By the time you’re done reading this post, you may be wondering, “What is it with you and knives?”
So let’s get to today’s headline. As you may have already seen in radio’s trade publications today, Jacobs Media and jācapps are embarking on an exciting new direction.
We’re bringing Seth Resler on board, an industry professional who has paid his dues behind the mic and as a programmer, and also made the career trek to Silicon Valley. Seth’s love for radio, and his belief that it can aim higher and figure this whole thing out is what attracted him to us.
His title? Digital Dot Connector, because that’s the best way we can serve our clients at the crossroads now facing the radio business. We’ve been talking about this idea for some time now, summarized in a recent post about helping stations pull together their resources to create smart, integrated marketing.
As we spoke to clients, our ad hoc “board of directors,” and friends of our companies these past few weeks, it became more and more apparent that we needed someone with a broad 360° knowledge of digital and how it connects to our “mother ships.”
The symbol of versatility and flexibility is the Swiss Army Knife. Ironically, for one of our anniversaries many years ago, we had them made for clients (see below) as a symbolic way of describing our company’s various services back then. This included consulting the different Rock formats, sales support, promotional ideation, talent search, and what were the beginnings of the World Wide Web. It was a great gift to clients, except when they tried to pass through airport security, as we later found out.
Fast-forward to 2015, and we’re on the threshold of a critically important time for the radio business. Sales is being profoundly challenged, as is radio’s efficacy as a viable medium and marketing medium. How can radio thrive as a music discovery tool? Are services such as traffic reports going to remain viable on broadcast radio? How will changes in “connected cars” impact our business? Is it possible to generate sustaining revenue with event marketing?
Broadcasters find themselves involved in many digital initiatives, often hiring managers, as well as support staff to launch podcasts, generate social media activity, and undertake non-traditional revenue paths to better leverage radio brands. From event marketing to blogging to video production, more and more broadcasters are investing in people, capital expenditures, and training.
And they’re often asking themselves why.
That’s what drove this move to bring in Seth and to create this new position, the Digital Dot Connector. No one knows everything, of course. But this is a guy with a broad, grassroots knowledge of our business who ventured out into the digital world – and came back.
Along the way, Seth has developed a unique skillset that covers many of the key disciplines of digital, and how it fits into radio’s traditional brand architecture. And in a series of web videos and advisories that he’s produced, we saw a vision and a simplicity that few in our business possess.
Seth’s way of explaining content marketing ties together those loose digital ends, providing clarity and sanity to an area that has remained elusive to many. In putting together a list of Seth’s various skills and disciplines, I unknowingly found myself going back to the versatility of the Swiss Army Knife, and I created this visual:
After I hit “save,” Paul reminded me about our original cutlery concept those many years ago. I suppose the conclusion is that even as our perspective changes over the years, we are who we are.
We are excited about this new venture. And the real and symbolic message that Seth’s title sends. It’s an important new step for our companies. Providing guidance to Jacobs Media clients, and practical application to jācapps customers, is how his job description reads. It should be a fun and exciting ride.
So please welcome him to our companies.
But don’t check your mail for an updated knife, because we learned our lesson. You’d never get it through TSA Pre√®.
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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It’s nice to see somebody connected with radio who is looking at the big picture and ahead rather then freaking out about what to sell out rate is this week. Congratulations on making a great business decision, both for your business and your clients. Not enough people are stepping back looking at where the digital world is now and where it’s going, and actually doing something about it. It’s very impressive that you’ve been thinking like that for so long and I’m sure you and everyone in your universe have learned a lot along the way.
And for what it’s worth, based on the news reports yesterday about the TSA missing 95% of the fake bombs and weapons going through checkpoints during tests, I’d lay you odds that I could get that knife through security. Just don’t ask me how I would do it.
Funny about that TSA thing – I had the same thought on the way into work this morning.
Appreciate your comments about how we’re approaching this – frankly, in much the same way you have, Mark. We’re hoping that we can contribute to helping radio figure this all out. Thanks for the kind words.
Fred, Always Great stuff! Swiss Army Knife. Digital Dot Connector. All essential. But, in learning new tricks, don’t forget the necessary: CONTENT & PRESENTATION. Common sense and efficiency are becoming lost if a new work of gadgetry. Gadgets are great. The make things fast and easy. Digital is delivery. Mobile started with radio in cars and transistor sisters. Yes, we’ve got to connect the Digital Dots. But, we also have to deliver something worthwhile. Read: New, Appealing, Relevant Listener & Advertiser Friendly! Safe, ordinary and the same old same old no longer gets it. And, all the all these great connections deliver hits, misses, tune-outs and turn-ons faster than a speeding bullet. Clark.
Clark, couldn’t agree more. Seth has a great sense for content marketing – but of course, you need great content – on the air, podcasts, blog, video – to make that happen. We’ll be focused on content first, integration second. Thanks for chiming in.
By the way, thanks for remembering me one of the best Dylan’s song. 😉 The Times They Are A Changin’… There is something about radio in a modern times.
Then you better start swimmin’
Or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin’.
As the present now
Will later be past
The order is
Rapidly fadin’.
And the first one now
Will later be last
For the times they are a-changin’.
Amen.