From Kevin McCallister learning the value of family to George Bailey discovering how much one life matters, these stories deliver heartwarming reminders that love, hope, and kindness are always in season. The Grinch learns that Christmas is bigger than the presents, Ralphie captures the wonder of childhood, and Buddy the Elf spreads enough joy to make even the grumpiest Scrooge crack a smile!

At the heart of Christmas is the greatest gift of all: the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ! Luke 2:10-11 KJV tells us that Christmas brings “good tidings of great joy” because our Savior has been born! And Acts 20:35 KJV reminds us that “it is more blessed to give than to receive.”

This Christmas season, enjoy those Christmas movie marathons—and remember, the best part of Christmas isn’t a mountain of presents or the perfect holiday feast. It’s celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, loving our neighbors, and sharing the joy of our Savior’s presence with us!

The post The Reel Meaning of Christmas: The Top 5 Christmas Movies first appeared on CMB.

The post The Reel Meaning of Christmas: The Top 5 Christmas Movies appeared first on CMB.

I was struck by just how much common ground we shared during the discussion. While each of us brought different perspectives on how people are consuming media, the importance of on-air personalities, and what Christian radio needs to be thinking about as we move into 2027, there was considerable agreement on many of the things we believe will be important to the future of Christian radio.

One of those was the growing importance of community.

I believe one of the greatest opportunities facing Christian radio in the coming years is finding ways to move beyond simply building an audience and becoming more intentional about creating communities where listeners can connect with one another.

We all have a deeply rooted desire to connect with people who share our interests, values, hobbies, or life experiences. That’s nothing new, but I believe we’re seeing more people actively looking for opportunities to experience that kind of connection.

Look at the incredible growth of pickleball. No doubt, people enjoy the exercise and competition, but one of the things driving its popularity is the social experience. Pickleball gives people an easy way to meet others, develop friendships, and become part of a community.

Or consider why millions of people still gather in churches every Sunday.

We can watch almost unlimited sermons on YouTube, listen to worship music all day on Spotify, and download thousands of Bible studies. Much of what takes place during a typical church service is available whenever we want it.

Yet people still choose to gather together. Why? Because there’s something meaningful about worshiping, learning, and growing alongside other people. The relationships and sense of belonging matter.

The same is true of sporting events, concerts, speed dating, fitness classes, crafting clubs, etc.. The foundational thread running through these examples is this:

People are willing to go out of their way to experience something together.

Most of our stations have already done the hard work of building an audience. We’ve established relationships with thousands of people who invite us into their homes, cars, workplaces, and daily routines.

They know our personalities, recognize our brand, and often identify with the values our station represents.

But, because people are so willing to make space in their busy lives to grow in connection with others, there’s a huge opportunity for us to go to a new level with our audience, by connecting them to your station and to each other through things they care about. 

An audience is connected to your station. A community is connected to your station and to one another.

I believe this is an opportunity that we need to become much more intentional about pursuing.

What if we shifted our mindset to thinking about our stations as organizations that bring people together around shared interests, experiences, and values, with our radio station serving as the connection point?

We already have an established relationship with the people we’re hoping to bring together. The next step is creating opportunities for those relationships to grow beyond the listening experience. 

What could community-building like this look like?

During my time with Pillar Media, our STAR stations hosted a popular annual Daddy/Daughter Dance. As that event grew, it became obvious that these dads weren’t simply looking for a fun evening with their daughters. Many wanted to become more intentional about building relationships with them.

What could happen if the station created an ongoing community for dads raising daughters? Perhaps a Facebook group where fathers encourage one another, share ideas, and build friendships, with occasional opportunities to gather in person?

I work with another station where the afternoon personality is a serious runner. Why couldn’t that station develop a weekly running club hosted by that personality? Imagine listeners gathering on Saturday mornings, developing friendships, and building a stronger connection with the station.

Got an avid reader on your team? Why not start a station book club?

Maybe it’s young moms, empty nesters, hikers, or people who enjoy serving their community. There are all kinds of possibilities, many requiring very little financial investment.

The key is finding something that fits naturally with the interests of your audience and the personalities and passions of your team.

