Lee Ann Jackson “Don’t Touch My Radio”

The other day I noticed a car coaster in my local coffee shop (one of those small drink coasters designed to sit in your car’s cup holder), and it read: “Don’t touch my radio.”

It got me thinking because that line still holds a lot of truth.

Radio is personal. It’s trusted. And despite every shift in the media landscape, it still shows up in people’s lives every single day . . . enough so that people can still relate to what the coaster says.

A lot has changed in my nearly four decades in radio and yet, a lot has remained the same. From my early days in Los Angeles working with Rick Dees at KIIS-FM, he set a standard for listener connection that was well ahead of its time. He didn’t just broadcast to an audience, he built a relationship with them.

Now, imagine that connection and how much deeper it is on Christian formatted stations where the messages shared aren’t just entertaining . . . they’re life-changing, offering hope and truth that meet listeners where they are.

While digital audio options continue to expand, traditional radio still commands 61% of all ad-supported audio listening in America according to Nielsen’s 2026 Audio Today report. The opportunity for stations today is not choosing between broadcast and digital, but leveraging social media to extend the trust, companionship, and community radio already creates on-air.

But how people find and engage with that connection is shifting.

Stations seeing the most impact today aren’t just broadcasting well . . . they’re thinking beyond the mic to include social and digital strategies.

Here are three quick and simple ways your station can start tapping into social and digital to connect with listeners before and beyond the airwaves:

1. Use social media as a second microphone

Some of the strongest community building today happens after the microphone turns off.

Continue conversations online by inviting listener stories, prayer requests, testimonies, or reactions to topics discussed on-air. Ask follow-up questions in Instagram Stories or Facebook posts. Create opportunities for listeners to feel heard, not just reached.

2. Make moments matter

Repurpose powerful on-air segments into short, shareable videos to post on your Facebook and/or Instagram page. Start with taking your iPhone into the studio and recording the host, pan the studio, and zoom back to the host while he or she is interacting with a listener in real time or reading an email or post comment from one.

Don’t overproduce though. Grab 30–45 seconds, upload it as a reel to Instagram, and use the platform’s built-in editing tools to shape the content.

3. Don’t overlook the DMs (Direct Messages)

Instead of letting engagement end in the comments, stations can:

• DM listeners who consistently engage:
  “Hey, we’ve noticed you’re always part of the conversation . . . what kind of content would you like to hear more of?”
• Follow up after a big topic or testimony:
  “Thank you for sharing your story in the comments . . . would you be open to us praying for you or continuing the conversation offline?”

When that radio relationship is extended intentionally across social and digital platforms, it doesn’t dilute the medium . . . it multiplies its impact.

And maybe that’s why something as simple as a car coaster in a coffee shop caught my attention.

In a world of endless choices and constant noise, “Don’t touch my radio” isn’t just a nostalgic phrase, it’s a reminder that when radio earns trust, relevance, and daily connection, people don’t just listen . . . they stay.

Lee Ann Jackson is a seasoned marketing professional with nearly 35 years of experience at Ambassador, a leading media agency serving faith-based organizations. Throughout her tenure, she has represented nationally recognized non-profit organizations including the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Focus on the Family and Joni and Friends.  

In her current role as Senior Media Strategist and Social Media Manager, Lee Ann develops and executes integrated media strategies – combining the reach of radio with the power of social media to amplify messages that matter. An early adopter on the podcasting scene, she’s also led the way for the agency’s widening expertise in this field.

A fluent Spanish speaker, Lee Ann holds a B.A. in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations from UCLA. To further deepen Ambassador’s engagement in the digital arena, Lee Ann earned a Mini-MBA in Social Media Marketing from Rutgers Business School.

Lee Ann is also a international speaker and trainer, leading workshops on effective digital engagement and social media strategy for Media Alliance International at global conferences in Ukraine, Egypt, Iceland and in Albania.

Based in Los Angeles, she is the proud mother of three adult children – all educators – and recently became a first-time grandmother.