Is EMF becoming "too big" for their own good ?

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Just askin.....what do you think?

 

[anotherguyTN]

Some people think that EMF is the "Evil Empire" of CCM radio, but there are a lot of places that wouldn't have CCM radio if not for them. They came into West TN when no locally owned Christian station outside of Memphis had the backbone to do anything with CCM. They're also buying struggling Christian stations that might fold otherwise. I'd rather see a CCM station be sold to EMF than to go under or sell to some group that would do little or nothing with CCM, or worst of all to some anti-CCM group.

 

[skippertthomas]

I do marvel at their reach and a lot due to lack of local tries at the CCM AC or CHR tilts.. But, with NO local involvement and thus meeting a stoic need, it can peak and then settle in the background.. Evansville is like that.. A good first book.. GREAT second book and then doubled-down to secondary reach in third book... Folks there don't like no localism or involvement with local church and public events.. No visual touch to the audience... implosion is possible... Need your financial support, but not putting anything back into the local community.. But, again, glad they have brought K-Love and Air-1 to places with no CCM reach, prior...

 

[quadraphonic]

They're not so much "too big" as they are "too remote."
They, like AFR and other national networks could have a lot more impact if they had some local involvement.
His Radio seems to be having more of an impact in our area, because they have a local *regional really* morning show and do things in the local communities.
I've seen some Air1 bumper stickers, but that's all I've seen EMF or AFR do locally.

 

[nitnitr]

They're not so much "too big" as they are "too remote."
They, like AFR and other national networks could have a lot more impact if they had some local involvement.
His Radio seems to be having more of an impact in our area, because they have a local *regional really* morning show and do things in the local communities.
I've seen some Air1 bumper stickers, but that's all I've seen EMF or AFR do locally.

I agree. Though I operate an Internet station that is not localized, I think that those in the terrestrial market such as EMF, that don't have a local presence, will have hard time doing well in the books in certain areas. Again, it isn't so much that they are too big, it is that they are too remote.

On that note, I have tried applying to EMF for a part time board operator several times (Rocklin, CA headquarters), but have been unsuccessful so far. I think they are a class organization, so I would enjoy working for them, and think I would be an asset to the organization at EMF, IMHO.

 

[mz41966]

If you look at their website for careers, they generally hire people that live in the general area of Rocklin/Sacremento and nowhere else. You'd have to move there first, then apply.

 

[William_Yeager]

I wish EMF had loaned WVRB to the Ichthus Festival instead of continuing to duplicate K-Love, which is heard in the area on the 50kw WKVO. The festival sets up a temporary station on 91.1 each year, but it generally doesn't make it past the Wilmore city limits. During weather interruptions, it would be nice to have something that could be heard in Nicholasville or Lexington, rather than relying on an overburdened cell phone network to receive alerts via text message. I read quite a few tweets from attendees who went to Nicholasville to get dinner when the original estimate of an hour delay was given Friday night, but that delay wound up being much shorter.

Most of WVRB's 60 dBu coverage area is inside WKVO's 60 dBu coverage area, and practically all of it is inside WKVO's 50 dBu coverage area.

 

[nitnitr]

If you look at their website for careers, they generally hire people that live in the general area of Rocklin/Sacremento and nowhere else. You'd have to move there first, then apply.

I actually live less than 10 miles away from the Rocklin HQ, so for me, it is just a matter of getting my foot in the door somehow. Being that the job market is pretty tough, especially in this area, it may be a while before something opens up again at EMF that I am a good fit for.

 

[blue67ccm]

I don't mind them being in markets where, otherwise, there wouldn't be CCM, but in larger markets like where I live (and where I used to program a commercial, locally-owned CCM station), their presence (along with AFR), is an easy way to "have CCM" in a city, yet not make the impact a local station can make.

For example, none of the AFR-type stations that have come to my city in the last 12 years have made the impact that our station did. We used to have 10-12 major concerts here every year, ranging from several hundred people in a large church to several thousand in an arena setting. We almost sold out our Coliseum for Handel's Young Messiah tour in 1994. Nobody comes here anymore, unless it's at a nearby amusement park for a festival or down at Liberty University, some 3 hours away.

Thank God for the K-Love's, but may God raise up a new group of people with the resources to do CCM radio an even better way: through real, local radio. Not just satellite-fed music with a weather forecast updated 3 times a day.....

 

[WPHA]

Thank God for the K-Love's, but may God raise up a new group of people with the resources to do CCM radio an even better way: through real, local radio. Not just satellite-fed music with a weather forecast updated 3 times a day.....

Can we all get together, and shout, AMEN!!! ? ;D

Interestingly enough, WMHK in Columbia, SC, is doing that. You'd think you were actually listening to K-Love (they are an ALMOST identical clone in format and style) but they are LOCAL to their area! I could easily picture a station LIKE THAT giving a local, "competing" K-Love station a real run for its money! Why? Because it is at the same quality level, but it is 100% LOCAL!!

I've been listening to K-Love for a month, now, on their new NYC station. It is my sincere hope that they intend to build a LOCAL studio, and staff it LOCALLY, to make this station much more RELEVANT to the #1 radio market ON THE GLOBE! Yes, the music is good, the personalities are good... but it's biggest flaw is that it is "generic", to appeal to a nationwide audience. To add some LOCALISM to the mix could only serve to IMPROVE what is already pretty good, and make it TOTALLY EXCELLENT!

