You Are Hashtag Blessed

Perhaps, like you, my heart has been heavy this past week for the more than 1,000 iHeart Radio talents who are "on the beach." Given the state of radio, many may never find their way off that sand and back on the air. I was fortunate to be part of the iHeart family during what now seems like "the good times." One of my first jobs with them was doing a live weekend overnight show. That's right, kids. Live. Weekend. Overnights. Compared to 2020, where mainstream and CCM alike are grateful to have live talent on during weekday daylight hours. Christian radio, though often challenging, is in a healthy place compared to our mainstream counterparts. Especially those on the non-comm side.

For as long as I can recall, Christian radio has had a collective inferiority complex vs. mainstream radio. Our shared perception has been that mainstream stations are full of resources, money, talent, technology, prizes, and connections we could only dream of. Even the best in our format have felt like we're catching up to the other guys. By attempting to match or outdo them, maybe-finally-our stations and our format could be shown some respect. We could feel like we belong at the same table. As if somehow people would finally take Jesus seriously because our stations are taken seriously. (I totally get I'm painting with a broad brush here, and not all of this applies to each person reading. So keep reading with some Mrs. Lot-sized grains of salt.)

Twenty years ago, it was somewhat true some mainstream stations had it better on many fronts. A lot has changed since then, and it's time to update ourselves.

1. If you have ANY research budget at all, even if it's for a notepad and pen to write in it with, you're ahead of most mainstream stations.
2. If you have two locally hosted daily shows, live or voice-tracked, you're in a better place than the entire iHeart group and many other corporately owned stations.
3. If you're able to restock station branded items like stickers, even if it takes a fundraiser for the cash, you're ahead of many commercial radio peers.
4. If your employer has you wearing three or fewer hats (on-air shows plus a couple off-air focus areas), you're underworked vs. your mainstream counter parts. Those folks are tracking for stations their company owns in other markets, producing commercials at the last minute, running music logs for multiple stations, and creating lame promotions to appease the sales department. (As well as side-hustles after-hours.)
5. Getting the occasional pay bump for cost-of-living or a job well done? Mainstream pay has been stagnant or declining for two decades in a row. ("Secular" air talents' minds might explode if they knew how well some of our format's most successful stations take care of their people.) (As they should!)

Recently, a mainstream radio friend visited my building. He hosts the number one morning show in his market. His station is in the market's top 3 for revenue. He kept commenting on how nice our facilities are. Back at his station, their studio carpet hasn't been changed in 20 years (though it was ONCE cleaned). The room is full of mysterious stains and odors. Like many other commercial stations, the profit is staying at the top. Or in many cases, anything extra is just a finger in the dam of the debt owner's face.

This isn't just about iHeart, or about CCM stations being superior. Entercom recently unloaded a lot of talented folks. Similar rumors suggest Cumulus and others aren't far behind. The demise of these titans puts ALL OF US in peril. We don't exist in a vacuum. Listeners to radio will trickle away. They may not even consciously realize why FM isn't as compelling as it used to be. Here and there, things they've relied on radio for will fade away, and they'll experiment with the myriad of other options a thumb swipe or voice-command away.

Let's resist the urge to believe iHeart's loss is our gain. This isn't a time to be complacent or haughty. At the moment, there are still enough owners (commercial, non-comm, and Christian) to fill what's left on the dial with quality. This is a time to excel with humble confidence at GREAT radio and service to our communities. Maybe it's a window, and how long it stays open is up to those who are still employed in this magical medium.

It might also be a time where loving our neighbor as ourselves means we stop viewing mainstream stations as competition. (The real competition is every distraction in our listener's lives.) While respecting professional boundaries, maybe there are ways to be friends and advance our medium together. Perhaps it starts with showing mutual respect, and building bridges where God leads.

It's almost become a cliché to say God uses the undeserving and least expected to reveal His redemption. BUT! What if He used a format the whole industry has laughed at to not only redeem a beloved medium-and, partially through it-the world? If you don't believe radio has that kind of power, why are you in it? I know a few iHeart folks who'd happily trade places with you.