Who Wants To Watch Radio?
The next big thing? Radio on TV.| Jacobs Media
A rising player in the digital advertising arena is OTT - or Over The Top. The "latest" device designed to carry video streaming ads might surprise you. But after reading today's post, your sales managers might want to give some serious thought to your station's (company's) OTT strategy. Are you ready for more streaming ads?| Jacobs Media
In 2025, radio is suffering from an "attention deficit disorder." In an overcrowded, oversaturated media environment, radio broadcasters struggle to capture and hold the attention of their audiences. This is the plight many broadcasters face whether they're in big metros or in smaller towns where digital marketing efforts have become the go-to solution for so many advertisers. The good news is that there are answers close by, in a "near adjacent" industry that just might inspire some effectiv...| Jacobs Media
Recent events revolving around Jimmy Kimmel's show and the assassination of Charlie Kirk, are bringing key issues involving broadcasters and their talent to a head. In today's post, we take a look at the situation from a different point of view, and hopefully one that stimulates conversation at your company or organization. There is a lot on the line.| Jacobs Media
Winning the image for having a strong local presence is usually a sign of a successful radio station. And you don't even have to be "from here" in order to pull it off. That's precisely what happened when "Tonight Show" host Jimmy Fallon took his entire team on the road this week. Where did they go? To Detroit, of course.| Jacobs Media
There are distinct forces that permeate media. But as many in radio—myself included—have learned over the years, nostalgia may be one of the most powerful. And now, given the uncertain times in which we live, those who study lifestyle trends point to a nostalgia comeback, as counter-intuitive as that may sound. Nostalgia is like cultural "comfort food" and I've gathered up a few of the more powerful signs of nostalgia's ramp-up as we head into the holiday season. See what you think, and w...| Jacobs Media
A key to radio's success in the tech marketplace is to "digitize its audience."| Jacobs Media
For broadcast radio these days, marketing and promotional resources are at a premium. So, you'd expect radio programmers to make use of any and every great resource that can deliver an effective message to core listeners. But there's one very obvious opportunity most PDs are leaving on the table—and it's the topic of today's JacoBLOG post.| Jacobs Media
A skillset managers at "non-comms" must master is fundraising, a far different task than generating sales at commercial stations. Both public and Christian radio employ similar donation models, often unpopular among today's listeners. Today's post addresses the in's and out's of radio fundraising in an environment where seemingly everyone is asking for money.| Jacobs Media
Labor Day Weekend 2025 is upon us, a time of barbeques, picnics, baseball, and beaches. Speaking of the sand and sea, today's post has a few thoughts about some of the key players still working hard in radio. Enjoy your weekend!| Jacobs Media
In Tuesday's post, I outlined a rough schematic for how public radio could use its latest "Trump Bump" to carve out a path for the future. In today's post, it's put-up-or-shut-up time. As we wrap up a short week, this post will fill in some of the blanks and color in some solutions to remedy our nation's beleaguered public radio stations:| Jacobs Media
What kind of year has it been so far in radio? We know digital revenue is up, while traditional billing is down. And Christian radio continues to shine. But in public radio, it’s been a tough go since the defunding decision by Congress earlier in the summer. How can public radio stations and their operators respond, stay relevant, and healthy in an increasingly turbulent environment? It turns out these action steps and solutions will resonate for everyone in radio.| Jacobs Media
Music streaming brands are in need of great programmers. Do radio PDs fit the bill?| Jacobs Media
Television platforms and brands rely on "upfronts" to gin up interest and excitement in the upcoming season of content. And when everything works in-sync, these events also add a great deal of revenue to the enterprise because advertisers want to be a part of whatever is new and hot. Here's how radio can pull off its own version of the upfront.| Jacobs Media
Dashboard technology continues to be both innovative and evolutionary. And in today's blog post, it's a handy guide to what's new and what next in the "center stack" of vehicles today and in the not-too-distant future. And Wired magazine reveals what may be the "decider" when it comes to car cabin features. And yes, you will be surprised.| Jacobs Media
It turns out there's a universal English word people use around the world to designate something or someone as hip or accepted. It's "COOL." So while we all know it when we see it or hear it, being considered cool is a whole different thing. Let's put aside how many are listening every week 6+ and focus on what it would take for broadcast radio to be widely considered to be "cool" again. There's brand new research that can help us get there.| Jacobs Media
As digital pure-plays continue to remove friction from the ad-buying process for small businesses, it becomes even more critical for us to not only lean into| Jacobs Media
Borrell Associates just released its 2025 Annual Local Digital Media Benchmarking Report. The 23rd edition shows many perils for traditional media companies,| Jacobs Media
I’ve got a problem in my front yard. There’s a spot under a tree that gets zero sunlight. So last weekend, instead of researching Reddit, Wirecutter, or| Jacobs Media
For radio to remain a player in the media game, what has to happen? While many in broadcasting continue to be buffeted by Wall Street bankers, it has become obvious with each passing year how innovation is the all-access pass to a happier future. I'll run down some of the new rules and conditions, and leave you with an example of a well-known radio company that is truly taking some intelligent and strategic risks.| Jacobs Media
