From the day I first walked into a radio station for an internship when I was 15, I’ve been hooked on this medium. I’ve seen the industry’s evolution from both sides of the fence, as a program director and air talent for two decades, and as a researcher for the past eight years. I’m fortunate … Continue reading My 2026 Radio Wishlist
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At the simplest level, my role as a researcher is to act as a conduit between our clients and those they seek to serve. I ask questions. I listen to answers. I report back, often with analysis, interpretation, and advice. Then, with these insights, our clients are better equipped to make better decisions. Of course, … Continue reading Five Tips For Crafting An Effective Questionnaire
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I live in Garner, North Carolina, a suburb about 15 minutes south of Raleigh. Along with Durham and Chapel Hill, we’re part of the Research Triangle—a sprawling metro filled with cities and towns of all sizes. One of them is Apex, a fast-growing city of 75,000 people located about 20 miles southwest of Raleigh. Since … Continue reading Three Big Branding Lessons From A Small-Town Mayor
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The Mexican government just wrapped up “Mexico Sings,” a first-of-its-kind national music competition designed to steer popular taste away from Narcocorridos—ballads glorifying drug cartel culture—and toward more wholesome themes. Over 15,000 contestants participated, more than 9 million people tuned in, and major record labels are now competing to sign the winners. It’s an ambitious effort. … Continue reading Why Music Tastes Can’t Be Engineered
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If you’ve spent any time in radio sales, you know this story: A client tells you, “We love radio, but we just don’t know if it’s working.” For decades, that uncertainty has been radio’s Achilles’ heel. We’ve always known radio drives results—foot traffic, phone calls, local buzz—but “knowing” and “proving” are two different things. In … Continue reading How Cox Media Group Proves Radio Advertising Works
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Most would agree there’s intrinsic value in using consumer research to better understand your current audience, your target audience, and how their perceptions and behaviors can inform your brand and content strategy. But what happens when you have a big idea that doesn’t align with existing perceptions of your brand? The Birth of Tiny Desk … Continue reading When Should You Skip Consumer Research?
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In our research, when we ask podcast consumers which categories they’re interested in, Music is regularly in the top 10. And yet, there are no music podcasts at the top of the podcast charts. Why is that? One obvious reason is that most podcasts don’t actually play any popular music for various reasons, but it … Continue reading How To Fix Copyright Music Problems In Podcasts
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A venerable brand in the Southeastern United States is facing a crisis. They have failed to meet brand expectations, and their fans are extremely upset. No, I’m not going to start another debate about Cracker Barrel. I’m talking about something far more important to southern culture…the University of Alabama football team. Organizations spend a lot … Continue reading Beyond Logos: The Key To Authentic Brand Success
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Reflections from Podcast Movement 2025 Walking the halls of Podcast Movement this year, I was struck by a fascinating contradiction. Podcast networks, creators, and advertisers discussed sophisticated monetization strategies, cutting-edge production techniques, and attribution models. Yet when conversations turned to strategic audience research, many went quiet. After decades of providing strategic research for radio stations, … Continue reading The Podcast Research Gap
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YouTuber. Podcaster. Influencer. Celebrity. Radio Host. Perceptually, the first four might sound trendier and more modern, even though they should exist in the same universe. YouTuber, Podcaster, and Radio Host pertain to the platform, while Influencer and Celebrity are platform-agnostic, though blurred lines exist between all of them. Mr. Beast, the most famous and successful … Continue reading How Radio Hosts Can Unlock The Creator Economy
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