Our Latest Industry Blogs

In a tough 2024, radio has quietly made something of a comeback this month – its version of an “October Surprise.” And when you total up some of the amazing things that have happened on the radio airwaves this month, it’s a great reminder about how impactful the medium can still be.

It was inevitable.  Earlier this week Fred Jacobs tipped me off to a streaming radio station where all of the content is created by AI. Every song, every production element in the stream was created by an engine like Suno.AI or Udio. After listening for a while, it’s apparent that even though the content was all newly-created AI-audio, the songs and overall…

Anytime I see a legacy media brand stage a comeback, I don’t just get celebratory. Or nostalgic. Instead, I dig in to try to figure out how they did it. Once such triumph recently occurred for a magazine that was first launched in 1857 – before the Civil War. The fact it’s enjoying great success in 2024, a trying time for all media – makes it worthy of our time.

The relative health of the radio broadcasting industry is always a hot topic and a subject of much debate. But back in October of 2020, those conversations were being overshadowed by the pandemic, an event that even back then we knew would be a game changer. Four years ago, it was a different world – but not really. I think when you take a look back with me, you’ll gain some perspective about where we are now as an industry. And even better, you won’t have to social distance or wear a mask!

Watching and listening to Tom Brady try to get comfortable and learn an all new craft in the play-by-play booth is a reminder of how challenging a broadcasting career can be – even to a G.O.A.T. on the gridiron. It simply takes time to hone a new craft. As author Malcolm Gladwell prescribes, “10,000 hours of practice.” Well, look at the time!

Why would we be surprised to learn that one of the hot new applications of AI is the ability to create podcasts from basic input: books, research studies, movies – whatever? And that raises the question about whether we humans really want to listen to two bots discussing “War and Peace” or whether the human experience will win out in the end. That’s heady stuff for a Monday morning, but the examples I’ve included are worth the price of admission. Just click “READ MORE.”

The big thing in music since the pandemic has been artists selling their incredible catalogs of hits to the highest bidder. Many of their songs will end up being licensed to film makers, TV producers, and game creators. From Dylan to Queen, it seems like everyone’s stash is for sale. The latest? Pink Floyd just sold their entire kit and kaboodle to Sony Music for $400 million. In today’s blog post, we lend our expertise to ensure Sony gets plenty of ROI from this mega-transaction.

No matter your position at the radio station – or your radio company – it’s about preparation. That’s especially the case in the air studio when it comes to producing and airing a competitive morning show, five days a week. 48 weeks a year. For inspiration, we turn to former star quarterback and now NFL analyst, Troy Aikman. He provides a great 6-pack of preparation ideas for whatever shift you work on the air. To enjoy today’s #TBT post, just click on READ MORE.

Everywhere you look, on virtually every gadget you own there is now a screen – often multiple screens. And yet, many consumers desire a return to the era where we controlled our machines with knobs, buttons, and physical switches. In particular, what are the automakers thinking and are we consumers getting what we want?