re gonna fall on the idiot side sometimes. Just appreciate that and keep moving forward.”
Jeff Smulyan, creator of WFAN (and CEO, Emmis Communications)
To read the post, click here.
“The most important thing – AFDI – actually f___ing do it. Do not give up. It seems like many in older media have given up or given in to the playbook. Bad idea.”
Lee Abrams
To read the post, click here.
“The bottom line is that there’s no arguing with an audience. If you’re working on something, even if it’s a podcast, and more and more people are giving up their own valuable time to listen –when they could be streaming Better Call Saul — then it’s working.”
Car Talk
To read the post, click here.
“You have to be realistic, check the market of what is needed and not to give up on an innovative idea.”
Dr. Ruth Westheimer
To read the post, click here.
“Focus on the consumer. Focus on the consumer. And focus on the consumer.”
Darren Davis, President, iHeart Radio and iHeart Media Networks
To read the post, click here.
“Take your idea to key stakeholders and show them how passionate you are. But you need to be buttoned-up with a solid explanation of the upside. How will it grow both audience AND revenue? Will it scale? What are the resources required to pull it off?”
Adam Wiener, SVP of Content Community and Operations on CBS Radio’s Minimations
To read the post, click here.
“
It’s all about technology.”
Pete Bowers, creator of High School Radio Day
To read the post, click here.
“The landscape continues to evolve, listening patterns are changing, and we need to embrace and look at things with a fresh perspective.”
Horizon Media’s Sheri Roder & Lauren Russo on “Moodstates”
To read the post, click here.
“Service to the community is good for everyone. You don’t have to have the size of staff we have to do amazing things. Leverage your assets to be the conduit for connecting non-profits and local businesses.”
WLEN Radio’s Julie Koehn
To read the post, click here.
“Don’t underestimate what it will take to get your product noticed. You can have the most innovative idea in the world, but if you don’t have the money to make people know it’s out there, you may never get where you want to go.”
Film House’s Curt Hahn & Wayne Campbell
To read the post, click here.
“Condense your idea to a succinct two minute pitch. Then try to get to the decision maker.”
Max Tolkoff on Rick Carroll’s “Rock of the ‘80s” format
To read the post, click here.
“Content creates usage, (so) become the source.”
Shawn Quinn & Stacy Ryder’s GenX.fm
To read the post, click here.
“From my perspective an idea isn’t enough. GeoTraffic is well past a proof of concept and we’re still struggling to get radio’s attention. You need patience and a belief in your offering.”
Frank Rizzo’s GeoTraffic
To read the post, click here.
“We’ve seen a few big DJs being picked up by music streaming services because they see the human curator is going to be a big part of listening. So make sure you hang on to those folks before you lose them all.”
Paul Lamere, Director of Develop Platform, The Echo Nest & author of the “Music Machinery” blog
To read the post, click here.
“Don’t listen to naysayers. These days they’re everywhere. You can count on criticism if you do anything of scale that matters. Don’t be afraid of it. It comes with the territory.”
Dave Ramsey
To read the post, click here.
“Always keep the listener in mind. What are they interested in? What do they like to do? Try and be a part of that somehow.”
Dave Hunter, Morning Personality, WRIF/Detroit (Greater Media) on the show’s “Kick Ass Game” mobile app
To read the post, click here.
“Radio is about passion. If you don’t love it, don’t do it.”
Nikki Marra, Program Director, KCWU (Central Washington University) on her “College Radio Road Trip” documentary
To read the post, click here.
“Your vision has to be your life’s mission. You have to have the resilience to see it through while managing your ego and your expectations.”
Sky Daniels, Program Director, KSCN (Cal State Northridge) on their remote studio & performance space
To read the post, click here.
“When you work for yourself, you can’t get fired. Just look around and you’ll see that many of the exceedingly talented people in radio who have left the industry due to down-sizing are now self-employed.”
“Radio’s Best Friend” Art Vuolo
To read the post, click here.
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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