Our Latest Industry Blogs

Two weeks ago, I wrote a post about Nielsen’s new “3-Minute Rule” for PPM markets. It sparked a number of questions and even a misconception or two. So, I went to the source – Nielsen’s Rich Tunkel – who saw this project through after just 10 months. Rich answered all my questions – about how to measure this change without jumping to conclusions, as well as the metrics that can help any station navigate the new “3-Minute Rule.”

Another week in radio and another tragic round of RIFs. How can the industry make the tough calls while still maintaining a sense of empathy and class? And after years of staff reductions, when will the analyses tell us once and for all whether this painful “less is more” approach will ever work for radio? Fair warning: a tough JacoBLOG post today.

I had my first encounter with AI in healthcare this week. During a checkup, my physician entered the examination room with his trusty laptop (typical) and a smartphone set to record (new). Before the appointment started, he explained that the healthcare system was testing a new AI system designed to record and summarize our conversation.…

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 we usually do.

Last fall, every news outlet was on fire with the alleged bad behavior of P Diddy. But the idea of trying to separate the man from his music is not a new dilemma for audiences – or for radio programmers. It’s been happening for more than a century. Today’s post asks some difficult questions of the radio managers tasked with making these tough calls.

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?

The impressive YouTube empire now celebrates its 20th anniversary. It’s a platform with a fascinating growth curve. And as many radio broadcasters have learned, there’s revenue to be earned. Let me walk you through it.

JacoBLOG readers know a running topic here is dashboard metadata – how radio broadcasters can direct-message their listeners behind the wheel. While so much about audio entertainment has changed in recent years, there’s been one constant: the car remains radio’s #1 listening location. But the dashboard continues to rapidly evolve, and we’re tracking its progress in our annual Techsurveys. In fact, in today’s post, I’ve got a data point from the just completed Techsurvey 2025 study that may end up becoming the most dramatic finding of this year’s study. Buckle up!

It’s been another frenetic week in AI. Let’s strap in and see what happened! Amazon Goes All-In With Alexa+ After months of speculation and delays, Amazon officially announced a major AI upgrade for Alexa on Wednesday. The long-awaited Alexa+ service will begin rolling out in the coming weeks, starting with Echo Show devices featuring screens…

It’s a rare occurrence in radio, but right now, we’re witnessing a ratings methodological change the likes of which we haven’t seen in years. Nielsen’s switch “3-Minute” quarter-hour crediting has the makings of being a strategic game changer – if we let it. How will your station or company play the game now, and what impact will it have on your short- and long-term future?