What happens when the tried-and-true no longer translates to guaranteed success? Many businesses and industries, especially in the media and entertainment world, are going through this right now. Including radio. Here's what the environment looks like in a blog post aptly titled, "All Bets Are Off."| Jacobs Media
Is radio biggest challenge disruption or a relentless focucs on customer service?| Jacobs Media
What's your favorite decade of music? New research reveals the generational appeal of music has become much less predictable.| Jacobs Media
When it comes to local media digital revenue, opportunity isn't just knocking—it is loudly pounding. On the heels of a rich, new research study from Borrell Associates, Jacobs Media's digital revenue guru, Chris Brunt, is poised and ready for action. In today's guest blog post, Chris sets the scene for what a smart, cogent, and effective local digital strategy looks like, and how to get there...from here.| Jacobs Media
A Sunday Financial Times story this week revealed that Sony has filed over 75,000 takedown requests to remove AI-generated deepfake songs that closely mimic| Jacobs Media
Tech Companies Compete With Self-Service Tools| Jacobs Media
Last week, Google rolled out new image generation features that let users modify photos with text prompts—no more fumbling through Photoshop. This week,| Jacobs Media
Spotify fired a massive shot across radio's bow this week with the launch of powerful new tools that make it ridiculously easy for small businesses to run| Jacobs Media
Were radio DJs from the '60s, '70s, and '80s the original "influencers?" Maybe so. But today's social media pitchmen and pitchwomen are likely pocketing a lot more revenue than radio personalities ever made from bar nights, phone store grand openings, and live endorsements. Is "influencer marketing" a place where still-popular radio personalities can go? And what can they learn from both teenage and geriatric influencers with big followings and the ability to sell lots of stuff?| Jacobs Media
Just 52 days into President Trump's administration, radio personalities and shows are faced with tough decisions about how to handle this highly charged news cycle.| Jacobs Media
Will the controversy surrounding Michael Jackson in the HBO documentary, "Leaving Neverland," affect the way radio stations continue to play his music?| Jacobs Media
Podcasting continues its growth curve, thanks to expanding audiences and the move to visual podcasts. For years, it was all about audio on this platform, but the growing trend is the increasing dominance of video podcasts - especially on YouTube. And now another massive player in television may be ready to throw its hat in the video podcasting ring. So what can radio learn from this burgeoning trend?| Jacobs Media
Don't say I didn't warn you. You're likely not going to want to read today's post. It's about the 5-year anniversary of COVID, an event we'd just as soon forget. But I'm hoping you'll open it up and join me in thinking about how radio has been permanently impacted by a tragedy no one anticipated or was prepared for. The pandemic forever changed radio, and in order to move forward, we've got to process the past. It's about perceptions, trust, and giving the audience more credit and power than ...| Jacobs Media
Back in the day, pretty much everyone owned a piece of radio station merch. These days, radio competes with some of the biggest brands in the world for the privilege of fans display logos. How can radio effectively keep pace with mega-brands like the NFL and Netflix, both focused on winning the merch wars? Today's blog provides some answers.| Jacobs Media
At Jacobs Media, we're bullish on AI because we see its transformative power for the radio and broadcasting industry. We believe embracing AI technology will| Jacobs Media
While most broadcast radio companies are immersed in their mad dash to plump up Q4 and close the books on a mostly dismal 2024, SiriusXM is in a race to put the finishing touches on a new/old strategy to redouble its efforts in the car. Translation: AM/FM radio is in SXM's crosshairs big-time, an effort to achieve dashboard dominance in this rapidly changing audio environment in cars. How will their plan fare? Should radio broadcasters be concerned? To learn more and engage in the conversatio...| Jacobs Media
Radio stations now offer so many digital services that for clients, the choices can feel as overwhelming as a sushi restaurant.| Jacobs Media
Broadcast radio has changed a great deal in recent years, but a welcome fixture is the skill, the appeal, and the pure craftsmanship of the talented people behind the mic. Last weekend, one of the best was recognized by one of the major TV networks. It was a celebration of what makes radio great, then and now.| Jacobs Media
Jacobs Media CES® tour guests get incredible access to the exhibits, with the ability to “jump the lines” and talk directly with leaders from a broad array of| Jacobs Media
Fred Jacobs, President of Jacobs Media Strategies, a leading research and consulting firm, blogs about the latest trends in broadcasting and digital media.| Jacobs Media
What are those transmitters and towers worth today? And if there still a market for radio stations in the U.S.? Last week, we saw a high profile radio owner simplly walk away from his cluster of stations. In today's post, we try to figure it out.| Jacobs Media
One of the world's premier media brands, ESPN, is going through a major transformation. And the analogies to radio are spot-on. I've listed eight different initiatives ESPN is undertaking that all have applications to the radio business. And in case you're wondering, it's not about money, it's about mindset.| Jacobs Media
Women have made great strides in radio. But when it comes to programming jobs, they're having trouble breaking that glass ceiling.| Jacobs Media
Fred Jacobs, President and Founder of Jacobs Media Strategies, shares his insights on radio and television broadcasting and digital media.| Jacobs Media
Did you see the announcement yesterday that Skyview Networks signed a YouTube star to host a radio show that will be called "Classic Rock U?" It's hosted by a guy you probably haven't heard of from a small town in Idaho. I caught up with him recently, and got the chance to interview him for this blog. He is nothing short of remarkable, and I predict, so will this show be.| Jacobs Media
