Radio One launches Grammy winner Yolanda Adams in morning syndication

By Andrew Guy, Jr.
Houston Chronicle
(March 23, 2007) KROI-FM went on the air last July as Houston's first all-inspirational music station. They wanted to elevate the profile of the music genre that often gets saddled with the term "religious music."

To do so, a big splash was needed.

That move came a few weeks ago, when Yolanda Adams, a five-time Grammy-winning gospel singer and native Houstonian, joined the station as co-host of its morning drive radio show.

Today, the splash continues.

When Adams hits the airwaves this morning, The Yolanda Adams Morning Show will launch in nine cities around the country.

"We're just excited about the possibilities that it will bring, not just to Houston, but to the rest of the country," Adams said.

The show will be the first nationally syndicated inspirational show in radio. It will also air in Atlanta; Augusta, Ga.; Richmond, Va.; Raleigh and Charlotte, N.C.; Philadelphia; Cleveland; Columbus, Ohio; and Indianapolis.

"Tom Joyner and Steve Harvey have always had their own shows, but there's never been a gospel person that has had their own syndicated national show," Adams said. Gospel singer BeBe Winans has a syndicated radio show, but it only airs on one day in most markets.

"There will be an 800 number. People will be able to call us here. This is very groundbreaking," Adams said.

A syndicated inspirational station is important, Adams said, because it's broad in reach. No longer will parents have to keep an ear open for iffy dialogue if their kids are listening.

"Tom and Steve have some really ... adult conversations sometimes," Adams said, laughing. "I thought it would be great to have this morning drive concept where the kids could listen in as you drive them to school. You don't have to worry about whether you'll hear a bad word in the middle of a discussion about something."

Doug Abernathy, regional director for Radio One, the media company that owns KROI, said the network is excited about the potential reach syndication could bring.

"The significance of this is (it shows) how contemporary inspirational music stations are becoming more secular," Abernathy said. "Finding talent for a lot of these inspirational stations is a challenge. The person needs to believe in the message, and they should be a Christian, considering the audience. It's not like trying to find a rap or hip-hop deejay. This person really has to be connected to the music and the programming."


Go to Target Market News homepage

 

 13th Edition Now Available 
New Buying Power report shows more spending by black consumers on 'necessities'

Thanks to economic gains in the past two years, black households across the U.S., especially middle-class families, are increasing their purchases of lifestyle and leisure items.

According to the newest edition of “The Buying Power of Black America,” there are indications that black households are feeling more confident about making purchases that...
Story continued...
________________________

The African-American
Book Publishing Authority

Now in its eighth year of publication, Black Issues Book Review is the only nationally distributed magazine devoted exclusively to covering the latest news and reviews on black books. BIBR also provides up-to-date news on forthcoming author signings, book fairs and book clubs.
Want this issue? Get it with your new subscription.
Click Here

A TARGET MARKET NEWS PUBLICATION
_________________________



Click here to read more

________________________

  SUBSCRIBE TODAY! 


The trade publication for
in-depth coverage of Black
Consumer Marketing
and Media news