Radio is 100 years old this year! Man, how things have changed, and not for the better, at least in corporate radio. What is in store for Christian radio?
I have been in radio since 1978, I started at the Minnesota State News Network as a weekend news producer. Here in 2020 I am still doing radio in southwestern Minnesota. Our ministry program “House of Hope” airs on five stations. It pains me as to what is happening in radio. It started years ago when the big guys bought out the little guys, and the big guys grew their empires across America. Communities lost a lot, news departments were cut, local involvement lessened, the big deal was MONEY! Money became the number one deal with these big guys. I know, I worked for the big guys at one time. MONEY was the lead factor, not serving your community. Having a company own 5 to 6 stations does no good.
For those of you in Albuquerque, KKIM, which I managed and then was sold, sure has gone down hill.
When I first started and then for years to come serving the community was the number one priority of the owners I worked for! It was such a good school, taught me much and has made me a better Pastor on what it means to serve. I do not listen to the radio much anymore, except a bit of K-Love and Family Life Radio. Radio has lost “The Theater of The Mind” which was our motto.
When I went to work for Wheat farmer Oscar Halverson owner of KGCX in Sidney, Montana in 1979, he told me, “We serve the community first and foremost, now go do it”
I will tell you this……Back home in Windom, Minnesota KDOM still has a full-time news reporter and KWOA in Worthington also does. I was told awhile back by a Christian Radio owner that the majority of Christian stations no longer do local news. SO VERY SAD! That drives me to serve even more here at FGGAM NEWS!
When I was at WFRN Christian Radio in Elkhart we had a news team of myself from 4 to 5 reporters, led my Hall of Famer Marv Boone When I was manager of KKIM in Albuquerque we had news team of myself, led by Hall of Famer Frank Haley, (Frank still does the news at KDAZ AM/FM in Albuquerque! Local Christian Radio!) Paul Holt Mark Tross, Bill Ruhl, Leonard Navarre and Larry Moss.
Shame on Christian Radio stations and TV stations that do not have a local news department!
Now one of the big guys is laying off people…..Greed took over many owners……The layoffs even hit Albuquerque at IHeartRadio. I saw the post on Facebook of one of the announcers. Radio Layoffs
The stations that still have local owners, local talent, put serving ahead of money will survive. They are many out there yet, true broadcasters. PTL!!!
