While their formatics may sometimes be weak by major market standards, they often MEAN more to listeners. The reason is simple: they can be local. So, they can reflect more easily what the majority of their listeners really care about and identify with – and that’s the whole Content ballgame.

If you’re in a small market, you should touch on the most important “big” stories. But even then, make an effort to be as local as possible – or you can easily LOCALIZE that big story. Ask yourself: what does it have to do with you, and your neighbors?

Relevance is King. “Items to talk about” are blah-blah. To connect with your listeners, put yourself in their shoes, see what they see, and reflect their emotions. In the process, share yours – serious or not-so-serious.

These thoughts apply to the most successful personalities in ANY size market, and in any format.

Link to Original Source

The post Smaller Market Coaching Thoughts first appeared on CMB.

The post Smaller Market Coaching Thoughts appeared first on CMB.

According to Nielsen, AM/FM radio reaches 87% of adults in the US every week, and Americans still spend nearly four hours a day with audio. In the car, AM/FM accounts for 55% of listening time. 

But radio is more than numbers. It’s about connection. It’s the familiar voice joining you in the morning. The song that plays at just the right moment. The stories of hope that fill your tank. 

Technology will continue to change. Radio will change with it. But there will always be something powerful about one person behind a microphone connecting with one person on the other side. 

That’s what makes radio special.

In honor of National Radio Day, here are a few thoughts from our own CMB Insiders and a few other names you’ll recognize…

“Anytime in radio that you can reach somebody on an emotional level, you’re really connecting.” – Casey Kasem

“I am reframing the ‘have to’s’ of this job, like support drive into the  ‘get to’s.’  I get to hear people’s stories and I get to see God move in their lives. That subtle shift actually helps me enjoy support drives so much more.” – Wally 

“You can get a song in 74 places. Apple’s got it, Spotify’s got it, but radio is your friend.” – Bobby Bones

“Radio is the only medium that never asks you to stop living to enjoy it.” – Troy West

“I love laughing with our listeners, hearing their stories, and being part of their daily lives.” – Ryan Seacrest

“Radio is super special because it’s powerful and personal at the same time. Reaching a crowd, while remaining an intimate conversation with one.”  – Cari Kates

“We are in the friendship business.” – Elvis Duran

“There’s nothing better than talking to one of my radio friends and hearing a story about a song I’m working, and the power of that song on a listener’s life. That’s powerful.” – Grant Hubbard

The post The Power of Radio first appeared on CMB.

The post The Power of Radio appeared first on CMB.

Here are two areas to be mindful of if you’re wanting to connect deeper with your listener.

1. Especially in the beginning of your radio break, try to use the widest welcome mat possible that attracts the widest audience listening.

 That means that you can’t assume that anyone listening is anything: married, a parent, a Christian, goes to church, or is a fan of your radio station. 

Here’s an example:

 “It’s summertime and your kids are headed off to VBS.” 



That assumes that everyone listening is a parent, has kids, and knows what a VBS is. Recent research showed that 70% of Christian radio listeners don’t have an eighteen-year-old or younger living with them.



How to adjust: “It’s summertime and a kid in your life may be headed to a camp.”



Using a phrase like, “a kid in your life” is relevant to parents, grandparents, babysitters, older siblings, aunts, uncles, teachers, next door neighbors, etc. Also, summer camp is a broader term that includes VBS. 



Being inclusive without sounding exclusive welcomes more people to feel like they’re seen. Every listener wants to feel like I BELONG HERE when listening to your radio show.



2. Listen to almost any Christian Radio station and you’ll hear the DJ handing out spiritual advice. 

Here’ an example:

 “So, the next time you find yourself in that same situation I was in, remember to trust Jesus and worry less.” 



This is so cliche’ (and bad) Christian radio. Stop handing out (maybe unwanted) advice, and start being a good example.



How to adjust: “So, the next time I find myself in that same situation, I’m going to trust Jesus instead of worrying so much.”



In faith breaks, be self-evaluating and self-examining so that you can model honesty and vulnerability. Every listener wants to feel like I’M NOT ALONE when listening to your radio show. They come to you for encouragement, not admonishment.



