Should Religious Stations Play By NPR Rules?

[DToTheJ]

One person thinks so...

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20101130/NEWS06/11300325/1002/NEWS01

Craig Parshall, senior vice president of the international association the National Religious Broadcasters, said that not only does the federal government help fund National Public Radio, but it also gives the network special treatment when it comes to on-air mentions of corporate sponsors. "We can't get away with that," he said. "So how can we compete?"

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

I have given a lot of thought to this very question. My current interest is helping the LPFM genre of stations find their niche in the spectrum and this same question is very vital to forming a model for LPFM.

Where are the rules that make religious broadcasting and "community broadcasting" (as opposed to "national broadcasting" as in NPR) any different?

My first observation is that much of religious broadcasting is a cousin of Conservative political thinking, and as such they look upon NPR as not-a-friend, an evil enterprise, an enemy. As a former Conservative Evangelical I still have these knee-jerk reactions to certain social issues. You know the list. Dancing, Card playing. Drinking. Without evidence to prove my point, I suggest that religious broadcasters don't do certain things because of a knee-jerk reaction.... If NPR does it, get's away with it, it can't be proper for the people of Jesus to do the same thing.

My second observation is that the mood of religious broadcasting organizations may stifle creative thinking by people with creative legal views. To invoke one of my favorite cliches.... "There has to be a space, an atmosphere that not only allows... but encourages... Thinking Outside the Box!

.

 

[cbusradiofan]

One person thinks so...

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20101130/NEWS06/11300325/1002/NEWS01

Craig Parshall, senior vice president of the international association the National Religious Broadcasters, said that not only does the federal government help fund National Public Radio, but it also gives the network special treatment when it comes to on-air mentions of corporate sponsors. "We can't get away with that," he said. "So how can we compete?"

PUUUULLLEEEEZZZZZZ!

I do not think the federal government should be funding NPR....That said...Christian "non-comm" stations have been bending the rules for years...religious media can and does get away with so much that they should never even get close too if for no other reason than the fact that they are Christians and are supposed to be above reproach. Not the case.

 

[JimmyJames]

I'm mystified as to how Parshall thinks the rules are any different.

Underwriting rules apply to non-comms in general. Not specifically NPR or college or Christian ones. So I think he's creating a false dichotomy.