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Salem Media Group, Inc.
FormerlySalem Communications Corporation
Company typePublic
OTCQX: SALM
IndustryMass media
commercial radio broadcasting
GenreRadio broadcasting, publishing, internet content provider
Founded1974; 50 years ago (1974)
FoundersStuart Epperson
Edward Atsinger III
Headquarters
6400 N Beltline Road
Irving, Texas
,
U.S.
Revenue$262.78 million (2018)[1]
Number of employees
1,173 (2019)
Websitesalemmedia.com

Salem Media Group, Inc. (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:

  • Salem Radio Network, which syndicates talk, news and music programming to approximately 2,400 affiliates.
  • Salem Media Representatives, a radio advertising company.
  • Salem Web Network, an Internet provider of Christian content and online streaming with over 100 Christian content and conservative opinion websites.
  • Salem Publishing, a publisher of Christian themed magazines.
  • Conservative websites Townhall.com, RedState, Hot Air, and PJ Media, as well as Twitter aggregator Twitchy.

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.

History

[edit]
Former logo of Salem Communications.

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 City, 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, and 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.

Radio stations

[edit]

Stations are arranged in order by state and city of license.

AM Stations FM Stations
Stations owned by Salem Media Group[15]
City of license/Market Station Current format Licensee
Phoenix, AZ KKNT 960 Conservative talk Salem Communications Holding Corporation
KXXT 1010 Christian radio Salem Communications Holding Corporation
KPXQ 1360 Christian radio Salem Communications Holding Corporation
Little Rock, AR KKSP 93.3 Contemporary Christian Salem Communications Holding Corporation
KDIS-FM 99.5 Christian radio Salem Communications Holding Corporation
KDXE 101.1 Conservative talk Salem Communications Holding Corporation
Riverside–San Bernardino, CA KTIE 590 Conservative talk Salem Communications Holding Corporation
Los Angeles, CA KRLA 870 Conservative talk New Inspiration Broadcasting Co., Inc.
KFSH-FM 95.9 Contemporary Christian New Inspiration Broadcasting Co., Inc.
KKLA-FM 99.5 Christian radio New Inspiration Broadcasting Co., Inc.
Oxnard–Ventura, CA KDAR 98.3 Christian radio New Inspiration Broadcasting Co., Inc.
Sacramento, CA KFIA 710 Christian radio New Inspiration Broadcasting Co., Inc.
KTKZ 1380 Conservative talk New Inspiration Broadcasting Co., Inc.
KKFS 103.9 Contemporary Christian New Inspiration Broadcasting Co., Inc.
San Diego, CA KCBQ 1170 Conservative talk New Inspiration Broadcasting Co., Inc.
KPRZ 1210 Christian radio New Inspiration Broadcasting Co., Inc.
San Francisco–Oakland, CA KTRB 860 Conservative talk New Inspiration Broadcasting Co., Inc.
KFAX 1100 Christian radio New Inspiration Broadcasting Co., Inc.
KDYA 1190 Urban gospel New Inspiration Broadcasting Co., Inc.
KDOW 1220 Business talk SCA-Palo Alto, LLC.
KDIA 1640 Christian radio New Inspiration Broadcasting Co., Inc.
Colorado Springs, CO KZNT 1460 Conservative talk Bison Media
KBIQ 102.7 Christian adult contemporary Bison Media
KGFT 100.7 Christian radio Bison Media
Denver, CO KNUS 710 Conservative talk Salem Media of Colorado, Inc.
KRKS 990 Christian radio Salem Media of Colorado, Inc.
KBJD 1650 Spanish Christian Salem Media of Colorado, Inc.
KRKS-FM 100.7 Christian radio Salem Media of Colorado, Inc.
Washington, D.C. WWRC 570 Conservative talk Salem Communications Holding Corporation
WRCW 1250 Conservative talk[a] Salem Communications Holding Corporation
WAVA 780 Christian radio Salem Communications Holding Corporation
WAVA-FM 105.1 Christian radio Salem Communications Holding Corporation
Orlando–Daytona Beach, FL WORL 950 Conservative talk Salem Communications Holding Corporation
WTLN 990 Christian radio Salem Communications Holding Corporation
