If you are a local church or ministry and you are considering starting a media ministry, consider radio. It is local, it is relatively inexpensive, and it is listened to regularly by every age group. In many markets, the cost of a radio broadcast can easily be 1/10 of what a half hour on television can cost.
According to the FCC, there are over 15,000 radio stations in the United States, and Radio-Locator lists over 3,800 as having some type of Christian format, whether it is Gospel Music, Contemporary Christian Music, or Christian Teaching and Talk. Chances are that you have at least one radio station in your local area that would afford you the opportunity to begin airing a program from your ministry.
According to a recent Nielsen report regarding audience media consumption, radio ranked Number 2 in total engagement each month, only being beaten out by Live and Time Shifted Television Consumption. According to the report, more people listen to live radio than those who engage with a social media app each month.
According to another recent Nielsen report, 66.5 million 18-34-year-olds engaged with radio each week, more than any other age group. And millennials are heavy radio listeners, with radio reaching approximately 90% of this age group. Also, radio listening is up for 12-17-year-olds in the last few years, and, according to Nielsen, this is not internet radio or satellite radio, but “good old AM/FM radio.”
Radio has a strong future, with so many options to listen to a favorite radio station, including station apps, Tune-in Radio, iHeart Radio, Pandora, and the NextRadio app, to name a few. Favorite programs can also be listened to as podcasts, available on aggregator sites, as well as on your own website or app.
The spoken word, the mainstay of many ministries and churches, is ideally suited to the medium of radio. There is nothing to distract or take away from the message being presented.
With all these things considered, radio could be your best choice to start a media ministry.
Let us know if Infinity Concepts help you launch your radio ministry.
- The Resilience of Radio - November 21, 2023
- The Next Generation of Podcast Listeners - August 25, 2023
- Gen Z and Media Consumption - June 23, 2023
