jacoBLOG

When your perception and performance both lags, it’s usually an indication something’s wrong. In the world of consumer good and services, marketing is frequently the culprit. For broadcast radio, the industry has struggled to get an effective message out. Maybe it’s time for something different.

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It was the Chinese military strategist, Sun Tzu, who famously said “Know thine enemy.” But for broadcast radio in 2025, do we really know the answer to that question? I take my shot at it in today’s post.

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There is always lively debate in radio circles about whether the quality of today’s stations can even touch how things sounded “back in the day.” But the more salient issue is the loss of the shared radio listening experience. We’re all listening to different music, different talk shows, and different personalities. That’s where today’s blog posts land and unravels the key differences between today’s stations and those that made history decades ago.

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This spring, Apple’s Watch—now the most successful tech wearable in the world—celebrated its 10th anniversary. Like so many digital innovations, Watch has already had several iterations, but none bigger than the space it now owns—THE health and wellness device you wear on your wrist that is not only functional but fashionable. Apple’s success with Watch contains a number of important lessons for the radio broadcasting industry as it struggles to find its next “killer app.” That’s the topic of today’s blog.

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It has already not been an easy year for American businesses. But it isn’t just the tariffs and other political issues. Many companies were struggling before we rang in the new year. And they’re trying to claw their way back, despite the headwinds of the economy. Radio companies, in particular, have been struggling whether it’s […]

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Today, an update on AI DJ “AI Ashley” and a blockbuster expose about a robot DJ in Australia who fooled “her” audience for months.

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In yesterday’s post, it was all about a “superfans” strategy for entertainment brands. Today, we bring it home to radio and the value of a focus on “those who brung you to the dance.”

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Across the World Wide Web, it has become more and more valuable to focus on core fans rather than a broader group of more casual users. And now a new research study amplifies the value of “superfans,” suggesting strategies to keep them satisfied. Think about the radio listeners who remain committed to radio, its stations, and its personalities. And for public and Christian radio, add in another layer: loyal fans who also donate. It’s a different model, it deserves thought, and that’s how we’ll start the new week.

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For a heritage radio station, there’s nothing more exhilarating AND daunting as planning for a big station birthday—the ones that end with a zero. The upside is the opportunity to remind the audience and advertisers you’ve been around a long time, but the downside is reinforcing you’re long in the tooth, doing the same things in the same way you have for decades. Fortunately, there’s a national brand now celebrating its 40th year in business. Rather than going down the tried and true path, they’re burning the playbook. Let’s look into how it’s going.

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Internet memes come and go, usually at a rapid pace. So, in today’s JacoBLOG, you might want to pay attention today because next week, it will be something else. AI Action Figures may be just the thing for radio personalities looking to warm things up and bring a sense of fun and whimsy to their shows and the stations they work for. Inspired by a story Chris Brunt dug up, today’s blog post takes a break from our “radio drama.” Hope you enjoy.

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Everywhere you look these days, short-form videos are dominating media trends. In today’s blog, I have eye-opening new data from Techsurvey 2025 and a compelling rationale suggesting an investment in video—by radio. Seriously, here’s why.

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If every day feels like another chapter in “Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!,” have I got a blog post for you: four media and tech stories that may seem just a tad unbelievable. Except they’re true.

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Both the Infinite Dial and Techsurvey 2025 reports reveal strong numbers for podcasting. In fact, each study reveals that podcasts have entered the mainstream. Smart podcasting studios like Wondery are seizing the moment, and proactively marketing their companies to audiences, advertisers, and podcast creators. It turns out that many of the attributes that make podcasts popular are the very same characteristics common to great radio shows and stations. But there are some key differences, too, that are determining factors.

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Broadcast radio of all varieties finds itself under growing pressure to figure out its most advantageous place in the media hierarchy. How can it both be different and viable? Public radio stations have increasingly faced challenges to remain credible, relevant, and financially stable. Of course, there are no simple solutions, but there may be an available pathway that could solve myriad problems. That’s the basis of today’s blog post.

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We love to have the generations debate where we argue about which demographic block has the edge, is more innovative, or simply lucked out. Whenever we have this discussion, it seems the one group that is invariably left out is Generation X. Time after time, they’re overlooked, ignored, or simply not given the credit for what they’ve accomplished. And now, it appears that technology—including AI—may be leaving them behind…again.

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Wouldn’t it be great to have a logo for your brand that millions want to buy and proudly wear? That is, until it ends up on the shirt of a less-than-desirable citizen who just might make your precious brand look bad? It recently happened on a popular TV show to one of America’s great universities. And be careful—it could happen to your radio station brand, too.

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