CHRISTIAN RADIO LOWERS EXPECTATIONS
Half of WAY-FM's West Palm Beach morning show comes clean with his take on the purpose of Christian radio and some spanking words for it's critics. My tan friend Brant Hansen writes the following:
"I work at this radio station that plays CCM. We play "positive and encouraging" music. This turns off some of my more reflective friends (more than a dozen who read this thing, muchas smoochas...) when they hear this phrase. I love my friends. But honestly: What do you expect? Spurgeon? Aquinas?"
Read the rest of the Brant rant here. And then discuss amongst yourselves while I formulate a "positive and encouraging" response of my own.
Got thoughts? Post a comment below or discuss on my message-board.
"I work at this radio station that plays CCM. We play "positive and encouraging" music. This turns off some of my more reflective friends (more than a dozen who read this thing, muchas smoochas...) when they hear this phrase. I love my friends. But honestly: What do you expect? Spurgeon? Aquinas?"
Read the rest of the Brant rant here. And then discuss amongst yourselves while I formulate a "positive and encouraging" response of my own.
Got thoughts? Post a comment below or discuss on my message-board.
posted by Shaun Groves @ 8/12/2005
25 comments
25 Comments:
As a fellow WAY employee (though not in West Palm Beach), I agree and I disagree with Brant's statement. I agree that Christian Radio, at least not in our mission, does not necessarily have to be deep theologically nor does it require us to be more than positive and upbeat at times - especially where we're more of a seed-sowing ministry than a harvesting ministry. However, I'd like to suggest that not all the music on WAY-FM is truly positive and upbeat (although I'd argue that you can get encouragement from most of the songs).
Recently, we've played songs that sing "I Can't Do This", another song that sings about cursing God - granted that one ends on a positive note that God loves us just the same, but still, cursing God is not the most positve thing in the world. These are just the first 2 examples that pop in my head at the moment, and there are others. Oh, and there is this one song on the station that sings "Bless the Lord" ;0). Okay, so that one is positive, upbeat, and encouraging, sung by some weirdly theological guy... However, on the same note, if a song from White Flag was released that wasn't as positive or upbeat, I wouldn't be surprised if it got added - as long as the sound of the song tested well.
Oh, and I just heard a song from Casting Crowns on. Here's a group that many of their songs have been more of a challenge for the church (If We Are The Body). This isn't just light fare. Yes, we have light fare on too, I'm not denying that, but sometimes in life a light, encouraging song is what you need (and we have plenty of people who are touched by these so called "light" songs every day - as is shown by the number of emails we receive).
Anyway, I'm definitely starting to ramble now, so I'll stop without summing up my thoughts, because it's too early at the moment and I'm not sure where I'm going with this. Maybe later I'll actually come up with a good ending to my comment here and post a final thought...
Hmmm... My comment on Brant's blog about this (it was short and funny) is mysteriously gone. It did involve the words "spank" and "It's your turn. Bend over." Maybe that wasn't encouraging and positive enough.
Or maybe it was an act of God or of good taste.
SG
Way Employee (Steve, is that you?),
I agree that WAY-FM doesn't just play positive music - by one definition anyway. I was actually pretty shocked by Brant's post because of this.
What I've been told by pretty high ups at WAY-FM and other major networks is that the phrases "upbeat and positive" "always encouraging" and all their variations are just marketing tools. In other words, lies.
Based on your comments here is it fait to assume you think the same way? Teach us oh wise employee of the WAY.
SG
Ya know, the Christian radio stations don't have to be deep and theological; I think the 30 minute shows that most of them play is good enough to help someone or encourage them. Besides, they always give a number at the end if you ever want to know more. That's deep enough along with some of the songs I hear; they can be pretty deep and encouraging sometimes too(even if I hear 30 zillion times a day).
Of course, like way employee said, not all of the songs give you what you MIGHT be looking for, but they've all got a message of their own, which is just the same(to me, anyway).
I'd like to know who ever told Brant or anyone else in Christian radio that hey needed to be DEEP theologically. Seriously. Not rhetorical or sarcastic. Who is saying that?
