Leading Local Insights

Hosted by BIA Advisory Services

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Episodes

110

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Get on point analysis of the local media marketplace with BIA’s Leading Local Insights Podcast. Each week, BIA shares its current insights on major topics including OTT, digital, broadcast, print, media ad platforms, advertising revenue estimates, financial valuations and more. Want BIA to cover a particular topic? Email us at podcast@bia.com.

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60 recent

June 11, 2026Episode 10929 min

What Google I/O 2026 Means for Search, Shopping, and Local Media

In the third installment of BIA’s AI podcast series, BIA’s Celine Matthiessen and media analyst Mike Boland unpack the biggest announcements from Google I/O 2026 and what they signal about the future of search, shopping, and discovery. As Google continues to reinvent search around AI, the conversation explores how intelligent agents, AI-powered shopping, and conversational experiences could reshape the way consumers find information and make decisions. Building on BIA’s recent discussions about AI advertising and conversational discovery, Celine and Mike examine what these changes could mean for advertisers, broadcasters, local businesses, and media sellers. They discuss the growing role of AI agents, the value of intent-driven interactions, and why understanding Google’s AI roadmap may be critical for staying visible and competitive as search continues to evolve.

May 28, 2026Episode 10825 min

How Conversational AI Is Changing Discovery for Brands and Media

This episode of BIA’s Leading Local Insights Podcast explores how conversational AI is reshaping search, discovery, and online visibility for brands, broadcasters, and media companies. BIA’s Celine Matthiessen and media analyst Mike Boland discuss the shift from traditional keyword search to AI-driven discovery, where consumers increasingly ask detailed questions and receive synthesized answers instead of scrolling through search results.Following BIA’s recent podcast on AI advertising inside ChatGPT, they examine how conversational AI is transforming SEO, visibility, and content strategy through AI optimization (“AIO”), “zero-click” search behavior, and the growing importance of trusted local content, reviews, citations, and topical authority for broadcasters and media brands.View the Video Podcast here.

May 13, 2026Episode 10734 min

How AI Ads in ChatGPT Are Reshaping Advertising

This episode of BIA’s Leading Local Insights Podcast explores OpenAI’s move into advertising within ChatGPT and what it could mean for brands, agencies, and media sellers. Listen as BIA’s Celine Matthiessen and media analyst Mike Boland unpack emerging AI ad formats, evolving measurement challenges, and the expanding role AI assistants could play in search, discovery, and consumer decision-making.Celine and Mike also examine how quickly the AI advertising market is taking shape, with ChatGPT ad pricing already beginning to move closer to premium Google search inventory as advertiser interest and targeting capabilities expand. They explore the rise of “zero-click” AI search behavior, new attribution challenges for advertisers, and why media sellers should position themselves as trusted AI education resources for clients. View the Video Podcast Here.

May 5, 2026Episode 10624 min

The Hidden Risk: When Traffic Breaks and What That Means for Revenue

It’s not the flashiest part of a media business, but when it breaks, everything breaks. In this episode of BIA’s Leading Local Insights Podcast, Rick Ducey sits down with Marketron CEO Jimshade Chaudhari to break down why “traffic” is one of the most critical and overlooked functions in revenue operations, and how rethinking it can unlock efficiency, scalability, and growth.From the loss of institutional knowledge and a growing talent gap to traffic’s role as a “critical but not strategic” function, Rick and Jimshade examine how that mindset is evolving and what it means for staffing, efficiency, and revenue delivery. They also cover how stations are adapting to leaner teams, navigating more complex cross-platform campaigns, and where Traffic as a Service (TaaS) is emerging as a scalable, modern solution.Listen now to understand where the real risk sits and how to get ahead of it.

April 20, 2026Episode 10515 min

From Forecast to Revenue: Turning Market Data into Sales Advantage

In today’s complex local media landscape, data alone isn’t enough. It’s how you use it that drives revenue.In this episode, BIA’s Christina Hurley is joined by AdApt partners Jeff Gallop and Dave Buonfiglio, along with industry expert Shannon Kinney, to explore how BIA’s partnership with AdApt is bringing local market intelligence directly into the sales workflow.The conversation highlights the shift from intuition led selling to data informed strategy, and how integrating BIA’s advertising forecast into AdApt’s platform helps sellers prioritize accounts, shape smarter conversations, and build more effective proposals.If you're looking to turn market data into a true sales advantage and see how BIA and AdApt are redefining sales execution, this is where to start.

