What's Up With Christian Radio?

[greenchili]

Yeah one of the big problems with listener supported is that teens are really the most likely to listen to the edgier music. Soccer mom has probably mellowed some and is wary of what their teen is listen too.

I remember when radio was like the voice of the youth. Ok, well maybe that was a little before my time. But anyways where the money comes from has a BIG influence on what music is played, talk shows, etc. Even with donations from business (read ADS) there can be an influence. A donator may chose to drop advertising because the radio station played a music group that they, for some reason, consider offensive. (I'm mostly referring to "Christian broadcasting stations").

The christian market is fickle in that way... Like Edward said maybe some type of mix would work. Bad part is though alot of secular songs, lyrically, are not exactly wholesome. So I guess the next choice would be rather to try to stick to music that is a little less provocative.

I really hate to quote this statistic, cause my church uses it alot, and I think they DO miss a point. But supposedly statistically the age range of people most likely to get saved is right smack in the middle of their teens. Of course the church seems to make it sound like the gospel should be focused on them, forget the 30 somethings. From a church viewpoint I think you're kinda "limiting God" by reserving salvation for a certain age range.

But from a christian radio station point I think it makes real good sense. It's the youth you want to reach (ministry wise). Problem is the youth don't pay the bills.

Oh and I know that alot of people like to "blame" online downloading on poor CD sales. But I think the bigger culprits are, as mentioned earlier. Singles are not longer released. Then there are the competing sales of DVD's, and console games.

[crossways]

I think part of what has really caused edgier Christian rock radio to go down hill is the fact that you can barely tell the Christian bands apart from the the secular. In fact it seems like everyone, Christian and secular bands, have taken the "ambiguous" approach.

The local Christian bands are by and large the same way. They throw in a few obscure refrences in songs, they might throw out the occasional "We do this for a higher power", or "We love Jesus". But their behavior is exactly the same as the other bands after the shows. Exactly the Same.

I think that the core of the issue is how unacceptable it is to believe that your religion is superior, that there is one way to Heaven.

Bands in the old days were willing to take that stand. In essence "Hey, we are Petra and we KNOW we have a better way. Jesus, and YOU can know Him, today."

Bands today are willing to be "clean cut" or "spiritual" but they are so passive. "Hey, we are _______, and yeah we believe this, but we aren't trying to push anything on you."

*sigh*