DEEP is relative and my definition of it doesn't fit within the limitations of verses and choruses. Though relative to FFH I've been called deep. Ouch. Sorry FFH. (btw, I'd like to buy a vowel.)
IDOLATRY, PROFANITY, BLASPHEMY, GLORY, GREED, MISREPRESENTATION and other big scary words are greater concerns to me. Concerns I have about myself and church and "Christian" stuff in general. (I'll elaborate soon on the main page.) But who is really expecting DEEP from CCM radio? And what do they mean by that?
Anyone?
And can we get an official WAY-FM definition for positive and encouraging? Does Bob have anything on that in one of his "Core Values" PSAa? Seriously. What definition are you guys programming by or is it really just a lie/marketing tool as one of your peeps has said?
Eager to learn,
SG
Shaun --
I don't know what happened to your comment on my blog -- I never saw it. That's what I get with xanga, I guess.
Please re-post, especially if you included the word "spank". I'm all for censorship and stuff, don't get me wrong. I just didn't do it.
(Please note, by the way, that I wrote that "encouraging" really can mean, not just happy-talk, but a needed kick in the spiritual rear. I therefore think playing "positive and encouraging music" is just fine.)
You're right, it probably is a rant, now that I re-read it. "Rant" is my first name. Almost. Kinda.
Brant
A quick note, now that I see your comment above mine:
You're right: Exactly no one says, whom I know, "I want your station to be more theologically profound."
But exactly 1 (one) huge bunch of people I know bemoan the lack of lyrical depth on CCM radio. That it's "fluff" is just a given to many. This is not representative of the general public, which has no position on all of this.
And that's just the music. I could make a very tiresome list of expectations that people fault their radio station for not reaching; expectations that really belong squarely in front of their local church, and in front of their own feet.
I am glad you don't expect us to be deep. But to field your request for depth on the operational philosophy lurking behind "positive and encouraging", I fear I'm of little help. I simply don't know if there is, on paper, a fuller explanation or philosophy of what this means.
It is a "lie/marketing tool"?
It seems like a pretty dang apt description of the music, to me.
Like that of Shaun Groves, who encourages us to surrender our egos to a God worthy of our love and fear. A very positive thing, indeed.
I'm really not sure -- honestly --why "positive and upbeat" or "encouraging" or whatever would be objectionable. The message of the Kingdom is convicting and unsettling and disturbing and -- ultimately -- positive and encouraging, no?
"Good news", even. The news still ticks people off, and it's a perfectly honest, non-marketing gimmick to say it's just real good news.
By the way, the comments from others are so interesting, and I, too, have much to learn and think about. So thanks for the interplay on this...can't think of a better place. Thank you.
Brant
First I'd like to say the waterdown artist/theology that pianoman mentioned sickens me. It's not that I believe that you should be looking to Christian radio as your only encounter with Jesus but it seems to me that almost a universal approach is being used to enlarge audiences.
A couple of observations I've noticed lately about Christian radio and their announcers, some station but not all is they almost totally omit any reference to Jesus or Churches or their spiritual walk. I wonder if this too is intentional. Listen for this and you will see. I fear we may be watering dumbing down at the expense of the true message just to be popular.
The other observation is that unless you "waterdown" the lyrics and turn up the "rock" riffs, Christian Radio won't play you. Great singer/songwriters are being left by the wayside for less talented and often less committed CCM artist only because they fit the mold. Pity.
Is Christian radio making disciples?
Probably not. Nor should it have to. It's not their responsiblity. It's the responsibility of the local church to build up disciples and take believers to a place of spiritual maturity. Which is where we've gone wrong. Very few churches are doing this...large or small.
Radio has become the convenient babysitter for most churches. People turn to CCM to be "fed," when in all actuality, this should take place in the Church.
"In the absence of water, people will drink the sand." From the movie, "The American President"
Hmmm... I'll try to see if I can do WAY-FM justice here without getting myself in trouble...
