Could Clear Channel revive the gospel format again?

[rbrucecarter5]

You could ask Pastor Joel Osteen if he wants to buy a Radio Station, Since Houston is home to Lakewood Church. Lakewood could take 92.1 off Radio One's hands, or could purchase a Liberman station. Just a thought.

Since he would likely put a praise and worship or gospel format on the air, I would just as soon he didn't buy a station. If he were to buy a full power stick, I hope he would have the vision to allow KSBJ to program NGEN on it. Now THAT would serve a much broader audience that some niche-ey gospel variety. Especially if there really are several AM's in the area playing gospel. I don't tune into 1140, 1360, 1500 or whatever - hear gospel - and sit there enjoying it. I tune it - go - yuk - yet another gospel station, and move on. The only Christian radio in Houston worth listening to is NGEN, and from where I am it is deep fringe DX to the Sugarland transmitter and let my right fight it out with the Wolf from Ft. Worth and KISS San Antonio. Or listen to NGEN on KSBJ HD-2, which has a lot of drop outs. I'd sure love to hear it on a reliable signal in Cypress.

 

[davideduardo]

I agree, not a 'niche' format but a really tough sell, especially agencies. The biggest hurdle is the word 'gospel'. For some reason people think zealot not the average person that attends Church.

KROI did not bill as an "urban gospel" format per se the audience, but rather it billed as "contemporary Christian" according to Arbitron ratings. That was for the purpose of not alienating audiences based on race or genre preference.

No, the Arbitron format descriptors are used so time buyers know what kind of station a particular facility is. Listeners don,t see that data.

 

[willdav713]

I agree, not a 'niche' format but a really tough sell, especially agencies. The biggest hurdle is the word 'gospel'. For some reason people think zealot not the average person that attends Church.

KROI did not bill as an "urban gospel" format per se the audience, but rather it billed as "contemporary Christian" according to Arbitron ratings. That was for the purpose of not alienating audiences based on race or genre preference.

No, the Arbitron format descriptors are used so time buyers know what kind of station a particular facility is. Listeners don,t see that data.

Reminds me of comparing the Chronicles TV Guide Radio Station to the Post's TV Guide Radio Station section.

KBXX would still be called Contemporary Crossover, and KHMX would be called Adult Contemp., Rock.

The Post would label KHMX as Adult Pop Rock, and KBXX as Urban Contemporary. The Arbitron can be more of a vague, general description, then what the newspaper's description of the station's format which can vary.

 

[rageradio]

Not sure Radio One would be willing to give up on News 92 just yet. Especially after shelling out a bunch of money to build a brand new studio for it that probably isn't a year old yet.

 

[salemjedi54]

I agree, not a 'niche' format but a really tough sell, especially agencies. The biggest hurdle is the word 'gospel'. For some reason people think zealot not the average person that attends Church.

KROI did not bill as an "urban gospel" format per se the audience, but rather it billed as "contemporary Christian" according to Arbitron ratings. That was for the purpose of not alienating audiences based on race or genre preference.

It only took listening to one song to know it was a gospel station. My saturation point for any gospel format is about 2 or 3 songs, then it gets irritating. The Lakewood buses used to play it. Now they don't, and I appreciate the silence instead of irritating music.

Hold up hoss.....I particularly don't like CCM or whatever KLTY or KSBJ plays, but I don't slam it. Looking at BET's Celebration of Gospel and how successful it is and how Mary, Mary has a reality TV show and Kirk Franklin being involved in American Bible Challenge show me that Black Gospel music has a very large audience, and it crosses over....

 

[bringbackradio]

I agree, not a 'niche' format but a really tough sell, especially agencies. The biggest hurdle is the word 'gospel'. For some reason people think zealot not the average person that attends Church.

KROI did not bill as an "urban gospel" format per se the audience, but rather it billed as "contemporary Christian" according to Arbitron ratings. That was for the purpose of not alienating audiences based on race or genre preference.

It only took listening to one song to know it was a gospel station. My saturation point for any gospel format is about 2 or 3 songs, then it gets irritating. The Lakewood buses used to play it. Now they don't, and I appreciate the silence instead of irritating music.

Hold up hoss.....I particularly don't like CCM or whatever KLTY or KSBJ plays, but I don't slam it. Looking at BET's Celebration of Gospel and how successful it is and how Mary, Mary has a reality TV show and Kirk Franklin being involved in American Bible Challenge show me that Black Gospel music has a very large audience, and it crosses over....

