Is there a place for Christian radio?

[ryan883]

Christian Radio needs to stop... please let it stop...

 

[Dirty_Harry]

Christian Radio needs to stop... please let it stop...

I used to listen to WVXC in Chillicothe regularly from the east side. Bummer for Chillicothe losing WVXU in favor of more annoying Christian crap.

I HATE CHRISTIAN RADIO!

 

[michiana_media]

Just curious.. why do you hate Christian radio.

I wont hold anything against you, Its your freedom.. but im just curious.

 

[Dirty_Harry]

Just curious.. why do you hate Christian radio.

I wont hold anything against you, Its your freedom.. but im just curious.

It's crappy programming, generally of the same quality as the Home Shopping Club. Think about it, cheap video, MC'd by hacks in a tacky studio, begging for your money. They are a business (again, think about it) and they squat on waaaay too many decent signals that could be programmed for something with better appeal, especially non-comm signals, that could be used for a better purpose.

Believe it or not, I have less of a problem with Christian crap on a commercial channel. Subject them to the same rules as commercial broadcasters and let the free market rule.

I mean, how sad is it that Chillicothe loses NPR and the great programming of WVXU for the Christian Home Shopping Channel?

They are a business. I see no reason to give any of these hucksters any more loyalty than you give General Motors ................ or Anna Nicole Smith!

 

[michiana_media]

Fair enough. Im not going to judge or hold your opinion against you. I just have a few comments (my opinion) to make.

They are a business (again, think about it) and they squat on waaaay too many decent signals that could be programmed for something with better appeal, especially non-comm signals, that could be used for a better purpose.

I work in the Christian radio industry at a 50,000 watt Commercial station and book after book we rank in the top 3 in our core demo (W 25 - 45) so we do appeal. Judgeing WCVO's 12+ numbers...they appeal to there core demo.

There is a reason why most Christian stations are non-comm.. Personal responsibility. If you like something and its feeds you.. you support it. Its talked about in the Bible. The advertising is for operational costs (the business), and listener support is to help build the ministry... Therefor knowone is getting rich off the stations income. Sure you can make a living working in Christian radio.. but not to the extent of most GM's in secular radio.

If Christian stations on a non-comm should be regulated like a Commercial station.. why shouldnt NPR or any other format on a non-comm? Its the same difference.

I mean, how sad is it that Chillicothe loses NPR and the great programming of WVXU for the Christian Home Shopping Channel?

Personally.. I think it is wonderful. But thats my opinion. The bottomline purpose of Christian radio isnt about the typical standards "radio people" look at.. While those are key important issues, More importantly its about reaching people with the most important and greatest story ever told (Jesus). Thats the bottom line.

You may not agree with that.. but there is the reason why CCM is one of the fastest growing formats in America. People are hungry for something thats solid and true.. hip music and good lyrics arent enough. Its the message thats important.

You may not like Christian radio and thats fine. I personally cant stand hip-hop, urban or hard rock music.. but that doesnt mean there shouldnt be a place for them on the dial or that they should be regulated differently.

 

[CBusDave]

You may not like Christian radio and thats fine. I personally cant stand hip-hop, urban or hard rock music.. but that doesnt mean there shouldnt be a place for them on the dial or that they should be regulated differently.

I think there is a place for any and every type of niche that people demand (who can argue with supply and demand?) but I think the question is, does it belong in the non-comm part of the dial? I would argue no. Like Dirty_Harry points out, it's a business just like any other. A VERY profitable business. They should belong in the commercial band just like all other businesses. Leave the non-comms for community based programming.

This is the other problem I have with it:
http://www.ninaberman.com/index3.php?pag=prt&dir=imagesmg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megachurch

Not to say all CCR is run by Megachurches but you get to the point where that song title runs through my head, "Would Jesus wear a Rolex?"

 

[Dirty_Harry]

You may not like Christian radio and thats fine. I personally cant stand hip-hop, urban or hard rock music.. but that doesnt mean there shouldnt be a place for them on the dial or that they should be regulated differently.

I think there is a place for any and every type of niche that people demand (who can argue with supply and demand?) but I think the question is, does it belong in the non-comm part of the dial? I would argue no. Like Dirty_Harry points out, it's a business just like any other. A VERY profitable business. They should belong in the commercial band just like all other businesses. Leave the non-comms for community based programming.

