FAQ's
How do we know how many people are listening to CBA programmes?
How does CBA know it's making any difference?
What is the difference between CBA and Rhema?
Why doesn't 'Sunday Sunday with Pat & Petra' talk more about God?
Where do I find CBA's programmes?
Why do you not identify the programme as being produced by CBA?
Why does 'Real Life' feature agnostic and atheist guests?
Why does CBA hand out Easter Eggs on Good Friday?
Why has there been little 'God-content' on Real Life for several weeks in a row?
How will I recognise a CBA programme?
Why does CBA include Santa in its Christmas programme
Why does Scrubcutter not play in Auckland or Wellington?
How do we know how many people are listening to CBA programmes?
Twice per year, for six weeks at a time, an independent research company [Research International] surveys thousands of radio listeners to investigate their listening habits. Many hundreds of thousands of dollars are spent to collect and analyse this information, and it is paid for by the participating commercial networks.
Listeners are randomly selected from the general population and are monitored throughout the period. By extrapolation, the researchers estimate how many people are listening at any given time of day, to what station, and for how long. The results are broken down into various demographics and psychographics. One of these, which is critical to CBA's mission of communicating the faith to those who have never understood, is that at least 86% of those listening to NewstalkZB say that for them 'religion or spirituality is not a primary interest' in their life.
NewstalkZB is consistently the most-listened-to commercial radio network in New Zealand. It is crucial for CBA to rate well during survey periods to justify our presence on their station.
How does CBA know it's making any difference?
That's a very tricky one to answer, and there are several ways to look at it:
- Our mission is to communicate the essentials of the Christian faith to those who have never understood. There are two parts to that: a) communicating the faith and b) to people who are not already convinced believers. We believe we're doing the first part - to varying degrees of 'overt-ness', depending on the programme - and in many different ways through our range of programmes. As for the second part - there are vast numbers of people listening, and the survey results indicate that 86+% of the people listening are not already Christians.
- Our programmes rate very well with the audience, which means they are in fact listening.
- We receive anecdotal feedback from listeners - Christians and non-Christians. These are usually callers to the programmes, on air and off air. We also receive text messages, emails and the occasional letter. The feedback is generally positive and indicates that the Christian message is coming through clearly.
- The radio station managers feel that we're providing good radio. That's crucial to retaining our place on the station, and keeping the ear of the listeners.
- We think we're getting better at our 'craft' of communicating the faith. Year after year, we're gaining experience of what works and what doesn't. We make mistakes, we take risks and we learn.
- Surveys break down listening habits in to 15-minute blocks, which gives us a good picture of how we rate with our long-format programmes, but not with Scrubcutter, which is only 90-seconds long. So, we've also commissioned independent research to gauge listener response to our Scrubcutter series. The results indicate that the audience loves the programme, with a 9.1 (out of 10) approval rating, and more importantly, that it does in fact cause them to think about the deeper issues of life, faith, God and life-priorities. Please contact us if you'd like a copy of the 42 page report.
- Finally, but most importantly, we pray. As a 'seed sowing' ministry, we don't expect to get loads of listener feedback. Most people don't phone radio stations to say 'thanks for the programme', and in fact, listeners wouldn't know the show has been produced by CBA anyway, because we don't 'brand' our programmes on air. As they say - 'it's amazing what you can achieve if you don't mind who gets the credit'. Instead, we place a huge emphasis on prayer. We pray God will use our broadcasts to touch hearts and water the seed. CBA's Prayer Task Force has nearly 900 people, and we seek to grow that all the time.
What is the difference between CBA and Rhema?
CBA is an entirely different entity to the Rhema Broadcasting Group (RBG). We are good friends, but very distinct from one-another in our methodology.
CBA is a programme producer / programme provider, and all our programmes are designed specifically for non-Christians audiences on existing mainstream ('secular') commercial radio networks. CBA is not a radio station. We do not own the stations on which we broadcast and we never pay for air time.
RBG, on the other hand, operates three Christian radio networks; 'New Zealand's Rhema', 'LifeFM' and 'Southern Star'. These operate 24/7, the music is 100% Christian and the target market is, by and large, predominantly Christian.
CBA has an excellent relationship with RBG and we work together when we can. RBG sometimes plays CBA programming, CBA sometimes uses RBG recording facilities and several of RBG's announcers have done work on CBA programmes. We each have expertise in different areas, and our commissions are different yet complementary.
Who runs CBA?
CBA is an intra-denominational charitable trust run by three trustees and two alternate trustees. Jim Frankham is the Chairman, Phil Guyan is the Managing Trustee, and Bev Frankham is the third trustee. Lomond Seel and Marsha Fellet are the alternate trustees. We have broad denominational support, with the endorsement of every mainstream Christian denominational leader in New Zealand. We stay in regular contact with the denominational leaders and seek their input and suggestions at any time.
