Educational Media Foundation (EMF), parent company of K-LOVE and Air1, continues to strengthen its position as America’s largest Christian broadcaster through strategic expansion and diverse programming options.
“We bring in between $245 million and $250 million in annual revenue, most of it through small donations from roughly 700,000 people, with another 10 percent or so from larger donors,” interim CEO Tom Stultz told The Epoch Times. “We have around 500 employees, and we’re the largest Christian radio network in the United States, with over 1,100 signals.”
The foundation recently formalized its partnership with Radio Nuevo Vida, a Spanish-language network offering music, news and talk programming. “We’ve assisted them for over a dozen years, providing translators and signals where there is a high density of Spanish-speaking listeners,” Stultz said. “On January 2, we formalized our relationship with RNV, which is now officially part of the EMF family.”
Other partnerships include an oldies musical format and a St. Louis urban hip-hop ministry called Boost. In a significant move, EMF reached an $80 million agreement to acquire seven contemporary Christian music stations owned by the Salem Media Group, pending FCC approval. This acquisition will enhance K-LOVE, Air1 and their R&B station’s presence in Dallas, Cleveland, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Portland, Sacramento and Colorado Springs.
The network is not without detractors, including those who say it’s so powerful, it influences songwriters to crate worship songs that seek to please radio executives, rather than God.
The challenge for broadcasters today is assessing how alternative ways of delivering music will affect traditional radio stations.
“That’s the big $64,000 question, isn’t it?” Stultz said. “I don’t think anyone really knows. It feels like satellite has kind of peaked, at least in gaining subscribers, and much the same can be said about traditional radio — except for Christian contemporary. To answer the question, we’re preparing for that with our app and streaming options.”
The common thread across all formats is to encourage listeners in their faith.
“Our DJs are phenomenal; they’re open and they share their life experiences with their audiences,” Stultz said. “We find that when people drive to or from work, they’re going through life, both in wonderful times and otherwise. People need encouragement, a sense of community, something they get through the uplifting nature of the lyrics in the songs we provide them. There’s an authenticity to it that makes it very easy for people to find solace.”
–Alan Goforth