Many of the curent gospel formats under Radio One's "Praise" and CC's "Hallelujah" handles mainly focus on contemporary gospel. It has really been the case primarily since the late 1990's when songs such as Kirk Franklin's "Stomp" crossed over into the R&B charts, and that paved the way for the genre to have an updated sound to grab a younger audience who wouldn't care for traditional Black gospel artists like Mahalia Jackson. There were a handful of songs like Commodores' "Jesus Is Love" and the Anita Baker/Winans collabo "Ain't No Need to Worry" that crossed over to R&B in the 70s and 80s; that was when younger people didn't care for gospel at the most. But contemporary gospel does have a share of controversy by the elders due to it sounding R&Bish.

And the "WOW!" compilation series originally focused on just CCM before putting out compilation albums for gospel around that time.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

Hold up hoss.....I particularly don't like CCM or whatever KLTY or KSBJ plays, but I don't slam it. Looking at BET's Celebration of Gospel and how successful it is and how Mary, Mary has a reality TV show and Kirk Franklin being involved in American Bible Challenge show me that Black Gospel music has a very large audience, and it crosses over....

Many of the curent gospel formats under Radio One's "Praise" and CC's "Hallelujah" handles mainly focus on contemporary gospel. It has really been the case primarily since the late 1990's when songs such as Kirk Franklin's "Stomp" crossed over into the R&B charts, and that paved the way for the genre to have an updated sound to grab a younger audience who wouldn't care for traditional Black gospel artists like Mahalia Jackson. There were a handful of songs like Commodores' "Jesus Is Love" and the Anita Baker/Winans collabo "Ain't No Need to Worry" that crossed over to R&B in the 70s and 80s; that was when younger people didn't care for gospel at the most. But contemporary gospel does have a share of controversy by the elders due to it sounding R&Bish.

And the "WOW!" compilation series originally focused on just CCM before putting out compilation albums for gospel around that time.

I'll answer a couple of these in one post ----

I'm with you, I don't like the KLTY or KSBJ playlist. I primarily listen to KVRK when in Dallas, and KSBJ HD2 NGEN in Houston. I also stream a couple of streams from Orlando, "The Rock"or "Power 95.9". No wimpy praise and worship style CCM for me!!!! As far as the celebration of Gospel - look again at the network it was on - BET. I don't exactly fit their demographic. I'm not bigoted, some of my best friends are African American. I'm voting Zendaya on Dancing with the Stars - you should too! I love Christian hip-hop that they play on Power 95.9 and NGEN. I'm just not into gospel, black or otherwise. It irritates me. I have no problem saying that gospel of any variety - or praise and worship irritates me. That is not slamming it. That is expressing a personal preference. Saying it has limited appeal isn't slamming anything. Believe me, the opponents of Christian rock do a lot worse than I do - slamming anything they don't like, and calling you unsaved if you disagree with them. I did play "Stomp" on the air because it was a crossover. But I dropped it when his pornography addiction was public. Since he has now repented, I would have no problem playing "Stomp" again.

 

[davideduardo]

Many of the curent gospel formats under Radio One's "Praise" and CC's "Hallelujah" handles mainly focus on contemporary gospel.R&Bish.

I'm way out of my element when Gospel is mentioned. But aren't "Gospel" and "Black Gospel" very separate formats and music types?

 

[salemjedi54]

Many of the curent gospel formats under Radio One's "Praise" and CC's "Hallelujah" handles mainly focus on contemporary gospel.R&Bish.

I'm way out of my element when Gospel is mentioned. But aren't "Gospel" and "Black Gospel" very separate formats and music types?

Depends on your perspective. To me what I hear on the radio or at my church on Sundays is Gospel music. If you listen to most Salem music stations, that is contemporary christian music.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

Many of the curent gospel formats under Radio One's "Praise" and CC's "Hallelujah" handles mainly focus on contemporary gospel.R&Bish.

I'm way out of my element when Gospel is mentioned. But aren't "Gospel" and "Black Gospel" very separate formats and music types?

