
Following the religious broadcaster’s divestment of its Contemporary Christian Music formatted stations at the end of 2024, Salem Media Group has announced the transfer of ownership of its music networks to Christian FM Media Group.
Christian FM assumed network operations of the Today’s Christian Music and Today’s Worship Music networks on February 1. Both TCM and TWM will remain distinct networks under the new ownership, while Christian FM’s existing SmartRadio Suite affiliates will continue to operate independently with all market exclusivity agreements intact.
With the transition, Salem Music Networks Program Director and Operations Manager Jayme Summers has joined Christian FM in the same capacity. Christian FM syndicates numerous Christian radio personalities, including Brant Hansen, Lisa Barry, Doug Hannah, and Kevin and Amy.
Salem Media Group President of Broadcast Media Allen Power said, “Our recent divestitures led to understandable uncertainty for our Music Network affiliates. Thanks to this partnership with Christian FM, we have been able to quickly provide those affiliates with a fairly seamless opportunity to maintain excellent CCM/Worship Music programming on their stations. The team at Christian FM and SmartRadio Suite has collaborated wonderfully to create a new programming home for our affiliates.”
Christian FM President Jon Hamilton commented, “We are delighted to be able to carry the important legacy of the Salem Music Network into the future. Many of the wonderful talent associated with Salem’s network and local CCM stations will be working with us and will continue to encourage listeners on affiliated stations across America.”
“In the months ahead, we will be making some exciting new delivery technology available to these stations, allowing even greater music flexibility and more personality choices. Christian FM has long been known for creating unique custom content to stations and we intend to expand this capability to the TCM and TWM affiliates as well,” he added.
It seems like streaming has caused Salem to get debt and have to sell off all “The Fish” stations. So sad that “The Fish” is gone and it is possible that many people liked their music mix more than the current sound of Air 1 and K-LOVE even if K-LOVE plays much of the same music and Air 1 plays some of the same music.