AI brings mixed bag of highs and lows

As the new Director of Digital Revenue and AI for Jacobs Media, I’m going to be a regular contributor to this newsletter. My goal is to help clear the fog about AI to help broadcasters better understand how to use…
2023 – The Year of the Rocket Ship or The Tortoise?

As we come to the end of another interesting, yet challenging year for broadcasters, we are constantly asked to try to put things in perspective. Unlike many years, 2023 had two main themes. One was like a rocket ship, potentially…
Leverage strengths to find new digital revenue

In the 2023 media landscape, it’s not enough for broadcasters to be just broadcasters anymore. The most successful companies in the industry are reaching beyond their airwaves to find other ways to convert their highly valuable audiences into other businesses….
Like it or not, it’s time to prepare for an AI avalanche

In January we attended our 14th Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. If you’ve ever been there, you know that CES provides an amazing lens on the future of technology and its impact on our culture, our businesses, and us…
Using your big toe instead of both feet

I’ve been in the media business for close to five decades. I’ve witnessed all sorts of new technology and innovations during that time – everything from the CD’s replacing vinyl, broadcast automation replacing live hosts, and social media replacing marketing….
How Wisconsin broadcasters can use ChatGPT , other AI writing tools

There’s been a lot of hype lately about writing tools that use artificial intelligence (AI) and what they might mean for the future of the broadcasting industry. The conversation has focused largely on ChatGPT, as well as recent rivals created…
Jacobs: My Biggest Observation of 2022

As many of you know, we work with a broad array of broadcasters – commercial stations in markets of all sizes, public radio and Christian radio – and for a lot of media-adjacent companies whose products support broadcasters. We also…
Making the most of mobile

One of the most notable trends coming out of Jacobs Media’s Techsurvey this year is the continued growth of streaming. Over one-third of a radio station’s audience is receiving your product through your various streaming channels. And the way consumers…
What we learned at the 2022 Podcast Movement conference

Podcast Movement is a weeklong conference that brings together thousands of podcasters and industry representatives for learning sessions as well networking opportunities. I attended this year’s event which took place in Dallas, Texas. Here are my top takeaways: 1. Podcasters…