Key Points
- Jacobs Media founder Fred Jacobs will step down as President at the end of 2026 after leading the radio consulting firm for 43 years.
- His brother, Paul Jacobs, will become President, while Fred will transition to Chairman and remain involved in research, consulting and other activities.
- The company will continue focusing on radio industry strategy, digital transformation and revenue development.
Fred Jacobs will step down as President of the radio consulting and research firm he founded more than four decades ago, he announced on Wednesday.
His brother, Paul Jacobs, will succeed him as President, while Fred will become Chairman and continue working with select clients, conducting research and participating in industry events.
“I’ve been thinking about this for a couple of years now, and I’m ready for a change,” Fred Jacobs said in an interview with Inside Radio, which first reported the change on Wednesday.
Jacobs publicly disclosed a battle with Parkinson’s disease last year. While receiving treatment, he continued managing the company, conducting research and speaking at industry events.
“The core of the company will remain intact, but true to the Jacobs Media tradition, we’ll be making some changes to ensure we’re aligned with client and industry needs,” Paul Jacobs said.
Director of Digital Revenue Chris Brunt and Bill Jacobs will remain in their positions, although additional organizational changes are being considered.
The company will also continue its Techsurveys research, which examines listening habits, technology adoption and other trends affecting commercial, public and Christian radio broadcasters.
Jacobs Media has played a significant role in the radio industry since its founding, including the development of the classic rock format and early efforts to bring radio programming to mobile devices. The company launched a venture called Jacapps in 2008 to develop mobile applications for radio broadcasters and has organized industry events, including the DASH Conferences and executive tours of the Consumer Electronics Show. F
Fred Jacobs was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018. He and Paul Jacobs received the National Association of Broadcasters’ National Radio Award in 2022. Before founding his consulting firm, Jacobs served as a program director at WRIF (101.1 FM) in Detroit.
Although he will relinquish daily management responsibilities, Jacobs said he intends to remain engaged in radio research, consulting and occasional speaking appearances.
“It’s been an amazing run, and I’m feeling nothing but gratitude,” he said.
