Does anyone have a ballpark price of how much radio stations charge popular Christian ministries like John MacArthur, J Vernon McGee, and Chuck Swindoll to air their daily programs? I have notice their programs air multiple times a day on various radio stations within the same community of license. Logic tells me they can purchase 30 minutes of airtime on religious stations cheaper than a 30 second commercial would cost on a highly rated station in the same city. However, that being said, I can see how the programming costs can add up since these programs are heard throughout the country.
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Christian Talk Programming Costs
- Thread starter Commo Chief
- Start date
I would suspect these national ministries are largely filling airtime that would otherwise be unsold. Maybe if they are airing in a prime hour, that would not be the case, but if it's an airing at 4am, it's probably gratis.
If a local minister asks why the station are airing these shows multiple times, the station can say that John MacArthur is a well known name that brings in listeners, like loss leaders in a grocery.
If a local minister asks why the station are airing these shows multiple times, the station can say that John MacArthur is a well known name that brings in listeners, like loss leaders in a grocery.
The major ministries like those mentioned are on a share basis. You'll notice there are offers on the programs. Those that take them up on the offer from your coverage area, you get a piece of it (usually with a minimum monthly total to get a check). In my experience, a huge check was about $200. An average was about $60 to $100 monthly. The 'top 40' ministries frequently are popular among listeners and attract ministries locally that will either pay a bit or give the station some clout in the Christian community. Preaching/Teaching stations work fine as computers in a closet, so they don't need much to pay the bills.
I have heard the bigger named shows (Swindoll, Stanley, MacArthur, and a few others) appear at various time slots. They sometimes seem to move every other week. So the time fill aspect may be at play here. The smaller shows appear to be more consistent in time slot, and the local shows come and go, and also sometimes move around. I think the corona economy is affecting this a bit.
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