How can broadcast radio best be described in 2025 – in just a single word? That was the challenge I issued here earlier this week, and hundreds of you answered the bell. The result is a word cloud – or word salad – that has to be seen to be believed. It depicts an industry in flux, and a study in contrasts by the current and former pros who submitted a response. What does it mean? Anything and everything.

What are the values that drive listening in today’s crowded audio environment? Is it about being live and/or local? Does music curation matter? What about breaking new music and discovering new artists? In 2025, many of the elements originally foundational for broadcast radio have been altered by the ravages of digital competition. Or have they? Apple Music is testing the boundaries, a radio experiment worth watching. It’s the topic for today’s blog post.

On this MLK Day holiday, a simple question for you. How would you describe the year ahead for radio in just one word? Click “READ MORE” and i’ll take it from here.

For long-time radio professionals, the skills necessary to be successful in broadcasting are generally agreed upon – the conventional wisdom of running a radio station or company. But what would happen if some bright young person came along and proceeded to turn radio as know it on its side? That’s what Steve Jobs did back in 1983 in a recently discovered video where he outlines a very different vision for radio. Forty or so years later, how can we learn from the genius behind Apple to reinvent a legacy medium in need of a new vision?

The power of celebrity has never been stronger, especially on social media where it is coveted. So-called brand influencers are cashing in on the trend. But there’s no substitute for true stardom, and that’s what Cameo is all about – putting celebrities to work to record customized, personalized greetings for fun and profit. And now anybody can join Cameo in their new “X” program – a chance for your station’s own stars to shine. Or not.