Sarasota–Bradenton, FL WLSS 930 Conservative talk Salem Communications Holding Corporation
Tampa–St. Petersburg, FL WTBN 570 Christian radio Salem Communications Holding Corporation
WLCC 760 Christian radio[b] Salem Communications Holding Corporation
WGUL 860 Conservative talk Salem Communications Holding Corporation
WTWD 910 Christian radio[c] Salem Communications Holding Corporation
Atlanta, GA WDWD 590 Christian radio Salem Communications Holding Corporation
WGKA 920 Conservative talk Salem Communications Holding Corporation
WNIV 970 Christian radio Salem Communications Holding Corporation
WLTA 1400 Christian radio[d] Salem Communications Holding Corporation
WFSH-FM 104.7 Contemporary Christian Salem Communications Holding Corporation
Honolulu, HI KHNR 690 Conservative talk Salem Media of Hawaii, Inc.
KGU 760 Sports Salem Media of Hawaii, Inc.
KHCM 880 Chinese Salem Media of Hawaii, Inc.
KAIM-FM 95.5 Contemporary Christian Salem Media of Hawaii, Inc.
KHCM-FM 97.5 Country Salem Media of Hawaii, Inc.
KGU-FM 99.5 Christian radio Salem Media of Hawaii, Inc.
KKOL-FM 107.9 Classic Hits Salem Media of Hawaii, Inc.
Chicago, IL WIND 560 Conservative talk Salem Media of Illinois, LLC
WYLL 1160 Christian radio Salem Media of Massachusetts, LLC
Boston, MA WEZE 590 Christian radio Salem Communications Holding Corporation
WROL 950 Christian radio Salem Media of Massachusetts, LLC
Detroit, MI WDTK 1400 Conservative talk Salem Communications Holding Corporation
WLQV 1500 Christian radio Salem Communications Holding Corporation
Minneapolis–St. Paul, MN KKMS 980 Christian radio Salem Communications Holding Corporation
WWTC 1280 Conservative talk Salem Media of Massachusetts, LLC
KYCR 1440 Business talk Salem Communications Holding Corporation
KDIZ 1570 Conservative talk Salem Communications Holding Corporation
New York City, NY WMCA 570 Christian radio Salem Media of New York, LLC
WNYM 970 Conservative talk Salem Media of New York, LLC
Cleveland, OH WFHM-FM 95.5 Contemporary Christian Salem Media of Massachusetts, LLC
WHKW 1220 Christian radio Salem Communications Holding Corporation
WHK 1420 Conservative talk Salem Communications Holding Corporation
Columbus, OH WRFD 880 Christian radio Salem Media of Ohio, Inc.
WTOH 98.9 Conservative talk Salem Media of Ohio, Inc.
Portland, OR KPDQ 800 Christian radio Salem Media of Oregon, Inc.
KPAM 860 Conservative talk Salem Media of Oregon, Inc.
KDZR 1640 Regional Mexican Salem Media of Oregon, Inc.
KRYP 93.1 Regional Mexican Salem Media of Oregon, Inc.
KPDQ-FM 93.9 Christian radio Salem Media of Oregon, Inc.
KFIS 104.1 Contemporary Christian Salem Communications Holding Corporation
Philadelphia, PA WFIL 560 Christian radio Salem Communications Holding Corporation
WNTP 990 Conservative talk Salem Communications Holding Corporation
Pittsburgh, PA WPIT 730 Christian radio Salem Communications Holding Corporation
WPGP 1250 Conservative talk Salem Communications Holding Corporation
WORD-FM 101.5 Christian radio Salem Communications Holding Corporation
Dallas–Fort Worth, TX KTNO 620 Spanish Christian Inspiration Media of Texas, LLC
KSKY 660 Conservative talk Bison Media
KLTY 94.9 Contemporary Christian Inspiration Media of Texas, LLC
KWRD-FM 100.7 Christian radio Inspiration Media of Texas, LLC
Houston–Galveston, TX KNTH 1070 Conservative talk Salem Communications Holding Corporation
KKHT-FM 100.7 Christian radio Salem Media of Illinois, LLC
San Antonio, TX KSLR 630 Christian radio Salem Media of Texas, Inc.
KLUP 930 Conservative talk Salem Communications Holding Corporation
Seattle–Tacoma, WA KGNW 820 Christian radio Inspiration Media, Inc.
KKOL 1300 Conservative talk Inspiration Media, Inc.
  1. ^ Simulcast of WWRC.
  2. ^ Simulcast of WTBN.
  3. ^ Simulcast of WTBN.
  4. ^ Simulcast of WNIV.

Salem Radio Network

[edit]
Main article: Salem Radio Network

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.

