May 2026 Christian radio part 2: half of Americans are listening in, and many report making lifestyle decisions based on impact

“Faith-based radio has a long history in America, dating back to the earliest broadcasts of Sunday services at the beginning of the 1920s. Today, there are more than 4,000 terrestrial religious radio stations in the United States, according to a Pew Research Center analysis from the Pew-Knight Initiative. That’s about a quarter of the roughly 17,000 AM and FM stations in the U.S. that are licensed by the Federal Communications Commission. Almost all U.S. adults – 98% – live within the local coverage range of at least one religious radio station.”
— opening paragraph of the Pew Research Center study, Religious Radio Across America.

Put another way, Christian radio can be heard in every major population center in the nation, with a combined broadcast range that covers most of the US landmass. Most US adults can choose from multiple choices of religious radio stations, the study explains.

There’s plenty more interesting data, but first, let me remind you that last week in this space, we introduced this Pew study that was highlighted in materials sent by NRB to its members. We said we’d come back this week with more.

So here we are with more data, and also some comments on implications for Christian authors and ministry leaders.

Now that we’ve established that what Pew calls “religious radio” – almost entirely Christian radio – is still everywhere, is anybody listening? And if listening, where do they find this radio programming content?

Here’s where you need to really pay attention.

Because almost half of all American adults listen to religious audio content, including radio, podcasts, and streaming. The listeners include 39 percent of non-Christian adults, and 18 percent of those who describe themselves as “religiously unaffiliated.”

What are they listening to?

I think it’s worth noting that music makes up about halfof religious radio programming, with the other half of the content being approximately equal parts sermons and worship services as well as interview programs people like book publicists want to know all about.

And this religious programming is affecting people’s lives.

The researchers note “stations on average spend several hours per day discussing topics like lifestyle and personal development, family and parenting, and health and wellness.”

Here’s my favorite part on the comments about impact.

The study comments:

“Many listeners say they have made changes to their lives or taken specific actions in response to things they heard promoted or advertised on the religious programming. Most notably, around half have watched a movie or read a book they heard about there, and around a third have started a new religious practice in their lives. A quarter of listeners bought something they heard about on these programs or made a change in their financial habits.”

And is this Christian radio being consumed primarily with a turn of the dial?

Not exactly.

Americans are getting their radio, and often radio programs that are turned into podcasts, in various ways. Three-quarters of listeners sometimes tune in on the radio, but podcasts and streaming services are also important as about 70 percent of listeners get “religious programming” that way.

But note that most radio shows are available streaming or as podcasts.

In writing about the study, NRB comments: “Engagement is shaped by content identity, not just distribution, with listeners responding most strongly to programming centered on encouragement, spiritual grounding, and everyday life relevance.”

For a book publicist who specializes in working with Christian media, this study is an exciting confirmation of the importance of Christian media in American’s lives.

As we book interviews and encourage authors to share links to those interviews they grant, it’s great to read of data supporting our belief in the importance of this media.

Many thanks to NRB for sharing these findings with its membership and letting us know about the “Religious Radio Across America” report. NRB was reporting on the findings shared by the Pew Research Center, an independent, nonprofit and nonpartisan research center, whose interest areas include religion and media in America.

As we noted previously, NRB says the national study, “offers one of the most comprehensive looks in years at the scale and influence religious radio in the United States, revealing a medium that remains both far-reaching and deeply woven into the fabric of American life.”

Kudos most of all to the Pew Research Center who published this report from the Pew-Knight Initiative, a research program funded jointly by The Pew Charitable Trusts and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

And while we are thinking about media interviews, in coming weeks we’ve got some thoughts coming for you on preparing for and learning about doing your best while interviewing.