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September 2026: Five Things Hybrid & Teaching Listeners Would Rather Leave Outside

by Chuck Finney, President

Every format has its quirks. And when it comes to Hybrid and Teaching Radio, listeners have some pretty strong opinions about what belongs on the air—and what should stay firmly off the mic.

Our research consistently identifies five attitudes or topics listeners don’t want from their favorite Teaching or Hybrid stations.

At No. 5: Sarcasm. Apparently, snark doesn’t become spiritual just because you put a Bible verse after it. Who knew?

No. 4: Sports. Fans love their teams. But when listeners want the score, they know where to find it. They’re tuning in for something a little more eternal than the fourth quarter.

No. 3: Political Commentary. Red states, blue states, purple states…listeners would rather hear about the Kingdom than campaign season.

No. 2: Hollywood/Pop Culture. Celebrity gossip may generate clicks, but it doesn’t necessarily generate connection. Listeners aren’t looking for the latest Hollywood hot take.

And at a clear No. 1: A Judgmental Tone. This one matters. Listeners want truth—but they don’t want to feel like they’re being scolded, shamed, or guilt-tripped.

The takeaway? Teach them. Encourage them. Challenge them. Just don’t talk down to them.

Because listeners can handle conviction. They just don’t want condemnation with their morning coffee.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23 NIV

by Chuck Finney, President

If CCM Radio were throwing a party, listeners have made it pretty clear which guests they would rather not see at the door.

Our research consistently uncovers five topics and attitudes that listeners don’t want—and frankly, don’t expect—from their favorite Christian stations.

Coming in at No. 5: Sarcasm. Apparently, “just kidding” doesn’t make everything funny.

No. 4: Hard News. Listeners aren’t necessarily anti-news. They just didn’t turn on CCM Radio to get another news briefing.

No. 3: Sports. Yes, people love sports. But there are plenty of places to get the score without turning the Christian music station into SportsCenter. 

No. 2: Political Commentary. Red, blue, donkey, elephant…listeners would rather leave the whole zoo outside.

And the runaway No. 1: Hollywood/Pop Culture. Celebrities may dominate the headlines, but they don’t dominate the reasons listeners choose CCM Radio.

Bottom line: They came for spiritual encouragement—and music. Keep the rest out of the rotation.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23 NIV

by Chuck Finney, President

The 2025 Finney Media Why Listen® Survey offers CCM broadcasters a clear message: listeners may love Christian music, but they can quickly tune out when the overall experience misses the mark.

The no. 1 tuneout is a negative, angry, or judgmental tone, with 86 percent saying they are at least somewhat likely to tune out. That’s a powerful reminder that CCM listeners expect an encouraging, uplifting listening environment.

The remaining Top 5 are remarkably practical: commercials (46%), songs you don’t like (45%), an announcer who talks too much (44%), and topics you’re not interested in (42%).

For CCM, these findings point to a simple strategy: protect the listening experience. Keep the tone positive, respect the music, make breaks concise, and make content matter. Every element should answer the listener’s unspoken question: “Why should I keep listening?”

The goal isn’t simply to avoid tuneouts—it’s to create a station experience listeners want to stay with.

by Chuck Finney, President

The 2025 Finney Media Why Listen® Survey gives broadcasters valuable insight into what causes Hybrid and Teaching listeners to tune out—and the results point to one overarching theme: the listening experience matters.

In this blog, we have averaged the responses from the two formats so you can more easily see the tuneouts to minimize.

The biggest tuneout is an announcer with a negative, angry, or judgmental tone, with 74 percent saying they are very or somewhat likely to tune out when they encounter it. For ministries built around hope, truth, and transformation, that’s an important reminder: voices and tone matter. And sometimes we’re annoying people with voices they think sound negative, angry or judgmental and we don’t even know it.

Other major tuneouts: Songs you don’t like are a major tuneout at 51 percent saying very or somewhat likely to leave. A topic you’re not interested in is at 50 percent and an announcer who talks too much at 44 percent. Commercials score at 43 percent.

Taken together, these findings challenge us to think beyond content alone. Listeners make quick decisions about whether an experience is worth continuing.

For Hybrid and Teaching formats, that means creating an environment that feels welcoming, relevant, and purposeful. Keep the tone encouraging. Make commercial interruptions worthwhile. Respect the listener’s time. And when you talk, have something meaningful to say.

The objective isn’t simply to prevent tuneout. It’s to give listeners more reasons to stay.

by Chuck Finney, President

If you’ve ever wondered why people keep tuning in to Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) radio, the 2025 Finney Media Why Listen Survey  has the answers—and they’re music to our ears.

The top reason? It helps listeners feel closer to God. That’s a pretty incredible playlist perk.

Next, listeners say CCM Radio offers hope and encouragement, giving them a lift when life gets heavy.

Third, it’s all about positive, uplifting lyrics—because who couldn’t use more of those?

Coming in fourth, listeners appreciate that CCM Radio is family-friendly, making it easy to enjoy together without reaching for the skip button.

