Gen Z is reshaping how news is consumed, with 40% getting most of their information from TikTok or X. Influencers like Kelsey Russell, known as The Print Princess, are turning print stories into personality-driven videos that resonate with younger audiences. This trend reflects a deeper need for cohesive narratives in a fragmented media landscape and offers local media sales teams a unique opportunity: integrate TikTok strategies to connect advertisers with Gen Z. Practical steps include turning newsroom talent into creators, partnering with influencers for behind-the-scenes content, and bundling TikTok with traditional media to deliver authenticity and measurable ROI. The Media Audit provides the data to target fast-growing categories and position radio as a relevant solution in this evolving market.

Every leader wants control of their team. They want them to do the right thing, in the right way, at the right time. Many leaders lack a set of strategies that would allow the better results they want. In the worst case, they use force. In the best case, they use inspiration. What follows here is a list of positive strategies leaders can use to have greater control, without harming their results or creating a toxic environment.

Radio is facing the challenges of streaming services, new sources of digital audio content and podcasting. Radio’s business challenges are more complex, including heated debates about deregulation and traditional infighting among broadcast companies and local stations. As Facebook and others actively develop the “metaverse,” the audio medium will expand even further. Radio must present a united front to be fully integrated into any future metaverse while maintaining its unique position for listeners and advertisers.

Quite likely, the dominance of sports in modern American culture is only exceeded by the biggest non-athletic competition, politics. Kantar Media’s report on total US advertising expenditures for 2014 – a 0.7-percent increase to $141.2 billion – supports this conclusion, as it stated the increase was attributable to the Winter Olympics, World Cup and the mid-term elections. According to Kantar

Major broadcast and cable TV news outlets saw significant growth in social video engagement in March, with Fox News, CBS News, CNN, and MSNBC all reporting double-digit increases in both unique viewers and minutes watched on Facebook and YouTube. This surge highlights the growing demand for video news content on social platforms—even among older audiences. For local media, it’s a signal to double down on social video strategies, leveraging local storytelling to drive attention, engagement, and advertiser value. Local stations that repurpose strong content for social platforms and track watch time—not just views—can unlock new growth and revenue opportunities.

Early in my career, I worked in a company led by an inspiring and emotionally intelligent CEO. He often said, “If you love what you’re doing, you never have to work again.” I loved that idea. Most of us hate work. It’s a four-letter word. Hard work is why I left our family farm. Whenever a job began to feel like work, I quit. Fortunately, that’s only been a few times in my career. I’ve put decades of long hours into my career without really working.

David Ogilvy, often called the “Father of Advertising,” revolutionized the industry with his belief that advertising should be both creative and rooted in research. He began his career as a door-to-door stove salesman and later worked in British intelligence before founding Ogilvy Mather at age 38. Ogilvy’s campaigns for brands like Rolls-Royce, Dove, and Hathaway Shirts became iconic for their storytelling and respect for the consumer. He was a pioneer in using data to inform creative decisions, famously stating, “If it doesn’t sell, it isn’t creative.” His legacy lives on as a model of how intellect, empathy, and discipline can build enduring brands.

We know that individuals with Drive make great salespeople, but there are a number of other traits that complement Drive and are important to consider when looking to hire top-producing salespeople. These are sales traits that you just cannot identify from an interview alone. That is why it is critical to start out with an assessment that measures Drive, because coaching salespeople after hiring isn’t always the best way to find success.

Comerica reports small businesses are entering 2026 optimistic but selective—confidence is high, yet owners are still managing inflation, tariffs, and policy uncertainty, which makes them cautious about waste and complexity. For local media reps and ad agencies, the opportunity isn’t “bigger budgets by default,” but a receptive window for plans that feel practical, measurable, and easy to execute. The most actionable signal is that capex is back, and those investments (new equipment, locations, service lines, hiring) often trigger immediate local-market marketing needs for awareness, leads, and foot traffic. With rate cuts improving sentiment for many owners, the winning pitch frames advertising as a controlled investment—a simple 90-day system that protects cash flow, reduces vendor sprawl, and produces visible progress.

Before you win on the outside, you have to believe on the inside.
At Marketing Insights, we know that mindset isn’t just part of success—it’s the foundation of it.

In marketing and sales, where pressure is high and outcomes can be uncertain, it’s your mindset that keeps you going. Confidence, resilience, and self-belief are what fuel creative thinking, long-term momentum, and breakthrough moments—especially when the path gets tough.

This collection of quotes highlights:
✨ The inner strength behind outer success
✨ The role of grit, belief, and endurance in staying the course
✨ How mindset shapes momentum, especially when progress feels far away

Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) is a technology embedded in smart TVs that identifies what content viewers are watching—across broadcast, cable, and streaming—by matching pixel or audio samples to a vast content database. This allows advertisers and local media reps to move beyond traditional ratings and gain precise, real-time insights into audience behavior and engagement. ACR empowers local advertising to evolve from broad media buying to data-driven strategy, enabling more targeted, measurable, and effective campaigns. It also democratizes access to advanced analytics, giving small businesses the same tools as national brands. As Keith Kazerman of Locality notes, “ACR allows us to truly understand the engagement that audiences are having across every screen,” marking a new era of precision and partnership in local media.

Axios Local’s expansion into smaller markets shows how local media can use AI to reduce production costs without giving up the human reporting and community connection that advertisers value. For radio, TV, cable, print and digital sellers, the lesson is that efficient operations matter only when they strengthen a trusted, relevant local product. The stronger sales story is no longer just about audience size, but about direct relationships, first-party data, community credibility and a media environment advertisers can buy with confidence.

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Some of the best sales organizations use role-play to sharpen their skills. Role-play is a powerful tool because it allows sales teams to practice the language they need to use. Sales is a conversation. Sales managers who emphasize role-play provide their teams a safe place to find the right words—or borrow them from other sales reps who have mastered their talk tracks.

In the fast-paced world of media ad sales, time is our most valuable asset. As a General Sales Manager, balancing the constant flow of new leads, client meetings, team management, and strategic planning is a daily challenge. Over the years, I’ve learned that success doesn’t come from working longer hours; it comes from managing time efficiently.