I believe there is another important benefit to all this – Community creates opportunities for people to introduce others to your station in a very natural way.

Think about that running club. A listener invites a friend to join them on Saturday morning. That friend may have never listened to your station, but now they’re spending time with one of your air personalities and a group of people who already have a relationship with your brand.

For decades in Christian broadcasting, we’ve measured success primarily by the size of our listening audience.

But in 2026, your radio tower is just one of the many ways you distribute content and connect with people, alongside your website, app, social media, YouTube, and podcasts. You’re increasingly operating as a media brand that has built an audience around shared values, creating opportunities to connect people in ways that go well beyond listening to the radio.

Start small, with something that fits your station, something your team is genuinely interested in and your listeners would find valuable, all with the goal of helping people develop real relationships with one another.

So, here is my challenge to you: spend 60 minutes this week thinking about two or three communities your station could begin developing in 2027.

Start with your team. What hobbies, interests, or passions do your air personalities have that might create opportunities to bring listeners together?

Then consider your audience. What interests or life experiences do groups of your listeners share? Where might they be looking for connection?

Bring your team together and brainstorm some possibilities. Identify one idea you could test on a small scale in the coming months.

I believe this will become increasingly important for Christian media ministries that want to remain relevant and meaningful in the years ahead.

People have more ways than ever to consume music, entertainment, and information. But their desire to belong, develop friendships, and be part of something larger than themselves isn’t going away.

We’ve spent decades becoming very good at growing a loyal and dedicated radio audience. Perhaps one of the most valuable things we can do in the coming years is become equally good at bringing those people together.

Because as I see it, the future of Christian radio may not depend so much on how many people are listening to us – it may more so depend on how many people feel they belong because of us.

The post The Next Frontier for Christian Radio first appeared on CMB.

The post The Next Frontier for Christian Radio appeared first on CMB.

Here are the questions that I was asked to prepare for and my answers below.



1. Who is the 2027 listener? What are the biggest changes you’re seeing in how people consume audio and media?

They have more choices than ever before. They’re moving between streaming services, podcasts, YouTube, social media, and traditional radio to what’s capturing their attention. Radio’s competing with everything that occupies someone’s time and attention. Radio’s competing for a place in someone’s life.


2. What isn’t changing? Even as technology and listening habits evolve, what fundamental needs are listeners still looking for Christian radio to meet?

People still want to feel loved. They want to feel understood. They want encouragement. They want hope. And they want to know they’re not alone. One of the things I remind people I coach is that we’re not talking to a group of people. We’re talking to an individual who has real life happening. Someone’s dealing with a difficult marriage. Someone’s worried about their kids. Someone’s struggling financially. And someone may just be having a great day. Radio’s opportunity is to meet people in those moments. The technology delivering the message will change, but the human heart receiving it won’t.


3. How is music discovery changing? Where are listeners finding new music, and what role can Christian radio uniquely play?

Music discovery isn’t owned by radio anymore like it used to be. And I think we need to be comfortable acknowledging that. But there’s a difference between discovering a song and developing a relationship with it. Christian radio has an opportunity to help listeners connect with the meaning behind the music. You can introduce the story behind a song. You can share how a particular lyric impacted someone’s life. You can create emotional connections that go beyond simply playing the next song. That’s where on-air personalities can make a big difference too. An algorithm can introduce you to a song. A great radio personality can help you fall in love with it.


4. Why choose Christian radio when every song is available on demand?

I think this is one of the most important questions we should be asking. Listeners can build their own playlists. They can skip songs. They can listen without commercials. And they can hear exactly what they want whenever they want. So, what do you offer that a playlist doesn’t? Radio offers companionship. You offer a sense of community. You offer shared experiences. And you offer personalities who can become familiar, trusted voices in someone’s life. The music gives people a reason to tune in, but the relationship they develop with the station can become a powerful reason to come back. Humanity, authenticity, personality and connection ARE SO IMPORTANT in an increasingly algorithmic world.


5. How is the role of the on-air personality changing? In a world of algorithms, AI, and unlimited content, does human connection become even more important?

