The tag line for Light FM goes something like this "great music and a message of hope". My two major criticisms would be based on these claims.
1. "Great music" - perhaps the slogan should be we only play about 50 songs 3 times a day. I found the music to be so repetitive that was one of the main reasons I can't listen anymore. I reckon I heard Miley Cyrus singing about 'nodding her head like yeah and moving her hips like yeah' about 100 times in a week. Randomly I also heard songs by artists like Five (hello 1995) played four or five times in a week.
2. "A message of hope" - My assumption was/is that the message of hope is that Jesus Christ has died for you and that through his death you can be saved from your sin and live the way you're were created to live. That is worshiping God. Problem is that from listening to Light FM I can only deduce that the "message of hope" sounded void of the gospel and full of morals: don't swear, maybe go to church, be nice, get some bible verses texted to you, be a good family man, avoid drugs and generally be nice. That's the kinda vibe I picked up, I think I heard the name Jesus less than 10 times. I'm not sure why the Christian station has to be devoid of the good news of Jesus Christ dying to save sinners? I'm sure they would argue they don't want to turn people off. But surely preaching a moralistic message turns the prostitute or corrupt lawyer off more than hearing about the fact Jesus wants to save them from their crap situation. Surely speaking about how Jesus has done it all and we can do nothing but trust in that for our salvation is actually a much greater message, is actually a message of hope.
I have no doubt the people at Light FM are Christians and are trying their best. I understand that it's difficult to work out the right balance of getting people to listen and turning them off. But at risk of sounding arrogant I shall now offer two ways forward that I would think about pursuing if I were the CEO of Light FM. I have no experience, but for doing some work on the Christian radio station in Hobart, and so offer these ideas as merely that, ideas...
Option Number 1: Go way more Christian. Like the Australian Christian Channel on Foxtel. Chances are 80% or more of your listeners are probably Christians/church goers anyway. Why not play to your strength? You could have good Christian discussion, good music, whatever. Then someone might actually turn over to your station and hear a message of substance.
Option Number 2: Go way less "Christian". Sure, play some Christian music and definitely screen out songs that are aimed at turning 12 year old girls into whores but stop broadcasting vague pithy statements that make Christianity look like a moralistic religion. (Side note: If you play a song by an artist because it's subtle, yet still about sex, and doesn't involve swearing, but the artist is well known for living a pagan life, then surely the message you send is just don't swear or sin explicitly in certain ways, and you'll be ok?) Anyway, then get some good quality funny people on your station. Much of what Hamish and Andy do for example is hilarious and fine for airing on a Christian radio station. Why not get some Christian people to be idiots for the sake of clean entertainment? Then you're in the marketplace as a radio station with Christian ethos and wide listenership.
Are there other options? Do you listen to your local Christian radio station? What do you think of it?
Hey! We live in Melbourne, home to 3RRR and 3PBS, some of the best independent radio stations in the world! (imho). And then I have to confess that Lisa and I listen to Plenty Valley FM, the local radio station. Very unpretentious, a little unprofessional but good music and not a whole lot of rubbish. Knock yourself out!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recommendations Stephen.
ReplyDeleteHi Chris, loved your comments and concurred with many of them! I enjoy reading your blog occasionally - keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteWow Chris, for a youth pastor, this is one seriously judgemental article that doesnt seem to be building anyone up, just tearing them down?!? And a christian station trying to do a good thing at that! They need your support, not spiteful web articles! I have been touched and helped in a huge way from this station, in ways I won't go into on here, and if it wasn't for listening to Light FM, I'm not sure what would have happened...
ReplyDeleteReally disappointing article mate. Yeah, Im use to the people in the world always having a go online at different things, its so easy to post stuff from behind a screen, heck I've been guilty at times, but surely you're above that? :( If you've got 'issues' and 'comments' for the station then do the decent thing and call them, or go meet them. Don't just post something so unhelpful.
Hi Anonymous
ReplyDeleteI must point out the great irony of your comment rebuking me publicly and anonymously when it is my public 'criticism' (though I would more say public reflection) of Light FM and my hiding behind the screen of my blog that you are so disappointed in. I would think that by your same logic an email to me would have been more appropriate?
Aside from that, Light FM is a public radio station like any other. Public things can be criticed publicly. That's why it's ok for you to question me publicly in the comments section. I'm not sure when the rule became if you are a Christian you can't reflect publicly(positively or negatively) on things.
I'm also not having a go at anyone from behind a screen. You can contact me from this blog, via the contact tab at the top of the page, and you can also find out who I am and where I work. There is no sense of me wanting to hide what I say from anyone.
You can also see that Megan (comment above yours) for example, found this post helpful. So perhaps such a post as this is ok.
So how about you engage with my criticisms rather than attack my person. Do you think Light FM have a good range of music? Are you satisfied with their message of hope? Do you know more about what they are trying to achieve than I do and so can enlighten me as to why my reflections are wrong? Can you tell us how you have been helped by Light FM? Did you become a Christian through listening to Light FM?