We have two full time staff. Phil Guyan is the Managing Trustee with responsibility for directing CBA and producing or overseeing the programmes. Erin Carpenter is CBA's Executive Administrator, with responsibility for the administration, customer care and part-time administrative staff. Phil and Erin work with a large number of highly skilled writers, presenters, sound engineers, graphic designers and other contractors, casual part-time staff and volunteers. Other than Phil and Erin, all those involved have fulltime commitments elsewhere, and their CBA involvement is on the side.
Why doesn't 'Sunday Sunday with Pat & Petra' talk more about God?
The show is a partnership with NewstalkZB, and it's a general talkback show which happens to be hosted by two Christians. Talkback is all about engaging the existing audience in discussion about current issues, news and topics of the day. It's not a show about Christianity. If there's a news item that has to do with faith, or prayer, or God, then we'll certainly jump in to it. But more often than not, the news is about politics, sport, economics, crime, global events and so on. Pat and Petra offer their own perspectives which are heavily influenced by their faith in Jesus. This is not a forum to discuss the facts of the resurrection, or the character of God. That might come up from time to time, and will certainly be on the agenda at Easter time (!) but for the most part, expect a general talkback show covering a huge variety of topics. It is well known to the audience that Pat & Petra are coming from a faith-infused perspective, and we think it's important to show that they have well-formed opinions and views on issues other than 'religion'. Many of the guests we have on the show are Christians, but it's certainly not a pre-requisite. Additionally, the programme often evolves along the lines that the callers take it. The show is very reliant on the calls we receive. We often pitch a topic, but end up going somewhere else because of the callers. So, feel free to call!
Where do I find CBA's programmes?
Real Life with John Cowan > NewstalkZB, 8pm-9pm Sundays.
Click here for nationwide frequencies.
Sunday, Sunday with Pat & Petra > NewstalkZB, 9pm-midnight Sundays. Click here for nationwide frequencies.
Christmas & Easter (Good Friday) > NewstalkZB (& Radio Sport) 6am-6pm. Click nationwide here for frequencies.
Scrubcutter > These can play any time on any day, but mostly weekday afternoons between 4pm-6pm on NewstalkZB (not Auckland or Wellington.) For that reason, we've made Scrubcutters available online - see www.scrubcutter.com or you can order a FREE CD of sample programmes by phoning 0508 FREE CD
Mothers' Day, Fathers' Day, etc > these spots are played by different stations at different times. For copyright reasons, we can't make these available online without playing large royalty fees.
Why do you not identify the programme as being produced by CBA?
That is intentional on our part. We've discovered that if we announce “this programme is produced by Christian Broadcasting Association' - we instantly lose huge parts of the audience with whom we're trying very hard to connect. It's better to just let the programme speak for itself. Our shows are designed for the 86+% of listeners who have identified themselves as non-Christian. It is better that they assume they're listening to a NewstalkZB programme, which in fact they are. It's a NewstalkZB programme, produced by CBA. What we hope, is that they enjoy and relate to our programmes (on the station they always listen to) but that they will also hear gentle, subtle but very clear messages about the Christian faith.
Why does 'Real Life' feature agnostic and atheist guests?
Every now and then we receive a letter or email from a supporter with a query: Why was there no mention of God on tonight's CBA's programme? And why does CBA have non-Christians as guests?
Our brief from NewstalkZB is that we must interview a wide variety of guests... Christian and non-Christian... and that they be well-known (or 'house-hold names'). We have the opportunity to talk with all of them about God, but not all of them are coming from a Christian perspective, and some specifically ask not to. Interestingly - many people who have not been known for their Christian commitment have come out with some very strong and positive statements about their faith in God.
Our audience is mostly non-Christian, so we need to keep them interested, and for them, hearing a Christian interview another Christian about faith, week after week, may well become a turn off. It is also less robust and convincing than hearing John interview people from various backgrounds.
John himself put this very well:
For the last five years I have hosted Real Life for CBA, which is broadcast live on Sunday nights on the NewstalkZB network. For the last ten survey periods it has been the top rating programme nationwide - people really are listening in large numbers, which is both exciting and humbling. Each week I interview one high profile individual for the whole hour. We aim to get past current activities, beyond the life story and into what they believe. Sometimes, sadly, it just reveals how bleak and empty their hearts really are. But after 230 guests on Real Life, three-quarters of them have admitted on air to having some form of faith. Sometimes it is only a vestigial remnant, and other times it's far from orthodox but, never-the-less, the majority of people on the programme alluded to a spiritual dimension in their life. And because we have created a platform where spiritual things can be talked about, if my guests do have a truly Christ-centred life then their testimony comes across very clearly.