April 7, 2026Episode 10430 min

From Inventory to Impact: The Shift to Outcome-Driven Media Sales

If you're navigating the shift from traditional media to integrated digital sales or looking to unlock new revenue growth, this episode provides a clear, actionable roadmap as BIA’s Rick Ducey talks with Stephanie Slagle, Chief Revenue Officer-Graham Media Group, about how sales teams are transforming for today’s market.At the center of their conversation is recognition of a clear shift: moving from selling inventory to delivering outcomes.Stephanie shares practical insights on leading through change, overcoming resistance, and building high-performing, digitally fluent sales teams. She also explains how automation and AI can streamline workflows, why outcomes and not products should lead every conversation and what truly sets top sellers apart today.Want to watch this podcast? View on our YouTube channel here.

March 17, 2026Episode 10317 min

Rethinking Local OOH: Not Just Seen — Acted On

How digital out of home is turning visibility into measurable action and why marketers are paying closer attention.Out of home (OOH) advertising has long been known for visibility. Increasingly, however, it is proving to drive real consumer action.In this episode of the Leading Local Insights Podcast, Dave Rivera, VP of Channel Partnerships at Vistar Media, joins BIA’s Celine Matthiessen to discuss the rapid evolution of digital out of home (DOOH) and why more advertisers are prioritizing it in their media mix.BIA’s latest U.S. Local Advertising Forecast shows OOH spending growing more than 3% annually, with 5% growth expected between 2025 and 2026, and DOOH representing about 42% of total OOH spending.Rivera explains that OOH often acts as a conversation starter for brands, prompting consumers to search and engage after encountering a message in the real world. In many campaigns, DOOH exposure drives measurable results, including search lifts of up to 80%, while strengthening engagement across social, display, and CTV. Because it reaches people naturally as they go about their day—rather than interrupting them online—OOH today is not just seen, it’s acted on.

March 4, 2026Episode 10346 min

Automotive Advertising in 2026: The Evolving Role of Broadcast and CTV

The story everyone repeats about auto advertising is simple: digital won, broadcast lost. In this episode of Leading Local Insights, guest host and media analyst, Mike Boland speaks with Cox Media Group Executive Chairman and veteran broadcast leader Steve Pruett, along with BIA’s Mark Dugan, to examine a more accurate picture and outline a smarter strategic approach that includes broadcast and CTV.Grounded in BIA’s $10.7B local automotive forecast for 2026, the discussion explores how two-thirds of digital spend coexists with broadcast’s continued strength in delivering scale, trust, and top-of-funnel momentum. CTV is growing, but success comes from portfolio strategy rather than channel substitution.Drawing on decades of leadership across major markets, Steve offers practical advice for broadcasters navigating dealer dynamics and co-op realities. While dealers have become highly sophisticated in mid- and lower-funnel tactics, when foot traffic slows and website traffic softens, they return to broadcast to refill the funnel.For broadcasters and media strategists, this episode delivers clarity on balancing reach and precision to win automotive in 2026.To view the video of the podcast, click here.

February 24, 2026Episode 10239 min

The Hiring Reset: Where the Real Media & Ad Tech Jobs Are in 2026

The hiring market in media and advertising isn’t collapsing. It’s resetting.In this episode, BIA’s Rick Ducey sits down with Robert Hawthorne, President of Hawthorne Search, to unpack today’s two-track job market: consolidation and headcount discipline in legacy media versus continued expansion across SaaS, data, and ad tech.They explore where real job growth is happening, how compensation plans are shifting, why Q1 and early fall are prime hiring windows, and what both employers and candidates are getting wrong about today’s process.You’ll hear why leading organizations are defining roles around 90-day and 6-to-12-month business outcomes instead of resume checklists and how that shift is changing the way talent competes and teams are built.If you are hiring, planning a move, or trying to understand where the market is truly heading in 2026, this conversation provides a clear, practical roadmap.To watch the video of the podcast, click here. To connect with Robert Hawthorne, reach him at Robert@hawthornesearch.com

January 27, 2026Episode 10131 min

Inside the $182B Local Ad Market: Key Trends for 2026

Local advertising is entering one of its most complex and opportunity-rich years yet. In this episode of Leading Local Insights, BIA Founder & CEO Tom Buono and BIA’s senior analysts expand on insights from BIA’s 2026 Local Advertising Trends Report to examine what’s shaping the $182 billion local advertising market.The conversation highlights where growth is emerging, including CTV and cross-platform video, digital out-of-home, and national brands leaning further into local markets. The team also discusses which business verticals are gaining momentum and what that means for sales strategies.The episode also touches on the 2026 midterm election cycle, with the BIA analysts offering perspective on how political advertising may influence demand and inventory in select markets as the year unfolds.Grounded in BIA’s latest trends analysis, this episode delivers clear, data-backed insights to help local media leaders navigate change and identify opportunity in 2026. To download the full 2026 Trends Report, visit www.bia.com/2026trends.