Our Latest Industry Blogs

How do you get better at your craft—whether it’s surfing, playing football, or hosting a radio show? While all these disciplines are obviously very different from one another, the correct response is this: Watch “game film.” It is only by studying your own performance that you can assess what’s working…or not? But the question that…

Seemingly every day in the trades we read about research studies trying to prove the value and impact of broadcast radio. In today’s post, ironically, it’s the research maven with a “real-life story about broadcast radio’s effectiveness. Whether it’s motivating the locals to show up at an auto dealership to spin the prize wheel, listen to a podcast, or vote for a candidate in an election, radio (still) works.

When you consider how media platforms have evolved over the past couple decades, the one that has perhaps moved at the highest rate of speed is dashboard entertainment. As radio’s #1 listening location, it is worth our time to be cognizant of what’s going on in the dash. Today’s blog post takes a deep dive in a fast-developing area: dashboard video and visuals. Is it “the next big thing” for the dash or another driver distraction? YES.

Father’s Day 2025 is now in the books. But in today’s post, I get a bit personal, talking about my DAD, the guy who had so much influence over me and my brothers, our careers, and our lives. Fathers are often overlooked these days, but they still play an outsized role in determining who we are and how we end up.

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.

Over the past couple of decades, it’s been easy to point to disruption as the root cause of radio’s audience erosion. It is noteworthy that many of the most successful startup companies—or upstarts—have built their businesses on customer focus—capitalizing on truly listening to consumers and responding to their needs. In today’s #TBT post, we re-examine ways for radio to recenter its energies on the customer, right down to an old trick that can transform your station’s strategy sessions.

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.”

The growing number of AI platforms in the wild are learning as you read today’s JacoBLOG post. And yet, you might be surprised to learn the average IQ scores many AI models actually have. In fact, many people making their livings sitting behind a mic are much brighter than many AI engines. But for how long? If we’re going to “future proof” radio, AI is worth figuring out.

Lately, I’ve blogged about the power and value of short-form video for radio. While many stations (and clusters) have their own in-house video producer, most lack an underlying strategy that could make these initiatives so much more important, effective, and even profitable. To craft a great plan, radio needs strong, foundational information. And thanks to a recent multi-university study, we now have granular data on “A Day in the Life of TikTok”—a fascinating look at what happens during a 24-hour period on this site. Just click on “READ MORE” below to see what makes TikTok click.

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 Consumer Reports for the best grass seed, I took a different route. I went to the closest hardware store, grabbed all three types of full-shade seed they had, snapped a…