Christian radio refers to Christian media radio formats that focus on Christian religious broadcasting or various forms of Christian music. Many such formats and programs include contemporary Christian music, gospel music, sermons, radio dramas, as well as news and talk shows covering popular culture, economics, and political topics from a Christian perspective.

History

American evangelicalism

In the first part of the 20th century, American revivalists saw radio as a tool for spreading the gospel. Christian radio pioneers included Aimee Semple McPherson, D. L. Moody, Charles E. Fuller, Donald Barnhouse, Walter A. Maier, Paul Rader, Lightfoot Solomon Michaux, and Percy Crawford.

In addition to preaching and sermons, other content such as news, children's programs, and gospel music were broadcast. Scholar Leah Payne states "In the 1920s, [Christian] broadcasters featured gospel quartets and trios who upheld the traditional social order and contrasted with images of 'bright young things' and flappers."

Business models

thumb|upright=0.8|A church with its own radio station

thumb|[[Radio Maria studio in Switzerland.]]

Brokered programming is a significant portion of most U.S. Christian radio stations' revenue, with stations regularly selling blocks of airtime to evangelists seeking an audience. Another revenue stream is solicitation of donations, either to the evangelists who buy the air time or to the stations or their owners themselves. In order to further encourage donations, certain evangelists may emphasize the prosperity gospel, in which they preach that tithing and donations to the ministry will result in financial blessings from God. Others may have special days of the year dedicated to fundraising, similar to many NPR stations. Although the solicitation of donations and the sale of airtime may resemble a commercial enterprise, such actions do not necessarily constitute a call to action, and thus this does not forbid them from airing on noncommercial licensed stations in the U.S. A minority of stations, typically music stations, use the traditional model for music radio and allow traditional commercial advertising.

Christian radio programs

  • Focus on the Family, an internationally syndicated daily interview produced by Focus on the Family
  • Adventures in Odyssey, a scripted radio comedy/drama for children produced by Focus on the Family
  • Patch the Pirate, a scripted radio musical comedy for children produced by Majesty Music
  • Back to the Bible with Woodrow M. Kroll
  • Unshackled! produced by Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago

See also

  • American Catholic Radio
  • Christianity
  • Christian media
  • Christian pop culture
  • Religious broadcasting – information on UK-based Christian TV & Radio, as well as overview of US-based networks.
  • Sermonette
  • Televangelism - the equivalent in television
  • The World Family of Radio Maria
  • :Category:Christian radio stations
  • List of Christian radio stations in Canada
  • Islamic radio

References

  • Billboard Christian Airplay Charts
  • Gospel & Christian Radio Stations
  • Christian Country Radio