All of us in the radio industry can relate. For years now, the number-one question we continue to be asked when we tell people what we do is "Does traditional radio have a future with all of the new competition out there like satellite radio, streaming, Spotify, Apple Music etc.?" Of course, the answer is always yes with a long list of reasons and statistics to back that up. But truth be told, there is a chance that traditional radio may become extinct soon, and sadly we have no one else to blame but ourselves.

I recently attended the Worldwide Radio Summit in Los Angeles and as much as I hate to sound cliché, I had on Oprah "Oh Wow!" moment. As I sat listening to radio executives debate the age-old battle of growing spot loads and the impact on ratings, I sensed that Charlie Sislen, President of Research Director, Inc. was trying to change the conversation. Let's face it, we have to pay the bills, and there's only one way to do that. That's something we really can't control. So, the "Oh Wow!" moment occurred to me when Charlie began to talk about the necessity of appealing to the Gen Z audience in everything we do with our brands, including commercials. Because if we don't, when this demographic comes of age, traditional radio might not be around anymore.

Most clients know how much value I place on focus and simplicity. One of the most recommended principles of winning radio is a philosophy based on The Power of One Thing. In fact, there's one thing that can make you #1. How powerful is this one thing? Research proves ...

The importance of radio's local orientation has surged since 2016 according to Jacobs Media's 2019 Techsurvey. You don't won't to be local just to be local. Be sure local content is relevant to your audience. It must be A or at least B-level content for listeners to ...

Joel Denver and Sat Bisla's Worldwide Radio Summit in Burbank this week was a blast zone of enthusiasm for the future of talent in radio. In the Jacobs Media's TechSurvey 2019 presentation, research indicates "DJs, hosts and shows" are a top draw for digital and ...

As an avid baseball fan, I take every opportunity to connect my favorite sport with radio. There are more connections than you might think. But what does baseball, the three-run home run and your radio station have in common? A lot. Seriously. And not just because I'm ...

How is this for irony? Recently, this column mentioned that according to Pew Research (among the world's elite and most quoted fact-finders), "Radio talent scores around 67% in its importance to all listeners." And, 64% say "they would follow their favorite ...

Documentary Blurb I was mesmerized and cringing while watching the Oscar-winning documentary Free Solo with Alex Hannold climbing over 3,000 feet of sheer granite on Yosemite's El Capitan without ropes! It occurred to me that documentaries are an outstanding model for ...

The lesson for radio is to be proactive in creating excitement and surprise your audience. That goes for programmers as much (or more) than personalities. Here are 7 ways to do it Promos Promos are basically commercials for your radio station. Now there are good ...

Most interviews lose PPM meters because of poor execution. Conducting interviews effectively is paramount to attracting and maintaining listeners. Once your guest makes it through the interview filter, look at these key guidelines to ensure flawless execution and ...

Do you really know where radio stands when measured from the audience side of the hill? Too many among us don't. Two lightning bolts for your consumption: In the last couple of months stunning affirmations hit us full-face. If you missed them, you missed a lot. ONE: ...