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Should Mainstream Songs Get Spins On Christian Stations?

P

PSA_Man

Guest
Christian Bands or Bands that have "christian" memebers, get a hit on mainstream radio, should Christian PD's jump on the chance to give them spins? If so, will that help unbelievers listen or will it be a stumbling block for the believer? ???
 
I had to come across this topic just as I was about to shut this down and get some much-needed sleep! Thanks PSA Man! LOL!!!

As a Christian and a radio professional (not a Christian Radio professional), I say why not play the song? If it fits that particular station or show, of course. Heck, some churches are buying game consoles and having Halo tournaments...why can't Christian radio up it's hip factor a little?

Will it help unbelievers listen? Maybe, maybe not, but it might help believers listen.

Before anyone gets offended (it was not meant to offend), please hear me out.

Most of the people that identify themselves as Christian have PLENTY of secular music in their collections, so if you want to play to a larger crowd and spread The Word, you really have to play to the larger crowd! If that means playing something positive-yet-secular, then so be it. The end (the message) justifies the means (playing something that will tilt a few more ears your way).

Maybe something like that needs to be dedicated to a show, where (after getting some press and word-of-mouth to promote what you are doing) you can pop on the mic and say something to the effect of "Yeah, we know _____________ isn't a Christian artist, but this is an interesting song." More than likely the larger listener base you're trying to attract will already know the song, so the station ups it's hip a little and you get some more listeners to talk to. The hardcore listener might not like it, but if you talk to them about what you are trying to accomplish, they might accept it.

Personally? I'd rather hear sermons on the AM band than Christian music on AM or FM. I love those.
 
PSA_Man said:
Christian Bands or Bands that have "christian" memebers, get a hit on mainstream radio, should Christian PD's jump on the chance to give them spins? If so, will that help unbelievers listen or will it be a stumbling block for the believer? ???
Click to expand...

A hit?

Of course.

Why wouldn't a PD consider spinning a hit?

If the song fits their programming strategy, I can't see a reason not to.
 
radioelizabeth said:
PSA_Man said:
Christian Bands or Bands that have "christian" memebers, get a hit on mainstream radio, should Christian PD's jump on the chance to give them spins? If so, will that help unbelievers listen or will it be a stumbling block for the believer? ???
Click to expand...

A hit?

Of course.

Why wouldn't a PD consider spinning a hit?

If the song fits their programming strategy, I can't see a reason not to.
Click to expand...

Nuff said...
 
I got burned doing that about 12 years ago - the vitriolic hatred from members of my church would have made someone less secure in the faith abandon it. I hope in 12 years things have changed. It made me so mad I was going to play "Hold On Loosely" by .38 Special as my last song on the air - but I didn't get the chance. That may be a secular song, but it is one of the best corrolaries of I Corinthians 13 I have ever heard.
 
radioelizabeth said:
A hit?

Of course.

Why wouldn't a PD consider spinning a hit?

If the song fits their programming strategy, I can't see a reason not to.
Click to expand...

There ya go.

A couple of days ago, I was looking at the website of a station I wasn't familiar with, and it contained a page with paragraph after paragraph on its music policy. "What a waste," I thought, "given that listeners have a much simpler music policy --- 'if I like it, I turn it up and sing along; if I don't, I switch stations or wait it out.'"

The New-Testament church is congregation-led; New Testament radio stations are,too.
 
There is an adage many of us have heard. "If it's a hit, it's a hit. And if not, it's..." Well, you know the rest, don't you my fellow poets? ;)

That's the point though and it bears repeating - Why not? Mercy Me is BLOWING UP on mainstream radio, so why can't the adverse happen if the band is clearly faith-based (with all kind of respect to Daughtry). Better yet, look at Collective Soul.
 
when i was in radio 100 years ago ;D we played reo speedwagon on the air. the song was on one of those sampler cds that came out every month. i had people calling saying hey whats that it sounds like reo speedwagon. to which i would reply..it is reo speedwagon. not one person freaked out. not one listner. we also played a new song from journey in december of 96. i later found out that back in the day they also played van morrison and bob dylan.
 
radioelizabeth said:
If the song fits their programming strategy, I can't see a reason not to.
Click to expand...

As this endless debate looms on, I wonder why we feel so compelled to share our own personal insight (at one station or a handful of stations) to dictate the programming strategies of everyone from INSPO to Christian Rock to Gospel to SG. There are quite simply too many other factors involved. If I had a copy of it, I might not air Jars of Clay's cover of Ozzy's "Crazy Train" (at least during normal programming hours) ONLY because it won't fit my formatics, but I won't knock others for playing it "IF THE SONG FITS THEIR PROGRAMMING STRATEGY."

If YOUR station's vision isn't anti-God, then who am I to tell you how to program it? Aren't we like churches to some degree: parts of the same body with different functions (thus, with different audiences to reach)?

For that matter, why do we do what we do? Are we inspired and called upon by God to be Christians in broadcasting, or IN Christian broadcasting... is this a logical progression of our experience and wanting to use it for God... or is it possible that some parts of us need an identity or validation? If God called you out of broadcasting right now, would you still know your value to Him and the world?

Highly recommended reading: Dr. Gerald Robison's "Cat and Dog Theology."

Peace.
 
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