I have come to look at the 4th of July weekend as a sort of halftime. It’s essentially the midpoint of 2023 with half the year gone, and the other half still ahead of us. This is Jacobs Media’s 40th year in business, and I’d love to tell you that there’s more clarity four decades into my career journey.
But sadly, there’s not.
Perhaps like you, I thought the passing of the pandemic might have ushered in a period of relief and calm. Not normalcy, but a lessening of the vitriol and friction. But for most of us, our worlds are in turmoil even though talk of masks, vaccines, social distancing, and ventilators seems like years and years ago.
Between the torrent of news stories and events that have rocked our planet and the country this year, to the tumultuous ups and downs of the tech, media, and radio worlds, it’s exhausting. And exhilarating at the same time.
Uncertainty – whether it the government, world affairs, or the radio industry – isn’t just a passing, transient moment. It’s here, it’s around us, it’s a constant, and it’s with us – all the time.
After attending CES the past dozen years you might have thought we’d have seen it coming, but the ubiquity of A.I. has earned the overused term “game changer.” A number of years ago at CES we were told there was no A.I. exhibit because the technology permeates just about everything. That prognostication was correct. A.I. is like oxygen – it’s not a gadget, but it’s everywhere. And we’re just beginning to understand how it will rapidly make its way into our businesses and our lives.
Like many technologies of recent years – social media, mobile phones, and games – A.I. has good and bad features. It will be up to as individuals to work through what it means, how we use it, and how we might abuse it. One thing seems sure: waiting for the government to help define it, much less fairly and thoughtfully regulate it, is a pipedream.
If you work in the radio broadcast industry, the first half of 2023 has also been tumultuous. Many companies have struggle financially, gone the RIF route, and continue to try to get their heads and spreadsheets around their operations. AM radio’s once automatic presence in car dashboards is under siege, not just by Elon Musk but by once radio friendly automakers. Whether the current crisis spills over to FM radio remains to seen. But because auto manufacturers are recasting their business models, all bets appear to be off.
As we scan what’s going on in the country, seemingly everything is either politicized or even weaponized. Americans – as the four flags at the top of this post symbolize – is a divided country. The common purpose and values that once stitched us all together appears to be coming apart at the seams. Many of us are angsty and nervous, suffering from an odd feeling of not knowing what’s coming next.
Maybe we’ve never really known what’s around the corner. And maybe we fooled ourselves into thinking we did. Bottom line: confusion and uncertainty reign, making it difficult to predict the performances of our brands, much less how many days a week staffers will really be returning to their workplaces after the passing of the Labor Day holiday weekend.
As upsetting and uncertain the radio business has become, the role of radio in American communities – in big metros and small towns alike – hasn’t changed much. The delivery system, the studio equipment, the location of talent, and whether he/she is actually a human being may be in a state of change. But radio’s purpose in people’s lives really hasn’t.
They may be listening to radio differently, on an array of gadgets, and in new daypart patterns. They may be listening to other media platforms more often. But when they stop by an AM or FM station (or its stream), the basic bargain hasn’t changed.
Broadcast radio is charged with informing, entertaining, and serving audience and the communities in which they live. When it’s on its game, radio can provide an emotional lift, companionship, and a sense of place. That is still the part that broadcasters can control. ?
The disparate ways in which us Americans view our country and the world can be frustrating at times.
It’s not that much different in radio. There are widely divergent views about the state and health of the industry. Is it out of gas and out of step? Will it adapt and continue to serve, entertain, and inform the majority of Americans every week? Will digital content and monetization change the equation for broadcasters? Will radio struggle to remain relevant? And who will be the leaders of the industry in 2023…and beyond? Will new ownership step into the fray, taking advantage of a lower and cheaper barriers to ownership moving forward?
We will continue to try to provide some sense of clarity. As I write this post, our Public Radio Techsurvey for this year is coming out of the field. In just days, our Christian Music Radio version of that survey will make its ways into tens of thousands of inboxes all over the country.
And AQ5, our fifth survey among radio air talent will makes its way to commercial radio personalities in markets as diverse as Chicago, Chattanooga, and Corpus Christi. Hearing from the voices of our industry has become a necessary process over the last several years. I’m looking forward to sharing the results with many of your at Morning Show Boot Camp in Dallas just a few weeks from now.
Hopefully, this weekend, you’ll have a chance to kick back and spend time with family and friends, perhaps in faraway places or in the backyard. Keep a radio nearby if you can, or your mobile phone loaded up with a favorite station or two.
And I’ll be back with fresh content for the “second half” of 2023 on Wednesday, wishing you best of luck, health, and happiness for the remainder of the year. – 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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Wonderful Halftime Update. Optimism, creativity and adaptive radiation will give us Renaissance Ahead. Thank you, Sir Fred!
Ya know, the big question that jumps out – “is radio out of gas”? Take a look at The Golden Arches. The House of Mouse. Coca Cola. These iconic brands recognize that success cannot be taken for granted. They prioritize marketing efforts, innovate their products, and engage with their customers to stay competitive and relevant in an ever-changing market. This commitment to continuous improvement allows them to maintain their leading positions despite attempts by some to undermine their success. Radio was once in that position, but it seems we’ve let newer technologies get in the way. They don’t have to win the race you know– unless we let them. I hope by the end of 2023 we actually make efforts to FIX what we know can be fixed.
Dave, all great examples of iconic, traditional brands that refuse to rest on their laurels. Appreciate the comment and enjoy your time off.