This is the other problem I have with it:
http://www.ninaberman.com/index3.php?pag=prt&dir=imagesmg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megachurch

Not to say all CCR is run by Megachurches but you get to the point where that song title runs through my head, "Would Jesus wear a Rolex?"

They should change the laws .......... tax exemptions should be taken away from these types of churches, which are really businesses. No church should be making millions of dollars a year.

 

[Nu_Roo_2]

They should change the laws .......... tax exemptions should be taken away from these types of churches, which are really businesses. No church should be making millions of dollars a year.

You can thank your staunchly "anti-pinko" pals for helping to keep those exemptions in place. They're the same ones who would love to kill any funding for NPR. Of course, secular non-comm has supposedly managed to become big business, too.

 

[michiana_media]

No church should be making millions of dollars a year.

An average church only gets money from what the members willfully give. If the members give millions of dollars, so be it.

Saying no church should be making millions of dollars is the same as saying that the Red Cross shouldnt make millions.

 

[GaryTheThompson]

A previous poster said:

[/quote]
They should change the laws .......... tax exemptions should be taken away from these types of churches, which are really businesses. No church should be making millions of dollars a year.
[/quote]

I say, what SHOULD the cap be on what people are allowed to give? That's ridiculous.

She churches take a vow of poverty?

BTW, the vow of poverty is a Catholic tradition. Not a scriptural commandment.

Big difference between a tradition and a commandment.

But whatever. I'm spinning this thread even further off topic than it already is.

 

[smashedcd]

well i aint to liked on this board but here goes ;D christian radio's problem to a male listner is the fact that the music is more sappy than the first jackson 5 album. but..to the women it all appealing. case and point i have a cousin. mid 30s. 3 kids and yes is an actual soccer mom (her child plays soccer--no kidding) and they actually do have a van.she loves klove. her kids (2 girls 8 and 15) both love it also. and they all hate rock music. all of it. if jesus freak comes on--radio goes off. so radio is geared to females. so whats a guy to do..well for one try alternate radio. not sat radio they have no christian rock. i just re-subscribed to live 365 and cancelled one of my xm radios..i still have 2. i now have christian rock, christian metal, classic christian rock, christian rap, and even christian death metal. i abandodned fm a long time ago. as well as any rockin guy should. radio serves its purpose i suppose. it has plenty of female listners. and a few preppy guys ;D

 

[Field_strength]

In my opinion, most Christian radio is awful.

Ruff segues. Horrible announcers. Dead air. Bad sound quality. Poor music selection that is all over the road. Bad preachers that are on the air only because they offered the most money to the station.

The problem is that these Christian radio operators believe that, simply because it's Christian, Christians will listen. Therefore, they don't have to provide top-notch programming. God will send people to listen regardless, right? Ha.

As a Christian radio professional that works hard to provide a competitive product, I grieve when I hear most of the crap that is Christian radio around the dial. Luckily, there are some gems that are proving that Christian radio can be a winning format that can stand on it's own. Must most are just garbage.

 

[justalurker]

A VERY profitable business. They should belong in the commercial band just like all other businesses. Leave the non-comms for community based programming.

Some have made it profitable ... others have left the air in search of more profits (look at Indianapolis ... if Christian Radio was "VERY" profitable it wouldn't keep getting kicked to the curb). Anyone who thinks that Christian stations are rolling in the dough is either looking only at the exceptions or is extremely misinformed.

In my opinion, most Christian radio is awful.

Ruff segues. Horrible announcers. Dead air. Bad sound quality. Poor music selection that is all over the road. Bad preachers that are on the air only because they offered the most money to the station.

And that is the other side of the coin. Stations rolling in the dough or doing it all for the money are going to try to put the best product out there so they can roll in more dough. In other words, if these stations had more money they would spend it on better airstaff and equipment. That is what the successful stations (of any format) do. Reinvest and get better.

We have an entire spectrum of Christian Radio in the US ... to paint all stations with the same brush shows how little one knows. The station barely squeeking by on a near all volunteer staff isn't in the same class as those with the money. If you are looking for locally originated programming you are more likely to find it on one one of those "horrible" stations than a NPR satellite station.

