Disney and the future of TV. And… Has Apple poisoned Netflix? Plus rants and raves about the fallout of Dunkin’s decision to banish “Donuts” from its name and the phenomenon of “niche-ification.” It’s episode 92 of Media Unplugged with branding authority Tom Asacker and media strategist Mark Ramsey. 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. Sample and subscribe to Media Unplugged at App

Disney’s mistakes are costing Star Wars. And… Facebook is losing its cool among teens. Plus, rants and raves about what’s wrong with online reviews, the Onion’s desperate attacks on Facebook as their traffic sinks, and more It’s episode 85 of Media Unplugged with branding authority Tom Asacker and media strategist Mark Ramsey. 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. Samp

Disney wants Fox…Now what? And… What consumers REALLY want from brands. And… Consumers are running away from advertising in droves. Plus, rants and raves about Netflix’s personalization not just of recommendations but even artwork images, James Franco’s terrific movie, The Disaster Artist, and more. It’s episode 76 of Media Unplugged with branding authority Tom Asacker and media strategist Mark Ramsey. Listen as we go inside media to reveal the ugly truth! Click the play butt

It’s one of the most disturbing results from the recent Triton streaming audio trends report, and most broadcasters are looking the other way. This is the picture I’m talking about: The charts show year-over-year streaming listening growth for pureplays (e.g., Spotify, Pandora, etc.) and for broadcasters. And it clearly shows two things: Pureplay listening is rising rapidly – it’s up more than 16% overall year-over year; meanwhile streaming listening to broadcast brands – the

Inside media’s data-driven future. And… Here’s how advertisers ignore data. Plus, rants and raves about overt messaging and suspension of disbelief, Disney’s new Star Wars Land, and how Suave fooled a bunch of beauty influencers into thinking it was luxury haircare – but how the joke may be on Suave. It’s episode 62 of Media Unplugged with branding authority Tom Asacker and media strategist Mark Ramsey. This episode is brought to you by StackAdapt,  an omnichannel digital adv

We all know the folks in the print business are being squeezed by digital. At the New York Times total revenue fell 1% while Gannett Co. reported revenues down almost 9%. And remember, those declines take into account any growth in digital. But this note from MediaPost is particularly telling: It’s worth noting that [circulation] revenues now make up 59.7% of NYTCO’s total, up from 41.3% in the third quarter of 2010. The proportion derived from advertising has fallen from 51.

Is the new Golden Age of TV…over? And… Who’s to blame for Internet bile? Advertisers, of course! It’s episode 26 of Media Unplugged with branding authority Tom Asacker and media strategist Mark Ramsey. Plus, rants and raves for the Gossip Revolution, Star Wars-themed lands coming to a Disney park near you, and more. 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

Yes, you can get rich with online video – but not through YouTube. And… Paramount’s new business model makes theater owners AND consumers happy. It’s episode 23 of Media Unplugged with branding authority Tom Asacker and media strategist Mark Ramsey. Plus, rants and raves about Google’s new chat-bot that can debate the meaning of life, how Sony Music is “disfavoring” artists through its investment in Spotify, and how J.J. Abrams Star Wars presentation at Comic-Con is footage-f

Last week the Internet melted. And if you’re a Star Wars fan, you know the precise moment: When the latest teaser trailer for the newest chapter in the long-running Star Wars saga was unleashed online. You’ve probably seen it by now. It has been watched more than 40 million times, so I’m assuming at least one of those viewings was yours. So I thought, what can radio broadcasters learn from the pandemonium surrounding this second in a series of promotional trailers for a movie

Disney chief Bob Iger is on the cover of the new issue of Fortune, pictured in front of Star Wars’ legendary Millennium Falcon. I can’t imagine a picture that could speak more loudly about content and branding and distribution and the role of fan passion in powering a media behemoth. Highlights of the piece in The Wrap indicate three lessons that should be heard loud and clear by radio broadcasters: 1. Iger focuses on both content and technology “There are a lot of companies

So what’s really going on in media today? What are the critical trends we need to focus on, and what do they mean for our future? It’s time to un-spin some of the media hype we take for granted and get to the truth. That’s why I’m happy to announce a new podcast. I’m teaming up with legendary brand guru, Fortune 500 advisor, author, and thought leader Tom Asacker for a show we’re calling Media Unplugged. Every couple weeks we’ll tackle some of the hot topics in media (and not

Conversation about sports makes great radio because sports is all about sharp, informed opinions.  And God knows there is no shortage of those among fans of whatever game we happen to be talking about. Sports is, after all, an obsession.  It’s why ESPN is the jewel in Disney’s crown. It’s why Sports stations are generally more profitable and impactful than high-rated. But that obsession – those opinions – belong to everyone who has one, not only to the hosts and the handful o

I have argued that people today are media and that digital platforms enable brands themselves to be their own media (and when you are media you don't need to advertise on as much media). But now I'm going to take the argument even further. Because I think brands are going to move beyond media.  Brands are going to be entertainment. I'm not talking about brands spending ad dollars on entertainment events or hosting entertaining promotions or wrapping their logo around an enter