favorite station and why

[smashedcd]

ok whats your favorite christian station and why..also whats your least favorite and why...


my favorite...xm 32 the message...because its commercial free and they also play some jesus music..larry norman, david and the giants, keith green ..etc..


least favorite..ksbj..one reason..it puts me to sleep...

 

[anotherguyTN]

My favorites would be WAY-FM and WNAZ in Nashville. I like the music mixes for both of them. WAY-FM has some translators in my area with more coming, and I listen to WNAZ on the Web or when I'm in the Nashville area.

Among CCM stations, my least favorite would be the Dove 94 network in Middle and West TN. They're more AC and on the borderline of being inspo at times, although I do still listen to them since they're the only truly local CCM station in the area.

Among all Christian stations, my least favorite (or more simply put the worst) would be WMQM 1600 in Memphis. They're probably the bottom of the barrel among dollar a holler stations, and are owned by the same people who own WWCR shortwave.

 

[skippertthomas]

My favorites would be WAY-FM and WNAZ in Nashville. I like the music mixes for both of them. WAY-FM has some translators in my area with more coming, and I listen to WNAZ on the Web or when I'm in the Nashville area.

Funny? When I got to Nashville to head up the expansion project for Way-Fm...We were the 'edgy' CHR with CHR-Rock at night and WNAZ was going full tilt A/C....Now, 14 years later, Way is more Hot A/C-Adult CHR in the day and high energy CHR at night...WNAZ is really a CHR-Rock format.... Great to have them in Music City, together.... If you really want to hear CHR with a major Teen push, go to WONU at Olivet Nazarene... Their 50kW hits half of the Chicago metro and streams to the other half and the world....A year or so ago, a local HumVee dealer gave them a year's lease on HumVee to giveaway on the air..Great promotion, as well.... Cornerstone's WAYK and WAYG in Western Michigan is a great dayparted CHR that is streaming as well... Great sound!

I hope my new FM (within two years, as I have a CP and working on an immediate minor modification to upgrade) will sound great, even as a network affiliate with local jocks in drive times.... "Skipper T."

 

[Retro]

Commercially I like Spirit 105-3 out of Seattle.

 

[smashedcd]

Commercially I like Spirit 105-3 out of Seattle.

i just tried to listen to them. the music was ok but the imaging..and the delilah? at night lost me right away!

 

[Retro]

Try listening earlier during the day.

 

[Clemwriter]

ok whats your favorite christian station and why..also whats your least favorite and why...

The River WCVO Columbus OH.

 

[skippertthomas]

The River WCVO Columbus OH.
[/quote]

My vote for the best Christian A/C in the US...On a commerical frequency with most of their current staff, Christians who worked full time in commercial radio...They're Top-10 12+ ratings in Columbus is absolutly FAB... I am partial, due to Tate Luck's long standing involvement in image and air sound for this Columbus metro stick in New Albany (suburb)...

"Skip"

 

[neutralobserver]

I'm again surprised by SmashedCD...then again, maybe I'm not.

The two stations listed -- KSBJ and KCMS -- are probably the closest to their secular counterparts and, thus, I have to believe, the most in line with the target's desires. They are my favorites. The other frequently-listed station -- WPOZ -- seems to have taken a decided step in the Inspo direction, a step which has me confused; evidently, there's something I don't know or understand.

I, too, appreciate WCVO and would throw in WISG even though it appears Cumulus might be guilty of attempted murder of a successful station (on the takeover, the female half of the female-targeted morning show was let go and another male was added; the next book showed the audience's vote on that idea). WCSG is very much on my radar screen, you have to respect the accomplishments of KTIS, and WLAB is rather close to my own musical likes.

As far as my least favorites go....well, I won't be mentioning them by name. There are two in particular -- one has had the opportunity and the resources needed but has absolutely blown it by programming to itself rather than its audience, and the other has had the opportunity and the most important resource of all but has never even taken a shot.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

WAY-FM has different feeds, I think the Denver feed is one of the best. Power FM here in Dallas is my favorite when I am in that mood. Too bad about WPOZ - if there is anything that area does NOT need, its another INSPO station. WCIE tried that in the early 90's, and it really hurt them, and it hurt their younger listeners.