Let's see, I've never seen an official definition of the words positive and upbeat. I'll leave the encouraging part off, because in my ramblings early this morning, I believe I mentioned that the encouragement is self-evident. Even in songs that don't paint as pretty of a picture, I think there is still some encouragement there.
But for the positive and upbeat - Well, the upbeat is kinda ubiquitous (okay, give me a star - I finally have used that word in a sentence!). You could argue we're just saying the music itself is upbeat. And overall that is true - especially if you compare us to, lets say, an inspo station. So, okay, we're upbeat. If you're looking for defining upbeat as being uplifting, then that falls in the same category as I put encouraging - even the songs that aren't as happy, they can still uplift in some way. (Am I digging myself a hole here?)
Now positive, there's the rub. I'd say the vast majority of songs are positive, and WAY-FM truly tries to put forth a positive message (as in, we're a positive alternative to mainstream stations - and in that sense, I'd definitely say that we ARE positive). However, if you are going on a song by song basis, I wouldn't call all of our songs completely positive. I wouldn't exactly call those same songs negative, there are more of straddling a fine line, reflecting life.
Even though I hold those opinions, I've never considered saying that it is just a marketing tool and really lies. And really, as I think about it, I still don't think I'd call it a lie Most WAY-FM staff members, if asked, would say that all of our songs are positive (but then again, I also don't think most of them really disect all the songs we play, but that's another story entirely). Now, I know that doesn't make it true, but when it comes down to it, it's true the majority of the time and the station itself IS positive.
As far as being a marketing tool, I wouldn't say it is just a marketing tool. It definitely is one, but you have to market the station in some manner. However, I think (and this is my opinion), that it's just as much to encourage people in their lives, to give them a positive influence and the such. I know that is the heart behind most of us that work at WAY-FM, and really the heart behind the statement.
(anyone else notice that I'm really wordy? My wife gets on me alllllll the time for that)
Of course, this brings up an interesting question,is it good to make it look like the Christian life is all positive, upbeat, and encouraging? Does it just encourage fakeness in people's lives? I don't have a good answer for that one. Christian radio isn't the only ones who do that - Christian's in general in America tend to do that. I've always found that Christians in general tend to encourage people to be fake and to put on masks. We don't like showing our ugly warts, we don't want people to think that we're not good Christians - and I think Christian radio in general doesn't do a lot to dispel that notion. Is it bad that Christian radio just shows the rosy side? I don't know. What I do think is that it's bad for Christians themselves to pretent to be perfect all the time - but now I'm getting into another topic entirely.
Looking forward to your take on the situation. I'd say you're definitely one of the deep thinkers of Christian music and I love reading your thoughts on your blog!
I agree Adam. I don't expect my CCm stations in Nashville to build disciples, something that takes personal relationship and methodical instruction and time and modeling and serving alongside and and and...
Radio stations beam 3 minute pop songs through the airwaves to this little box in my car. Not the best conduits of discipleship.
But the question then becomes why do they exist? What DO they do well? And beyond that, why does so-called Christian music exist and the industry that surrounds it? And then, why do Christians who make music have to make what other Christians call Christian music, what other Christians (only 3% of them anyway) want to buy? Good hard questions we should ask each other more often I think.
Got answers?
SG
WAY-FM I believe defines their mantra "ALWAYS positive and encouraging" with a spot I hear regularly. "Just because your life is up and down doesn't mean your music has to be."
That's a definition isn't it? Encouraging and positive is "without the hard parts and low moments." Would WAY employee and brant agree? And if so, is that something Christians should aspire to? A life without lows and hard stuff? Or a conversation with anyone that beforehand has been limited to only that which is not hard or low? That's a restricted conversation isn't it? Censorship of God is what that is.
Sure you aren't charged with making disciples but you're also not to limit the image of God only to that which is not like real life. Agreed?
SG
Shaun,
Oh yeah, I agree. It kinda goes back to my little bunny trail at the end. Christians spend too much time trying to make it look like they aren't having a life of ups and downs instead of admitting to others that sometimes life isn't that easy (which is why I love the new Todd Agnew song we're playing that has the line that says that basically says sometimes he curses God - we all feel like that sometimes! And you know what - I don't think it's wrong - although I've heard people complain about that very song because it says "when I curse you" because we should never curse God. Sorry, but sometimes life isn't all great)
Life without the low and hard parts is no life at all... So yeah, I'd have to agree with you on that.