I think the on-air personality is becoming more important, not less. But the expectations are changing. For years, we’ve coached personalities on being concise, being relevant, and making sure everything they say has a purpose. Those things still matter. But I think authenticity is becoming more important, especially to Millennials and Gen Z. They want vulnerability when it’s appropriate. They want honesty. They want someone who understands what they’re experiencing. Not being so polished is okay. If you’re not already, start becoming someone listeners genuinely want to spend time with. AI can help DJs prepare content, research ideas, and become more efficient. But it shouldn’t replace the personality’s perspective, lived experiences, or ability to connect emotionally.


6. Are we thinking too narrowly about what it means to be a listener? How should we value someone who connects through social media, YouTube, podcasts, apps, or events?

I think we absolutely need to expand our definition of a listener. Radio has defined success by how many people listen to your radio station and how long they stay. But what about someone who follows your morning show on Instagram, watches videos every week, attends your events, and shares your content with friends? And I think this is especially important for on-air personalities. The relationship with you doesn’t have to end when someone gets out of the car.


7. What three things would you start doing now to prepare for 2027?

1. Invest in developing your personalities. I would spend more time coaching your personalities to create content that is authentic, relatable, and emotionally engaging. Deepen relationships with listeners.
   
2. Rethink how you connect beyond the radio show. I would look at every opportunity to extend the relationship beyond the radio. Whether that’s video, social media, podcasts, or community events, create opportunities for people to connect with your personalities and your mission throughout their day. You can’t chase every platform. I’d focus on the places where you can build genuine relationships.
   
3. Become obsessed with understanding the listener. What are they worried about? What brings them joy? What challenges are they facing? What are they talking about with their friends and family? The better you understand their lives, the better equipped you’ll be to create content that matters.


HERE’S THE TAKAWAY

Invest in your people. Extend your relationships. Understand your audience.

The post Preparing for the 2027 Listener first appeared on CMB.

The post Preparing for the 2027 Listener appeared first on CMB.

Carly Ann Taylor – I love “The Wonderful Blood” by Tiffany Hudson because it speaks a simple truth in a fresh and vulnerable way. It’s a beautiful and sweet expression of deep surrender and worship of Jesus as our friend and Savior. This song has brought me so much healing and tranquility. I think more people need to experience this song and the anointing on Tiffany Hudson.

Charity Gayle – “BE MY” by Ryan Kennedy

Hope Darst – “Praise You All The Same” by Erik Nieder

Jason Gray – If I could add one new song to radio (besides mine ), I’d add Josh Wilson’s “How Loved You Are” for a few reasons: it’s already proven that it resonates on social media, its message seems to meet listeners right where they are, and Josh is an artist whose work deserves to be heard. He’s a loving and wise songwriter—and one of the best human beings I know.

If I could add two, I’d also add Ross King’s “Faith Alone” because it’s one of the most truthful songs I’ve heard in a while, born out of what he learned through his wife’s cancer journey and death. If we aren’t playing deeply honest music that encourages people toward deeper truthfulness, then what are we doing?

And if I could add three, I’d add Switchfoot’s “Two Twins.” It’s meaningful, smart, and resonant, from one of the best bands and one of the best songwriters in our genre. What a gift Switchfoot is to our time and place.

Zach Williams – “Different Story” by Christian Hohn

The post If Artists Picked the Playlist first appeared on CMB.

The post If Artists Picked the Playlist appeared first on CMB.

If you work in Christian radio, you know this tension especially well. You’re helping create a meaningful Christmas experience for thousands of listeners, but that doesn’t mean your own Christmas is free from anxiety, difficult relationships, or grief.

My wife Lisa and I have spent a lot of time thinking about the emotional load we carry during the holidays. And one thing we’ve learned is that we often take responsibility for things God never asked us to carry.

So as Christmas approaches, here are five things worth keeping in mind:

1. Just Because Someone Is Spreading It Doesn’t Mean You Have to Catch It

Anxiety and reactivity are contagious. You know this if you’ve ever walked into a perfectly pleasant family gathering only to have one person bring up politics, an old disagreement, or something that immediately changes the temperature of the room.

We all have our version of Cousin Greg.

