Is it more than family friendly, positive and encouraging?

I just celebrated my 25th year in Christian radio — 27 if you count my time I was on the air in school. When I got involved in Christian radio, we were playing ‘middle of the road’ music and programs that were generally preachers and teachers. Most radio stations had a news department. It was an important part of almost every station. The news and information they provided were stories that focused on headline news, but also news that dealt with social issues like abortion and homosexuality.

In the late 1980’s and early 90’s Christians began talking about the ethics of only promoting a Christian news agenda. In other words, was it right only telling the ‘Christian’ side of the story, rather than air a story that had both view points? Some Christian journalists said it was important for them to be fair (presenting both viewpoints), but to keep their Christian perspective. Others thought it was best only to provide the Christian viewpoint, since the liberal media was already presenting theirs. It was a balance.

In the mid 1990’s Christian radio shifted away from news and talk. In other words, many radio stations focused on music. These stations took off Focus on the Family, Insight for Living and news, to focus on providing music – Contemporary Christian music. The thought was, “give them music — what they want to hear, and not give them any reason to turn the dial.”

This had positive and negative ripple effects.

1. It hurt many ministries who were dependent on radio stations (because they were no longer on the air).
2. News became less of a focus (almost no focus).
3. Forced Christians to get their news from a non-Christian worldview.
4. Praise and worship music grew and flourished, allowing more Christian artists to make it into the mainstream.
5. It gave more power to the record labels.
6. Pushed Christian radio to be more pleasurable to listen to.
7. Brought the sayings like “Family Friendly” “Positive and Encouraging” “Commercial Free” “Christian Hit Radio” and others.

Today, some Christian radio stations are concerned with being ‘Family Friendly’ and ‘Positive and Encouraging’. They want to make sure entire families can listen to their station all the time with having to turn the dial. Unfortunately, that prevents Christians from hearing important information (good or bad) to help and encourage them to make a difference in their communities and around the world.

I work for a radio station group whose leadership believes in providing news that makes a difference so Christians can make a difference — even though their slogan is “Family friendly/commercial free.” While most people won’t tell you they ‘like’ the news, they know it’s an important part of their programming.

However, there are other stations that won’t even play Mission Network News because it’s not encouraging enough. At the most recent National Religious Broadcasters convention and a recent station recruiting trip, I ran into more radio stations program directors who won’t air MNN. They claim telling stories of Christian who’s are persecuted for their faith, human trafficking rescues, and God using tragedy to bring people to Himself isn’t radio that they want their listeners to hear — it’s not family friendly.

Today, young people (16-25) are looking for ways to make a difference. They want to know about the injustice in the world.  Not because they enjoy hearing the bad news, but because they truly believe they can do something about it.

At the most recent Urbana Conference, the world’s largest student missions conference, the majority of young people we interviewed confirmed that. In the last couple of years, organizations like International Justice Mission have seen participation from young people grow 10 fold.

My question is: Why wouldn’t most Christian radio stations WANT to talk about issues that will encourage Christians to be James 1:22 Christians? That verse is clear that we need to be doers of the world, and not hearers only.

Now, I understand that Christian radio stations want to provide programming where parents don’t have to be afraid to have their kids listening to the radio. I know you may not want you ears listening to all of these issues. But, at the same time, it can be teachable moments.  Other times, it’s just a good time to turn off the radio for a moment.

So, what’s my conclusion?  I really don’t have one.

I can see the need for family friendliness. There are a lot of radio stations using this philosophy.  Is there a need for Christian radio stations like the one I work with? Of course! My only concern is that there are fewer and fewer Christian radio stations that are providing news and information that are giving believers a true picture of our need to be involved.

Some station program directors have even said to me, “If they want full service news, they can get it from the news/talk station.”  But, do you really want Christians getting a non-Christian worldview of the news? There are a lot of issues attached to this.

Being that I’m a radio journalist, you know what side of the fence I’m sitting on, but I’d like to hear your comments.