On the same note, one thought I has as I was about to publish my comment, is that it is good to be able to be encouraged when we are in those low moments, and we are good for that. I do, personally speaking, think we (not just WAY, but Christian radio everywhere) need to be a bit more careful on how we word some of those little promos. =0)
Hey Shaun,
This comment doesn't really relate to this whole discussion, but yea, I don't relaly know where else to put it.
I was just reading your lyrics to the "What's wrong with this world" song. The question I had was ... are those lyrics from the perspective of the 'sinner' (not born again) or are they from the perspective of the believer (maybe lamenting about the flesh)? Is that song aimed at the church, or at the world?
I guess I would really love some more background behind how you interpret that verse. :)
Hey, if you have time ... I know you're busy starting radio revolutions and stuff (which I'm very much for, btw).
Thanks,
Yuri
you can email me if you wish to take this discussion of here: ynosenko@ucla.edu. Thanks.
Yuri, you can read about all the songs on WHITE FLAG and what they mean at shaungroves.com. The record is a progression, steps I guess, from no relationship with God (What's Wrong) to following God (Tracks 4-12). It's based on Matthew 5:1-12. Thanks for asking. If you have further questions or just want to talk about the music or life you can reach me at shaungrovesfanmail@charter.net.
-SG
I feel the need at this point to say, "HOLY COW! RADIO GUYS ARE TALKING TO LOW LIFE ARTIST FOLK ABOUT THIS STUFF!"
It's amazing that so many from WAY-FM are open and honest about discussing what they do and why and how. I beg and pray for this kind of interaction because our industry, especially here in Nashville, is so poisoned by resentment and anger that is fertilized by no communication, assumptions, guarded business secrets, stereo-types etc. I've long said that I'll still be less than thrilled if a radio station doesn't play my song but I'll be more supportive and thrilled for the station in general if I understand why they do what they do and what it is they're trying to accomplish.
I don't do share-a-thon calls or radio liners for stations that can't articulate to me what their goal is. And if their goal isn't something I support I diplomatically bow out of the interview before we go live and explain that I can't help promote what I don't believe in.
I do believe in what WAY-FM does and have long said it's the best station in the country - even when my songs weren't being played there. My support of WAY-FM is based on the quality of what they do and not on what they do for me. They are at the top of the industry. And I've dealt with most CCM stations and heard many of them. WAY-FM is the best we have. But it's good to know that even the best are willing to stoop down and interact with listeners like me and constantly strive to be better.
Thanks guys for taking the time. Hope you don't get in trouble for it. ; )
SG
As I was on the road today, I had one last thought on this subject, somewhat related to my last thought in my previous post.
I know at WAY-FM we put a lot of emphasis on the encouraging aspect (as I've talked to death earlier), but you know, that's not that bad of a thing. The bible does talk about encouraging one another (building each other up), and I think one of the largest parts of WAY-FM's ministry is the encouragement aspect. Even the one example that Shaun mentioned with the "Just because your life is up and down doesn't mean your music has to be" points to us trying to encourage people in those down times. I know that many of the DJ's on WAY-FM (both the network and local) will be often open and honest (to an extent anyway) about rough times in their lives and do not always paint the picture that everything is always okay - although they'll usually point to God getting them through. So as I was thinking about it, I don't think we're necessarily creating a culture of people who don't have the down times - we're trying to help encourage people along when they are in those times. I still think we have to be careful to not make it sound like it's always good (because it can be easy to do), but I do think that's a big part of what we do.
Make sense? Just one more thought in all of this.
Oh, and thanks for the great words about WAY-FM Shaun - it's why I love working there. We try to do radio right (and ministry right) and while we don't always get it right - it is always our goal to do the best that we can do!