The good news is that you probably already know what might set you off. You know the conversations that tend to get uncomfortable and the people who know exactly which buttons to push.

That awareness gives you an opportunity to prepare.

Instead of being surprised when someone says something frustrating, notice what’s happening inside you. Are you getting defensive? Do you feel the need to correct them? Are you already planning your response?

You don’t have to react just because someone else does. You can pause, pray, and decide how you want to respond.

And sometimes the best response is no response at all.

Not whether everyone agreed with me or whether I won an argument. But whether I showed up as the person I wanted to be.

2. Prepare Yourself, Not Just Everything Around You

Think about how much time we spend preparing for Christmas. Shopping, decorating, cooking, planning, cleaning, and making sure everything is just right.

Now think about how much time we spend preparing ourselves emotionally.

Lisa has worked hard on this over the years. She used to put tremendous pressure on herself to make everything perfect when we hosted people. The food needed to be right, the house needed to be ready, and everyone needed to have a wonderful time.

But she began paying attention to the emotional atmosphere she was creating before anyone even arrived.

One Christmas, our kids actually noticed the difference. They told her she was more fun to be around.

I love that story because the meal didn’t become less important. Our guests weren’t any less cared for. But Lisa was able to be present rather than exhausted by the time everyone arrived.

For those working in Christian radio, this is worth remembering. You may spend weeks preparing Christmas programming, events, promotions, and special moments for your listeners.

But what about preparing yourself for the people who need you when the workday is over?

Sometimes that preparation is as simple as taking a few minutes on the drive home to notice what you’re carrying, talk to God, and release some of the pressure.

3. You Are Not Responsible for Everyone’s Christmas

This one is hard for people who care deeply about others.

We want everyone to be happy. We want family gatherings to go well. We want to give the perfect gift, say the right thing, and make sure nobody feels disappointed.

And if you’re wired to serve people, that pressure can become enormous.

Lisa and I talk about five false needs that tend to drive us: control, perfection, having the answer, always being there for others, and approval.

I don’t know which one gets you, but I suspect at least one sounds familiar.

Here’s something we’ve learned: We get reactive when we’re carrying more than God has asked us to carry.

You can prepare a wonderful meal, but you can’t control whether everyone enjoys it. You can love your family, but you can’t make everyone get along. You can encourage someone who’s struggling, but you can’t fix everything they’re going through.

That doesn’t mean you stop caring.

It means you begin asking a different question: What’s mine to carry? What’s theirs? And what’s God’s?

You might be surprised how much lighter Christmas feels when you stop trying to carry all three.

4. Not Everyone Is Having a Merry Christmas

This may be the most important reminder of all.

Christmas has a way of turning up the volume on whatever we’re feeling. Joy feels bigger. But so does loneliness. So does disappointment. And especially grief.

I’ve spent years in ministry, and one of the things I’ve noticed is how uncomfortable we can become with sadness.

We want to cheer people up. We want to remind them of God’s goodness. We want to help them move past whatever they’re feeling.

But sometimes people don’t need us to make them feel better. They just need us to be willing to sit with them in what they’re experiencing.

At our church, we used to hold a grief service between Thanksgiving and Christmas because we knew how difficult those weeks could be for people who had experienced loss. It wasn’t designed to be cheerful. It was a place where people could grieve honestly.

Think about that as you serve your listeners this Christmas.

Behind every radio is someone with a story you don’t know. Someone may be celebrating a new baby or a long-awaited answer to prayer. Someone else may be facing their first Christmas without a spouse, parent, or child.

And the people working alongside you have stories, too.

You don’t always need the right words. Sometimes asking someone to share a memory of the person they’re missing is more meaningful than trying to cheer them up.

There’s room for joy and sadness at Christmas. We don’t have to pretend otherwise.

5. God Is Already There

Here’s the final thing Lisa and I want people to remember.

God is already in the room.

Before you arrive at the family gathering, He’s there. Before you walk into a difficult conversation, He’s there. Before you start another long day at the station, He’s there.

You don’t have to bring God into a situation as though He wasn’t already present.

And that includes the difficult people.

