Company type | Public company |
---|---|
Nasdaq: SALM (Class A) Russell Microcap Index component | |
Industry | Mass media commercial radio broadcasting |
Genre | Radio broadcasting, publishing, internet content provider |
Founded | 1974 |
Founders | Stuart Epperson Edward Atsinger III |
Headquarters | 6400 N Beltline Road , Irving, Texas United States |
Revenue | $262.78 million (2018) [1] |
Number of employees | 1,173 (2019) |
Website | salemmedia |
Salem Media Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: SALM; formerly Salem Communications Corporation) is an American radio broadcaster, internet content provider, and magazine and book publisher based in Irving, Texas, targeting audiences interested in Christian values and what it describes as "family-themed content and conservative values". [2]
Salem Media Group owns 117 radio stations in 38 markets, including 60 stations in the top 25 markets and 29 in the top 10, making it tied with Audacy for the fifth-largest radio broadcaster. [2]
In addition to its radio properties, the company owns:
The company was founded by brothers-in-law Stuart Epperson and Edward G. Atsinger III and is a for-profit corporation. This allows it to accept commercial advertising.
In 1974 Atsinger (chief executive officer) and Epperson (chairman of the board) combined their radio assets to create Salem Communications. Beginning with stations in North Carolina and California, Atsinger and Epperson purchased station properties in Boston, San Antonio, New York, San Francisco, Portland, Los Angeles and other markets, converting them to Christian talk stations. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, they expanded formats to include contemporary Christian music (with most stations under this format branded as "The Fish"), [3] news talk (branded as "The Answer"), Spanish-language Christian content, and business programming. [4]
Many of Salem's stations are licensed to subsidiaries, organized by geographical area and media cluster as the company has acquired new stations and their previous licensees.
Salem Communications Corp acquired Twitter curation site, Twitchy.com. In January 2014, the Company announced the acquisition of the assets of Eagle Publishing, including Regnery Publishing, Human Events, and RedState, as well as sister companies Eagle Financial Publications and Eagle Wellness. [5]
On February 23, 2015 Salem Communications changed its name to Salem Media Group. [6] [7]
In 2015 Salem Media Group expanded their digital platform with acquisitions of several businesses and assets, including DividendYieldHunter.com, [8] Stockinvestor.com; [9] DividendInvestor.com, [10] a Spanish Bible mobile app, along with its related website and Facebook properties; the DailyBible mobile app; the Daily Bible Devotion mobile app; and also, Bryan Perry's Newsletters.
In 2016 Salem Media Group continued to expand by acquiring the websites ChristianConcertAlerts.com, Historyonthenet.com and Authentichistory.com; as well as Mike Turner's line of investment products, including TurnerTrends.com; [11] the Retirement Watch newsletter and website, Retirementwatch.com; [12] and the King James Bible mobile application. Salem Media Group also acquired Mill City Press from Hillcrest Publishing Group, Inc.
In July 2017 Salem Media Group merged DividendYieldHunter.com and transferred all content into DividendInvestor.com. [13]
In March 2019 political writer Raheem Kassam and lawyer Will Chamberlain purchased Human Events from Salem Media Group for $300,000. [14]
In early 2021 the company moved most operations from the former main operations city of Camarillo, California to Irving, Texas, the same location of their long-owned radio station KLTY.
On November 8, 2023 Salem exited the Upstate market after it sold WGTK in Greenville, North Carolina and the Earth FM stations to Educational Media Foundation, resulting in WGTK switching to the K-Love network and WRTH and WLTE switching to Air1 several days before.
Salem's radio stations are organized into six categories:
As of 2023 [update] , Salem's radio stations and licensees (with stations arranged by state and market served) are: [15]
AM Stations | FM Stations |
Bison Media
Market | Station | Current Format |
---|---|---|
Colorado Springs | KZNT 1460 | Conservative talk |
KBIQ 102.7 | Christian adult contemporary | |
KGFT 100.7 | Christian talk and teaching | |
Dallas – Fort Worth | KSKY 660 | Conservative talk |
Inspiration Media, Inc.
Market | Station | Current Format |
---|---|---|
Seattle – Tacoma | KGNW 820 | Christian talk and teaching |
KKOL 1300 | Conservative talk | |
New Inspiration Broadcasting Co., Inc.