I pastor a church in Central Illinois. Someone had commented to me they didn't want me to speak a certain way because they hear that in the world and they go to church to be encouraged. In response, I commented that this is not a family-friendly church. We would have to use something other than the Bible if it were family friendly. Dealing with sin is not family friendly.
What should we expect out of Christian radio? It seems fairly entrenched in the idea that Christians should mostly be happy. There isn't much DEEP radio out there (secular or Christian).
I have to believe I'm in the minority hoping for something deeper. Most people are looking for something simpler, easier, and more powerful.
Lane, I understand where you're coming from I think. But I think you are also selling something short. Discipleship. It's a word we throw around but isn't something many of us really understand. Radio can play a role in discipleship, but a local church really is the leader in this undertaking - though few spend as much time on it as getting "seekers" to visit or getting folks down an aisle.
Discipleship is not something that ONLY Christian radio BY ITSELF can do. I think that's the difference between saying "Christian radio is supposed to make disciples" and saying "Christian radio performs an important function in the Body of Christ by doing XYZ that CAN contribute to the work of discipleship". One sets up a radio station as a church and the other sets up a radio station to serve the Church in some way. That some way is different from station to station of course and WAY-FM seems to feel it's service is to keep Christians entertained and "encouraged" - whatever that may mean exactly. ; )
Church is a powerful word, one that Brant and I have discussed in the past. Church is a community of believers in Jesus Christ coming together to learn, go, give, pay tribute as a group and pray in such a way that God is made visible in their words and actions so that it becomes clear to those in close proximity to believers from that church that there is a God and what He is like, what He loves and what He hates. That's a church. Only a Church can disciple. "Art" (which is a made up word really) can shed light on who God is or someone's response to who He is but that is only a fraction of what discipleship is. Art needs church. As we all do to know God and make God known.
So I think you're right about what "art" can do and does do whether it's trying to or not, but what it does isn't the sum total of discipleship. Discipleship requires community that radio does not provide.
My opinion for now. Notice I used no scripture to back myself here. I'm hoping to be able to some day.
Agree or not, lane? I like your brain, man.
SG
We should probably note that the headline "Christian Radio Lowers Expectations" might be a bit misleading. I don't even represent my co-host, let alone the company or the industry.
I *should* be synonymous with the entire industry, but I'm not yet. I'm not sure what the hold-up is. Maybe they're waiting until I'm minimally competent?
Brant
Lane gets the prize for saying in few words what I've been trying to say for a long time and have failed miserably at:
"...somewhere along the way "Christian music" became disconnected from the church and more attuned to the market?"
YES! Yes, that's it. Christian "art" and radio etc is controlled by, not just attuned to, the market.
"Expectations will be governed by the market, and if it wants upbeat and positive, upbeat and positive it will be."
Yes again. You're absolutely right in my opinion, Lane. Expectations, decisions at all levels about all things are PRIMARILY driven by the market - by money. I'll back this up in a post coming soon.
My beef, and I do have one, with Christian radio and industry in general, isn't what music we make or what music we play but rather WHY we do so. What motivates us and informs our decisions is no different from what motivates and informs the pagan. That shouldn't be. If every Christian station played my favorite songs and lots of my songs I'd still have issues with the system is the WHYs behind doing so were money based.
I'm not saying money should never be a factor but is not the base or the primary or the sole motivation. And I believe right now this is the spiritual problem with Christian industry in general - with notable and inspiring exceptions.
Thanks Lane. You nailed it for me.
SG
great discussion. . you can tell when you get tons of comments that its something that 'hits a nerve'.
i feel unable to comment on Christian radio. So, i won't -- i don't even know what its like. i feel very remote from this debate. Sometimes i cringe you know? it gets to the point where i don't want to call myself a Christian. . so I don't. I say that i follow Christ. I feel like the word "Christian" has become almost tainted through overuse and cavalier thought. This is a general thought of mine, in no way intended to implicate anyone specifically. I have to THINK about what it means. . most times I don't feel worthy to take on that name. I know that he has made us all worthy by what he's done for us.
ahhh, i don't even know how to really say what's in my heart. . .
i want to cut things close to the bone, you know. . i want to live an essential life, an authentic one. . i want no space to come between me and God, nor do i want to misrepresent who he is in my every day dealings with others... Christ following - not trend following, people following. . its hard.
