Podcasts at NRB

For many years, NRB has been home to live radio broadcasts (and still is), and I love seeing live broadcasts being put on by the Salem Communications and Moody Radios of the world, as well as longtime broadcasting stalwarts like Faith Radio. But this year, I was excited to see that podcasting was very much in the mix at NRB’s “Radio Row” – huge swaths of convention real estate were covered by podcasters: CC Podcasts, who have been podcasting for years now, and EMF’s AccessMore, to name a couple brands. But even more, there were amazing podcasters everywhere – Rob Kirkpatrick who manages Focus on The Family’s podcast network was speaking, John Cooper of Skillet fame who also hosts The Cooper Stuff Podcast could be seen walking the halls and speaking on panels. Tina Marie Griffin, host of The Counter Culture Mom Show, was on hand to chat and was doing some interviews for her show and for others – in fact, Tina was interviewed by CC Podcasts at their booth!

Really it was just cool to see. In my experience attending NRB since 2016, I can tell you podcasting has been treated like a step-child to radio until fairly recently. I think only a couple radio groups are truly understanding the power of podcasting and are able to comprehend podcasting as a medium of its own. Think about it, from talk radio or a teach and talk format perspective, agencies transact billions of dollars every year to get their clients on the air. Is it just the radio they are on? No, they are on TV too. Is radio upset or fighting that battle? No way! The goal of these hosts, and of the Christian faith, is to spread everywhere and everywhere…

“Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!” Matthew 11:15 NLT

So it makes sense that those whose purpose is fully in line with the scripture would be excited to embrace podcasting as a medium to help share the Good News.

Here’s the deal folks. Your listeners are getting older and will die. The listeners coming after them, they don’t listen to radio like their ol’ mom and pa – they listen online and on demand. If you are to reach those kids, who will be adults with giving power one day, you need to reach them where they are now – in a podcast, on a Spotify playlist, on YouTube.

Matt Kellogg is VP of Sales & Business Development at SoundStack – the audio-as-a-service (AaaS) company for every kind of digital audio business. matt@soundstack.com