Industry Press Highlights, Media, Retail, Advertising and the Economy

New research reveals that podcast audiences are significantly larger than download metrics indicate due to "co-listening"—with 16-30% of consumption happening in group settings, particularly on smart TVs where families gather together. This hidden audience multiplier creates unprecedented opportunities for local media companies (newspapers, radio, TV, magazines) to command premium podcast advertising rates by leveraging their decades of community trust and credibility that anonymous digital creators cannot match. Local media brands can position their podcasts as reaching entire households rather than individual listeners, justifying higher CPMs through their unique combination of trusted voices, professional production quality, and deep community integration that drives superior advertising effectiveness. The co-listening phenomenon transforms podcasting from individual consumption to shared household experiences, strongly favoring established local media brands that can offer advertisers authentic community connections and household penetration at premium value.

Thanksgiving weekend remains a cultural and commercial powerhouse, with 88% of U.S. adults planning to spend $127 billion despite economic uncertainty. Millennials and Gen Z lead the charge, driving omnichannel shopping behaviors that blend online convenience with in-store experiences. Consumers are highly motivated by deals, with nearly three-quarters using the weekend to stock up on essentials and 63% leveraging AI tools to find the best offers. For local media sellers and ad agencies, this is a prime opportunity to position radio as the holiday companion—trusted, local, and omnipresent—while bundling it with digital extensions for maximum reach. The big takeaway: Thanksgiving weekend isn’t just about transactions; it’s about rituals, meaning, and community—making local media the perfect bridge between brands and consumers.

Fuel your week with these can’t-miss co-op deals!

• Hustler Super Z Spotlight Sales Event! — Take your lawn care to the next level! Enjoy special pricing on Hustler Super Z mowers this week.
• Solve Hard Water Hassles With Culligan! — Cleaner water, easier life! Explore Culligan’s solutions to tackle hard water in your home.
• Serta Presidents Day Sale! — Sleep like royalty! Don’t miss exclusive Presidents Day savings on Serta mattresses.

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.

Weekly Newsletter February 2, 2026

I hear this a lot from business leaders — and it’s always kind of sheepish: “Chris, how do we actually make a sales process?” And I get it. Sales processes don’t just happen. They don’t just appear out of thin air. Instead, growing companies realize that they don’t actually have a sales process in place, so they either let their sales reps do their own thing — or they cobble something together that pleases no one.

I’ve seen a series of posts offering tricks and techniques to eliminating objections. Every day, we see experts commenting on objections, “how to overcome them, how to handle them, how to eliminate them.” Objections are often positioned as a battle between sellers and the customer, with our objective to prevail, defeating the customers’ objections

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.

“If you can’t do it yourself, you probably shouldn’t be using AI!” This was a brilliant observation by James Pursey in an outstanding seminar on AI in sales. The only modification I would make would be to say, “If you can’t do it excellently yourself, you probably shouldn’t be using AI!”

Fuel your week with these can’t-miss co-op deals!
• Baby Lock Black Friday Deals! — Stitch up something special with Baby Lock’s sewing machines and accessories — now at festive Black Friday savings.
• Shoot HEVI-Shot Save! — Stock up on HEVI-Shot ammo and take aim at incredible savings this season.
• The Lincoln Wish List Sales Event! — Make your dream Lincoln a reality with exclusive offers and seasonal incentives.
• Fall Into Savings With SunCatcher Pontoons! — Glide into autumn adventures on a SunCatcher pontoon while enjoying fantastic fall deals.
• Get Snow Day Ready With Kubota! — Prepare for winter fun and work with Kubota’s rugged equipment — now at snowy savings.
• Husqvarna Season of Savings! — Tackle your outdoor projects with Husqvarna tools and gear while saving big this season.
• Volkswagen Sign Then Drive Sales Event! — Hit the road in a new Volkswagen with special sign-and-drive offers you don’t want to miss.

Fuel your week with these can’t-miss co-op deals!

• Cadillac Certified Service Winter Ready Service Event! — Keep your Cadillac performing at its best! Take advantage of this service event and stay winter-ready all season long.
• Simmons Beautyrest Presidents Day Sale! — Sleep better, save bigger! Enjoy exclusive savings on Simmons Beautyrest mattresses and upgrade your rest for less.
• January Special Offers From Buick! — Start the year in style! Explore special offers on Buick models this month and drive away with exceptional value.
• G3 Boats Boat Show Season to Save! — Make waves without breaking the bank! Take advantage of boat show deals on G3 Boats and get ready for a summer on the water.
• Get a Year of Great Grass With Scotts! — Lawn care made easy! Grab special offers from Scotts and keep your yard lush, green, and picture-perfect all year.
• Polaris Start the Year Off Road Sales Event! — Adventure awaits! Gear up with exclusive savings on Polaris off-road vehicles and make every ride epic.
• The Ferris Thaw Event! — Spring into action! Save on Ferris mowers this week and keep your lawn looking pristine, no matter the season.

Motivation is a big factor in sales, and it should be simple. But is it? If you’re in sales and honest with yourself, you know that self-excuses are everywhere. All sellers have rationalizations that follow them around like a bad cold if they allow it. This isn’t a good time to approach XYZ client. They won’t want to buy this. This costs too much.

A new survey from the Local Media Consortium finds that 83% of local media professionals expect digital revenue to grow or remain steady in 2025, with gains driven by video, subscriptions, and newsletters. While some challenges persist—particularly around digital ad revenue and staffing—AI adoption, cross-platform content strategies, and audience engagement are gaining ground. These trends provide a strong foundation for media sellers to deliver smarter, more tailored solutions to local advertisers. The data underscores the continued relevance and revenue potential of trusted local media in a fragmented digital landscape.

This assessment highlights the top 10 AI tools in 2025, including ChatGPT, Claude, Microsoft Copilot, and Google Gemini, each offering unique strengths across productivity, creativity, coding, and research. Tools like ChatGPT and Claude excel in conversational versatility and document analysis, while Copilot and Gemini shine in enterprise and productivity integration. Pricing ranges from free tiers to premium plans around $20–$49/month, depending on features and use cases. The comparison also outlines key weaknesses, such as limited customization or ecosystem dependency, helping users choose the right tool based on their goals and workflows.