What upfronts reveal about the TV business. And… Will there be a Netflix of Podcasts? Plus, rants and raves about the return of Biz Stone to Twitter and what happens when your date texts during a movie and the Justice System intercedes. It’s episode 64 of Media Unplugged with branding authority Tom Asacker and media strategist Mark Ramsey. This episode is brought to you by StackAdapt, an omnichannel digital advertising platform that helps brands accelerate customer acquisitio

Sure, it’s smaller than radio. But it’s growing. And revenue is growing fast. I’m talking about podcasting. And one of the hot new companies native to the space is Wondery, an audio on-demand company that just celebrated its first anniversary. It’s also the company I’m working with on my new series, Inside Psycho. Hernan Lopez is the CEO/Founder of Wondery. Listen to our conversation and you’ll learn a lot about the space and its development. Hear how the business of podcasti

There’s lots of chatter about podcasting today – from hobbyists, from fans, and from the companies deeply embedded in the space. But all that is nothing compared to what’s coming. Every year comes another statistic about the growth of podcasting among consumers, but even that doesn’t touch what’s coming. What’s coming is that podcasting is going to be big business, and it’s going to happen sooner than you think. ART19 is one of the new companies at the center of that transfor

Is your media business DOOMED? Maybe not… And… Saturday Night Live says the future of advertising is NOT ads. It’s episode 42 of Media Unplugged with branding authority Tom Asacker and media strategist Mark Ramsey. Plus, rants and raves about the coming collapse in broadcast TV advertising…despite a record year? And the fuzzy math assumptions about ad spend vs. consumption time. Listen as we go inside media to reveal the ugly truth! Click the play button below: And if you’re

How the magazine business is winning – that’s right, winning! And… Introducing your new favorite TV network: Facebook! It’s episode 38 of Media Unplugged with branding authority Tom Asacker and media strategist Mark Ramsey. Plus, rants and raves about Tina Fey’s secret to a long life and Chris Rock’s Oscar Girl Scout cookie stunt. Listen as we go inside media to reveal the ugly truth! Click the play button below: And if you’re reading this by email, click here for the audio.

Will media unicorns go extinct? And… Are platform businesses eating the world? It’s episode 37 of Media Unplugged with branding authority Tom Asacker and media strategist Mark Ramsey. Plus, rants and raves on Kanye West, a great podcast for X-Files fans, and the most effective Super Bowl ad – which wasn’t even an ad. Listen as we go inside media to reveal the ugly truth! Click the play button below: And if you’re reading this by email, click here for the audio. For show notes

Ford is going all-in on bringing Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to the auto dashboard: Ford is making Apple CarPlay and Android Auto available on all 2017 vehicles equipped with Sync 3 in North America, starting with the all-new Ford Escape. Owners of 2016 vehicles equipped with Sync 3 will get an opportunity to upgrade “later in the year,” the company said without providing details. What this means is that, beginning with 2017 auto models, the new car will essentially become

It may be the most popular presentation from hivio 2015, the audio future festival. It’s branding authority and celebrated author Tom Asacker on what folks in the audio space can learn from the big brands and the critical trends shaping the winners and losers in the modern media world. Tom cuts to the chase and spells out not only what’s going on out there but what you and I should do to leverage consumer and business trends and emerge on top. Many people told me this was a h

Robert McKee is a teacher of Story and author of the classic book Story. Style, Structure, Substance and the Principles of Screenwriting. Past students of Mr. McKee’s include people like Peter Jackson, Russell Brand, Jimmy Fallon, Julia Roberts, Geoffrey Rush, Kirk Douglas, David Bowie, Meg Ryan, John Cleese, and many more. McKee is hosting an event on how to use story in business called Storynomics on March 19 in LA. I’ll be there. So should you. Click below to watch our Q&A

Just how big is podcasting, and how are consumers and advertisers embracing the platform? That was the topic I covered with PodcastOne’s Rob Greenlee in this spectacular conversation from hivio, the audio future festival. At about the halfway point, we’re joined by “Randall,” the hilarious YouTube icon famous for “badass” honey badger videos (Randall had a podcast running on PodcastOne at the time). Rob answers these and other questions: Just how popular are podcasts? There a

In this short video, I spell out what AM should do to continue to thrive. Hint: The answer’s not going to come from our friends in Washington D.C. What does it mean to be in the “AM Radio Business” – and is that even the one you’re in? I think we’re asking ourselves the wrong questions and, as a result, getting the wrong answers. Prefer audio? Try this: Download Audio (You can subscribe to all the MRM video and audio via iTunes and get the goodies before everybody else. You c

As the demands of radio’s business change – as advertisers look beyond ratings to effectiveness – how should broadcasters adapt? That’s the question I put to Dave Ramsey, host of the nationally syndicated Dave Ramsey Show, which is heard on more than 500 radio stations throughout the US and Canada. Dave’s also an author, television host, and speaker. Listen to our full conversation – it’s a must-hear if you’re on radio’s business side: Alternate version: Audio clip: Adobe Fl

Back in the day, Ries & Trout Own one, they advised.  Just one. This played well with a broadcasting audience for obvious reasons – we were and largely are in the audio business, and messaging in that business continues to be driven by words (I happen to think it should be driven more by sounds, but that’s a topic for another post). CUT TO: PRESENT DAY Ries & Trout begat Ries & Ries, helmed by Al Ries’s daughter Laura.  And Laura’s new book, Visual Hammer Her pitch: Al and I

Recently, Malaysia’s BFM, a business radio station, interviewed me about developments in radio – what’s changed and what’s about to change. This is one of those rare opportunities for me to speak about radio from an international perspective, although still focusing on where radio is headed here at home in the US. Here are some of the elements we focus on: What are the consequences of “everyone as media company”? How can radio continue to stay relevant? What are the challenge

Everyone knows the old story of how the the railroad business faltered because they thought they were in the railroad business rather than the transportation business.  Yet the lesson of that story is lost on many broadcasters today. In fact, the lesson is worse than lost.  Because many broadcasters see themselves not even as being in the radio business.  Instead, they think they are in the “making money” business. The problem is that there is no “making money” business.  You