You have to give Kiefer Sutherland a lot of credit. A few years ago, he was just another actor, sleep-walking his way through forgettable movies. Then he became the creative force and face behind "24," a Fox-TV show that started out very slowly. In its first season, "24" was a cult show at best, struggling to find an audience.
But Sutherland stuck it out, the show found its voice and its loyal viewers, and he recently reaped the benefits – a $40 million dollar deal that keeps him in the Jack Bauer role for three more years, saving the U.S. during those harried 24-hour days.
"24’s" far-from-overnight success proves that it often takes time to build a following, and that consistency and quality win out. People forget that even the best concepts take time for the public to "get it."
"Seinfeld’s" ratings were awful in year one. At WYSP, we struggled with Howard Stern’s numbers for more than a year before the numbers began to kick in. And the examples go on and on.
But how many times has the plug been pulled too early, dooming a viable concept forever because it often takes a year or two before entertainment vehicles hit their rhythm? In the rush to write off some of the Howard replacement morning shows, everyone should take a deep breath and realize that even Stern himself didn’t hit it out of the park at the beginning. That doesn’t mean they’re all going to make it, but a couple of trends just aren’t enough to really understand what’s going on.
Just ask Jack Bauer…
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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