HERE’S THE TAKEAWAY


The 2 big ideas for Christian Radio shows (I BELONG HERE & I’M NOT ALONE) are powerful ways to attract people to your radio show and connect with them at a deeper level. That builds trust and forms habits, and that’s something streaming music can’t do.

The post 2 Big Ideas for Christian Radio Shows first appeared on CMB.

The post 2 Big Ideas for Christian Radio Shows appeared first on CMB.

More stories! More vision! More reasons why! More reminders that the phones are open, the website is working, and a matching gift is apparently sitting somewhere with a stopwatch.

But what if the true shortage in fundraising isn’t money?

What if it’s attention?

People’s phones are blowing up daily with texts, socials, headlines, ads, emails, podcasts, and refrigerator notifications. (Finally! In 2026, humanity’s long wait for this is over).

Then, 3 times a year, we disrupt the format and ask them to stay tuned and give now.

I understand that urgency in most breaks IS essential.

But urgency and intensity are not the same thing.

Urgency says, “This moment matters.”

Intensity says, “We are convinced you will not hear us unless I show up.”

Intensity is 2 or 3 people on mic for 6 minutes, with few pauses, talking over a music bed and sounding like they are trying to be heard by a friend at a loud club (A club that just happens to need 10 more leadership gifts in the next 2 songs).

Add in a host who maybe views the next 5 minutes as a verdict on their effectiveness as a fundraiser, and you get a recipe that always seems to call for us to do more, More, MORE!

But here is the truth: intensity does not create attention. It divides it.

Every voice, stat, sound effect, and emotional tweak competes for limited cognitive space. We may be making the message harder for people to hear.

Intensity’s answer is always more. But, attention grows when fewer things compete for it. 

Now – a fundraiser SHOULD be joyful, and alive and at times, intense. But constant intensity flattens it all. When every story is “powerful”, every update is big, and every hour is one of the most important, people cannot tell what matters most.

Worse, they may stop believing any of it does.

Urgency needs some contrast.

One voice can carry an idea long enough to land. Genuine emotion does not need someone driving the point home for another 90 seconds. Silence is not dead air if its purpose is to take a few seconds and let the listener breathe.

Brothers and sisters, we are not selling an extended car warranty. We are telling the truth about the work God is doing through people who give and extending the opportunity to join in. That truth carries its own weight.

The Holy Spirit does not require us to try to grab attention by smashing the hype button before He moves someone toward generosity.

Urgency gathers attention around what matters.

Intensity merely proves that everyone in the studio has had coffee, and that was never really in question.

The post What if the Real Scarcity in Fundraising Isn’t Money? first appeared on CMB.

The post What if the Real Scarcity in Fundraising Isn’t Money? appeared first on CMB.

As Hispanic communities continue to grow throughout the U.S., ministries are recognizing new opportunities to serve listeners through faith-filled, culturally relevant programming. 

By the Numbers:

• 1,300+ U.S. radio stations air some type of Spanish Christian content
• Hispanic Americans make up nearly 20% of the U.S. population
• 72% of Spanish-language media consumers regularly listen to radio
• One of the fastest-growing presences in major and emerging markets

Ministries like Fuzión, Inspiracom, Kinship Radio Español, La Z, MyBridge Español, Radio Luz, Radio Nueva Vida, Tu Familia Network, Vida Unida, and many more are faithfully serving their communities while helping shape the future of Spanish Christian radio. Through local outreach, music, teaching, and community engagement, these ministries are creating spaces where listeners can find hope and grow in their faith.

And the momentum continues to build.

More ministries are exploring how to launch Spanish-language platforms, strengthen existing stations, and better serve Hispanic audiences in their local communities. That’s one reason we’re excited to continue the conversation at Momentum later this month.

Whether you’re already serving in Spanish Christian radio or beginning to explore what a Spanish-language ministry platform could look like, Momentum is designed to create space for ministry leaders to learn from one another, share ideas, and discover practical next steps together.

Sessions will include conversations around:

• Building a Spanish CCM station
• Learning from established ministries
• Serving Hispanic communities effectively
• Exploring opportunities for future growth

We’d love for you to join us at Momentum. Registration closes this Friday, May 15.

