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CLEAR CHANNEL - MAY TAKE US TO TASK.

J

joshzz

As an owner of a Christian Station, I believe that groups like Clear Channel could have an adverse effect on our future when they decide to flip from secualr formats to Christian. Though they really don't understnad the heart of Christian radio, they can impact us by just playing the top 40 hits.

Their station will be a 50,000 watt flame thrower not a little Class A, an LPFM or small translator. They have the money, the resources, talent, etc. to really adversely impact our radio businesses.

Radio One has been beating all the black gospel stations in markets it enters.

A full power station owned by Clear Channel has entered the market in SC. albeit it is a small full power, but now that Clear is in the Christian business, it could make a huge difference especially if this station, WBZT does well.

Do you agree?

josh
 
It seems to me that they're flirting with the idea of Christian radio and testing the waters with the format. I think they see it as a growing format that could make them a lot of money in the future. It's something to watch.
 
I seem to remember Clear Channel doing this once before in Tulsa. The station didn't last very long & the format on that signal is a far cry from Christian. :eek:
 
To be fair, though...that station in Tulsa was a CHR.
And at that point in time, hardly anyone knew how to to Christia CHR/Rock Right.
 
I worked for some Christian radio stations many years ago; the old KCFO (now KVOO) Tulsa and KRDS in Phoenix. And I am a lifelong Christian myself.

So with that background I say if CC or any other "secular" company can program Christian formatted stations better than companies owned by Christ-centered owners, than so be it.

Radio is a business and the listener will not care if the power bill is paid for by a pagan or a Christian. In fact, there are plenty of Christian-formatted stations that are owned by investors who want to make a buck. They may have an air staff comprised mostly of believers, or maybe not. When I worked at KCFO and KRDS, I'm sure there were non-believers on staff in some positions.

So I would not fret about CC doing CCM better than Salem or some mom and pop operation. America is the land of opportunity and we all get our shot at doing our best. If I still worked at a CCM station and CC or Bonneville powered up a Class C FM to compete against me, I would be motivated to outclass them in every way I could and like Avis, "Try Harder."

The poster who pointed out Tulsa as an example is right. I think CC tried to outpace KXOJ and failed. Quality will always win out.

By the way, virtually all of the CCM labels are owned by secular corporations anyway. There was a time when art was the provence of Christians, but we have decided to go into the Christian "ghetto" instead of being lights to the world.

But that's a whole 'nother post...
 
I don't doubt but that CC could possibly do a CCM format well, but I've said it before that I don't trust them to do a CCM format and stay with it. As soon as something else comes along that they think will make more money they'll drop it. This is exactly what happened with 101.1 in Nashville in the late 90's. They have several Black Gospel stations in the Southeast at the present time, but I won't be surprised to see some of them change in the future. However if CC does start CCM formats I hope that it will push locally owned stations to improve their quality.
 
anotherguy said:
I don't doubt but that CC could possibly do a CCM format well, but I've said it before that I don't trust them to do a CCM format and stay with it. As soon as something else comes along that they think will make more money they'll drop it. This is exactly what happened with 101.1 in Nashville in the late 90's. They have several Black Gospel stations in the Southeast at the present time, but I won't be surprised to see some of them change in the future. However if CC does start CCM formats I hope that it will push locally owned stations to improve their quality.
Click to expand...

God has a unique way of shaking us up. If he uses mainstream companies to shake us out of our complacency...so be it. In the interim, more Christian radio can only be good for the listeners.
 
CC will try, and probably fail, because a really good Christian station takes attention and care. If they can't inexpensively and genericly program it with 2 in house jocks and some trackers, they'll move on and try something else. Plus, if God wants you to run a radio station, He'll provide you the means to do it. Even with big bad Clear Channel testing the waters!
 
Amen.

Ben, are you still doing CHR these days? Did I hear you left radio some time ago? Or was that my imagination?
 
BehindTheLines said:
To be fair, though...that station in Tulsa was a CHR.
And at that point in time, hardly anyone knew how to to Christia CHR/Rock Right.
Click to expand...

It was CHR (not a good one but it was CHR). But, the new CC station appears to be either CHR or Hot AC. You're also right...when they did it in Tulsa they didn't do it well.
 
josh said:
Though they really don't understnad the heart of Christian radio, they can impact us by just playing the top 40 hits.
Click to expand...

Josh, first of all, great topic. This is one particular forum that needs much more of those. You are so right about CC (and even CBS, which is looking into delving CCM) not understanding the "heart" of Christian radio. Regretfully, who cares? To them, it's about the money of Christians. The body of Christ is no longer a happy go lucky community that can be seen monopolizing Luby's on Sundays, we are a true market with a significant buying power. CONsultants and the uber-corps are figuring that out and want some of the magic that Salem has tapped into. It's a trend, hang on for the ride.

Big_Ben said:
CC will try, and probably fail, because a really good Christian station takes attention and care. If they can't inexpensively and genericly program it with 2 in house jocks and some trackers, they'll move on and try something else. Plus, if God wants you to run a radio station, He'll provide you the means to do it. Even with big bad Clear Channel testing the waters!
Click to expand...

They won't fail and it's almost amateur to consider that. Think of them as a sponsor. If they find someone with a great amount of radio savvy and understanding of the market, that's the first step most Christian-owned stations don't begin with. CC is the best definition of working for the first impression. Radio One learned from them. You hit the market with a big smah, get a great first couple of books and then drop the bottom assuming you have your demo sewed up.

Ben is right about one thing though: if God wants you to do something, and has truly called you to do it, no devil in hell (or big radio conglomerate) can get in the way.

anotherguy said:
This is exactly what happened with 101.1 in Nashville in the late 90's. They have several Black Gospel stations in the Southeast at the present time, but I won't be surprised to see some of them change in the future. However if CC does start CCM formats I hope that it will push locally owned stations to improve their quality.
Click to expand...

Radio One began that trend. Then again, Gospel is innate in the community, unlike greedy CC forcing it. Radio One knew what they were doing with Gospel formats on big sticks, that's why they succeed.
 
well CC failing is just my prediction. I was excited to find out about these developements at first, then I realized that it would probably be stale and out of touch like so many of the other stations that aren't the top billers. it's possible I will be quite wrong. We'll see...

Oh and to BehindTheLines, I'm still in CHR, but I'm not sure if I'm the same Ben that you're thinking. I've barely begun to get into radio like I want, so I definantly haven't left radio.
 
BehindTheLines said:
anotherguy said:
I don't doubt but that CC could possibly do a CCM format well, but I've said it before that I don't trust them to do a CCM format and stay with it. As soon as something else comes along that they think will make more money they'll drop it. This is exactly what happened with 101.1 in Nashville in the late 90's. They have several Black Gospel stations in the Southeast at the present time, but I won't be surprised to see some of them change in the future. However if CC does start CCM formats I hope that it will push locally owned stations to improve their quality.
Click to expand...

God has a unique way of shaking us up. If he uses mainstream companies to shake us out of our complacency...so be it. In the interim, more Christian radio can only be good for the listeners.
Click to expand...


Yeah, they went from a 3 share 12+ and flipped to hip hop to garner a 9 share instead.
 
Is this going to be like when CC started running Air America programming on some of their stations? Something to play around with, but not really willing to make the format work?
 
charles hobbs said:
Is this going to be like when CC started running Air America programming on some of their stations? Something to play around with, but not really willing to make the format work?
Click to expand...

And we have a winner. What's he won, Pat?
 
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