02.01.07 An Insider’s Look At Christian Radio Pt.1: Prelude

Christianity Today recently ran a series of on-line articles on the subject of Christian radio called “What’s Up With Radio?” which should have been called “This Is What We At Christianity Today Think Is Up WIth Radio And Here’s Some Unemployed Guys Saying Some Stuff That Proves We’re Right.” But they have this infatuation with brevity I just don’t get.

Billed as an “outsider’s” look at radio, the articles were written by Mark Geil, an excellent interviewer and writer with a PhD in biomechanics, but edited by insiders with an obvious agenda: to voice their disgust with Christian radio…and change it.

I wrote Mark to say I was disappointed in the way my thoughts had been stripped of context in part one of the series.  He led the article with this mean-spirited sounding quote from me:

“The bulk of the listeners are Christians,” says Groves, “and this is music by Christians and for Christians. The trouble is, Christian radio tells stories to make you feel like they’re evangelistic, but they’re not. Say what you are. Don’t lie to me and tell me I’m saving teenagers.”

Mark responded to my concerns quickly and sympathetically with this revelation:

“Actually, the editor moved the two quotes up to the front of the series. I had yours in a later article in, I think, a more developed context.”

My friend Russ Breimeier was that editor.  Russ is one of only two music reviewers in the Christian music subculture whose opinions move me to make purchases or call them off altogether.  His are the only reviews of my records I’ve read entirely, in fact.  His critiques are always backed by mounds of “for instance”s and his flagrant honesty is refreshing and constructive, helping me evolve over the years as a writer and musician.

Because of this I respect him.  And because we like the same music: mine.

He also likes Andrew Peterson and Andrew Osenga and other singer-songwriter types he’s consistently awarded with high marks and showered coveted exposure upon through Christianity Today’s on-line publication.

We pets of his, however, haven’t fared so well commercially.  The Andrews and I, for instance, are now without record deals and without Dove Awards and Grammys and without audiences the size of those flocking to artists topping the radio charts consistently these days and since 2001 when Christian radio abruptly changed its message and methods.

All I know of Russ’ agenda or motivation for this series on Christian radio is what he wrote briefly in a recent e-mail thanking me for my participation and apologizing for the fall-out that ensued.  He wrote that he is “hoping [the series] stirs up dialogue and helps everyone improve radio in their own way (listeners included).”

What I know most certainly about Russ is that he loves music, and he loves artists who make it, and he loves this industry that, ideally, does the laborious work of introducing the masses to the good bits of it.  I’m choosing to believe this love and its birthed good intentions propelled this series onto the internet and guided the decisions that made it what it is.

But, good intentions aside, what it is isn’t what I wish it was.

I wish this series had been less about ”stirring” and “improving” via quotes without context and one-sided criticism and more about educating all parties involved (listeners, radio stations, labels and artists) about one another’s motivations and methodologies.  But that may be too much to expect from a series of short articles whittled under word count restrictions – and written about a subject about which so few are willing to be interviewed.

I was told it was difficult to find people brave enough (or stupid enough) to go on record for the series.  Notice that every artist quoted as saying anything remotely critical in the articles is A)a singer-songwriter male and B)independent (I consider Derek Webb independent because he owns his masters and shares both expenses and profits with his label.) Hardly a cross-section of the industry.  There are also very few quotes from those working in Christian radio - Those contacted were understandably reluctant to speak.  A few folks working in radio spoke with Christianity Today after the series began running, however, to complain or discuss points of contention and all were asked to go on record.  According to Russ, none agreed to.

Given these obstacles, I’m not sure a much more balanced and educational series could have been crafted.

And here in the aftermath I’m left feeling as if my thoughts have been misrepresented (though, I’m assured, not intentionally).  Some working in Christian radio feel as if their industry and their life’s work has been misrepresented and unfairly discredited.  And some Christians reading along, I can imagine, are more than a little confused about why exactly they should care about any of this radio stuff.  The Christianity Today series is a start, one which has definitely gotten folks talking (at least to me), but it didn’t scratch as many itches as it could have given more cooperation from those in the industry and more time and space with which to communicate.

So, I’ve made two promises.  First, I’ll never do a phone interview for a print piece again – no matter who you are or what your deadline is.  I hope you like e-mail.  Second, I’m going to write about Christian radio here (shaungroves.com/music) over the next little while in an effort to fill in some of the gaps and answer many of the questions left by the Christianity Today series on Christian radio. I hope you come back here weekly to read the series, which I promise will be very different from Mark’s, though probably not as well-written.

For starters, the agenda is not the same.  My agenda is to make peace by putting radio in everyone else’s shoes and by putting everyone in radio’s shoes.  Seeing the dial from one another’s seat, I think, I hope, will go far to squelching animosity and fueling constructive conversation between warring parties.

Secondly, I’m long-winded. I’ve got no word count.  This is my web site and I’ll talk as long as I want to.  The point being that, because there are no restrictions here, I will go into the recent history of Christian radio and radio in general.  I’ll quote studies commissioned by radio stations and actual participants in radio tests.  I’ll do the boring stuff that doesn’t drive up site stats but definitely educates and makes a solid case for this and that.  Brevity is not the goal, education and empathy and productive discussion are.

Third, this is not a monologue.  If you spot inaccuracies in what I write you can correct me on the spot.  If you need something clarified, just ask and I’ll do my best.  And if there’s something I don’t know I’ll call on you all to teach me.  The powers that be are reading – even if they’re not posting – and my hope is that they will consider joining the discussion here eventually.  We’ve had enough talking about each other don’t you think?  Let’s talk with each other and see if we can’t change a thing or twenty.

Fourth, in general I care more about “why” than “what” or “how.” When it comes to the issue of what Christian radio is and does and how that’s done and what listeners and labels like and don’t like about all that, it’s essential to examine why everyone behaves and thinks as they do.  That question, regrettably, isn’t dealt with at all in the Christianity Today pieces, and answering it goes a long way to creating empathy and cooperation and, yes, maybe even change...though I’m not sure much is needed.

I’ve got nothing to lose.  And so, in a sense, nothing to win either. I have no plans of ever asking Christian radio stations to play a “single” of mine ever again.  I don’t have a label to fund such an ambitious ask.  And I’m not sure I can write the kind of music listener’s are asking for right now anyway.  My agenda then is deeper than “play my music.” Partly, it’s to clear my name.  Partly it’s to challenge the way we all think. 

That’s what’s happened to me since I began pursuing conversation and friendship with many working in Christian radio over the last three years - I’ve been challenged in bizarre ways.  I’ve had my mind twisted and my motivations and values tweaked.  Kinda smarts still.  I’ve had to answer hard questions like how any of us, making music or not, define success.  How do we make a living yet remain missional in our motivations and thinking?  How do we deal with conflict like Christians and not just business men and women?  And how do we combine art and faith and commerce without obliterating any of the three?  And, yea, I’ve learned about radio too.  I’ve come to understand how many Adult Contemporary radio stations operate, why they do, and what they feel we artists and the rest of the music industry just don’t understand about them.  I hope to share all of this here – and more.

Stay tuned.