The wonderful thing about getting older is that you start speaking your mind when before you thought it best not to. For example, I live in an area with only ONE major Christian FM radio station that I'm aware of. I've search the air ways for other stations but can't get any. So, if I want to listen to "Contemporary" Christian music it's that radio station or none at all.
Now just to side track a little. Way back, when Jesus Music was beginning to arrive on the radio air waves it arrived through AM stations. I remember very well waiting for 3pm to come around because, at the time, the AM station KBRN in Denver only played "Contemporary Christian Music" for a few hours at a time. I don't recall exactly but it was something like from 3pm to 5pm or 7pm to 9pm. And back then the station would go off the air at Midnight too. The reason I'm taking you back in time is to explain a little of the inner workings of radio stations.
I had just released "King of Kings" and a person who had a Sunday morning radio broadcast, on KBRN, wanted to interview me and play both sides of the "45"LP single "King of Kings". The behind the scenes stuff was me asking questions about why we weren't hearing more Contemporary Christian music on that radio station.
The bottom line, SPONSORS! What was true back then is true today. It's not the people who are listening that radio stations are wanting to please, it's the sponsors. It's those who spend the money to advertise their products or services. If you sell homes, for example, then your targeted age group isn't kids right. If you sell life insurance, cars, or want to advertise your family restaurant then who are you wanting to reach?
I've come to learn that decisions made by radio station hosts and program directors are made to keep their jobs, just like the rest of us. Even for Christian radio stations, money is the way of the world. When given a choice the stations play it safe. For example, there was an add campaign about how you could play this local Christian Radio station at work. As I listen to the songs that were played I realized how generic and safe they were being. There was a time when we heard Christian songs speaking of Christ dying on the cross for our sins. Songs that said it out load, "Jesus is the Answer", "One Way to Heaven", "He's Alive" and the list goes on. Today even Christian radio stations are afraid of offending someone.
I remember driving in Denver on a summer day with the windows down. Back then I was like a lot of kids today and had my radio up too load. But, back then, it was on my "Jesus Music" radio station. I was at the light with a car next to me when Barry McGuire came on singing, "Have you had Jesus People knocking on your door? Saying things you never heard before." They looked over at me and then rolled up their window. I was proud of that moment. It a small way I was able to witness to someone, even though it was short lived, through the Jesus Music I listed to. Today I find it hard at times to hear the Christian in a lot of Main Stream Christian Music.
So what's my point? If you want to hear main stream Christian Music that radio stations want you to hear then support them by listening and buying their sponsors products. If you want to hear what you want to hear then search the Internet for the songs you like and put them on your music player. Or download the mp3's and put them on your portable players etc. Support your local radio station if they're playing what you want to hear but if their not, believe me, there are plenty of places out there that are playing the songs you want to hear.
Now just to side track a little. Way back, when Jesus Music was beginning to arrive on the radio air waves it arrived through AM stations. I remember very well waiting for 3pm to come around because, at the time, the AM station KBRN in Denver only played "Contemporary Christian Music" for a few hours at a time. I don't recall exactly but it was something like from 3pm to 5pm or 7pm to 9pm. And back then the station would go off the air at Midnight too. The reason I'm taking you back in time is to explain a little of the inner workings of radio stations.
I had just released "King of Kings" and a person who had a Sunday morning radio broadcast, on KBRN, wanted to interview me and play both sides of the "45"LP single "King of Kings". The behind the scenes stuff was me asking questions about why we weren't hearing more Contemporary Christian music on that radio station.
The bottom line, SPONSORS! What was true back then is true today. It's not the people who are listening that radio stations are wanting to please, it's the sponsors. It's those who spend the money to advertise their products or services. If you sell homes, for example, then your targeted age group isn't kids right. If you sell life insurance, cars, or want to advertise your family restaurant then who are you wanting to reach?
I've come to learn that decisions made by radio station hosts and program directors are made to keep their jobs, just like the rest of us. Even for Christian radio stations, money is the way of the world. When given a choice the stations play it safe. For example, there was an add campaign about how you could play this local Christian Radio station at work. As I listen to the songs that were played I realized how generic and safe they were being. There was a time when we heard Christian songs speaking of Christ dying on the cross for our sins. Songs that said it out load, "Jesus is the Answer", "One Way to Heaven", "He's Alive" and the list goes on. Today even Christian radio stations are afraid of offending someone.
I remember driving in Denver on a summer day with the windows down. Back then I was like a lot of kids today and had my radio up too load. But, back then, it was on my "Jesus Music" radio station. I was at the light with a car next to me when Barry McGuire came on singing, "Have you had Jesus People knocking on your door? Saying things you never heard before." They looked over at me and then rolled up their window. I was proud of that moment. It a small way I was able to witness to someone, even though it was short lived, through the Jesus Music I listed to. Today I find it hard at times to hear the Christian in a lot of Main Stream Christian Music.
So what's my point? If you want to hear main stream Christian Music that radio stations want you to hear then support them by listening and buying their sponsors products. If you want to hear what you want to hear then search the Internet for the songs you like and put them on your music player. Or download the mp3's and put them on your portable players etc. Support your local radio station if they're playing what you want to hear but if their not, believe me, there are plenty of places out there that are playing the songs you want to hear.
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