Dec 3, 2024 | Media, Retail, Advertising and the Economy, Industry Press Highlights Executive Summary: Black Friday 2024 saw a resurgence in in-store shopping, with a record-breaking...

A recent discussion with a group of late millennial professionals led to some important insights about what the next generation wants to learn from their current leaders and what workplace experience they’re seeking. The group was remarkable in that they were all born in 1996, the last year of the millennial generation and have had life experiences that span major hallmarks of their generation and those of Gen Z.

When you’re “King of the Hill,” challengers, pretenders and wannabes come at you from all sides. For “traditional” TV, it started with videocassettes and videodiscs, then cable and satellite, DVD/Blu-Ray, game consoles, the DVR, PCs, smartphones and tablets, and now streaming media services: Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, YouTube and an ever growing list of even newer players.

Podcast advertising continues to outperform expectations, with Nielsen data showing strong lifts in brand awareness, purchase intent, and consumer engagement across nearly 2,000 case studies. Host-read ads are especially effective, with listeners rating podcast hosts as likeable, credible, and relatable—making brand endorsements feel authentic and trustworthy. The medium commands 19% of daily ad-supported audio time among U.S. adults, with even higher engagement among younger and Hispanic audiences. Local media companies, sales reps, and ad agencies can capitalize on this trend by launching community-focused podcasts and offering host-read ad packages to regional advertisers. As podcasting grows, it offers local professionals a powerful new channel for storytelling, brand building, and audience connection.

Urban One, founded by Cathy Hughes in 1980, has grown from a single AM radio station into the largest African-American-owned multimedia company in the U.S., dedicated to amplifying Black voices across radio, television, digital, and integrated marketing. With the strategic leadership of her son, Alfred Liggins III, the company expanded into TV One, iOne Digital, and Reach Media, becoming a trusted cultural and commercial force. Their mission—“Information is Power”—has guided their programming and community engagement, making them a vital voice during pivotal moments in Black American history. Urban One’s story offers powerful lessons in authenticity, audience connection, and adaptability for advertisers and media professionals alike.

A recent analysis by Katz Radio Group using Nielsen Scarborough data highlights that consumers influenced by radio ads are not only highly engaged but more likely to take action than those influenced by other media like TV, digital, print, or outdoor. From sports betting and luxury car purchases to theme park vacations and fine jewelry, radio-ad-influenced consumers consistently outperform across categories. For local media sellers mdash;including newspapers, magazines, billboards, TV, and digital mdash;this data provides a compelling case for integrating or aligning with radio-style messaging strategies to reach decision-ready audiences. The findings also reaffirm the value of cross-platform promotions and help inform smarter media strategies in a shifting advertising landscape.

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Today’s Media Map is as complex and dynamic as the map of the Earth – the winds of change erode the high points, the fastest-flowing channels can be reduced to a trickle or disappear entirely and unpredictable forces can suddenly and dramatically alter the landscape.

Gen X—and soon older millennials—are redefining what “50-plus” looks like, and the market opportunity is enormous: this group drives a disproportionate share of spending and expects modern, respectful portrayals. For local advertisers, agencies, and media sellers, the practical move is to drop “beige” stereotypes, assume cross-platform tech adoption, and segment by life mode (caregiver, late-career, downsizer, active empty-nester) rather than age alone. The action plan is to audit creative for accidental ageism, build trust-led local + streaming bundles, and anchor messaging in outcomes this cohort values—clarity, competence, time-savings, and confidence.

Chatbots are AI-powered tools that simulate human conversation and are and will be increasingly used in media sales to automate lead generation, campaign planning, and customer support. Companies like Sephora, H M, and regional newspapers have successfully deployed chatbots to improve engagement and streamline ad operations. The benefits include 24/7 availability, scalability, and data collection, but drawbacks such as poor user experience, limited understanding, and brand risk remain significant. Experts emphasize the importance of using chatbots strategically, with clear escalation paths and human oversight. Ultimately, chatbots are best used as productivity enhancers—not replacements for authentic, human-driven media relationships.

People in the Northern Hemisphere may celebrate June as the beginning of summer, but across the entire globe, it’s when Mary Meeker and her firm, Kleiner Perkins, publish their annual Internet Trends Report (with a little help from their friends). As has been the case for many years, the 2018 edition is book-length, at 294 pages. (See page 8 for a live link to the entire report.) It contains much more information and insights than can be shared in this month’s Special Report from Media Group Online, Inc.,

Radio was the first broadcast medium. Despite the growing popularity of TV during the 1950s, radio was able to thrive. Thanks to the invention of the transistor and small portable radios, teenagers made the medium essential to their lifestyles. Today, digital technologies challenge radio and TV. Just as the TV audience has fragmented, music streaming services, podcasts and a variety of audio devices have done the same to radio.

Weekly Newsletter January 19, 2026

Legacy media is gaining renewed relevance because marketers are starting to see the limits of a media marketplace driven too heavily by automation, cost efficiency and interchangeable performance metrics. For local radio, TV, cable, print, outdoor and digital companies, the opportunity is to sell not just inventory, but strategic partnerships built on trust, context, creativity and market-level influence. The winners will be the media organizations and agencies that can combine local audience relationships with integrated ideas that help advertisers stand out in an increasingly commoditized environment.

The squeaky wheels in your organization may also be important sources of innovation. Some of the links between creativity and risk are pretty self-evident. Creativity is all about trying something new, exploring the unknown, and accepting uncertainty and the possibility of failure. In the corporate setting, we understand intuitively that creativity fuels strategy, innovation, and growth. In a world where machines are taking over predictable, tedious tasks,