Religious broadcasting in America is nearly 100 years old. With the globalization of communication, one media era is ending and another beginning. This is a legacy defining moment in the history of Christian media.

The core strengths of traditional terrestrial broadcasting, and mounting threats to its long-term survivability, have now been well documented.

For a number of years, media consultant Mark Ramsey and Internet marketing pioneer Seth Godin have been discussing the challenges and opportunities for broadcasters due to the changing media landscape.

Mark recently assembled his conversations with Seth into an updated article for a national broadcast convention.

Twelve points about the current state of traditional broadcasting emerged from my reflections on their talks. For this analysis, I focused on six stable strengths and six serious threats for broadcasters.

Six strengths

1. Powerful legacy media assets
2. Inherent localness of the platform
3. Loyal audiences
4. Existing base of support from sponsors and partners
5. Access to content creators like ministries and record companies
6. Seasoned leadership and talent

Six threats

1. Declining value of broadcast licenses
2. Increasing intolerance of interruptive advertising
3. A flood of new competitors
4. Lack of widespread data management capabilities and audience data
5. Content creators, “artists,” going direct to new media
6. Failure to reinvent

In their discussions Mark and Seth also considered a number of opportunities created by the challenges.They shared ideas for leveraging broadcasting’s strengths into new media delivery systems and channels for individualized relationships with listeners and partners. You can review more of their tactical thinking in posts on Mark’s blog.

Seth’s conclusion? If broadcasters don’t start building now, “There’s zero chance you’re going to be able to do it in five years,” he said.

The moment

There’s a tension for Christian communicators. Globalization, driven by technology, is presenting monumental challenges. At the same time it is producing the greatest opportunity for Christian broadcasters since the church discovered radio, and sermons were carried over the air waves in 1923.

Daunting challenges can overwhelm and cause us to give up. They can also inspire us to overcome and, with God’s help, to press on toward His amazing future.

Christian communicators have been given what I believe is a God-given moment in time to, quite literally, build an entirely new platform for the gospel. A once in a lifetime opportunity to move toward a new future for Christian media; to create a new legacy.

The next generation of workers is ready, as I wrote about here, and as this email illustrates, recently arriving through my blog. Tina says, “I graduated from Taylor University and would like to pursue online ministry to support my family and serve.  What opportunities are there for a MSW who would love to go to graduate school and finish a Ph.D in ministry?”

So the wall was completed in fifty-two days. When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God. Nehemiah 6:15-16

The legacy

Rebuilding the industry by creating a new platform will be a massive undertaking requiring considerable resources and coordination. It won’t be easy. There are two basic ways to go about it. Build as individual organizations, doing what each thinks is best. Or, build together, a community digital media barn-raising, if you will.

Either approach may get the job done.

One is an opportunity to show the world an unprecedented level of unity and to complete the project in record time.

That approach would take churches, organizations, ministries, businesses and vendors in communities everywhere becoming true partners. It would mean setting individual agendas aside. It would bring the best and brightest minds together to share ideas. It would result in the building of a new media platform that honors our Lord and spreads the gospel person by person, neighborhood by neighborhood, nation by nation.

The chance to create a legacy for an entire industry comes along perhaps every one hundred years. This is a defining moment for Christian communicators.

Question: Do you know leaders who might be interested in having exploratory discussions around the idea of working together to build a new media platform in your community?