1. Tell us about your market and how it is unique?
Our 7-frequency network spans approximately 17
counties in Central Pennsylvania with our largest single
market being
Williamsport,
PA (home of
the Little League World Series). Our area, is located
just north of the home of the Creation Music Festival in
Mount Union,
PA, and is
fairly conservative including many smaller-sized
tight-knit communities. From a radio standpoint, the
first thing you notice are all the hills! The
Central Pennsylvania
landscape sure makes radio signals unpredictable.
2. What is the most fulfilling aspect to you
personally about Christian radio?
Having come to radio ministry from the commercial
radio world I have been thrilled to develop many
relationships with listeners. To hear about the way God
uses radio in the lives of His people is truly
amazing! God has a way of using listener testimonies to
keep me centered on my love for Him and my love for
radio.
I have also spiritually grown a great deal by sharing
the hosting duties of WGRC’s “The Matter At Hand”
hour-long daily talk program. I get all kinds of cool
insights from top-notch guests from all around the
country.
3. How do you personally keep the ministry in
the business?
Although I have a ‘Management’ position, I love to
serve others. One minute I might be interviewing a
prospective employee or preparing for a Board of
Directors meeting... the next I might be cutting the
grass or cleaning out the basement. Simple acts of
service keep the ‘head small’ and the ‘blessings big’!
4. What kind of promotions work best for your
station?
Perhaps our biggest annual event is a concert day we
host each summer at an area amusement resort that has
free admission (Knoebels Amusement Resort). If the
weather cooperates then the place is packed. We feature
local artists and a national headliner. People love it
and some actually plan their vacations around it! It’s
an awesome family event.
5. How do you think Christian Record labels
can better serve Christian radio?
One of the music liners we’ve had over the years is
“the message is in the music”. I’d just challenge them
to always strive to ‘keep the main thing the main
thing’.
6. In your opinion what are the biggest
obstacles facing Christian radio today?
I believe the key to long term survival of Christian
radio stations is that they develop and air programming
that is ‘local’. In fact, WGRC’s latest promotional
phrase is “We live here... We serve you.” To borrow an
idea from a well known credit card company... there are
many satellite and radio network options that have
value, but to have a station that uniquely serves its
market... now that’s priceless. Along with the music,
we continue to air regional news, sports and weather
information while also highlighting area events. It’s
all about building relationships with listeners, donors,
area churches and businesses.
Another key obstacle is for Christian stations to
stay current with the latest technology. High
Definition Radio is here and we all know that going
digital isn’t cheap, but the benefits are certainly
there!
7. What do you believe is the primary role of
the Christian radio air personality today?
The on-air personality should match the off-air
personality so listeners can ‘hang out’ with the real
you. Let your personality shine through, just be sure
not to blind people in the process.
8. Where do you see Christian radio in 5
years?
A day is coming when the typical radio listener will
demand CD quality from stations on the FM band. HD
radios will be in most homes and vehicles. Stations not
offering an HD format will be ‘left in the dust’. Many
stations will be on their way towards offering at least
one or two alternate HD formats.
More interactive station web sites will be the
norm. It won’t be enough to just ‘stream’
audio. Station sites will have to have all the ‘bells
and whistles’ in order to capture the attention of the
younger generations.
Radio will continue to be a wild and fun ride full of
surprises... but fortunately the message of Christian
radio never changes!
