1. Tell us about
your market and how it is unique?
We serve 4 different
markets – our home base is Montgomery, which is a
classic Southern city that has some wonderful
progressive elements. As the state capital, there are
numerous legislative efforts that we find here, which
are incorporated into our programming. We serve a
large portion of Alabama, as well as a good part of
the Florida Panhandle from our Dothan and Andalusia,
AL stations, plus we have a translator in Eufaula. The
Christian community in this region is strong and
active, and we intentionally seek to build strong
relationships with the churches in our listening
areas. We have a sizable military presence in our
region, with Maxwell Air Force Base, which attracts so
many officers in the Air Force, and with Fort Rucker,
which is a strategic post in Army aviation, and we
want to orient military personnel that they can take
Faith Radio with them all over the world through our
Internet stream.
2. What is the
most fulfilling aspect to you personally about
Christian radio?
There is nothing that
compares to the unique ability that I have as a
Christian broadcaster to serve Him. I am thrilled that
lives are influenced for Christ as a result of our
efforts, and that Christian radio can actually be a
part of the fabric of someone’s life.
3. Here is your
chance to testify on behalf of your station...How
has God used Faith Radio?
God has used Faith
Radio not only to inspire and challenge listeners
through the teaching programming that we air, but also
to create an atmosphere for worship for our listeners
with our music. We consistently hear testimonies of
how a word spoken or a song played has impacted
someone’s life. We are seeing the Christian community
around our area galvenized as a result of our effort
to build unity among believers.
4. What is the
criteria that determines if a song receives airplay on
your station?
Well, first of all, I
have to like it...NO, not really. Our emphasis is on
Praise and Worship. Songs played on Faith Radio need
to be not only musically superior and stylistically
compatible with an Inspo or A/C type of sound, but the
majority of our songs are selected on whether or not
they contribute to helping lead a person into worship.
We place a priority on songs that are either directly
vertical, or that have a strong emphasis on the
attributes of God or the presence of God. We attempt
to create a certain “sound”, a distinctive atmosphere
of worship with our music.
5. What kind of
promotions work best for your station?
We are very oriented
toward personal appearances. We have a Ministry
Relations Director who speaks on the average of
several times a month in area churches. We are visible
at area concerts and special events, and are committed
to creating an overall awareness for our stations.
On-location broadcasts give us that unique opportunity
to connect with listeners personally, as well.
6. How do you
think Christian Record labels can better serve
Christian radio?
I think database
management is a key – I know that labels service
literally thousands of stations, but it seems that I
have had to call one too many label people in order to
get service renewed. I report to the Worship chart of
CMW, and thats the only publication to which I report,
so I may not be receiving the level of service that
others may receive, however, I feel that my listening
audience is significant.
7. In your
opinion what are the biggest obstacles facing
Christian radio today?
We are facing so many
issues as an industry, and I think we’re making a
gallant effort to address them. Increased competition
makes us sharper, hopefully, as far as our on-air
sound and our dedication to ministry. Of course,
revenue plays a part in our operations, and as a
listener-supported, non-commercial station, we must
continue to build relationships with those who listen
to us.
I think complacency
can creep in if we’re not careful, and as a result, we
cease to constantly ask the questions that will enable
us to be better at what we do. We must never cease to
be creative and consistently seek the Lord for new
ideas for ministry.
8. What do you