The post Celebrating Spanish Christian Radio first appeared on CMB.

The post Celebrating Spanish Christian Radio appeared first on CMB.


The goal of your radio show should be to deepen relationships with listeners over time.

1. It starts with the right show prep and topics.
2. It continues with amazing storytelling.

3. It ends with you not wasting their time.



HERE’S THE PROCESS

Continuously connect with new listeners. Have interesting conversations with casual listeners so that they become regular listeners. Deepen the relationship with regular listeners so that your radio show becomes a habit in their life.

HERE’S THE TAKEAWAY

Focus on the person your radio listener cares about most… it’s not you; it’s them. Radio listeners don’t become raving fans because they understand you. They become raving fans because you understand them.
 That’s an adapted quote from the 1993 book, “Raving Fans” by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles. Here’s a free archived copy.

In 2021, Todd Stach launched Beyond 615, a coaching and consulting service, where he strives to help others build confidence and discover their full potential. He has led over 1,700 coaching sessions with radio shows. At the time of this article, he serves 34 shows at 13 radio stations. Todd has also written 200+ free articles to encourage on-air personalities and program directors. He and his family live in the (615) area code, aka the heart of the CCM industry.

The post Who Radio Listeners Care About Most first appeared on CMB.

The post Who Radio Listeners Care About Most appeared first on CMB.

During those long days at home, the instructors were broadcasting from their homes too. We were all going through the pandemic together. Their encouragement, honesty, and positivity lifted my spirit in a time when we all needed it.

The instructors began to feel familiar, like personalities you look forward to hearing. They reminded me of what we’ve always known in radio: people connect with people.

When I made it into a live ride class at the Peloton Studios New York, it was everything I hoped it would be. In fact, it was so great that one ride turned into three. I found myself going back again and again, each time reminded of how powerful that in-person connection can be. Meeting the instructors I had ridden with for years and seeing that they were just as real, just as encouraging off camera, mattered.

A couple of years ago, it looked like Peloton might be struggling financially. But they made a strategic reset. They shifted their focus beyond just fitness and leaned into what was already working, the personalities and the experience.

It’s what we’ve always said in radio.

Connection matters.

And Peloton doubled down on that idea in a way that clearly worked.

I can tell you exactly why I connect with certain instructors.

Take Matt Wilpers. He’s from Atlanta, always smiling while I’m riding with him. He talks about loving his mom. He runs races all over the country. He shows up for his friends, and they show up for him, especially in class. You feel that.

Or Jess Sims, a former kindergarten teacher and WNBA player. She shares stories about going to Payless Shoes with her mom, brings a fun, spicy energy, and even taught me how to make “sweat angels” on my mat.

It’s those personal details. Those real-life moments. That authenticity.

That’s what builds connection.

Because whether it’s a Peloton instructor, a morning show host, or someone on social media, the impact is the same. When people feel like they know you, when they feel encouraged by you, they come back.

That’s the opportunity we have every day, every break.

Personalities matter because they’re more than voices, they’re people who share themselves, spark connection, and reflect God’s light in ways that help listeners feel truly seen. When we support, guide, and develop them, the connections they create aren’t just heard, they’re felt, lasting in hearts long after the broadcast ends.

And that’s the work we get to do every day, helping people feel known, helping them shine, helping them carry that light forward.

Beth Bacall is a media personality and talent coach. Catch her on Peloton at @BethBacall.

The post From Bike to Mic: What Peloton Can Teach Us About Radio first appeared on CMB.

The post From Bike to Mic: What Peloton Can Teach Us About Radio appeared first on CMB.

This year’s conference carried a theme that should feel familiar to anyone who works in faith-based media: in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, human connection is more valuable than ever.

The AI Conversation Has Grown Up

Last year’s SXSW panels were still debating whether to adopt AI tools. This year, the question shifted: Are we building the right organizations to use them?

Industry analyst Ian Beacraft made a pointed argument that most companies are failing at AI. Not because the tools aren’t ready, but because the organizational structures around them are already obsolete. The winners, he argued, won’t be the fastest adopters. They’ll be the ones who rethink how work is organized entirely.

