The only things worse than bad ratings is when your audience falls over that dreaded “demographic cliff.” The last thing a radio brand needs is a listener base that has “aged out.” Meanwhile over on television, some of the biggest new hits on broadcast TV and streaming video platforms stars gray-haired AARP members. What gives?

On-demand audio and video are advertiser darlings, while traditional media struggle to maintain their marketing relevance. Today’s #TBT from five years ago was about Netflix’s latest success, “The Irishman,” a Martin Scorsese gangster film being acclaimed as a “hit” – based on download data. It turns out the vast majority of those who started watching “The Irishman” never finished it. Today’s throwback blog post takes a look at the dichotomy between on-demand and traditional media as marketing vehicles and critical successes as we enter into what promises to be a challenging new year.

The media ecosphere is ever-changing and in a constant state of flux – with one exception. The popularity of Classic Rock – as music, a radio format, and as a prime part of our pop culture – is a constant. And today’s blog post is evidence of that – three remarkable stories from the “Classic Rock Highway.” Enjoy the ride.

When you think about some of the most successful entities in entertainment history, there’s almost always been a face of the brand – a personality out in front who connects with fans. In today’s post, Jacobs Media’s Mike Stern channels one of the all-time best companies in the industry – Disney – to make the point that when they have a new princess to add to their lineup, success usually follows. So, who’s your radio brand’s princess?

Did you get your exclusive, personalized Spotify “Wrapped” package, a your musical consumption summary for 2024? This year, Spotify rolled out new features, leaning heavily on AI. Yet, reviews on their value are mixed. What do you think of the growing trend in personalized usage trends and what do they say about us as consumers? Today’s blog post is a look at how technology is being used to track our lifestyle habits.