Salem Radio Network
Encyclopedia
Salem Radio Network is a United States-based radio network
that specializes in syndicated Christian talk, music, and secular news/talk programming. It is a division of Salem Communications
.
s: Christian talk
and teaching (transmitted on AM in some areas and on FM in others), Contemporary Christian music
(transmitted mostly on FM stations), conservative News/Talk
format (transmitted on AM stations), and Christian Teaching (transmitted on AM stations).
Contemporary Christian Music is transmitted full-time on most stations, but in areas where Salem has a limited number of stations it is transmitted only part-time in morning and afternoon drive times on weekdays and weekend afternoons. Where Salem only has one FM station (WAVA
in Washington, DC and WORD-FM
in Pittsburgh
), CCM is transmitted on weekends, with talk and teaching on weekdays. Most CCM stations play music full-time and do not sell blocks of time to religious organizations except sometimes on Sunday mornings.
Christian Talk, comprising talk shows where listeners call in and participate in the show, is transmitted during weekdays in some areas, and only in drive times in others. The rest of the day is filled with blocks of time ranging from a few minutes to an hour sold to churches and Christian organizations.
Conservative Talk transmits full-time on a commercial basis. These stations only sell advertisement time, not blocks of time like Christian Talk counterparts. Some of these stations have religious programs on Sunday mornings.
The teaching format relies on selling blocks of time to organizations full-time. These stations offer diverse religious features such as church services, political and religious interview features, Christian family life programs, and children's shows. Music (exclusively Christian) is only transmitted by a few of these stations at times during the weekend.
in Minneapolis-St. Paul, carry some of the programming.
The satellite feed for Salem's general market programming can be heard on the CRN Digital Talk Radio Networks, on CRN3.
sub channels and/or as alternate or permanent programming on some major stations in the midst of either a format change or is having technical issues. Affiliates could operate their stations virtually unmanned, with nothing more than a computer
and a satellite hookup offering major market talent that some Christian radio stations with small budgets could not afford.
Unlike ABC/Citadel Media and other major radio networks, SRN's "affiliate hour clock" does not include a newscasting
option. However, holes for local spots are provided. SRN's 24-hour-music formats include:
= Available through terrestrial radio
affiliates.
= Available only on satellite radio
.
Radio network
There are two types of radio networks currently in use around the world: the one-to-many broadcast type commonly used for public information and mass media entertainment; and the two-way type used more commonly for public safety and public services such as police, fire, taxicabs, and delivery...
that specializes in syndicated Christian talk, music, and secular news/talk programming. It is a division of Salem Communications
Salem Communications
Salem Communications is a U.S. radio broadcaster, Internet content provider, and magazine and book publisher specializing in evangelical Christian and conservative political talk radio. It owns 99 commercial radio stations, 65 of which are in the top 25 markets. Salem is the fifth largest U.S....
.
Network information
Salem operates mostly four radio formatRadio format
A radio format or programming format not to be confused with broadcast programming describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. Radio formats are frequently employed as a marketing tool, and constantly evolve...
s: Christian talk
Christian radio
Christian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering...
and teaching (transmitted on AM in some areas and on FM in others), Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
(transmitted mostly on FM stations), conservative News/Talk
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
format (transmitted on AM stations), and Christian Teaching (transmitted on AM stations).
Contemporary Christian Music is transmitted full-time on most stations, but in areas where Salem has a limited number of stations it is transmitted only part-time in morning and afternoon drive times on weekdays and weekend afternoons. Where Salem only has one FM station (WAVA
WAVA
WAVA and WAVA-FM are Religious formatted broadcast radio stations. Both stations are licensed to Arlington, Virginia and serve the Washington, D.C. Metro Area. Both WAVA and WAVA-FM, as well as sister station WWRC, are owned and operated by Salem Communications.-External links:*...
in Washington, DC and WORD-FM
WORD-FM
WORD-FM is a Christian talk radio station based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Owned by Salem Communications, the station broadcasts on 101.5 MHz, with an ERP of 48 kW. Its transmitter is located in Reserve Township, Pennsylvania.- History :...
in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
), CCM is transmitted on weekends, with talk and teaching on weekdays. Most CCM stations play music full-time and do not sell blocks of time to religious organizations except sometimes on Sunday mornings.
Christian Talk, comprising talk shows where listeners call in and participate in the show, is transmitted during weekdays in some areas, and only in drive times in others. The rest of the day is filled with blocks of time ranging from a few minutes to an hour sold to churches and Christian organizations.
Conservative Talk transmits full-time on a commercial basis. These stations only sell advertisement time, not blocks of time like Christian Talk counterparts. Some of these stations have religious programs on Sunday mornings.
The teaching format relies on selling blocks of time to organizations full-time. These stations offer diverse religious features such as church services, political and religious interview features, Christian family life programs, and children's shows. Music (exclusively Christian) is only transmitted by a few of these stations at times during the weekend.
Programming
The company's Salem Radio Network subsidiary produces several talk radio shows and a 24-hour news service that are distributed to more than 2,000 radio affiliates around the country.Christian programs
Salem's Christian talk programming is primarily aimed at Christian stations, although a few secular talk stations, such as Salem-owned KYCRKYCR
KYCR is a radio station serving the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area, and licensed to Golden Valley, Minnesota. The station is owned by Salem Communications and broadcasts a secular talk radio format...
in Minneapolis-St. Paul, carry some of the programming.
- Janet Mefferd (M-F, 2-5p ET)
- Cal ThomasCal ThomasJohn Calvin "Cal" Thomas is an American conservative syndicated columnist, pundit, author and radio commentator.-Life and career:...