Lisa sometimes reminds me that even the person who’s driving me crazy is made in God’s image. All of God’s image, not just the percentage I happen to appreciate at that moment.

That reminder has helped me treat people with dignity, even when they’re frustrating me.

It also reminds me that I’m not responsible for managing every outcome. God is already at work, and He’s carrying things I was never meant to carry.

A Different Kind of Christmas Preparation

As you head into the Christmas season, I hope you’ll give as much attention to your emotional well-being as you do to everything on your calendar.

Pay attention to what makes you reactive. Prepare your heart before you prepare another event. Let go of the need to make everything perfect. Make room for people who are hurting.

And remember that God is already there.

If you work in Christian radio, you’re going to spend a lot of time helping other people celebrate Christmas this year.

My hope is that you won’t be so busy helping everyone else experience the peace of Christ that you miss it yourself.

Adapted from Steve and Lisa Cuss’s conversation, “Finding Peace in the Chaos: Five Emotional Well-Being Tips for Christmas Sanity,” on the Being Human podcast, a production of Christianity Today. For more resources, visit capablelife.com/christmas.

The post Finding Peace in the Chaos: 5 Ways to Navigate the Christmas Season first appeared on CMB.

The post Finding Peace in the Chaos: 5 Ways to Navigate the Christmas Season appeared first on CMB.

The air personality talking about Jesus? Of course! The person praying with a listener? Absolutely!

But what about the engineer driving to a transmitter site? The person in Finance working on a spreadsheet? The production person working on version 17 of a promo? The person processing a donor’s gift?

Who’s doing ministry?

All of them!

I’ve been thinking about this because of a chapter in the Bible I’ve probably skimmed more times than I’ve actually studied: Nehemiah 3.

It’s basically a list. This person repaired this gate. That person repaired that section. Then somebody else repaired the section next to them. And there are a lot of names that are really hard to pronounce.

But when I slowed down and really looked at the chapter, I realized it gives us a pretty great picture of ministry.

Everybody Had a Section

Jerusalem’s walls were in ruins, and Nehemiah challenged the people to rebuild.

Nobody rebuilt the entire wall. Everybody had a section.

And they weren’t all builders. There were priests, goldsmiths, merchants, government officials and families. There was even a perfume maker.

I love that. Someone essentially said, “We need to rebuild the wall,” and a perfume maker said, “Okay. Give me a section.”

Different people. Different skills. Different assignments.

Same wall.

That sounds a lot like what we do in Christian media.

We recognize ministry when it happens behind a microphone or when someone prays with a listener. But ministry can also look like fixing a transmitter, building a budget, scheduling music, writing code, processing a gift or staying late to get something finished.

We’re all doing ministry.

We’re just building different sections of the wall.

Your Section Isn’t the Wall

There’s a phrase that keeps showing up in Nehemiah 3. Someone repairs a section, and then someone else repairs the section “next to them.”

Their work was connected.

So is ours.

Think about everything that has to happen for one listener driving home to hear the right song at exactly the right moment.

Someone keeps the signal on. Someone researches and schedules the music. Someone creates the imaging. Someone raises the money. Someone processes the gift. Someone keeps the technology working. Someone puts the right person behind the microphone.

Eventually, someone sitting alone in a car hears something that reminds them:

God hasn’t forgotten me.

Most of the people who helped make that moment happen will never know about it.

But they were part of it.

This is also something I have to remind myself of as a leader:

My section isn’t the wall.

My department isn’t the wall. My station isn’t the wall. My strategy isn’t the wall. My idea isn’t the wall.

It’s a section.

It matters. I should build it well. But it’s still just one section connected to everybody else’s.

None of us gets to say, “I built this.”

We get to say, “I got to be part of this.”

God Notices Faithfulness

This is probably my favorite part of Nehemiah 3.

God could have summarized the whole chapter with one sentence:

“The wall was rebuilt.”

But He didn’t.

He recorded the names of the people who built it.

Priests. Goldsmiths. Merchants. Families. People most of us have never heard of. Some of them never show up anywhere else in Scripture.

But their names are there.

God notices faithfulness.

We tend to notice the finished wall.

God noticed the people laying the stones.

