From: meo@pencom.com (Jaime Retief, IV)
Newsgroups: rec.music.christian
Subject: Re: CCM on college radio.
Date: 22 Jul 92 06:10:44 GMT
Organization: Roadkills-R-Us


1) Work out or otherwise determine the rules ahead
of time, and stick to them.  An excellent program
on an Atlanta college station got canned because
the DJ started occasionally reading from the Bible
or praying on the air.  It was supposed to be
strictly music, interviews (the interviewee could
do those things, in context), concert announcements,
and the like.  Contests were also cool, as was some
DJ banter (just not too much, and not too Christian
8^) 8^(.  The rules had been unofficially relaxed,
but a new manager came in, and saw it as the DJ
ignoring the rules (and being hypocritical).

2) Don't mix and match too much.  Playing Sandi
Patti, Rez, Don Francisco, Torniquet, Amy Grant
and the Lead, in that order, will probably
alienate more people than it will attract.  I
worked at a college station that did this with
their fulltime programming (non-Christian), and
they were almost universally hated, or at best,
ignored.  When I'm desperate,  I'll put up with
this sort of programming, but only when radio
is the ONLY medium available, and even then I
can't tolerate it for long.  This seems pretty
common.

You can always divide a show into segments -
say, 20 minutes of punk, 20 of metal, and 20
of CCM.  If you do this, try to stick to a
schedule, so the moshers don't get Amy, and
her fans don't get White Cross.

3) Don't try to compete with the other Christian
stations and shows (if any) in the area if you
can help it (unless they are truly terrible).
First, why not go for the listeners not being
reached elsewhere?  Second, you may want them
as friends some day, instead of competitors.

4) Contests are a GOOD idea.  Talk to the local
bookstores to find out who the concert promoters
in the area are, and you can get freebies to
give away (nevermind passes for you!)  This DO
get listeners!

5) Even non-comercial stations are allowed
non-commercial grants.  You may be able to get
a local bookstore or record store to give you
a certain allowance per month in CDs.

6) Track down the music distributors and check
with the labels.  Even college stations can often
get free music, especially for newer groups, and
from smaller labels seeking exposure (but don't
write off the biggies without checking with
them).

7) Without yapping too much, give out info.
Get known as THE source for concert info,
new release announcements, etc.

8) Respond to your listeners.  A local station
annoyed me, so I wrote them (after they never
returned my calls).  Several weeks later, they
still haven't responded.  I've given up on them
(including dropping my pledge, which I warned
them I would do if they didn't contact me).

9) Pray.  Prepare for attack.  You'll either be
harassed, or put on a pedastel (probably both).
A committed brother or sister (or better, several)
you can talk things over and pray with is pretty
much an essential (if your locale is completely
devoid of such, here we are!)

I've probably forgotten something, but it's
late, I'm tired, and everyone reading this probably
is, too!

-Miles
meo@pencom.com