And rounding out the top five, people simply love the music—the artists, the melodies, and the sound itself.

The takeaway? CCM is doing far more than filling speakers. It’s strengthening faith, brightening days, bringing families together, and delivering songs people genuinely enjoy. That’s a greatest hits list worth celebrating!

by Chuck Finney, President

Some Christian Radio listeners want more than a great playlist—and the 2025 Finney Media Why Listen Survey  shows Hybrid and Teaching listeners fit that description perfectly. They’re drawn to stations that combine uplifting music with meaningful conversations and biblical truth.

For these listeners, music creates the atmosphere, but teaching and engaging content keep them coming back. They value Bible teaching, practical life application, and discussions that help them grow in their faith while navigating everyday life.

They also appreciate variety. A thoughtful mix of encouraging songs, trusted personalities, and relevant topics creates a listening experience that feels both inspiring and useful. Rather than choosing between music ormessage, they want both working together.

The takeaway? Hybrid and Teaching listeners are looking for content that encourages their hearts and strengthens their faith. When stations successfully blend great music with authentic conversation and solid biblical teaching, they’re creating something listeners don’t just enjoy—they depend on.

by Chuck Finney, President

When it comes to Christian radio favorites, one thing matters most: great songs that listeners love.

Nationwide listener research measures that by asking audiences to score songs. Artists with more songs earning strong scores rise to the top of the rankings.

Here are the 10 artists with the strongest overall listener scores:

  1. Chris Tomlin
  2. Casting Crowns
  3. MercyMe
  4. Lauren Daigle
  5. Elevation Worship / Elevation Rhythm
  6. Third Day
  7. Jeremy Camp
  8. Phil Wickham
  9. Hillsong Worship
  10. Matt Maher

These artists have built deep catalogs of songs that continue to connect with listeners — proving that powerful music and meaningful messages never go out of style. Want to check out the other blogs from this series? Visit our FAST FIVE page to read more.

Coming up in August: From the 2025 Finney Media Why Listen® Survey, new observations on The Top Five Reasons Your Listener Listens.

By Chuck Finney, President

If you think Christian podcast listeners are flocking to Apple Podcasts and Spotify, the 2025 Finney Media Why Listen® Survey tells a different story.

Among listeners of Hybrid (Teaching & Music) stations who heard a Christian podcast online in the past week, their favorite destination is a station or ministry app (49%). YouTube follows closely at 43 percent, with station and ministry websites reaching 36 percent. Meanwhile, Apple Podcasts (14%) and Spotify (12%) are far behind.

For All-Teaching station listeners, YouTube takes the crown at 50 percent. Station and ministry apps (46%) and websites (46%) are close behind, creating a three-way race at the top. Spotify (12%) and Apple Podcasts (11%) remain secondary choices.

The big takeaway? Christian podcast listeners aren’t just looking for content—they’re connecting directly with trusted ministries and stations. Or they are connecting through YouTube. Whether through an app, a website, or YouTube, they’re choosing platforms that keep them close to the voices they know best.

And what about Google Play, iHeart, and TuneIn? They’re all under 10 percent, making them bit players in a podcast landscape dominated by ministry-owned platforms and YouTube.

Coming in July: The heart of the Finney Media Why Listen® Survey. We compare the Top Main Reasons Hybrid and Teaching listeners listen. It’s very much about Biblical reasons.

by Chuck Finney, President

The 2025 Finney Media Why Listen® Survey shows Christian podcast listening isn’t one-size-fits-all—it grows as Christian radio content gets deeper.

Among CCM listeners, 35 percent tuned into a Christian podcast during the last week, treating podcasts like a side dish to their music-driven routine.

Hybrid (Music & Teaching) listeners jump to 56 percent, happily mixing songs with substance and using podcasts to go a little deeper on their own time.

Teaching listeners lead the pack at 68 percent, where podcasts aren’t extra—they’re essential. For them, it’s all about digging in, learning more, and staying engaged.

In short: the more teaching-focused the listener, the more podcasts become part of their daily spiritual rhythm.

Coming in June: We dive deep into where Christian radio listeners access podcasts. Sneak Peak: It’s a YouTube world.

by Chuck Finney, President

Bands and worship collectives have always been a big part of Christian radio. But which ones do listeners love the most?

Nationwide song research provides the answer. Listeners score individual songs, and the groups with the most highly rated songs overall rise to the top.

Coming in at no. 1 is Casting Crowns, a group known for powerful storytelling songs that continue to resonate with listeners.

Right behind them is MercyMe, whose long list of radio favorites still scores strongly in listener testing.

Third place goes to Elevation Worship and Elevation Rhythm, followed by legendary band Third Day.

Rounding out the Top Five is global worship favorite Hillsong Worship.

If you love singing along in the car or at church, chances are these groups are already on your playlist.

Coming up in July: We take a look at the 10 artists Christian listeners love most. Any guesses on who holds the top spots?

Want to see the latest research on Top Female and Male Christian artists? Catch up with the other articles from this four-part series on our FINNEY’S FAST FIVE page.

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