I'm familiar with two distinct formats - Southern Gospel and Black Gospel. While a Black Gospel song might occasionally cross over to AC CCM charts from time to time, or even secular R&B charts, I don't think any Southern Gospel has. But since I don't program AC CCM / praise and worship - I'm not sure. Think segregation - black gospel and white gospel. I don't think anybody has tried an integrated format. Southern gospel has a rural, white, Southern Baptist / primitive Baptist heritage, while Black Gospel comes from the Black churches. I've been to a service at a Black church - VERY illuminating, I came away with a renewed respect and fresh perspective.

There is another format I've heard of - country gospel - but I don't know if it is distinct from Christian country. Neither has enough audience to be over the air anywhere I am aware of.

 

[bringbackradio]

No, the Arbitron format descriptors are used so time buyers know what kind of station a particular facility is. Listeners don,t see that data.

Whoops, I meant to say KROI showed up as "Contemporary Inspirational," not "Contemp. Christian.

 

[stan]

Gospel is as dead as oldies / classic hits in Houston, and would be a lower priority to resuscitate.

 

[rageradio]

Of course they could no doubt.. But will they? Leaning towards no

 

[davideduardo]

Maybe an easier (but less precise) way of explaining the difference between Black Gospel and Southern Gospel is that Salem's "Solid Gospel" is Southern Gospel--while "Rejoice!"/"Musical Soul Food" and "Sheridan Gospel Network"/"The Light" are both Black Gospel.

Thank you. Very helpful.

 

[willdav713]

Gospel is as dead as oldies / classic hits in Houston, and would be a lower priority to resuscitate.

With FM Gospel format your right. But Classic Hits could come back and would come back to the FM before Gospel.

 

[joshzz]

I wonder if KSBJ would consider gospel for one of its HD channels.

 

[Mediafrog+]

I wonder if KSBJ would consider gospel for one of its HD channels.

Haven't checked lately, but the Praise format was on KMJQ HD2.

Southern Gospel is on the often overlooked KJIC 90.5.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

I wonder if KSBJ would consider gospel for one of its HD channels.

I sure hope not. It would displace NGEN, which is an important ministry to young people and young professionals. If they added an HD-3 channel, it would degrade HD-1 and HD-2 to a serious extent. It would be like the situation on KUHF, where exponential radio and the classical channel are seriously degraded.

 

[salemjedi54]

I wonder if KSBJ would consider gospel for one of its HD channels.

Haven't checked lately, but the Praise format was on KMJQ HD2.

Southern Gospel is on the often overlooked KJIC 90.5.

Yes Radio One bought up a lot of HD Car radios and were handing them out to listeners of Praise 92.1. But if you don't own a vehicle, or have internet access then you were screwed if you listened to Praise.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

Yes Radio One bought up a lot of HD Car radios and were handing them out to listeners of Praise 92.1. But if you don't own a vehicle, or have internet access then you were screwed if you listened to Praise.

I feel bad for the Praise listeners - it reminds me of how I felt when Moody bought out WCIE in 1996. I was a displaced WCIE listener, just like the Praise listeners here. Format changes are a fact of life in radio, and have given birth to more than one DX'er over the years. In the old WCIE days, there was no satellite, there was no streaming, there was no Pandora, there weren't even iPods. But if you are a fan of a particular format, now, at least, you have recourse other than DX. Giving them HD radios for cars assumes the car was made more than five years ago, before those touch screen all in one radio / GPS / backup camera / satellite / iPod dock / climate control systems became standard. You can't put an aftermarket car radio into cars any more. These new systems completely preclude it. I wouldn't be surprised if they were so integrated with the car that the car won't run without them.

I think Praise would do well if they established a really good iPhone app, an app for the other smart phones. A lot of the Praise listeners don't have a car they can modify, or won't have the skill to put an HD radio in an older car. But they probably ALL carry cell phones, and the majority carry smart phones. I've got a hundred radio station apps on my iPhone, they work pretty reliably, I can stream in the car (until an incoming call knocks it off) and stream anywhere else. A lot of my radio station apps are streams of HD-2,3, etc., and a lot are internet only stations. Streaming may well be the best hope for displaced listeners of a format they liked. I know we were all very angry at Moody, especially when the month before WCIE had raised a million dollars in their pledge drive, and those sending in one time gifts were out the money - forced into supporting a station they hated with no recourse to get their money back. Praise listeners have even less recourse. I wish them luck - I really think the smart phone app has potential for them.