There's nothing special about February 24. Just another winter day on the calendar in the middle of the most boring quarter of the year.
But five years ago today, this blog was born, thanks to the encouragement (and cajoling) of our Tim Davis. At the time, we decided that in order for it to become a vital outlet – amidst the thousands of other blogs and industry trades – we would have to ensure its regularity.
So at least every weekday (and occasionally more than once a day), we have posted material of one sort or another on this blog. That is now north of 1,400 posts since JacoBLOG was conceived.
As regular readers know, this blog covers marketing, programming, music, technology, and even slide into humor on occasion. We have tried to make sure it takes stands without becoming pedantic, points out inequities and oversights without becoming whiny, and reflects what is happening in our industry – especially the world around it.
We appreciate your loyal or occasional readership, which has grown steadily over the years. And similar to how every PD has moaned after looking at a down rating book, "I know there are more readers out there than the analytics suggest."
This is because anecdotally, we run into an awful lot of people who read it, quote it, pass it along, and discuss it. And that's why we started it in the first place.
We have made room for guests over the years as well, from Jacobs Media folks, to friends of our company like Buzz Knight, Steve Goldstein, Mike Stern, and others. And of course, we invite any of you to submit something at any time. No guarantee that we'll post it, but we sure welcome your ideas to keep the blog interesting and even compelling.
And finally, an announcement of a new policy. I hear from many people each week who comment on a post, but prefer to do so privately to my email rather than posting it for all the world to see. I respect that, and fully realize that especially in this precarious environment, going public with a controversial thought may be hazardous to your job.
By the same token, other readers openly choose to submit reactions, suggestions, and even brickbats to the "comments" section of the blog. And frankly, we hoped for even more of an ongoing dialogue when we started JacoBLOG five years ago.
But we also hear from people who choose to stay anonymous, using only that term or some unidentifiable nom de plume when commenting. It seems that there's a relationship between the anger quotient and one's lack of identification on blogs and chat boards. It's not hard to be critical, snarky, and even mean when you don't give your real name. And in fact, so many "comments" on news sites have devolved into vapid and idiotic discussions and debates that have little to do with the original topic.
So moving forward, if you have a comment about one of our posts, please submit it, but use your name – or it's not going to appear. We are all accountable for our actions, choices, and stands, and we can have a healthier dialogue about what's good and what sucks if we're all on the same field looking at each other right in the eye.
Thanks for your continued readership, and please let us know how we're doing.
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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