That’s worth remembering in an industry where we measure almost everything. Ratings. Streams. Downloads. Followers. Donors. Revenue.

Those things matter. We should measure them. We should learn from them. We should always want to get better at what we do.

But not everything that matters shows up on a dashboard.

God sees the overnight personality encouraging one listener. He sees the engineer keeping the station on the air. He sees the person taking extra time with a donor who really just needs somebody to listen.

He sees the work nobody else sees.

Make Sure Your Team Knows

And for those of us who lead people, I think there’s a challenge here too.

Make sure your team knows their section matters.

From the janitor to the CEO.

And don’t assume they know it.

Tell them.

Then tell them again.

Connect what they do every day to the mission.

Tell the engineer why keeping that transmitter running matters. Help the person staring at a spreadsheet see the listener on the other side of those numbers. Remind the person processing donations what those gifts make possible.

Tell the stories.

Connect the dots.

And recognize the work that usually doesn’t get recognized.

People shouldn’t have to guess whether their work matters to the mission.

And those of us in leadership need the reminder too. Being the CEO, GM or PD doesn’t make our section of the wall more important. We may carry different responsibilities, but we’re still building a section.

Sometimes people simply need someone to come alongside them and say:

“I see what you’re doing. It matters. Keep going.”

If God thought the individual builders were worth naming in Nehemiah 3, we should probably make sure we’re noticing the names around us too.

We’re Building Next to Each Other

I think this applies beyond our individual stations and organizations too.

As an industry, we’re building next to each other.

Different call letters. Different networks. Different markets. Different strategies.

And sometimes the exact same song at the exact same time.

We may compete for listeners. We may disagree about strategy. We should absolutely push ourselves to be excellent at what God has given us to do.

But we’re not building different kingdoms.

We’re serving the same King.

Your station has a section. Mine has a section. The station across town has a section.

Most days, building that section isn’t glamorous.

It’s meetings. Music logs. Budgets. Production orders. Donor conversations. Technical problems. Emails. Deadlines.

I imagine Nehemiah 3 felt pretty ordinary too.

Stone after stone.

Day after day.

One section at a time.

And God used all of those individual sections to rebuild the wall.

So don’t underestimate your section.

Don’t spend so much time looking at somebody else’s section that you forget to build yours.

Build it well. Build it faithfully. Build it for Jesus.

You don’t have to build the whole wall.

Just take care of the section God has put in front of you.

Then, trust Him with the rest.

Jeff Evans
VP of Radio / Hope Media Group

The post Build Your Section of the Wall first appeared on CMB.

The post Build Your Section of the Wall appeared first on CMB.

Our research consistently uncovers five topics and attitudes that listeners don’t want—and frankly, don’t expect—from their favorite Christian stations.

Coming in at no. 5: Sarcasm. Apparently, “just kidding” doesn’t make everything funny.

No. 4: Hard News. Listeners aren’t necessarily anti-news. They just didn’t turn on CCM Radio to get another news briefing.

No. 3: Sports. Yes, people love sports. But there are plenty of places to get the score without turning the Christian music station into SportsCenter.

No. 2: Political Commentary. Red, blue, donkey, elephant… listeners would rather leave the whole zoo outside.

And the runaway no. 1: Hollywood/Pop Culture. Celebrities may dominate the headlines, but they don’t dominate the reasons listeners choose CCM Radio.

Bottom line: They came for spiritual encouragement—and music. Keep the rest out of the rotation.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 NIV

The post 5 Things CCM Listeners Would Happily Leave at the Door first appeared on CMB.

The post 5 Things CCM Listeners Would Happily Leave at the Door appeared first on CMB.

If seasonal listeners discover your stations through streaming/social/search, what happens next? 

Lara Dykes – Digital Content Supervisor, The Light FM (WMIT)

We put a heavy emphasis on-air for folks to sign up for Advent text messages throughout the month of December. We bring daily devotional thoughts/verses/videos from air talent and artists we play on The Light FM, as well as a weekly (Sunday) devotion, when people opt-in for Advent. After Christmas is over, we invite folks to continue their faith journey with The Light FM by downloading our Going Deeper 365-Day Bible Reading plan. Additionally, we just try to provide the same content year-round. Whether it’s Christmas themed or during any other season, our focus is sharing Jesus, encouraging the audience to follow Him and make them laugh a little (or a lot) while we’re doing it. The question is always ‘how can we lead them deeper?’

