Inside Radio:
EMF embraces a new format: “God’s Country.”
Educational Media Foundation is the largest noncommercial religious broadcaster, blanketing the country with 262 full-power stations and dozens more translators. Its voracious growth has led to the situation where in some markets it has more signals than programming, which includes the contemporary Christian “K-Love” and younger-skewing “Air One” formats. Now it’s linked with Rodney Baucom’s eight-month old God’s Country Radio Network to provide programming. Baucom tells Inside Radio “They’re recognizing the popularity of country music in the marketplace.” The network airs country artists’ faith-based songs such as the Brad Paisley-Carrie Underwood duet “Oh Love” which get little radio airplay. He says it’s “too Christian” for country radio, but “fits perfect” on a format with a religious focus.
“God’s Country” is now on the air in about a dozen markets including EMF stations in Utica, NY; Roswell, NM and Great Falls, MT. The first year will run without any EMF donation solicitation, although affiliates can plug local announcements in their stop sets. Baucom says he has two other group deals pending, giving God’s Country distribution in the South and Rockies. He also hopes to add some commercial broadcasters looking for HD2 programming.
