Christian Radio, I Choose You Because

In Part 1 of this two-part series, we answered a few questions about how we see the future. You can read that HERE.

Chuck here. One of my top five Strengthsfinder areas is called Futuristic. And it is true: I do love to visualize the future. That’s why I have a list of 9 observations. These are not in order of importance or possibility—you can gather friends around and chat about any one of these reflections! So, let’s go!

1. CMB stations: Pay attention to the ones that win way beyond what they should. This means those that are the big “famous” ones, and those that are not as famous. Ask: What are they doing that is audience focused? And especially ponder if that audience focus is not within the conventional wisdom.
2. TV: Who is winning as people cut cords and switch how and where they receive? Note Disney’s move to create their own “Netflix”. Biggest change is unique, connective, “addictive” content. How do we do that while being boldly about our values?
3. Alexa: This delivery device is now getting press due to its rapid and vigorous growth. Keep an eye here as radio becomes a part of this audio. As Tom Taylor said recently, “Voice is the new touch.”
4. Jesus in today: What would Jesus do right now to reach our culture? Just a thoughtful guess: It would be consistent with the Great Commandment (Love) and the Great Commission (Go). It would involve community, genuine caring and a passion for people.
5. Christian radio: Yes, it is the fastest growing radio format. Part of that is demand for Christian media because of the increasing coarseness of the world. If we focus on broadly accessible content while still being Biblically bold, this could be our most amazing time of growth.
6. Digital: Things will likely go more digital. An obstacle in music is rights fees. This logjam must resolve. When digital music rights get resolved (two years or 20 years?!?), get out of the way of growth!
7. Content IS king: With a million channels, getting your head wrapped around this solves a lot of issues. Of all the things you should address, this might be the most important and potentially impactful.
8. Where to look: The answers almost certainly won’t be where the hype is. Get focused on the win and not on distracting “shiny objects”.
9. God’s view: God has asked us to be His witnesses and He has empowered us to do just that.

The future is on my mind. Yours, too, judging from recent conversations. As a result, I’ve compiled a few questions that have come my way, with thoughts. Whether you agree or not, the conversation is worth the energy, for the future is the page God gives us to serve Him.

Here we go.

1) What should my station, network or ministry do today, to be positioned for future years of impact?

We recommend that change become something you study, and by that we mean more than media change. Focus your attention on other industries, too – airlines, retail such as Walmart and Amazon, and then other forms such as Google. Within the media space, stretch to outside your immediate type. If you are in radio, look at music and publishing, video and new digital methods such as Alexa. Know what you can know. Also know the things you can’t know. Develop principles from your review. For example, digital will be the delivery when the listener is ready – and when it’s easy, intuitive and free (or cheap). Be prepped and poised to move quickly.

2) What’s the best way to update how we target our audience?

Society is a mix and you want to reflect that. But possibly less obvious, but also true is this: Address where the world actually is on things about God. We tend to talk as though our audience is a tiny church-going bubble and assume way too many things about where our listener is. In reality, only some of the available audience is in the conservative Bible church bubble. The impact comes in doing what we do in a way that is widely accessible and simultaneously consistent with the Word.

3) What can we learn from some of the larger churches?

Good examples for radio are the bigger churches with the most non-church people going and trying. Why? Because they are so much like what we are trying to accomplish – broadly accessible without turning away the core. It’s so helpful if the people weighing in “get” great product but also “get” Christian belief. You can’t fake genuine passion! This is a group worth visiting and observing.

As we wrap this post, a reminder to me and you how our studying and reviewing needs to be done prayerfully, relying on the Holy Spirit’s guidance. God got our future and He’s got plans!

Next time, Part 2….who is winning as people cut cords?

It’s September. You’ve seen them. The fluorescent green skeletons, jack-o-laterns, goblins, sequined Superman costumes mixed with the smell of chocolate and Christmas craft kits. The holidays are here.

The first sensation you may feel is your heart leaping—a leap of anxiety. Share-a-thons, Radio Specials, Promos, Remotes, Social Media, Decorations, Office Parties, Donor Gifts … so much to do. And do you have a plan for all such festivities?

That’s okay. Take a deep breath and get ready for a little advice on how to increase your productivity during the holidays – without adding stress. We’re taking on the lie of multitasking.

Let’s back up just a bit. In 2008, before the lie of multitasking was common knowledge, David Crenshaw had written a book called “The Myth of Multitasking.” Mr. Crenshaw was a torch bearer, illuminating truth to those who believed that multitasking was key to efficiency. Slowly but surely his book proved correct.

Fast forward to today. Despite all the research, statistics and proof, employers and employees still cling to the lie of multitasking.

Why? Because modern office workers equate overstimulation with purpose. As workload increases, they feel a sense of self-importance … navigating through multiple programs at once … hitting every ball pitched with Mickey Mantle swagger. But the truth is, if you’re expecting multi-tasking to improve anything, you’re wasting time and money.

TOO BUSY TO GET BUSY
One specific research piece by the American Psychological Association shows that multitasking is neither effective nor efficient. Their findings are in agreement with many others – that shifting focus from one task to another is not a fast or smooth process. First, there is a lag time that your brain uses to switch from the first task to the second. It takes at least a few seconds for your brain to then fully engage on the second task. Though it may feel like a split second, research has proven that this shift takes up to 40 percent more time than single tasking. When you multitask, you really aren’t doing two things at once. You’re switching from one thing to another, albeit quickly.

Let’s run the numbers. For each task an employee is required to do in a single transaction, tack on 40% switch time. Even if we’re only talking five seconds, multiply that per task, per transaction, per hour, per number of employees, per day, per year … you get the picture.

DECENTLY AND IN ORDER
Bottom line: By our very nature, human beings are already distracted on many levels. If you really want to maximize productivity during the upcoming holiday season, try the hardline approach of single tasking. Not only will your productivity increase, employee “twitchiness” and distractedness will decrease.

The Bible tells us to do things decently and in order in church. Why not carry that to the workplace?

Here’s a few specific suggestions. After a read, you may feel a sense of stress relief.

1. Set aside specific times for each task. If your task or project has a lot of moving parts, SCHEDULE and SEGMENT each one so that you’re performing only one segment at a time. An effective program for this is Microsoft Project. Project allows you to segment each task into steps, view each step one-by-one, mark each with the time/date allotted to complete the task and assign subtasks.
2. Check your email at planned times. DESIGNATE the times on your daily calendar.
3. Work on only one task or one project at a time. That means one screen, one train of thought, one single goal, one single purpose. If your work requires computer rendering time, use this time to take a scheduled break. DO NOT check your email or work on a second task.
4. Take a SCHEDULED break five minutes per hour.
5. Create a focused workspace and schedule the rules/hours for that space. If you are blessed enough to have your own office, you are way ahead. Communication Professor Clifford Nass, one of the researchers whose findings are published in the Aug. 24th edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, says that heavy multitaskers are “suckers for irrelevancy” because “everything distracts them.”

PEACE OF MIND
The Ghost of Christmas Unplanned is upon us. Be ye not frightened. Instead, make a list of upcoming events, tasks, subtasks, time allotments, due dates, materials and human capital resources. Schedule everything. Arrange your workspace for maximum efficiency and minimal distraction. Work on only one subtask at a time. With a diligent effort to maximize your focus, peace of mind will surely follow. The fall and winter holidays are a joyful time, and what a joy it is to know that you can do one thing at a time (breaks included) and still come out ahead. Click here to read our next blog