Last year at this time, I had breakfast with a client who asked me to speak at his company’s meetings. Over fruit and granola, we got to talking about the many initiatives Jacobs Media is now involved with – mobile apps, audience research, the “connected car,” the DASH conference public radio, digital strategies – and of course, consulting radio stations in the Rock, Classic Rock, and Alternative formats.
I was feeling good about the direction of the conversation. And then during a pause, he turned to me and asked, “So what business are you in?”
I stopped eating. It was a great question and it begged a more thoughtful response. As we continued the meal and I struggled for a comeback, he reminded me that our company has been transformative through the digital revolution, walking the walk, and moving our company out of the “radio cheese room.”
While that had a nice ring to it, that breakfast interlude continues to serve as a reminder to me and our team about the ongoing need to reassess our mission, our goals, and our activities as the environment undergoes roiling change.
It is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day routine – running a radio station, cranking out music logs, making the quarterly sales goals, and planning the evergreen events – and miss the overriding message that blurring lines, changing media habits, and consumers redefining how they use our brands are occurring at a pace that’s much faster than we think.
That’s why when you think about major media organizations around the world, they must be going through many of these same processes, but on a much larger scale. To that end, the BBC is reportedly planning on demolishing its television and radio divisions this spring, according to The Telegraph.
If it happens, this move would signal a major fork in the media road, and the story suggests it’s coming from the top – BBC’s director-general, Tony Hall. Now in fairness, it’s still in the rumor stages, but it should serve as a sign for media’s C-suite denizens that these conversations are fluid and ongoing. Everyone is reassessing how to reimagine their holdings and the essence of their companies.
When you look at the news apps on your smartphone or tablet, it’s hard not to notice that The New York Times, NPR, Newsweek, and your local newspaper all offer multi-media apps that include audio, video, text, and photos. Sometimes, it’s hard to tell whether you’re looking at the Associated Press or USA Today.
In numerous ways, a BBC’s announcement that the silos could be coming down would represent the most sweeping structural overhaul in the institution’s 93 year history. And it begs the question why more media entities that have divisions called “TV” and “radio” aren’t considering this same type of organizational reboot.
While this kind of move would undoubtedly create cost efficiencies and anticipated firings and redeploying of staff and management, it may speak to the importance of stepping back to answer the question, “What jobs are consumers hiring us to do?” And in the process, it’s an indicator that media organizations don’t just produce and market TV or radio programming, but instead provide entertainment and information services that require multiple content offerings.
In many ways, this is happening now at the local radio station level. More and more companies are asking their PDs and personalities to produce podcasts, social media content, videos, events, and merchandising. This multi-media sea change in content creation is part of the media blur we’re all experiencing. We’re not just making “radio” – we’re transitioning and transforming our brands and our staffs to think multi-media entertainment.
So what business are you in?
That is the question.
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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I’ve always believed we are in the entertainment and information business.
That we are – not the radio business. Interesting the BBC may be having those same thoughts.
Fred, I began reading your blog regularly six months ago. You consistently write some of the most thoughtful pieces on radio and its future that I’ve seen anywhere. I regret having arrived at the party so late :-). Your post today explores one of the most important, if not the most important, questions for radio broadcasters who want to survive and thrive in the future. I think you and your readers might find a blog post I wrote last year at this time, “The Big Questions for Radio Broadcasters”: https://billmcmahonblog.blogspot.com/2015/01/t-he-big-questions-for-radio.html an interesting adjunct to your post.
Bill, I appreciate the kind comments about the blog. It turned 11 years-old this month, and we continue to enjoy writing it and connecting with so many people who are interested in media from around North America and the globe. Thanks for linking your post, and I encourage JacoBLOG readers to check it out.
The combination of that empowering question with the BBC example helps to re-frame thinking beyond the usual answers. Thanks Fred. Thought this article might add to your discussion https://www.niemanlab.org/2016/02/former-l-a-times-publisher-local-news-orgs-need-to-take-advantage-of-their-unique-geography/
Thanks, Tripp, and much appreciation for including the Nieman Lab link – great article – and another that asks that same question.