  • SRN Talk produces general market News/Talk shows featuring nationally syndicated hosts Hugh Hewitt, Mike Gallagher, Dennis Prager, Sebastian Gorka, Brandon Tatum, and Charlie Kirk. It also produces Christian market programming featuring The Eric Metaxas Show.
  • SRN News is a news source for conservative and Christian radio serving over 2,000 affiliates, and stations also take newscast branded by Salem's Townhall.com.[16]
  • The Salem Music Network has three satellite offerings – Contemporary Christian, Praise and Southern Gospel.
  • Salem Media Reps specializes in Christian, family-themed and conservative media, radio, online, print and mobile.
  • SRN Satellite Services provides satellite distribution and production services to over 70 organizations and ministries.

The satellite feed for Salem's general market programming can be heard on the CRN Digital Talk Radio Networks, on CRN3.[17]

Salem Publishing

[edit]

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]

Salem Author Services

[edit]

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 Español Online

[edit]

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]

Political activities

[edit]

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]

In October 2022, Salem, along with Dinesh D'Souza and True The Vote, was sued by Mark Andrews for defamation in Dinesh D'Souza's film, 2000 Mules, for which Salem was the distributor as well as the publisher of a book of the same name. In the film, D'Souza, without any evidence, falsely accused Andrews of ballot stuffing. In May 2024, Salem pulled the film and book from distribution and apologized to Andrews, claiming they had relied on representations made by D'Souza and True The Vote, and had never intended to harm Andrews. The suit is ongoing.[27]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Salem Media Group Company Profile". Craft. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  2. ^ a b "About Us – Salem Media Group". salem.cc.
  3. ^ "Contemporary Christian Music – Station Formats – Salem Media Group". salem.cc. Archived from the original on September 15, 2012.
  4. ^ "History – Salem Media Group". salem.cc. Archived from the original on September 15, 2012.
  5. ^ "SALM acquisition of Twitchy.com". Archived from the original on March 25, 2014.
  6. ^ "Salem rebrands to Salem Media Group". Radio Ink Magazine Archived September 24, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ "Salem Communications Corporation renamed to Salem Media Group". Radioandmusic.com. February 23, 2015.
  8. ^ "Salem Media Group Announces Acquisition of DividendYieldHunter.com". Cision PR Newswire (Press release). November 2, 2015. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
  9. ^ "StockInvestor.com". Stock Investor.
  10. ^ "DividendInvestor.com". Dividend Investor.
  11. ^ "Salem Media Group Announces Acquisition of Mike Turner's Line of Investment Products". Cision PR Newswire. October 27, 2016. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
  12. ^ "Retirement Watch". Retirement Watch.
  13. ^ "Welcome Dividend Yield Hunter Readers". Dividend Investor. July 11, 2017. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
  14. ^ Wemple, Erik (March 1, 2019). "Breitbart alum to resuscitate Human Events". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  15. ^ "Station Lists – Salem Media Group". salemmedia.com.
  16. ^ "SRN – About Us". November 14, 2017. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
  17. ^ "Salem Radio Network – Salem Media Group". salem.cc. Archived from the original on December 13, 2014. Retrieved December 23, 2014.
  18. ^ "Salem Media Group | Reaching audiences through radio, web and print media".
  19. ^ "Xulon Press – Salem Media Group". salemmedia.com. Archived from the original on May 16, 2017. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
  20. ^ "Salem Communications Announces an 8.8% Increase in Second Quarter 2006 Total Revenue – Salem Media Investor Center". investor.salemmedia.com. June 7, 2023.
  21. ^ "Stuart Epperson – The 25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America". Time. February 7, 2005. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
  22. ^ Katie Thornton (November 22, 2022). "The Divided Dial: Episode 2 – From Pulpit to Politics – On the Media". WNYC Studios (Podcast). Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  23. ^ "The Council for National Policy: Behind the Curtain | Southern Poverty Law Center". Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  24. ^ Berlet, Chip (2018). Trumping democracy in the United States : from Ronald Reagan to alt-right. London: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-315-43839-9. OCLC 1129904664.
  25. ^ Leonard, Kimberly; Relman, Eliza; Beckler, Hannah (September 24, 2021). "One of the most secretive and powerful groups in GOP politics just had its cellphone numbers leaked. Here's what its members said about Trump 2024 when we started calling". Business Insider.
  26. ^ "A Higher Frequency". Mother Jones. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  27. ^ Wilkie, Christina (May 31, 2024). "Dinesh D'Souza election fraud film, book '2000 Mules' pulled after defamation suit". CNBC. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
[edit]
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