CBA's access to the airwaves is controlled by people with commercial motivations - they are good people, but commercial radio is a high-pressured, competitive industry and if a programme doesn't capture and hold an audience then the station cannot afford to carry it. We can't expect them to broadcast our material just because it is 'worthy'; it has to be, first and foremost, good radio that will attract (rather than alienate) listeners and advertisers.
Why does CBA hand out Easter Eggs on Good Friday?
Because we are broadcasting on completely secular networks, over 85% of our listeners on Good Friday do not regard spirituality or religion as of primary interest in their lives. The programme has to be designed with thought of how to connect with people who do not give a second thought to the true meaning of Easter.
We arrange for our “out and about” team to hand out Easter Eggs to bring a 'nation-wide feel' to the programme. It's fun, provides some light relief between sometimes very weighty discussion, and also encourages far more people to tune in.
For most non-Christians, Easter means little more than chocolate and a long weekend. We see no reason to condemn them for eating chocolate, especially since most Christians join in with that too! It's not scriptural to wait until Sunday to eat chocolate eggs - that's simply a Christian adaptation of a pagan ritual, so it's a compromise we're happy to make for the sake of entertaining radio that the listeners can relate to.
Why has there been little 'God-content' on Real Life for several weeks in a row?
Twice a year, for six weeks at a time, we are “in survey”. That's when thousands of radio listeners throughout the country are being monitored by a research company to gauge how many people are listening to which station. It's extremely important that we attract the greatest number of listeners possible for this period. If we prove to be the “Number One” (most-listened-to) programme, we will remain on air - if we don't, we will no longer have a programme. It's that tough!
The most challenging aspect of the show of course is how to get 'non-religious' people to talk about God and faith, naturally, and in a way that actually is beneficial to pointing non-Christian listeners toward Jesus. That is always a challenge. It's much easier, of course, when the guest is a Christian… but sometimes, the way things work out, we might have several weeks in a row without having a guest who is a Christian. While we are in survey, the ratings are king, and for those few weeks the most important thing is to rate well with the audience.
Then again, sometimes we have several weeks in a row of strong Christian content. Under normal circumstances, we try to have a Christian guest at least one week in three - more often when possible.
The criteria set by the station is that they must be a “household name” - and over the survey period, the higher the profile, the better.
We sometimes have a several weeks in a row with lesser-known guests, or a string of non-Christians guests. This doesn't phase us too much - since we need to bear in mind the 86% of listeners for whom spirituality and religion is not an interest. If they continue to tune in, in increasing numbers because of the quality and interest of the programme, then that's great - because in a couple of weeks we'll again have a programme that delivers a strong Christian message. By not having “God-content' every single week, we are able to bring that in naturally, positively, without it being forced, contrived or predictable. This is particularly important so that when a guest really doesn't want to talk about it - or may indeed have a very contrary view-point - then we don't feel we have to go there.
Please pray for us that God will direct us to good guests! And please feel free to participate. We rely on good calls to help mould the shape and direction of the programme. Sometimes our lack of Christian content is because articulate people of faith do not phone up to be part of the show.
How will I recognise a CBA programme?
Hopefully you won't. We're trying to sound as much as possible like the station on which we're broadcasting. If you're driving in your car, flicking between radio stations on your car stereo, and you happen to come across a CBA programme - it should sound like NewstalkZB, or Classic Hits, or RNZ National - depending on the station. We don't brand our programmes, because we want it to sound like normal programming on that station. The message and content of our programmes, however, should hopefully prompt people to consider aspects of the Christian faith. We're happy to advertise our programmes to Christians, but we're actually intending to broadcast to the existing audience, which is predominantly non-Christian.
Why does CBA include Santa in its Christmas programme?
Yes, we feature Santa Claus on our Christmas show. Santa is part of our modern culture and tradition. The difference on our show is that our Santa Claus talks to the children about how he is giving presents to remind children that it is Jesus' birthday. Santa also talks about his origins of St Nicholas who served Jesus, by serving the poor. We use the images of our modern culture, to connect our audience with the real meaning of Christmas.
Why does Scrubcutter not play in Auckland or Wellington?
Scrubcutter is designed for a very specific purpose. Every weekday afternoon, NewstalkZB broadcasts short traffic reports in Auckland and Wellington, which creates a gap (called a 'network window') of 90-seconds on all the other stations on their network, e.g. Waikato, Nelson, BOP, etc. Scrubcutter is designed to 'fill the gap'. It's heard by more than 100,000 listeners on these stations, and with repeat airing, each piece is heard by 180,000 individual listeners.