JacoBlog: Feeling Upbeat After 2016 Radio Show

Fred Jacobs

JACOBS MEDIA' s FRED JACOBS returned from this year's 2016 RADIO SHOW feeling upbeat about the industry, which he expressed in his latest blog, which can be accessed here.

Here are some of his observations:

-- NASHVILLE turned out to be an interesting venue for the conference. There’s nowhere you can go – restrooms, taxis, elevators – without hearing music. There are building cranes everywhere, along with streets and buildings being ripped up and rebuilt.  It sure felt like the local economy is thriving in NASHVILLE.

-- I wasn’t planning on visiting the COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM, but I ended up there. And it was a treat. 

-- There was a nice buzz at the conference, a congenial and large crowd, and a positive feeling about radio. That said, many of the same “ize” words permeated the air. How do we smartly digitize? What’s the smartest way to strategize? How do we effectively monetize? How can we best prioritize? The radio industry continues to try to figure it all out.

-- The buzz topic this year had to be podcasting, punctuated by NIELSEN’s announcement that they’re figured out how to measure on-demand audio. BRAD KELLY had the money quote:
“It’s no longer about measuring the device, like television or radio. It’s about measuring the consumer and their behavior.”

-- Podcasting sessions from AMPLIFI MEDIA's STEVE GOLDSTEIN and SETH RESLER (with the NAB's JOSH MIELY) were packed – a strong indicator about how broadcasters are trying to get their heads around podcasting.

-- The “connected car” has been elevated to a key topic in radio circles. A big conclusion voiced was the need for radio to double-down on its content game to remain competitive in the ever-crowded dash.

-- Highlights included a performance by BONNIE BISHOP, a singer/songwriter sponsored by HUBBARD RADIO's GINNY MORRIS. Check out her work and story here.

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