 

[mz41966]

If you look at their website for careers, they generally hire people that live in the general area of Rocklin/Sacremento and nowhere else. You'd have to move there first, then apply.

I actually live less than 10 miles away from the Rocklin HQ, so for me, it is just a matter of getting my foot in the door somehow. Being that the job market is pretty tough, especially in this area, it may be a while before something opens up again at EMF that I am a good fit for.

I hope it works out for you.

 

[EDwalker]

Just askin.....what do you think?

I'm not a fan, but just thinking that what they do is all supported by listener contributions, they must be doing something right to achieve the growth they have. I can't imagine too many traditional "commercial" broadcasters who could dump all their commercials and survive on listener donations alone.

 

[WPHA]

I'm not a fan, but just thinking that what they do is all supported by listener contributions, they must be doing something right to achieve the growth they have. I can't imagine too many traditional "commercial" broadcasters who could dump all their commercials and survive on listener donations alone.

You are absolutely correct. How could they survive, let alone GROW, if they weren't meeting listener needs, nor providing programming that they WANT TO SUPPORT?

Me, I love it. My wife and I listen all the time!

 

[skippertthomas]

They see a market lacking in the need for the format and provide... Amazing and success... Couldn't be doing it, if the wheel were not broken.... Thumbs up!!!!

 

[nitnitr]

I'm not a fan, but just thinking that what they do is all supported by listener contributions, they must be doing something right to achieve the growth they have. I can't imagine too many traditional "commercial" broadcasters who could dump all their commercials and survive on listener donations alone.

You are absolutely correct. How could they survive, let alone GROW, if they weren't meeting listener needs, nor providing programming that they WANT TO SUPPORT?

Me, I love it. My wife and I listen all the time!

Yep. EMF found a formula that is working. Now the question is, will they be able to ascertain the changes over the years to continue the success? This is the downfall of many businesses (one which I have experienced myself, and why I mention it). You have to keep up with the times, and make necessary changes. So far, EMF has been doing so.

Well, if I ever do land a job at K-LOVE/EMF, I'll be happy. In the meantime, I'll keep operating the Internet station God has blessed me with, and do my best to keep up with the times, while still trying to be somewhat unique for an Internet station.

 

[skippertthomas]

True, yet some big radio groups change too quickly and lose a good percentage of their base..... A fine line in fine tuning... They have done well in their tuning of AIR-1 NET..... ;D

 

[nitnitr]

True, yet some big radio groups change too quickly and lose a good percentage of their base..... A fine line in fine tuning... They have done well in their tuning of AIR-1 NET..... ;D

Isn't fine tuning a fine line for the most part?

Too quick of a change is never good, whether radio or other business. I've seen too quick a change occur in a retail environment, and also saw the consequences (a couple of bankruptcies and businesses folding). Change does need to happen, but it also needs to be calculated.

By the way, notice the mingling of the AC and CHR charts recently? Not sure if it is AC listeners willing to listen to more CHR, or CHR listeners more likely to listen to AC. Speaking of changes...

 

[xmusicmatt]

Isn't fine tuning a fine line for the most part?

Too quick of a change is never good, whether radio or other business. I've seen too quick a change occur in a retail environment, and also saw the consequences (a couple of bankruptcies and businesses folding). Change does need to happen, but it also needs to be calculated.

By the way, notice the mingling of the AC and CHR charts recently? Not sure if it is AC listeners willing to listen to more CHR, or CHR listeners more likely to listen to AC. Speaking of changes...

The mingling of the charts between AC and CHR has always been a problem for as long as I can remeber (I have been involved with Christian Radio since 2002) ... It goes back to the "Christian CHR" wants to stay "adult" enough to bring in the $$$ as kids won't support it $$$ wise..) and that causes most Christian CHR songs to border on AC musically... which targets the audience that makes $$$... There's a reason you don't see many "Christian Rock" formated stations outside of RadioU, Effect Radio (owned by Calvary Chapel) because its $$$ tough to run them .. Even WayFM leans AC (I would brand them more HOTAC) in their Network (Denver is the exception which leans more Rock than AC) though their considered "Christian CHR" .. Air1 I would consider a Christian CHR that "touches" on the rock format slightly .. even then Air1's musical style sometimes lines up with songs played on KLove... (In fact on a very rare ocasion i've heard a song on KLove and flipped to Air1 to hear the same song on or starting) ...

Christian music is still growing... I just look at how far its come in just like 10 years... Personally I am a fan of stations such as Air1, WayFM... I find myself listening to wayFM more than I listen to my own station!

 

[skippertthomas]

Just as in the commerical/secular counterparts.... AC/CHR or any hybrid..... As Geoff Moore once sang.....Evolution, Redefined.... Amen...

 

[joshzz]

I do believe EMF is getting too big and their many purchases may have a detrimental effect at some point. In most major markets if a local Christian Station came in and did the same thing they're doing but on a local level, they would absolutely trounce K-Love.

Some local stations are run really well such as Shine-FM in Baltimore, WPOZ, Orlando and my particular favorite, LIFT FM.