Our Latest Industry Blogs

Six years ago this month, LA classic rockers mourned the loss of KSWD, The Sound, something of a rarity these days. The station was only around less than a decade – not long by radio standards – but it burned oh so brightly. And for me, The Sound was a client that was special to me. Today’s post celebrates The Sound, its great staff, and its loyal audience nine years later.

The radio broadcasting industry has some of the best morning and personality show coaches around. But the competition is heating up as a new coach has entered the fray. She’s hardcore, in your face, a natural ham, and knows how to bring home the bacon. Even the most jaded radio stars can learn a thing or two from her. Here’s her list of 9 tips to ensure your show gets 2024 off to a great start.

The media world is roiling with change as traditional new outlets fall by the wayside and even new startups struggle to find an audience. Despite the avalanche of websites and sources, “news deserts” are growing in the U.S. particularly as newspapers go under. Is this an opportunity for radio – even for stations that don’t broadcast news already? Today’s blog post has the schematic – six moves broadcasts big and small can make to create new content revenue models. Yes, it’s a bit ouf of the box, but isn’t that precisely what’s needed now?

The Rolling Stones announced their “Hackney Diamonds” tour last week as the band celebrates its 60th anniversary as mega rock stars. But perhaps the surprise is the tour’s title sponsor – not exactly a brand Swifties embrace or even know about. The Stones are both brilliant marketers and unapologetic capitalists. For them, it’s about green, not gray. Indeed, it is NOT a drag getting old.

Welcome to the weekend whose middle name is “THANKS.” For this year’s holiday, it is all about gratitude – giving it to those who’ve made a differrence in your life or career path, as well as those receiving the appreciation for their generosity. I’ve got one of those exercises to help us put this holiday in perspective, as well as thoughts about why gratitude can actually make us feel more optimistic about the road ahead. Ready?

One of the more profound way these troubled times have taken their toll is that most of us have fewer friends and we see them less often than ever. So how can the audience’s need for companionship be met? According to our Techsurvey, one of the top ten reasons why people still listen to broadcast radio is to “keep them company.” Companionship is one of radio’s remaining superpowers, and it very much figures into how great stations can succeed over the long haul. Click to learn more.

Almost exactly one year ago to the day of ChatGPT’s release to the public, it has already been responsible for a key job loss – its CEO. Last week, OpenAI – the company that brought this platform to market – fired Sam Altman, raising questions about where this technology is headed. Radio broadcasters should be asking their own questions about AI, learning as much as they can to both protect and grow their companies. With our upcoming Techsurvey fielding in January, commercial radio listeners will take a crack at telling us their perceptions, hopes, and fears about this amazing technology. We will most definitely paying attention.