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Different sound for Air1?

Not sure if it's going to cut into KSBJ or not given the signal footprint. NGEN does not seem to be catching on.

I'm told that Air1's changes came about from multiple research projects telling EMF that what they were doing wasn't working followed by a format finder study to see what their audience actually liked.
 
I'm really wondering if this is the first evidence of the demographic changes in white evangelicalism, the rise of the "nones" (young people who claim no religious affiliation) and younger people leaving the evangelical church over its support for Trump, opposition to LGBT, etc.
 
gr8oldies said:
I'm really wondering if this is the first evidence of the demographic changes in white evangelicalism, the rise of the "nones" (young people who claim no religious affiliation) and younger people leaving the evangelical church over its support for Trump, opposition to LGBT, etc.
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Doubtful.

When the P1s of your format tell you that they only like half the songs you play, it's time to drop the other half.

I don't have a good answer to how you reach people who consider themselves "spiritual but not religious" but I kind of like the approach that my church takes: instead of inviting them to church, they built a space across the street that offers yoga and seminars on spiritual topics that operates within its own universe and isn't there to convert. Their goal is to meet people wherever they are and if anything learn more about where they are.

Anybody who spends more than about 30 seconds with Christian radio has to have some belief at some level to begin with and some interest in listening to it, otherwise there's just nothing there to grab onto. I mean, my parents tried to drag my sister (who would fall into the "spiritual but not religious" camp) to church for 50+ years to no avail. Mere exposure to the word doesn't make the connection.
 
My first question would be: Why were they playing the half of the playlist their P1s don't like? Unless there just isn't that much product available.

I'm aware of the more "hipster" church approaches "you can even drink craft beer now!".
 
I've been listening throughout the day today... it sounds a lot like their former playlist, just without all of the pop-rap content that NGEN plays. Quite enjoyable to listen to.
 
Listened to Air1 for a while today: "10,000 Worship songs in a row, without commercials. Worship NOW. The new Air1." Music is much more overtly religious, as opposed to the "positive message" music featured in the past. It appears they are now "preaching to the choir" and targeting the already religiously devout listeners, instead of reaching out to the "unchurched." No sign of the Christian Rap or Hip-Hop you would find on NGEN.

So this seems to be a complete reboot for Air1. Still wonder if EMF will eventually launch another station here in Houston. I assume K-Love has been kept out of the market in deference to KSBJ, but that could change. And EMF is now rolling out the "K-Love Classics" format, which would be another possibility. 92.1 in EMF's future, perhaps?
 
Maybe if they alienate enough listeners financially they’ll have to sell the station. ��
 
TheBigA said:
This change is to specifically target those listeners who are most likely to support the station financially.
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I understand that. I don’t think that will be the outcome. It’s worse than before, if that’s possible.
 
They will somewhat have to cannibalize K-Love itself one would think, as this would appear to be a channel for church-goers who moght be more dedicated than casual K-Love listeners. K-Love and the old Air 1 could stay in their respective lanes...25 year old soccer moms vs. 40 year old soccer moms--but it's almost like K-Love is now Sunday morning church and Air 1 is "I go on Wednesday night too".
 
johndavis said:
I don't have a good answer to how you reach people who consider themselves "spiritual but not religious" but I kind of like the approach that my church takes: instead of inviting them to church, they built a space across the street that offers yoga and seminars on spiritual topics that operates within its own universe and isn't there to convert.
Click to expand...

When a Christian Church is more keyed to yoga & so-called spirituality, and "isn't there to convert" --- it's no longer a Christian organization. It's like telling anti-Americans, that's OK, we have cupcakes across the street. It's like telling a non-licensed broadcaster, that's OK, we won't object to 50 KW pirates in the interest of free speech.
 
ThatVoice22 said:
When a Christian Church is more keyed to yoga & so-called spirituality, and "isn't there to convert" --- it's no longer a Christian organization.
Click to expand...

There are churches that believe in extreme proselytizing, and others that don't. That's why we see many evangelical churches using the media to both reach and teach. But we see a lot less of that among some Christian religions than others, which is why we don't hear "The Presbyterian Hour" or the "Episcopal Message" shows on the radio nearly as broadly if at all.

There is an interesting article on proselytizing at https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/legal-and-political-magazines/proselytizing

And also you can find via Google how the Catholic Church itself has lessened those activities to become more ecumenical.

We see reflections of this on radio. The "send $5 for a blessing" programs of Southern daytimers and stations like XERF are less common, while services for members of a church and the unaffiliated listener have increased.
 
Hasn't there always been tension between the "scream hellfire and damnation and pound the King James Bible at those sinners now" approaches vs. the more "seeker sensitive" approaches? Evangelical and fundamentalist churches are more into "get them all saved" than more liturgical churches, who evangelicals are suspicious of. Protestants got about a 70 year head start on the radio from Catholic groups, which seemed to start around 10 years ago. It was interesting while tuning around on one of the SDRs that I had Jimmy Swaggart blasting Catholocism on 730, and a Catholic discussion of 740 next to each other.
 
DavidEduardo said:


The "send $5 for a blessing" programs of Southern daytimers and stations like XERF are less common, while services for members of a church and the unaffiliated listener have increased.
Click to expand...

Anecdote:

A friend of mine, Sergio Ballesteros, was manager of XERF in the 60's when it was owned by Ricard Eaton via his wife, a Mexican national. He told me about one of the preachers who recorded in San Antonio and drove his tapes to Del Rio every week...

Sergio: So on your ministry's show, you offer a $5, a $10 and a $25 blessing to people who mail in their request and money?

Preacher: Yes, we do.

Sergio: So what exactly is the difference between a $5 blessing and a $25 blessing?

Preacher: Twenty dollars.
 
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