For Christian radio stations serving multiple markets on constrained resources, this framing is clarifying. The question isn’t whether to use AI for tasks like content scheduling, social copy, or audience targeting. The question is whether your team is structured to use it strategically, or just reactively.

Storytelling Is Your Competitive Advantage

Serena Williams took the stage at Axios House and told entrepreneurs that the most underestimated skill in business is the ability to tell a compelling story. Actor and producer Jamie Lee Curtis echoed the sentiment later in the week, making the case that people need to tell stories and others need to hear them. No technology changes that fundamental truth.

Nobody at SXSW asked why human creativity is irreplaceable. They just kept affirming that it is. But for those of us in Christian media, the answer isn’t a mystery. It’s foundational. Humans are uniquely creative because we are made in the image of a creative God. The imago Dei isn’t just a theological concept; it’s the reason a song can move someone to tears, why a story told with honesty and vulnerability can change a person’s day, and why no algorithm, however sophisticated, can replicate what happens when one human being speaks directly into the life of another. SXSW was circling the truth without naming it. We get to name it.

This is ground Christian radio has always occupied. Our stations don’t just play music. We share listener impact stories, walk through grief and celebration on-air, and create moments of genuine human connection across the dial. At a conference full of conversations about AI-generated content, that irreplaceable human voice, rooted in faith, community, and shared experience, is not a weakness. It’s a differentiator.

Audio Is Resilient, But the Landscape Is Shifting

The audio industry had a significant presence at SXSW this year, with Podcast Movement Evolutions co-locating at the festival for the first time, hosting three days of sessions on the future of audio. Some of the discussions are directly relevant to Christian radio.

One of the most debated questions: is video killing the podcast? The data says no. Research from Cumulus Media and Signal Hill Insights found that 92% of podcast consumers listen to at least some of their content in audio-only form, with just 8% exclusively watching video. The argument that emerged from sessions is that video is a distribution multiplier, not a replacement for audio.

For Christian radio, this is an important reframe. Adding video components to interviews, artist sessions, and listener stories is the kind of content already being developed for YouTube and social platforms. It isn’t abandoning radio. It’s extending its reach.

Also worth tracking: the growing conversation around podcast content ownership. Apple Podcasts’ HLS update, discussed at length at Evolutions, allows creators to host video podcast content through their own hosting provider rather than ceding that control to platforms like Spotify or YouTube. For stations building digital audiences, maintaining ownership of your content and audience data will matter increasingly as the platform landscape continues to shift.

The Hunger for Human Connection Is Real, and It’s Our Mission

Perhaps the clearest through-line at SXSW 2026 was something that should feel deeply familiar: people are hungry for genuine connection. One analyst described it as “the single red thread running through the entire program.” In a world of automated content, algorithmic feeds, and AI-generated voices, the hunger for something real has never been more acute.

Christian radio exists precisely for this moment. We don’t manufacture connection; we facilitate it. Between a listener navigating a hard season and a song that meets them there. Between a morning host and a commuter who feels less alone because of a two-minute conversation about faith. Between a community of donors and a station that reflects their values back to them.

Consumer behavior research presented at SXSW also noted a broader cultural shift toward what analysts called “intentional consumption.” Audiences are pulling back from excess, seeking content that is simpler, more transparent, and more emotionally resonant. That’s not a trend we need to manufacture. It’s what we’ve always offered.

What to Watch and What to Do

A few practical takeaways for Christian radio teams coming out of SXSW 2026:

Audit your AI readiness, not just your AI use. The tools are available. The more important question is whether your team has clarity on where AI can accelerate your mission and where human judgment is irreplaceable.

Lead with transparency. Audiences, especially faith-based audiences, respond to honesty about how content is made. If AI helps you produce more content, say so. Your listeners will respect it far more than discovering it on their own.

Treat storytelling as strategy. Impact stories, listener testimonials, and on-air moments of genuine human connection aren’t just feel-good content. They’re your most powerful tools for building the kind of listener loyalty that leads to advocacy and support.

Don’t abandon audio for video; expand from it. Video content is valuable for discovery and social reach. But your core audience still chooses audio, and that’s where the deepest connection happens.

Position your distinctiveness. In an era when every brand is trying to manufacture authenticity, Christian radio has the real thing. Lead from it.

