Mar 13 Radio OR Digital vs Radio AND Digital

Scott Herrold

Many think the future of radio is the digital dashboard in a car. Some think it’s an app, an FM radio cell phone chip or a website where you can skip songs. It’s not radio OR digital. It’s radio AND digital!

As radio personalities, we need more of a holistic approach. The digital dashboard is just one piece of the pie. I don’t think radio transmitters are going away anytime soon, but we do need to pay attention to the way tablet & smartphone use has boomed. Tablets & mobile can be additional distribution channels for our show. Digital can enhance what we do on the radio! We can re-purpose our audio pretty easily. Let’s brainstorm & innovate around that. Let’s look for ways to use digital and radio to connect listeners with God and with other Christians. Let’s set our own course as a CCM industry rather than simply follow what Clear Channel, Cumulus & CBS are doing with digital. Sure we’re going to use their tools when they help enhance our company’s vision, but we don’t have the same mission they do. Let’s build a strategy that’s really centered around our love for our listeners.

I want to reach more people with the Gospel & the hope Jesus provides. I’m consistently looking for more distribution & connection options that will help our radio station reach people where they already are… and look forward to where they are going.

I think Christian radio has a competitive advantage right now. We actually have a mission behind what we are doing. Our mission trumps ad dollars, sales clients and ratings. The heart behind Christian radio is to reflect Jesus and help listeners connect with him. For most mainstream companies, generating a profit is the sole reason the radio station exists. With that said, our format really is about creating genuine content, personally connecting with listeners and building/facilitating community.

 Christian radio is naturally more listener focused than any other format because of the mission behind it. Let’s think about how to use technology to make that relationship even deeper.

Scott Herrold is the Program Director & Morning Show Host for SOS Radio. (It’s a network of 35+ radio stations.) He was named one of Radio’s Best Program Directors by Radio Ink this year. He’s worked in both Christian & mainstream radio and he’s one of the founders of www.CreativeCardio.com. Edison Media Research also listed Scott as one of Radio’s 30 Under 30 Shining stars two different times.

Connect with Scott@CreativeCardio.com