 

[neutralobserver]

Whoa...hang on a second! I didn't say WPOZ changed to Inspo; I said it seems to me to have taken a step (musically) in the direction of that format.

Whereas the station was Third Day, Jeremy Camp, Todd Agnew, and Matthew West two-to-three years ago, it's recently been Mark Schultz, Mark Schultz, Mark Schultz, Mark Schultz, Mark Harris, Mark Schultz, Twila Paris, Selah, Mark Schultz, and Phillips, Craig, and Dean. And Mark Schultz.

Now, that's a bit of an exageration (MercyMe, Casting Crowns, Chris Tomlin, Newsboys, and Third Day have all been played more than Mark Schultz) and perhaps a tad unfair, but a station that plays Twila Paris is instantly a rather different station. Think of the secular equivalent of the station -- built on the likes of Rob Thomas, The Fray (yes, secular stations are playing The Fray, Mat Kearney, and Lifehouse a lot more than we are), Kelly Clarkson, Bon Jovi, Goo Goo Dolls, Nickelback, Maroon 5, John Mayer, No Doubt, Faith Hill, Keith Urban, Mariah Carey, Natasha Bedingfield, Coldplay, and so on -- suddenly throwing in Anne Murray or Barbara Streisand and playing her 4-7 times per day. Twila Paris is that drastic of a jolt. Then, you add in heavy numbers of Mark Schultz and the artists listed above...man, there seems to have been been a definite change.

But, now, before you walk away again thinking something I didn't say, the station has recently dropped the Twila Paris song and become one of the relative few to play the Mat Kearney and the Sanctus Real, two of the three songs (the third being the Jeremy Riddle) that I think most of the format is missing.

 

[smashedcd]

Whoa...hang on a second! I didn't say WPOZ changed to Inspo; I said it seems to me to have taken a step (musically) in the direction of that format.

Whereas the station was Third Day, Jeremy Camp, Todd Agnew, and Matthew West two-to-three years ago, it's recently been Mark Schultz, Mark Schultz, Mark Schultz, Mark Schultz, Mark Harris, Mark Schultz, Twila Paris, Selah, Mark Schultz, and Phillips, Craig, and Dean. And Mark Schultz.

Now, that's a bit of an exageration (MercyMe, Casting Crowns, Chris Tomlin, Newsboys, and Third Day have all been played more than Mark Schultz) and perhaps a tad unfair, but a station that plays Twila Paris is instantly a rather different station. Think of the secular equivalent of the station -- built on the likes of Rob Thomas, The Fray (yes, secular stations are playing The Fray, Mat Kearney, and Lifehouse a lot more than we are), Kelly Clarkson, Bon Jovi, Goo Goo Dolls, Nickelback, Maroon 5, John Mayer, No Doubt, Faith Hill, Keith Urban, Mariah Carey, Natasha Bedingfield, Coldplay, and so on -- suddenly throwing in Anne Murray or Barbara Streisand and playing her 4-7 times per day. Twila Paris is that drastic of a jolt. Then, you add in heavy numbers of Mark Schultz and the artists listed above...man, there seems to have been been a definite change.

But, now, before you walk away again thinking something I didn't say, the station has recently dropped the Twila Paris song and become one of the relative few to play the Mat Kearney and the Sanctus Real, two of the three songs (the third being the Jeremy Riddle) that I think most of the format is missing.

so you are saying god is in control is an elevator song? since when did christian radio become secular ac. might as well just listen to your local river or mix if your ccm station is gonna be a clone. and please for gods sake ac stations stop playing that jesus take the wheel song. her new video and song is no way near christian. the novelty of a christain station playing the same song as the local ac station is now over. i remember when the industry flipped over baby baby.now they will play anybody that says they are christian.

 

[neutralobserver]

so you are saying god is in control is an elevator song?

