Christmas Eve on Christians Radio
I’ve been in Christian radio since 1984. I have spent many Christmas Eve’s working. In fact, I’ve spent many Christmases working. When I was single, I was the one everyone depended on to work because I wasn’t married. So, I would invite friends and family to the studios to keep me company. Automation has changed that.
In 1985, my first full-time job, I spent Christmas Eve working. Spinning lots and lots of vinal records. I knew that many people were using the station as a background for the Christmas celebration with family and friends. I used this opportunity to plant seeds of the Gospel to those who wouldn’t otherwise listen. We were the only Christian radio station in the area and the only station playing full-time 24/7 Christmas music.
The first automation system changed that. I still had to work, but I only had to go in and record breaks, weather and news headlines. The music was actually fed by a satellite service. So, instead of working an entire shift, I only worked a couple of hours.
Once I became a news director it changed even more. I didn’t have to go in on Christmas. I just worked ahead and prayed nothing major happened over Christmas. Although, it seemed as though every year there was something major that happened — traffic fatality, heavy snow, tsunami — something that forced me to go in and change the news I had already recorded.
Today, the Mission Network News team was given two days off. My team worked their tails off to produce newscasts for two days (Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday). I know what you’re thinking — “that’s not news!” You’re right. It’s what’s called ‘interesting, news worthy, featuring writing. 
While the true news guy inside cringes at having written a newscast that’s two or three days old, I take great pleasure in knowing my news team is spending some quality time with their family and friends, honoring God for giving His son at Christmas.
Have a Merry Christmas, friends!
December 25, 2007 at 2:37 am
Merry Christmas Greg!
Way back in the late 1980’s when my family and I were serving with Trans World Radio on the Pacific Island of Guam and I “won” the Christmas Eve night announcer duty at KTWG, we brought the whole gang into the studio, played records, read the Christmas story (yes, the kids got behnd the mic too!), and tried our best to encourage the few who were listening at that hour. We suspended regular teaching/preaching programs and just tried to bring a little “home” to the islanders and 20,000 or so service men and women who were stationed there.
One year, we had the chance to include a pastor, who brough a Christmas message in Chamorro, the local language (something that we’d never done before). Before that first half-hour program was finished, the phone began to ring (also something which rarely happened on Christmas eve), and Chamorro-accented voices asked “where have you been for so long?” and “God Bless You!” I can’t imagine what it must have been like to hear the Christmas story on the radio for the first time in the language of your heart.
It’s good to hear your team has a much-deserved break. Please take time to pray for the radio missionaries all over the globe, loading CD’s, tuning transmitters, checking tower lights and quietly ministering this Christmas so that others may know the joy we share in this Christmas season.
Many blessings to you and your readers,
Bill Damick
Trans World Radio
Swansea, UK