Is This Your Next Personality?

Recently I noticed a very interesting job listing from the folks at EMF for new talent. But it was hardly the conventional ask for the conventional talent:

"Be the next breakthrough Content Creator in Faith Based Media!" proclaimed the title.

"If you want to authentically connect as a GenZ podcaster, social media influencer, YouTube Host, public speaker, Bible Teacher or Radio DJ…we want to hear from you!"

The open call went on request social media handles, work samples, and a headshot as part of the application process. Now, work samples have always mattered, but your social media handles matter only if they exhibit large followings (i.e., existing audience), while your headshot matters only if your "look" matters, and that means video.

The idea of recruiting talent based on the size of their existing audience is new to our industry (historically we might import a talent with a large audience elsewhere via syndication, but that offers no guarantees in a market which is new to them). But this is familiar territory for podcasts (where the shows with large audiences get big dollars from networks rather than networks betting the proverbial farm on a new show, no matter how good), for movies (which favor Marvel, Pixar, and sequels), for music (where TikTok is now a major hotspot for A&R folks), and for publishing (where an author gets a book deal because he or she has a large audience already hungry for the books), among others.

This marks a transition in our industry from content makers for primarily (or exclusively) audio to content makers who make stuff for the audiences who consume that stuff on the platforms where that stuff lives, audio or not.

"Radio DJ" is last on that list for that reason.

Check out what they're looking for:

• Podcasters, Producers, and Writers creating compelling, faith-centered content
• Social Media Influencers and Content Creators with an engaged audience
• YouTube Hosts and Show Producers sharing faith-based discussions, interviews, or creative content
• Public Speakers & Bible Teachers with a heart for ministry and media
• Radio DJs & Live Streamers passionate about music, storytelling, and culture

Does that sound like a radio gig to you?

Or does it sound like a gig addressed to a generation weaned on every media platform under the sun by a media company determined to connect with that audience where they are rather than where broadcasters might prefer them to be?

Mark Ramsey Media does audience research for Christian Media - Perceptual research, digital studies, donor studies, music studies, etc. Learn more here. Call Mark at 858-414-4191 or email markramsey@mac.com.

And if you want a strategy to solicit major donors to pay for your research, look here and download this Listener Impact Study solicitation for donors from WAKW-FM.

Want to sign up for this newsletter? Do that here.