Is there a reason in particular you think that's the song I'm talking about?

since when did christian radio become secular ac. might as well just listen to your local river or mix if your ccm station is gonna be a clone.

It's not about Christian AC becoming "secular" AC....it's about the listeners of both having essentially the same music backgrounds and tastes.

and please for gods sake ac stations stop playing that jesus take the wheel song. her new video and song is no way near christian.

Are they playing the new song? :

now they will play anybody that says they are christian.

You mean like how you come in here, say you are, and post? She seems to say so, other people say so...isn't that the best we can reasonably do?

 

[smashedcd]

You mean like how you come in here, say you are, and post? She seems to say so, other people say so...isn't that the best we can reasonably do?

i am not in the media. and i am not in a band or a group. i am also no singer..and this is a public message board. you dont have to be christian to post here. but yes i am. not a very good one but i am one. i dont know how long you have been in christian radio but if you were in 1989 think back to something. in 1989 stryper released against the law. they put 2 songs on that album that were secular. lady and shining star. that got them basically banned from christian radio for life. when i was interviewed for my first radio gig the gm asked me what my favorite christian band was. i told him stryper. to which he replied. well...you will never play them here. not as long as i am in control. afew years later michel sweet released real. always there for you was released as a single. under a diffrent gm we added the song. but after same said gm heard the song baby doll from the same album on his sons cd he promplty banned the artist. because of the secular song. now..its like creed says they are christian..great throw it in..no matter the background of the artists. was also done with leann rimes a few years ago. and no i am not perfect..and yes i listen to everything from larry norman to w.a.s.p. but again i am not a recording artist fighting for airtime on a 50 song select playlist of a heavily researched christian ac station either.

ps..if you are going to add music thats secular by christians..throw in U2. at least i like U2 ..and they are on the local ac stations also..

 

[rbrucecarter5]

Whoa...hang on a second! I didn't say WPOZ changed to Inspo; I said it seems to me to have taken a step (musically) in the direction of that format.

Whew! Glad to hear they haven't turned their backs on kids. The 12-18 demographic gets a raw deal from most Christian stations. I still remember the days of the old WCIE, filling Carpenter's Home church with teens for concerts, etc. There is money to be made from that demographic, not through pledge drives, but if you program to them - they will be some of the most fanatically loyal listeners in the area. The question is - how to translate that fanaticism and purchasing power into support for a station. Nobody has yet figured out a way to do it, but perhaps concert admissions could pay some of the bills. What happened with WCIE - was a tragedy. I can't help but think of how many kids were hurt in that format change - and WPOZ is the only Orlando outlet that even tries to reach them. Tampa Bay is served by "the Joy FM", but I don't know how far they went in upping the tempo of their format. There were a lot of Christian DX'ers throughout Orlando picking up WAY-FM, I did it in Palm Bay, FL, but a new 88.7 went on the air in Orlando, jamming their chances. Interestingly, 88.7 is now owned by WPOZ. Melbourne / Palm Bay have it good - 88.1 in West Palm upped their power, making it downright easy to hear WAY-FM. WPOZ is jammed there, anyway, by a stupid allocation on 88.5 for an inspo station.

Twila Paris is a sweet lady - I met her one time. "God is in Control" is playable on a Hot AC format. Not much else she does - which relegates her to a "one hit wonder" status.

I've said it before - and been flamed on here for it - get the inspo and AC off of stations if you expect kids to listen to it. To them, its clunkers and junk - and they will hit the button to go back to secular.

 

[MightyFrenchman]

Your final comment highlights a concern for all of radio. That is, no matter what the format, as time goes on, fewer & fewer young people are listening to radio. Do you think that HD radio will enable CCM stations to offer a format geared to young people? Will the stations do it?

Whoa...hang on a second! I didn't say WPOZ changed to Inspo; I said it seems to me to have taken a step (musically) in the direction of that format.

I've said it before - and been flamed on here for it - get the inspo and AC off of stations if you expect kids to listen to it. To them, its clunkers and junk - and they will hit the button to go back to secular.

 

[neutralobserver]

Do you think that HD radio will enable CCM stations to offer a format geared to young people? Will the stations do it?