Market | Station | Current Format |
---|---|---|
Los Angeles | KRLA 870 | Conservative talk |
KFSH-FM 95.9 | Contemporary Christian Music | |
KKLA-FM 99.5 | Christian talk and teaching | |
Oxnard – Ventura | KDAR 98.3 | Christian talk and teaching |
Sacramento | KFIA 710 | Christian talk and teaching |
KTKZ 1380 | Conservative talk | |
KKFS 103.9 | Contemporary Christian Music | |
San Diego | KCBQ 1170 | Conservative talk |
KPRZ 1210 | Christian talk and teaching | |
San Francisco – Oakland | KTRB 860 | Conservative talk |
KFAX 1100 | Christian talk and teaching | |
KDYA 1190 | Urban gospel | |
KDIA 1640 | Christian talk and teaching | |
Salem Communications Holding Corporation
Market | Station | Current Format |
---|---|---|
Phoenix | KKNT 960 | Conservative talk |
KXXT 1010 | Christian talk and teaching | |
KPXQ 1360 | Christian talk and teaching | |
Little Rock | KKSP 93.3 | Contemporary Christian Music |
KDIS-FM 99.5 | Christian talk and teaching | |
KDXE 101.1 | Conservative talk | |
Riverside – San Bernardino | KTIE 590 | Conservative talk |
Washington, D.C. | WWRC 570 | Conservative talk |
WRCW 1250 | Conservative talk (simulcasts WWRC) | |
WAVA 780 | Christian talk and teaching | |
WAVA-FM 105.1 | Christian talk and teaching | |
Orlando – Daytona Beach | WORL 950 | Conservative talk |
WTLN 990 | Christian talk and teaching | |
Sarasota – Bradenton | WLSS 930 | Conservative talk |
Tampa – St. Petersburg | WTBN 570 | Christian talk and teaching |
WLCC 760 | Christian talk and teaching (simulcasts WTBN) | |
WGUL 860 | Conservative talk | |
WTWD 910 | Christian talk and teaching (simulcasts WTBN) | |
Atlanta | WDWD 590 | Christian talk and teaching |
WGKA 920 | Conservative talk | |
WNIV/970 | Christian talk and teaching | |
WLTA 1400 | Christian talk and teaching (simulcasts WNIV) | |
WFSH-FM 104.7 | Contemporary Christian Music | |
Boston | WEZE 590 | Christian talk and teaching |
Detroit | WDTK 1400 | Conservative talk |
WLQV 1500 | Christian talk and teaching | |
Minneapolis – Saint Paul | KKMS 980 | Christian talk and teaching |
KYCR 1440 | Business talk | |
KDIZ 1570 | Conservative talk | |
Cleveland | WHKW 1220 | Christian talk and teaching |
WHK 1420 | Conservative talk | |
Portland, Oregon | KFIS 104.1 | Contemporary Christian Music |
Philadelphia | WFIL 560 | Christian talk and teaching |
WNTP 990 | Conservative talk | |
Pittsburgh | WPIT 730 | Christian talk and teaching |
WPGP 1250 | Conservative talk | |
WORD-FM 101.5 | Christian talk and teaching | |
Nashville | WFFI 93.7 | Contemporary Christian Music |
WFFH 94.1 | Contemporary Christian Music | |
Houston – Galveston | KNTH 1070 | Conservative talk |
San Antonio | KLUP 930 | Conservative talk |
Inspiration Media of Texas, LLC.
Market | Station | Current Format |
---|---|---|
Dallas – Fort Worth | KTNO 620 | Spanish Christian |
KLTY 94.9 | Contemporary Christian Music | |
KWRD-FM 100.7 | Christian talk and teaching | |
Reach Satellite Network, Inc.
Market | Station | Current Format |
---|---|---|
Nashville | WBOZ 104.9 | Contemporary Christian Music |
Salem Media of Massachusetts, LLC.
Market | Station | Current Format |
---|---|---|
Chicago | WYLL 1160 | Christian talk and teaching |
Boston | WROL 950 | Christian talk and teaching |
Minneapolis – Saint Paul | WWTC 1280 | Conservative talk |
Cleveland | WFHM-FM 95.5 | Contemporary Christian Music |
Salem Media of Colorado, Inc.
Market | Station | Current Format |
---|---|---|
Denver – Boulder | KNUS 710 | Conservative talk |
KRKS 990 | Christian talk and teaching | |
KBJD 1650 | Spanish Christian | |
KRKS-FM 100.7 | Christian talk and teaching |
Salem Media of Hawaii, Inc.
Market | Station | Current Format |
---|---|---|
Honolulu | KHNR 690 | Conservative talk |
KGU 760 | Sports | |
KHCM 880 | Chinese | |
KAIM-FM 95.5 | Contemporary Christian Music | |
KHCM-FM 97.5 | Country | |
KGU-FM 99.5 | Christian talk and teaching | |
KKOL-FM 107.9 | Classic Hits | |
Salem Media of Illinois, LLC.