Beyond the music, what are listeners actually coming to Christian radio for at Christmas? 

Randy Fox – Program Director, KSBJ

I think nostalgia is part of what many people want from the Christmas season. For Christian radio specifically, I think they also want to experience Christmas through a lens that reflects their values. We don’t need to be overly religious about it, but we should convey that Christmas is about more than buying gifts and going to parties.

What reasons are you giving your listeners to choose your station during the holidays? What does that look like?

Brandi Reichert – Director of Strategic Marketing, JOY FM

We LOVE Christmas!  Not only is the music different … there are so many amazing Christmas concerts and events to promote and invite listeners to!  So, we are very active in the community during this time. In November, we are planning a Home for the Holidays promotion, where someone will be able to fly a loved one home for the holidays!  Stories will be submitted online and one lucky winner will win transportation, hotel (if needed) … plus a gift certificate to help with meals and Christmas shopping to make Christmas extra special this year. In December, we go share JOY with places that may not be very joyful … places like the DMV, Salvation Army Rehabilitation Center and Assisted Living Communities.  We have also gone to visit big not for profits or organizations who are helping others, but may not be thought of during this time, like Mercy Hospital and the St. Louis Area Foodbank. We bring a DJ or two … a special giveaway or activity that feels intentional and appropriate for each of the different places we go.  Plus, we partner with Chick-fil-A for this, so we bring food and the Chick-fil-A cow (which is a big hit)!

This may be someone’s first encounter with your morning show. Are you giving them reasons to connect and come back? What does that look like?

Keith Stevens / Morning Show Host, KTIS

We have the unique position of being the “commercial free” Christmas station in the market!  We’ll attract new listeners  by offering up  top testing  familiar Christmas songs 24-7, a large billboard campaign, and playing zero commercials or “marketing partner” spots. Connecting with our new listeners through our “Christmas Blessings” promotion gives them a memorable reason to feel connected locally, compassionately, and emotionally, while hearing songs they love! That’s my aim each morning; providing spiritual encouragement and hopeful stories that make people feel the goodness of God. The pure emotion of “Christmas Blessings” is like no other campaign and truly represents Christ’s compassion through the radio.  “Christmas Blessings” is my morning centerpiece, a way of fulfilling the needs of our audience, nominated by our listeners, and connecting the nominator and recipient together on the air. The stories often go viral and are the showcase of the morning show. In addition to Christmas Blessings, we keep our talk breaks concise, obvious, and profound. Along with my co-host, Pam Lundell, we share  stories that are Christ centered and inspiring,  with real life connection. This strongly creates a warm, welcoming atmosphere for new listeners to return and want more. 

Christmas naturally opens doors for generosity and service, but how do you do that without adding to the noise? 

Matt Wall – President & CEO, Carolina Christian Radio

The team at Life 90.5 in Wilmington, NC looks at the Christmas season as our time to shine the light of the gospel into our community.  We run a huge billboard campaign beginning the last week of November that attracts the eyes of the whole family during the busy start of the Christmas season. Moms, dads and grandparents are looking for the best Christmas experiences for their children and grandchildren. Life 90.5 goes 100% Christmas including Rudolph and Frosty and O Holy Night from the Bing Crosby / Nat King Cole / Elvis classics to the new CCM modern Christmas hits.  This presents such an awesome opportunity to provide these experiences for the kids and families and share the hope of the gospel between the songs to those who are lost and broken.  During this season, there is also the opportunity to invite listeners into generosity as a way to spread the hope they are experiencing.  But how do we invite without disrupting the message?  Our team has developed a unique on air fundraising calendar that has proven to enhance the experience rather than disrupt it.  The 3- week on-air fundraising calendar begins the Monday after Thanksgiving in the form of “pop-up” fundraiser hours with heart warming stories of spiritual impact mostly voiced by listeners.  There is 1 pop-up hour of fundraising per daytime daypart.  This has proven to prevent listener fatigue as well as create the right amount of urgency… “Only 1 hour to fundraise this morning / midday / evening.”  Also, this has worked so well to prevent the host fatigue that can so easily come across on the air with the traditional consecutive hours approach. 

