Jacobs Media
Jacobs Media is the largest U.S. radio consulting firm, founded in 1983 and based in Oakland, advising radio stations and broadcast media organizations on listener demographics, digital transformation, and smart-device adoption through proprietary research-backed strategic engagements.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersOakland, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Jacobs Media does
Jacobs Media is a privately-held, Oakland, California-based research and consulting firm focused exclusively on the U.S. radio and broadcast media industry. Founded in 1983, the firm is described as the largest radio consulting firm in the United States and operates with 11 to 50 employees under founder-owner Fred Jacobs and Vice President/General Manager Paul Jacobs. Its advisory work centers on helping radio stations, music executives, and broadcast media organizations navigate structural shifts in listener demographics, over-the-air radio consumption decline, and the migration toward digital platforms and smart devices.
The firm's core product is strategic advisory grounded in proprietary research on radio listenership trends and technology adoption among broadcasters. No software products, APIs, or technology platforms are disclosed in the available data; the offering appears to be research-backed consulting services rather than a packaged product. No pricing models, contract structures, or public pricing information are available, and no customer logos, partnerships, integrations, or distribution channels are documented.
The business model is that of a specialized niche consultancy: revenue is generated through advisory engagements with radio broadcasters and adjacent music-industry clients, with the firm deriving its positioning from 42 years of operating history and category leadership rather than from technology differentiation. The company shows no disclosed funding rounds, no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no recorded mergers, acquisitions, or restructuring activity, consistent with a bootstrapped, founder-controlled professional services firm.
Jacobs Media firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Jacobs Media
- Website
- https://jacobsmedia.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Jacobs Media is the largest U.S. radio consulting firm, founded in 1983 and based in Oakland, advising radio stations and broadcast media organizations on listener demographics, digital transformation, and smart-device adoption through proprietary research-backed strategic engagements.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Jacobs Media industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Broadcast Media Consulting
- NAICS
- Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Management Consulting Services (541618), Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Customer Experience (CX) & Digital Experience (BPAHAEAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Emerging Tech (IoT, Blockchain, AR/VR, Edge) Consulting (BPAHAEAL)
Keywords
Where Jacobs Media is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oakland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Jacobs Media business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Jacobs Media product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Jacobs Media is the largest radio consulting firm in the United States, providing strategic advisory services and research to radio stations, broadcasters, and music industry clients. The firm helps clients navigate declining over-the-air radio consumption, shifting listener demographics, and the transition to digital platforms and smart devices.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Radio Strategic Advisory Services
- Radio Industry Research
Companies that use Jacobs Media
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Jacobs Media technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Jacobs Media partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves2 records
Expansion highlights1 record
Jacobs Media competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Kagan (S&P Global Market Intelligence): Kagan, part of S&P Global Market Intelligence, provides media research, forecasts, and advisory across radio, TV, and digital - a broad incumbent with overlapping client base and broader portfolio.
- McKinsey & Company (Media & Entertainment Practice): McKinsey's Media & Entertainment practice is a broad incumbent serving large broadcasters and media companies with strategic consulting - a much larger generalist consultancy that competes for transformational radio engagements.
- Nielsen (Nielsen Audio): Nielsen, through Nielsen Audio (formerly Arbitron), is a broad incumbent providing radio ratings and audience measurement - an established larger player in adjacent radio research that competes for similar client budgets.
Others
- Inside Radio: Inside Radio is an industry trade publication covering radio business and technology; it operates in the same radio ecosystem and publishes research cited by station executives, making it an adjacent information provider rather than a direct competitor.
Emerging players
- Triton Digital: Triton Digital is an emerging player in digital audio measurement and programmatic ad technology; while product-led rather than consulting, it intersects Jacobs Media's digital-audio transformation mandate for radio clients.
Direct peers
- Edison Research: Edison Research is a direct peer - a research firm specializing in radio listenership, audio consumption, and consumer trends, serving broadcasters and media companies with similar advisory and research services as Jacobs Media.
- BIA Advisory Services: BIA Advisory Services is a direct peer offering valuation, consulting, and advisory services to local broadcasters and radio operators - a comparable specialty advisory firm serving the same buyer profile.
- Borrell & Associates: Borrell & Associates is a direct peer providing consulting, research, and data on local media advertising, with deep radio station client overlap and a comparable advisory business model.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Jacobs Media social profiles
Digital presenceJacobs Media financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Jacobs Media leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Jacobs Media funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Jacobs Media M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Jacobs Media
What does Jacobs Media do?
Jacobs Media is the largest radio consulting firm in the United States, providing strategic advisory services and research to radio stations, broadcasters, and music industry clients. The firm helps clients navigate declining over-the-air radio consumption, shifting listener demographics, and the transition to digital platforms and smart devices.
Is Jacobs Media a public or private company?
Jacobs Media is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Jacobs Media founded?
Jacobs Media was founded in 1983. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Jacobs Media based?
Jacobs Media is headquartered in Oakland, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Jacobs Media's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Kagan (S&P Global Market Intelligence), McKinsey & Company (Media & Entertainment Practice) and Nielsen (Nielsen Audio). Inside Radio is listed as an others. Triton Digital is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Edison Research, BIA Advisory Services and Borrell & Associates.
Does Jacobs Media have an API?
No public API is recorded for Jacobs Media.
What industry is Jacobs Media in?
Jacobs Media's product category is Broadcast Media Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAEAC, Customer Experience (CX) & Digital Experience, with a secondary code of BPAHAEAL, Emerging Tech (IoT, Blockchain, AR/VR, Edge) Consulting. Its NAICS code is 54161 and its SIC code is 8742.