(shortform commentary)
General Market (secular) programs
- Bill BennettWilliam BennettWilliam John "Bill" Bennett is an American conservative pundit, politician, and political theorist. He served as United States Secretary of Education from 1985 to 1988. He also held the post of Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy under George H. W...
— 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. ETEastern Time ZoneThe Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time... - Mike GallagherMike GallagherMike Gallagheris an American radio host and conservative political commentator. He is the host of The Mike Gallagher Show, a nationally-syndicated radio program that airs throughout the United States on Salem Radio Network and is also a FOX News Channel Contributor and guest host...
— 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET - Dennis PragerDennis PragerDennis Prager is an American syndicated radio talk show host, syndicated columnist, author, and public speaker. He is noted for his conservative political and social views emanating from conservative Judeo-Christian values. He holds that there is an "American Trinity" of essential principles,...
— 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET - Michael MedvedMichael MedvedMichael Medved is an American radio host, author, political commentator and film critic. His Seattle, Washington-based nationally syndicated talk show, The Michael Medved Show, airs throughout the U.S...
— 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET - Hugh HewittHugh HewittHugh Hewitt is an American radio talk show host with the Salem Radio Network, lawyer, academic, and author. An outspoken Republican, evangelical Christian, he comments on society, politics, and media bias in the United States. Hewitt is also a law professor at Chapman University School of Law.-...
— 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET
- Townhall.comTownhall.comTownhall.com is a web-based publication primarily dedicated to conservative United States politics. It was previously operated by the Heritage Foundation, but is now owned and operated by Salem Communications...
Weekend Journal, weekends, 1 hour - Bill Gaither's Homecoming, weekends, 1 hour
- Steve Brown Etc., weekends, 1 hour
- The Dirt Doctor with Howard GarrettHoward GarrettHoward Garrett, known as "the Dirt Doctor" is a controversial radio talk show host and a leader of the Organic movement. He is a landscape architect, health activist, arborist, newspaper columnist and organic activist living in Dallas, Texas. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Park...
, weekends - Armed American Radio with Mark Walters, weekends
The satellite feed for Salem's general market programming can be heard on the CRN Digital Talk Radio Networks, on CRN3.
Satellite formats
SRN also operates a satellite format program. To this day, the division known as "Salem Music Network" operates three satellite-driven networks. These feeds are mostly for stations in small and mid-size markets, however; they could also be used on some HD RadioHD Radio
HD Radio, which originally stood for "Hybrid Digital", is the trademark for iBiquity's in-band on-channel digital radio technology used by AM and FM radio stations to transmit audio and data via a digital signal in conjunction with their analog signals...
sub channels and/or as alternate or permanent programming on some major stations in the midst of either a format change or is having technical issues. Affiliates could operate their stations virtually unmanned, with nothing more than a computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
and a satellite hookup offering major market talent that some Christian radio stations with small budgets could not afford.
Unlike ABC/Citadel Media and other major radio networks, SRN's "affiliate hour clock" does not include a newscasting
News broadcasting
News broadcasting is the broadcasting of various news events and other information via television, radio or internet in the field of broadcast journalism. The content is usually either produced locally in a radio studio or television studio newsroom, or by a broadcast network...
option. However, holes for local spots are provided. SRN's 24-hour-music formats include:
| Network | Format | |
| |
Solid Gospel Solid Gospel Solid Gospel is a radio format programmed and produced by Salem Radio Networks. It targets the 25-54 adult Christian listener demographic. This radio format has a carefully selected mix of Southern Gospel music from artists such as The Blackwood Brothers, Gold City, Kurt Young, The Oak Ridge Boys,... |
Gospel Music Gospel music Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music.... |
| |
The Word In Praise The Word In Praise The Word In Praise is a radio format programmed and produced by Salem Radio Networks. It targets the 35-54 adult Christian listener demographic. This radio format has a blend of Soft Christian Contemporary music from artists such as Amy Grant, Steven Curtis Chapman, MercyMe, Michael W. Smith,... |
Traditional Worship Music Worship Music Worship Music is the tenth studio album by American heavy metal band Anthrax. It is their first album of original material since 2003's We've Come for You All and the first to feature original singer Joey Belladonna since 1990's Persistence of Time... |
| |
Today's Christian Music Today's Christian Music Today's Christian Music is a radio format programmed and produced by Salem Radio Networks. It targets the 25-54 adult Christian listener demographic. Today's Christian Music has a blend of Contemporary Christian music from artists such as Amy Grant, Steven Curtis Chapman, MercyMe, Delirious?,etc.... |
Contemporary Christian Contemporary Christian music Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith... |
Other network holdings
| Network | Format | Additional Notes | |
| |
FamilyTalk FamilyTalk Family Talk is a Christian focused talk radio channel on the SIRIUS XM Radio service Sirius channel 161 and XM channel 131 . It replaced FamilyNet Radio's SIRIUS XM feed on November 30, 2010. It was added to XM Radio Canada on April 1, 2007... |
Christian Christian radio Christian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering... Talk Talk radio Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live... |
Only on XM Satellite Radio XM Satellite Radio XM Satellite Radio is one of two satellite radio services in the United States and Canada, operated by Sirius XM Radio. It provides pay-for-service radio, analogous to cable television. Its service includes 73 different music channels, 39 news, sports, talk and entertainment channels, 21 regional... |
= Available through terrestrial radioRadio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
affiliates.
= Available only on satellite radioSatellite radio
Satellite radio is an analogue or digital radio signal that is relayed through one or more satellites and thus can be received in a much wider geographical area than terrestrial FM radio stations...
.
External links
- Salem Radio Network — Official site