We asked everyone the same question, “You’ve spent weeks bringing in new listeners. What is your plan for December 26? How are you turning Christmas listeners into year round listeners?”

SOCIAL & DIGITAL

Lara Dykes – Digital Content Supervisor, The Light FM (WMIT)

The Light FM’s main focus during the Christmas season is telling the Christmas story through our own Christmas memories. We retell our favorite memories and the emotion behind them! Then – the rest of the year, we do the same thing (just without the Christmas part and a little less jingle bells). We try our best to tell such authentic stories both on air and online, that folks feel nostalgic and want to keep that feeling all year. December 26 is back to regularly scheduled story telling – we just want to tell whatever Jesus story we have and invite our listeners and viewers along (and give them space to tell their stories, too).

MUSIC & PROGRAMMING

Randy Fox – Program Director, KSBJ

Throughout the Christmas season, we’ll run imaging that highlights what we offer all year: hope, encouragement, and music that’s not just Christian, but powerful, uplifting, and fun to listen to. We’ll also launch our 7 Day Challenge, encouraging those listeners to stay with us beyond Christmas and experience the difference listening to us can make. I have some great stories from people who first started listening because of the Christmas music. It is a great way to bring in those who would normally never listen.

MARKETING

Brandi Reichert – Director of Strategic Marketing, JOY FM

In January, we will kick off the new year with More JOY Everyday on JOY FM.  As listeners come back to normal schedules, they will be invited to tune in every day for a different prize package that will help bring more JOY to their days!  The contest runs for three weeks.  Each day’s giveaways are valued at over $500 and are created to help people spend more time with family and friends (or even just treat themselves) … concert tickets, packages of sports tickets, staycations, jewelry and more!  

ON–AIR

Keith Stevens – Morning Show Host, KTIS

On the morning show, I’ll share a “key word” daily during Christmas programming for “new listeners” to text!  When they do, they’ll get an opportunity to reply with their name, information and tell a little bit about why they listen and how they found us.  After Christmas, I’ll call a new listener each day, welcoming them to the station, and invite them personally to listen every morning. As a surprise and delight, not mentioned on the air, we’ll send them some welcoming swag in the mail and hope to begin a new relationship with them. I’ll select a new 

name each day throughout January.   And of course, the fabric of compelling stories, and spiritual encouragement they enjoyed in December, will continue throughout January and beyond. Consistency and authentic delivery is Key! I’m so excited to see what God will do! 

FUNDRAISING

Matt Wall – President & CEO, Carolina Christian Radio

Immediately after Christmas and into the New Year, the pivot goes to an opportunity to engage in the community impact of spreading the hope of Jesus through our Valentines from Jesus program where hundreds of listeners sign up to participate every year. They are invited to sign up for a number of Valentine balloons with a small heart shaped box of chocolates and a printed Valentines card from Jesus with John 3:16 printed on the card.  Listeners are engaged and spreading the joy and hope of Jesus on Valentines Day. The team at Life 90.5 has witnessed year after year of great momentum with this Christmas / New Years / Valentines Day cycle.

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The no. 1 tuneout is a negative, angry, or judgmental tone, with 86 percent saying they are at least somewhat likely to tune out. That’s a powerful reminder that CCM listeners expect an encouraging, uplifting listening environment.

The remaining Top 5 are remarkably practical: commercials (46%), songs you don’t like (45%), an announcer who talks too much (44%), and topics you’re not interested in (42%).

For CCM, these findings point to a simple strategy: protect the listening experience. Keep the tone positive, respect the music, make breaks concise, and make content matter. Every element should answer the listener’s unspoken question: “Why should I keep listening?”

The goal isn’t simply to avoid tuneouts—it’s to create a station experience listeners want to stay with.

The post The Top 5 Tuneouts first appeared on CMB.

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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.

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