Market | Station | Current Format |
---|---|---|
Chicago | WIND 560 | Conservative talk |
Houston – Galveston | KKHT-FM 100.7 | Christian talk and teaching |
Salem Media of New York, LLC.
Market | Station | Current Format |
---|---|---|
New York City | WMCA 570 | Christian talk and teaching |
WNYM 970 | Conservative talk | |
Salem Media of Ohio, Inc.
Market | Station | Current Format |
---|---|---|
Columbus, Ohio | WRFD 880 | Christian talk and teaching |
WTOH 98.9 | Conservative talk | |
Salem Media of Oregon, Inc.
Market | Station | Current Format |
---|---|---|
Portland, Oregon | KPDQ 800 | Christian talk and teaching |
KPAM 860 | Conservative talk | |
KDZR 1640 | Regional Mexican | |
KRYP 93.1 | Regional Mexican | |
KPDQ-FM 93.9 | Christian talk and teaching | |
Salem Media of Texas, Inc.
Market | Station | Current Format |
---|---|---|
San Antonio | KSLR 630 | Christian talk and teaching |
SCA-Palo Alto, LLC.
Market | Station | Current Format |
---|---|---|
San Francisco – Oakland | KDOW 1220 | Business talk |
Salem Radio Network is a satellite radio network serving general market News/Talk stations and Christian-formatted stations through affiliate partnerships serving more than 2,700 radio stations. The five major divisions are SRN Talk, SRN News, Salem Music Network, Salem Media Reps and Vista Media Reps and SRN Satellite Services.
The satellite feed for Salem's general market programming can be heard on the CRN Digital Talk Radio Networks, on CRN3. [17]
Salem's flagship publication, CCM Magazine , was in the Christian music industry for more than 25 years. Salem no longer prints CCM Magazine, but it still exists in an online-only format. Other magazine publications include Singing News Magazine, which discusses happenings involving the Southern gospel community. [18]
Under the umbrella of Salem Author Service are Xulon Press, Mill City Press, and the websites Bookprinting.com, Bookediting.com, Publishgreen.com, and Libertyhill.com.
Xulon Press is a self-publishing digital publisher of books targeting a Christian audience. [19] They use print on demand technologies that store books electronically and print them only as they are ordered. Xulon was founded by Christian author and publisher Tom Freiling and was acquired by Salem in 2006. [20]
Salem owns a collection of Spanish language sites that provide a variety of Christian and family-friendly resources online. A few of those sites are CristoTarjetas.com; ElsitioCristiano.com; BibliaVida.com and LuzMundial.com.[ citation needed ]
The founders of Salem Communications support various religious causes, and are noted for their role in spreading politically conservative opinion to areas dependent on radio for current events information. In 2005, Epperson was reported in Time magazine as one of the "25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America". [21] In 2004 he co-chaired "Americans of Faith", a religiously based Republican electoral campaign. Both founders have served on the Council for National Policy, a group of conservative influencers, intellectuals, donors, and former elected officials known to feature right-wing extremists as members, and Epperson has served as president of the Council. [22] [23] [24] [25] They gave $100,000 to the Bush presidential reelection campaign and $780,000 to the 2000 "California Defense of Marriage Act" (Proposition 22) ballot measure. [26]
Salem Radio Network is a United States-based radio network that specializes in syndicated Christian political talk, music, and conservative secular news/talk programming. It is a division of the Salem Media Group.
Cumulus Media Networks was an American radio network owned and operated by Cumulus Media. From 2011 until its merger with Westwood One, it controlled many of the radio assets formerly belonging to the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), which was broken up in 2007; Cumulus owned the portion of the network that was purchased by Citadel Broadcasting that year.
WCVX is a radio station licensed to Florence, Kentucky in the Cincinnati metropolitan area. WCVX is owned by the Christian Broadcasting System and it carries a Christian radio format. Its studios and offices are on West Seventh Street in Cincinnati and its transmitter is off Fowler Creek Road in Florence. WCVX broadcasts with a directional antenna with 5,000 watts in the daytime but at night it reduces power to 990 watts to protect KSL in Salt Lake City, the Class A Clear-channel station on 1160 kHz. WYLL in Chicago, Illinois is the only other full-time 50,000-watt station on 1160 AM, although it is a Class B station.
WORD-FM is a Christian talk radio station based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Owned by the Salem Media Group, the station broadcasts with an ERP of 43 kW. Its transmitter is located in Reserve Township, Pennsylvania.
