3 Takeaways from Momentum 2026
Momentum 2026 is in the books. I’ve heard several colleagues say it was the best ever in its 17-year history.
As jam-packed and exhausting as the week was, the learnings and takeaways were numerous. Here are 3 that have really stuck with me from the week:
The creator economy is booming.
Greg Ashlock from iHeart Media talked about this in session #1. This is a fantastic time to allow the creators on your team to do what they do best – after all, it is their personalities, individual insights, and perspectives that make your station unique. Greg encouraged a focus on micro connections as opposed to macro connections – and I agree. Building strong connections with smaller groups of fans who share similar hobbies/interests or live in the same neighborhood will create much deeper bonds between your personalities and your brand. The win for this coming year will be in empowering your talent to be free to create all they can, and then to encourage them to merge their interests and passions with their air work (more on this in point #3- the value of community).
***This presupposes one key factor***… that you have talent on your team who are dynamic, 3-dimensional people who have opinions and a sense of humor and are fun to be around at parties. If your talent don’t naturally possess these qualities, get them coaching (99 times out of 100 your talent do possess those qualities, it just takes the right person to unlock it in them) or find new talent. Boring, vanilla, or syrupy-spiritual won’t cut through and grab the attention of your busy listeners.
Leaving the margin to create space for the divine intervention.
Tania Bright spoke of creating more margin in our life – stemming from the biblical principle of gleaning. When our schedules are so packed with no white space and no breaks, we don’t give ourselves the opportunity to see the Holy Spirit do something special in us or through us. As a person who is goal oriented (to a fault) and who can drift toward validation in life and work coming from a full schedule, jumping from meeting to meeting and call to call, this point touched a nerve. Being busier than the other guy doesn’t make you a better PD, and it doesn’t make the Lord any happier with you than He already is.
The Value of Community.
The opportunity to reconnect and be present with people I know and love is invaluable. Throughout the week, I was thankful to talk programming challenges and strategy with really smart people, as well as share about significant life events taking place in my world with people who care about us. Simultaneously, I feel honored to help carry burdens of others walking through extreme difficult seasons. Others tell me this too – that beyond access and education, community is one of the most valuable aspects of CMB membership.
The reality is that none of us are unique in our desire for connection. We all need it. Just as you and I long for meaningful relationships, so do our listeners. And Christian radio occupies a unique position to help grow those connections. This year, let’s be intentional about creating opportunities for community, both within our teams and among our listeners. If your station becomes the catalyst for friendships, encouragement, and lasting relationships, you’ll earn a place in people’s lives that goes far beyond what comes through their speakers.
Cheers to a productive programming week!
