





from Jacobs Media
There are few things in life you can count on, but baseball is usually one of them. Every February, the teams congregate in Florida or Arizona for spring training – the beginning of a new season. And the other thing you can depend on is that these games will be broadcast on the radio, as they have been since KDKA/Pittsburgh started the tradition in 1921 carrying Pirates games. But back in 2020, just a couple weeks before COVID struck, the Oakland A’s announced all their play-by-play coverage would be stream only. A’s fans went nuts. How did this end up playing out? That’s the topic of our #TBT post today.
Read MoreThis week marks the 20th anniversary of JacoBLOG, my passion play project. In today’s post, I look back but also ahead to where we and it may be headed. As a wise philosopher once said, “What a long, strange trip it’s been!” And that’s thanks in no small part to you, those who take the time to read it and even occasionally comment on it. I appreciate you, and I hope today’s post conveys that.
Read MoreWhat did YOU do last week? Did you earn your salary? Did you accomplish anything of value while on the job? If these questions rankle or even offend you, imagine how those federal workers were feeling when they were asked to bullet-point the five things they got done last week. And what if a similar exercise was instituted by a broadcast radio company to test its employees? Well, I did it for you in today’s timely blog post. Just click “READ MORE.”
Read MoreOver the past few weeks, DOGE – which stands for the Department of Government Efficiency – has become a lightning rod for change through systematic downsizing. But for broadcast radio in the States, a DOGE-like philosophy has been in play for years. What can our government learn from radio about the strategy and execution of RIFs, and conversely, is there any wisdom broadcasters can glean from the chaos and fear rolling across the country?
Read MoreIf we’ve learned anything from just 30 days of Trump 2.0, big, bold moves are what get noticed. Today’s post looks at well-known brands that have stepped up the energy and are proactively taking risks. They might not all pay off, but they’re sure getting noticed. From Delta Airlines to Guitar Center, more and more companies and brands seem willing to throw the dice and THINK BIG!
Read MoreThere are few things in life you can count on, but baseball is usually one of them. Every February, the teams congregate in Florida or Arizona for spring training – the beginning of a new season. And the other thing you can depend on is that these games will be broadcast on the radio, as they have been since KDKA/Pittsburgh started the tradition in 1921 carrying Pirates games. But back in 2020, just a couple weeks before COVID struck, the Oakland A’s announced all their play-by-play coverage would be stream only. A’s fans went nuts. How did this end up playing out? That’s the topic of our #TBT post today.
Read MoreThis week marks the 20th anniversary of JacoBLOG, my passion play project. In today’s post, I look back but also ahead to where we and it may be headed. As a wise philosopher once said, “What a long, strange trip it’s been!” And that’s thanks in no small part to you, those who take the time to read it and even occasionally comment on it. I appreciate you, and I hope today’s post conveys that.
Read Moreour blog
By now, we all know about vinyl’s comeback. Consumers are buying physical records again, and the music industry is vibratinig with the renewed sales of albums. The most innovative of the music makers are leaning into their most fanatical fans – the collectors who have to own every vinyl variant they can get their hands on.from their favorite artists. Colored vinyl, picture discs, and other innovations are changing the economics of the music game. Can radio benefit from this phenomenon? Click on “READ MORE” to check it out.
Read MoreImagine a 4 minute playoff that would pit all 32 NFL teams against each other in head-to-head combat. Well, that happened last week – but not on any football field. Instead, every NFL team competed hard on social media to produce the funniest, cleverest, and most viral video short to highlight the 2024-25 schedule. It’s a case study in creativity, celebrity, and humor. And there are great lessons here for radio stations and their personality shows. Are you ready for the “2024 NFL Schedule Debut Bake-Off?”
Read MoreThe restaurant business is littered with eateries that started with great promise, only to fizzle out. Kind of like radio station formats. For today’s blog, it’s a look at consumer food products and the lengths they now go to in order to stand out and grab attention – without compromising the essence of their brands. I hope that deep into my many analogies, you’ll walk away with a different way to think about the radio stations you program and market.
Read More