Yes, there are megabroadcasters who buy and sell frequencies as they attempt to make a go of it in many markets across the US. Most are professionally staffed and are better on the technicals than the local station. But if you really looked at the market you would find most of the non-comm religious are ma and pa stations or university owned LOCAL broadcasters.

One other thing to look at is WHO applied to put up the station. Many times it is all religious broadcasters competing against each other to get the next station. Where are the other local entries? Don't make it sound like religious broadcasters are stealing away the frequencies when there are few (if any) other applicants. :

 

[CBusDave]

No church should be making millions of dollars a year.

An average church only gets money from what the members willfully give. If the members give millions of dollars, so be it.

Saying no church should be making millions of dollars is the same as saying that the Red Cross shouldnt make millions.

I have no problem with a church making millions of dollars from people willfully giving it to the church. My problem is how it is spent. The church should be funneling that money into charity to do things like, oh... feed the hungry, clothe the cold, care for the sick. But what is the money being spent on? Extravagant buildings, million dollar homes for the "staff", etc.

 

[skippertthomas]

Half of my 30 years in Radio work has been in Christian formated radio...
Observation: Many good hearted people, with little experience in the radio world, have tried to express a honest effort to feed the flock and encourage the lost.. The quality has lacked in alot of the sub formats in 'religious' radio...BUT, the thought of high dollar profit on the radio side is few and far between... All of the non-coms I worked for had tight budgets based on market size and growth of support potiential.. Stewardship was important and open books to the support and non-support base was always there.. I do agree that there are many 'wolves in sheeps clothing' trying to make the buck from their 'so called' programming.. But, I do see a vibe and accountability with successful outlets like EMF, Way-FM, Bott, Moody and others... There are some, I know that I would ask why they file and then see what sticks... I really think they do us harm, by abusing the filing rules.. But, just as there is strange groups in non-religious radio, I see the same in our relm... I was blessed to work with great 'accountable' groups in CCM and Christian Rock... (Nashville-Fort Myers-Columbus)...

 

[anotherguyTN]

As a listener the way I see it the bigger problem is in commercial stations that do Christian formats where money is more important than ministry. I know a station has to make a profit to exist, but secular companies who decide to drop a Christian format and go to whatever makes more money and dollar a holler stations that allow any crackpot on that flashes money in the station management's faces are a bigger problem and embarassment to Christian radio.

 

[skippertthomas]

How true... Salem is a business, and they do not pretend to be anything but.. Their honesty in saying they are a commercial media group providing programming and needs to the Christian market is more honest than many non-profits that own commercial frequencies to run up the support and ad/air-time dollars... At least they hire the best in the biz and make no folly to what they are (compared to many dollar a hollar stations)...

 

[smashedcd]

How true... Salem is a business, and they do not pretend to be anything but.. Their honesty in saying they are a commercial media group providing programming and needs to the Christian market is more honest than many non-profits that own commercial frequencies to run up the support and ad/air-time dollars... At least they hire the best in the biz and make no folly to what they are (compared to many dollar a hollar stations)...

you mean like 1090 kaay little rock..citadel's 50,000 watt blowtorch dollar a holler!!!

 

[anotherguyTN]

Salem and Bott do the best jobs of commercial Christian talk stations in having quality programs. I might not agree totally with everyone they have, but they don't let crackpots like Gene Scott or R.G. Stair on.

you mean like 1090 kaay little rock..citadel's 50,000 watt blowtorch dollar a holler!!!

KAAY, WMQM in Memphis, and WWCR Shortwave are perfect examples. They need to quit the charade of claiming to be Christian stations.

Sometimes though I think Salem has ads for questionable products, at least on the Today's Christian Music network.

 

[michiana_media]

I have no problem with a church making millions of dollars from people willfully giving it to the church. My problem is how it is spent. The church should be funneling that money into charity to do things like, oh... feed the hungry, clothe the cold, care for the sick. But what is the money being spent on? Extravagant buildings, million dollar homes for the "staff", etc.

I agree with you hear... My pastor actually did a message about that this past Sunday.