SXSW doesn’t always speak directly to faith-based media. But this year, it kept circling back to the same truth we’ve built our stations on: technology can do a lot of things, but it cannot replace what happens when a person feels genuinely known, heard, and not alone.

That’s still our job. And if the conversations in Austin are any indication, there’s never been a more important time to do it well.

The post The Conference That Predicts the Future Confirms What We Already Know first appeared on CMB.

The post The Conference That Predicts the Future Confirms What We Already Know appeared first on CMB.

It’s evolving.

Radio’s future will belong to stations that combine what they’ve always done well—local connection, trusted personalities, and immediacy—with the digital tools audiences now expect.

This bears repeating.

Here’s a practical 7-point plan for radio leaders who want to win the next decade.

1. Own the Car Experience

Radio’s biggest competitive advantage remains the dashboard. As automakers redesign infotainment systems, radio must ensure it stays easy to access, visible, and integrated with digital features. Stations should also create “drive-friendly” content: quick information, personality interaction, and local relevance that fits how people listen while commuting.

2. Invest in Air Talent

Algorithms can deliver songs, but they can’t deliver personality. Great air talent creates habit and emotional connection. Stations that prioritize coaching, development, and creative freedom for their personalities will stand out in a world of automated playlists.

3. Double Down on Local

Local information is radio’s most defensible advantage. Weather, traffic, community events, local culture, and neighborhood conversations cannot be replicated by national streaming platforms. Stations should become the daily soundtrack of their city—not just a jukebox.

4. Expand Aggressively Into Podcasting

Podcasting shouldn’t be viewed as competition. It’s an extension of radio’s storytelling and personality strengths. Smart stations are using podcasts to deepen engagement with listeners and extend their brand beyond the broadcast clock.

5. Build Strong Digital Distribution

Listeners increasingly expect access everywhere: smart speakers, mobile apps, connected cars, and social platforms. Stations must ensure their streams are easy to find and frictionless to use wherever audiences choose to listen.

6. Improve Advertising Attribution

Radio’s biggest revenue opportunity lies in proving its effectiveness. With better use of digital analytics, promo codes, and attribution tools, stations can demonstrate measurable results to advertisers and compete more effectively with digital platforms.

7. Think Like a Media Brand, Not Just a Radio Station

The most successful operators will stop thinking in terms of transmitters and start thinking in terms of audiences. A station’s brand should live across broadcast, social media, podcasts, events, and digital platforms. The more places listeners encounter your brand, the stronger your relationship with them becomes.

Radio’s story is one of transition.

The stations that succeed will be the ones that protect radio’s traditional strengths while embracing the tools of modern media.

The future of radio isn’t just on the dial anymore.

It’s everywhere the audience is.

Link to Original Source

The post The Problem With Radio Isn’t the Audience. It’s the Strategy. first appeared on CMB.

The post The Problem With Radio Isn’t the Audience. It’s the Strategy. appeared first on CMB.

Why It Matters

The weeks surrounding Easter consistently represent one of the most significant times of the year for Christian music engagement. Listeners are naturally drawn to songs that point them to hope, redemption, and the resurrection story.

Christian Music Month builds on that momentum by encouraging fans to listen, share, and rediscover the music that strengthens their faith. It’s also an opportunity for stations to spotlight the artists and songs that continue to shape the Christian music landscape.

How Stations Can Participate

Christian Music Month is a collaborative effort across the Christian music industry, bringing together artists, labels, streaming platforms, tours, and radio. Stations have a unique opportunity to help amplify this celebration within their community.

Stations can participate by:

• Highlighting Christian Music Month on-air and online
  
• Featuring artists and songs that have impacted listeners’ faith
  
• Sharing stories about the role Christian music plays in people’s lives
  
• Encouraging listeners to engage with and share the music they love
  

By leaning into this moment together, Christian radio can continue to lead the way in connecting audiences with music that points them to Jesus.

Resources for Stations

To help stations participate, Christian Music Month resources and artist liners are available for download: https://christianmusicmonth.com/resources 

The post Celebrate Christian Music Month with CMB first appeared on CMB.

The post Celebrate Christian Music Month with CMB appeared first on CMB.