Well, in the case of WPOZ, they're already doing it -- the "Y-Hot" and "Y-Rock" formats that they've been offering as internet streams are now on their HD-2 and HD-3 channels, respectively. I know that others are planning similar rock and hip-hop formats, CHR, country, P&W, and so on.

 

[neutralobserver]

You mean like how you come in here, say you are, and post? She seems to say so, other people say so...isn't that the best we can reasonably do?

i am not in the media. and i am not in a band or a group. i am also no singer..and this is a public message board. you dont have to be christian to post here. but yes i am. not a very good one but i am one.

That's my point. You say you are, just like Carrie does, but, in Carrie's case, we also have statements from others in her church. We have much more reason to have that belief of Carrie than we do of you. In other words, don't be so quick to leap to conclusions. And you might want to get a look at this past Sunday's Parade magazine.

i dont know how long you have been in christian radio....

Well, let's start counting.....zero, one....no, wait...gotta stop at zero.

but again i am not a recording artist fighting for airtime on a 50 song select playlist of a heavily researched christian ac station either.

No one has a 50-song playlist. And you say "heavily-researched" as if it's something bad; let me remind you that "heavily-researched" means "lots of real people (not radio people) have said they like it a lot!"

ps..if you are going to add music thats secular by christians..throw in U2. at least i like U2 ..and they are on the local ac stations also..

You just made the point I was making...and which you were arguing against just a few posts ago.

Thank you....I guess...... ???

 

[MyCatKnight]

in 1989 stryper released against the law. they put 2 songs on that album that were secular. lady and shining star. that got them basically banned from christian radio for life. when i was interviewed for my first radio gig the gm asked me what my favorite christian band was. i told him stryper. to which he replied. well...you will never play them here. not as long as i am in control.

I agree with you as another U2 & Creed fan, who has also enjoyed hearing Kirk Franklin on secular radio.

But as a fellow longtime yellow & black fan, I disagree w/ you on "Against the Law," and I still remember that awful, live performance on "Into the Night with Rick Dees." IMHO, the album sucked... umm, was no "Soldiers Under Command," much less "THWTD." I can't stop equating it to the Beavis & Butthead episode where they got all excited about the new Van Halen song... only to show their disgust as they played the video for "I Can't Stop Loving You." Sorry, I know you'll disagree.

p.s. I like KSBJ, something else for us to debate. I also enjoyed the Fish out of Portland

 

[neutralobserver]

Whoa...hang on a second! I didn't say WPOZ changed to Inspo; I said it seems to me to have taken a step (musically) in the direction of that format.

Whew! Glad to hear they haven't turned their backs on kids.

Geez, Bruce............You replied to a post on the Orlando board in which Deano announced that Z had gone HD with Hot and Rock on additional channels! You already knew that!

Twila Paris is a sweet lady - I met her one time.

I'm sure she is.

"God is in Control" is playable on a Hot AC format.

No, it's not. To a Dave Matthews / John Mayer / Gwen Stefani / Nickelback / Destiny's Child listener, Twila Paris and her style are as dated, out-of-place, and nails-on-a-chalkboard as Barbara Streisand and The Carpenters. In addition, it's from a time long before Christian music stations had the level of listenership they now enjoy....it's just another one of "those lame songs people in my parents' generation listened to sometimes when they were trying to fool other people into thinking that they listened to Christian music!"

How's that for descriptive? ;D

It's both dated and unfamiliar to a Hot AC audience. There's some familiarity to part of an AC audience, though, but, from my point of view, it would be nowhere near enough for me to let that song get anything other than rare plays in middays and overnights....in drop positions.

Not much else she does - which relegates her to a "one hit wonder" status.

But she just had a "current"....which, by the way, sounded just like her other stuff.

I've said it before - and been flamed on here for it - get the inspo and AC off of stations if you expect kids to listen to it. To them, its clunkers and junk - and they will hit the button to go back to secular.

Although any and all listeners are appreciated, no AC station expects to have teens as P1s.