Perhaps the most telling indicator that Christian Radio is on the rise was the recent conversion of Providence, Rhode Island’s top alternative station to Christian Rock.
In Providence, known as a secular and liberal stronghold, the 95.5 FM WBRU college station enjoyed widespread popularity. Its diverse playlist ran anything from the latest Techno to Hardcore to Gangster Rap. But that all changed during the summer of 2017 when that Brown University radio darling was supplanted by the California-based Educational Media Foundation in a $5.63 million deal that put God back on the air in the smallest state in the union.
The shakeup wasn’t the result of a strong-signal station going belly up either. The non-profit WBRU station tallied $1.05 million in 2016 with a tiny staff comprised of primarily Brown student volunteers. In many ways, the shift from secular messaging to a Christian-adult format indicates a growing popularity for positive Christian formats that run contrary to scandal-ridden talk radio and secular music.
Local Christian Broadcasts Rise Up
The country enjoys a vast network of low-powered FM (LPFM) stations that deliver Christian messages and music. These low transmission conduits often reach no farther than 3.5 miles and rarely include commercials. They are overwhelmingly religious in nature and their ranks have more than doubled since 2014, according to the Pew Research Center.
Nearly 70 percent of these low-range stations can be classified as religious and half have a Christian mandate. These radio outlets began popping up in 2010, when Congress noted that LPFMs did not interfere with broadcasts by mega FM station signals. Thousands of nonprofits applied for signals and the local Christian radio boom gained grassroots traction. Prior to opening the floodgates for hyper-local Christian broadcasting, only two in five non-commercial stations promoted a religious format, according to the FCC.
A 2011 report by the communications oversight agency following LPFM movement stated that “Religious broadcasters have a significant and valuable presence on the airwaves. Approximately 42 percent of noncommercial radio stations have a religious format, though that may understate the number since some religious broadcasters operate mixed format stations, which count in a different category. Eighty percent of the 2,400 Christian radio stations and 100 full-power Christian TV stations are nonprofits.”
A 2014 study conducted by LifeWay Research concluded that 10 percent of Americans frequently tune into Christian radio and 17 percent sometimes listen. Of people who attend regular church services, 27 percent listened to Christian radio and Evangelicals topped 65 percent either frequently or sometimes. Those numbers appear to be rising with the growing tide of positive Christian radio messaging.
Christian Talk Radio Speaks Up
The popularity of Christian talk radio owes a debt to Billy Graham. His charisma and popular preaching touched millions and drew countless souls to accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior. That set the stage for others such as Pat Robertson’s “The 700 Club” and the likes of contemporaries such as Joel Osteen on SIRIUS radio.
Joining the Christian-focused broadcasts were also Conservative-based shows that acted as a counter to the push by media outlets such as CNN to secularize America. Personalities like Rush Limbaugh and Michael Savage buoyed the Christian moral fabric on their sometimes intellectually aggressive and political segments. The result has been a fast-tracking of Christian broadcasts that now tops 1,600 megawatt stations in the United States and they appear more stable than ever before.
Christian Music Is A Big Hit
How popular is Christian and Gospel music? According to the Gospel Music Association, 215 million people or 68 percent of all Americans have listened to the genre during the last month. Christian and Gospel music is particularly popular among African-Americans with a reported 93 percent listenership.
One of the indicators that Christian-based music continues to boom is its replacement of other genres in mainstream popular culture. Movies, weekly shows and even reality TV have integrated religiously oriented music into soundtracks. In fact, the Christian music Winter Jam Tour set records for attendance in 2014 and continues to be a festival juggernaut.
Today’s increasing secularization of the mainstream media appears to be driving a Christian radio boom as people seek faith-based messages. The radical shift in Providence, RI, from an alternative station such as WBRU to Christian rock shows the shift is occurring in even highly secular areas. Inspirational sermons, positive lyrics and upbeat or heart-felt songs are attracting listeners that prefer to embrace the goodness of God.
~ Christian Patriot Daily
