Our Latest Industry Blogs

As a society and in the media business, we continue to grapple with AI. How will it be used, can it augment existing skillsets, and how do consumers feel about its use? Today in JacoBLOG, some questionable AI applications you might be facing sooner…or later.

The phrase “Location, location, location” isn’t just the mantra for real estate agents. It has long been a guiding star for radio programmers, seeking to align their content with where listeners are and what they’re doing throughout the day—and week. But now we’re seeing prescient media brands embrace vibe—the mood, attitude, and frame of mind of the listener. Today’s post talks about what that looks and sounds like.

Welcome to halftime of 2025. This 4th of July holiday marks the mid-point of the year. As this holiday full of baseball, barbeques, beaches, and fireworks is upon us, I’ve got some fundamental questions to ponder, revolving around our radio stations, our companies, our country, and ourselves. Enjoy your time off and today’s post.

Legacy media brands and platforms often struggle to remain relevant and cool creatively. That’s certainly the case for television, radio, newspapers, and yes, traditional ad agencies. But in just the last six months, a creative force in the agency business has come out of nowhere to become the primary way ad execs get their industry news each day. You won’t believe what these two 27 year-old guys are doing.

In the frenetic competitive environment radio broadcasters now find themselves in, the need for breakthrough solutions and innovations has never been greater. But it won’t come from divine intervention, legislative action, or just plain luck. We’re going to have to hack our way to success, not the easiest of roads to walk down. Today’s blog post provides a great, real world example of how a perennial #2 is plotting its course. Could it work for radio in 2025?

It’s “halftime” for radio broadcasters right here and right now. 2025 is half over, and while it has been decidedly difficult for so many broadcasters, the incentive to make a concerted digital revenue push has never been greater. Today, my counterpart in sales, my brother Paul, takes to the JacoBLOG keyboard to make that case. It’s an important one.

I live in a cluttered world. But even people like me sometimes have to block out some time, roll up the sleeves, and do a little cleaning up. The biggest eyesore in my world is the junk drawer. It’s always full of interesting pieces that perhaps can’t fill up entire blog posts, but when you put them together, they can make for an interesting read, covering what’s going on in media and technology. So welcome to the Fourth of July edition of the JacoBLOG junk drawer. I guarantee you’ll read interesting stuff that might even motivate you to do some “decluttering” this weekend.

You rarely see radio station T-shirts anymore. Is that because listeners won’t wear them or is it about fashion, quality, and availability? Today’s #TBT blog post features author and radio exec Steve Jones, who weighs in on why almost nobody wears radio T-shirts anymore, and what that says about our industry.

More media brands across the spectrum are investing and engaging in what I call “the local opportunity.” But in radio, there’s a greater likelihood we’re still debating the value of “being local” or trying to figure out what it looks like. Given that radio was originally a grassroots local medium, isn’t it more than a little ironic? Today’s blog post gives you a look at where local is headed across the radio spectrum. Where does it fit in for your brand?

Since the Stone Age, concerned parents have tried mightily to protect their children from danger, whether it’s dinosaurs and saber-toothed tigers or social media and smartphones. Now, new research studies strongly suggest new protocols to keep kids safe from external threats. Could radio be part of the solution?