This has been an interesting and informatve discussion. I don't listen to the radio much anymore; instead I just listen to whatever I put in my cd player for that day, so I don't feel it would be very fair to comment on what I don't listen to.
Shaun,
As one of the 3 people who helped initiate the use of "positive, upbeat, and encouraging", it wasn't a lie, or a marketing "tool".
ALL radio stations need to be known for something. I'm not talking about in the strictly spiritual sense, but in the radio-craft sense, which we always tried to do at our best, and I believe WAY-FM still does.
We thought, instead of coming up with a catchy slogan, lets look at what our listeners say about us already. And in the surveys we had already done, and at all of our events, that phrase kept coming back, "it's positive" -- "it's upbeat" -- "I like it because it's encouraging". So, we decided if people were already saying that about us, and it was a good thing - one that we could stand behind - that was a pretty good place to go for a "slogan" (positioner as we call it in the radio world).
I'll leave the questions of should radio simply give people what they want, or should we be saying "eat your spinach" more to people and insisting on telling them what they need to others. I tend to agree with Brant that, whether you label it deep or not, many people somehow DO hope/expect that their local Christian radio station be an area-wide portable version of church, or even try to reflect all that there is about the Christian experience (it should teach AND have music AND instruct AND inform AND chastise AND offer hope AND bring us together AND do stuff for outreach in the area AND evangelize AND be cool for the youth AND not forget about minorities AND older folks, too AND men AND women AND preach AND don't talk too much AND play cool music AND don't also forget the old stuff and and and and and. To that extent, I agree with Brant, that's not how a station like WAY-FM best functions. It's part of this nutritious breakfast, not the whole thing. Others may think it's mostly the sugary part, and I guess there is a lot of that, but I happen to see the nutritious side too.
OK, the cereal metaphor got way out of hand. Sorry.
It's been a year since I left WAY-FM, but I have never seen in my time there or since anything but earnestness in being the best they can be in terms of the craft they do, and as transparent as possible in doing it for the right reasons. And I know 90% of the Christian radio program directors in America, and I can say to varying degrees, that's true of them also.
Take or leave my comments, but I had to let ya know my thoughts. Thanks for reading at least 10% of them, since I know I'm wordy.
Still hoping we can hook up sometime for non-agenda related coffee and a chat...I'm just up the road in beautiful Spring Hill, at least before you move. I know you're super busy - me too. But I hope we can.
(Hey, I typed this on my new Mac. That's got to be worth some kind of response. :-) )
Doug Hannah
Former National PD and morning guy
Now self-employed so-called radio consultant
WAY-FM Media Group Stations
There is no question in my mind that the folks who work in Christian Radio are dedicated to what they do, and believe they are furthering the Kingdom. They seem like nice folks who genuinely believe they are following God's Will. Unfortunately, as with all of us, there is the very real possibility that they are wrong.
Mainstream Christianity has become closely aligned with the business class in this culture. In fact, in recent years many Christians have accepted the notion that the marketplace is an actual reflection of Christ's Will. Others have repeatedly claimed that American (ie: Republican) Values are a reflection of Christ's Will. This cozy rationalization of efficiency and profiteering is what drives format studies and focus groups that spawn ideas like "positive and encouraging".
Christian Radio is just a symptom of this problem, but when folks in radio start throwing their hands up and saying "whoa, we're not responsible for ..." it is quite telling.
Whatever we do we are to do it for and with Christ. There are no exceptions, no rationalizations allowed. If we are in business we need to treat our business as a reflection of Christ, not a reflection of market principles. If we can't do that, we need to do something else.
If we are in radio, our radio needs to be a reflection of Christ's Will for the station, not a reflection of what the people "want" to hear. I have yet to hear anyone claim that the programming at WAY-FM, or any other station, is a reflection of Christ's will for the station. Am I missing it, or is it not there?
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