KWRD-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Highland Village, Texas, and serving the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. It is owned by the Salem Media Group and broadcasts a Christian talk and teaching radio format. The call sign represents the station's moniker, "The Word," as in The Word of God. KWRD-FM is not co-owned with KWRD (AM) in Henderson, Texas.
WAVA-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Arlington, Virginia, and serving the Washington metro area. The station is owned and operated by the Salem Media Group, and airs a Christian talk and teaching radio format. Religious leaders pay WAVA-FM for their time on the air and then seek donations to support their ministries. Hosts include Chuck Swindoll, Jim Daly, Charles Stanley, John MacArthur, Rick Warren, David Jeremiah, Tony Evans, and David Anderson.
KTNO is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Plano, Texas, and serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The station airs a Spanish Christian radio format known as "Radio Luz Dallas" and is owned by the Salem Media Group. Studios and offices are on North Belt Line Road in Irving. The transmitter is located on County Road 409 in McKinney.
Stuart (Stu) Watson Epperson was an American businessman, politician and evangelical who was the co-founder and chairman of Salem Media Group, and a member and the president of the conservative Council for National Policy ("CNP").
KDZR is a commercial radio station, licensed to Lake Oswego, Oregon, and serving the Portland metropolitan area. The station airs a regional Mexican radio format and is owned by the Salem Media Group. KDZR's studios and offices are on SE Lake Road in Portland.
WQOP is a radio station licensed to serve Jacksonville, Florida. The station is owned by Relevant Radio, Inc., and broadcasts a Catholic radio format.
WDWD is a Christian talk station serving the metro Atlanta market. It airs "The Eric Metaxas Show", "Family Talk with Dr. James Dobson", "Turning Point with Dr. David Jeremiah" and "The Narrow Path" hosted by Steve Gregg. It is owned by Salem Media Group.
WTLN is a commercial AM radio station located in Orlando, Florida. It is owned by the Salem Media Group and it airs a Christian talk and teaching radio format. The offices and studios are on Lake View Drive in Altamonte Springs. Some of the national religious leaders heard on WTLN include David Jeremiah, Chuck Swindoll, Jim Daly, John MacArthur and Charles Stanley. Hosts pay for 30- to 60-minute segments on WTLN and can use the time to seek donations to their ministries. WTLN is known as "AM 990 and FM 101.5 The Word."
KRDY is an AM radio station in San Antonio, Texas. It is owned by the non-profit organization Relevant Radio, Inc., based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The station is an affiliate of its catholic–talk radio network.
KDAR is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Oxnard, California, and serving the Oxnard-Ventura and Santa Barbara radio markets. It is owned by the Salem Media Group and it broadcasts a Christian talk and teaching radio format. It uses brokered programming where hosts buy their time on the air and may seek donations to their ministries during their programs. National religious leaders heard on KDAR include John MacArthur, Jim Daly, Alistair Begg, Chuck Swindoll, Charles Stanley and David Jeremiah. Updates are provided by SRN News.
WGTK is a commercial AM radio station in Louisville, Kentucky. It is owned by the Word Media Group with the license held by the Word Broadcasting Network, Inc. It airs a conservative talk radio format, calling itself "970 The Answer", similar to many talk stations carrying the Salem Radio Network. Its studios and offices are on Corporate Campus Drive in Louisville.
WKVG is a radio station in Greenville, South Carolina, serving Upstate South Carolina including the Greenville-Spartanburg radio market. WKVG is owned and operated by the Educational Media Foundation, and is an affiliate of K-Love.
KKHT-FM is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Lumberton, Texas, and serving Greater Houston as well as the Golden Triangle. It is owned by Salem Media of Illinois, LLC, a subsidiary of the Salem Media Group, and it airs a Christian talk and teaching radio format. Studios and offices are in the Sharpstown district in Southwest Houston.
WGUL is a radio station broadcasting a conservative talk radio format. Licensed to Dunedin, Florida, United States, it serves the Tampa Bay area. The station is owned by Salem Communications and features only syndicated conservative weekday programming from Salem Radio Network. 860 kHz is a Canadian clear-channel frequency.
WORL is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Orlando, Florida, United States. It serves Central Florida, including the Greater Orlando radio market. It airs a conservative talk radio format and is known as "AM 950 and FM 94.9 The Answer." WORL is owned by the Salem Media Group with studios and offices on Lake View Drive in Altamonte Springs.
WWRC – branded AM 570 The Answer – is a commercial conservative talk radio station licensed to serve Bethesda, Maryland. Owned by the Salem Media Group, the station services the Washington metro area and is the market affiliate for the Salem Radio Network and The Sean Hannity Show. The WWRC studios are located in Arlington, while the station transmitter resides in nearby Germantown. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WWRC is available online.