The Journey, Saint Louis, Missouri

[JimTroost]

Just wanted to share some 411 about what I think is prob. the best Christian music station in Saint Louis for those not following the KFUO/JOY FM threads. Here's my post or at least the thread.

What I find amazing is that The Journey is actually the only online station recognized by the government as a real broadcaster and listed in the official state manual with all the AM/FM and television stations. It's the ONLY one. And on their old websites they used to list many traditional network affiliations with companies that usually don't do affiliations with streaming broadcasters. Some of these are Christian, others are commercial and two (Radio Netherlands and Pacifica) are public or community radio.

The Journey also has major commercial sponsors. I've heard Geico, Wal*Mart, PetSmart, Progessive Insurance, Home Depot and other major sponsors during their shows. Does anyone know how they managed this as an online station?

When some friends in Chicago tried to do something similar with Internet radio, nobody in traditional radio took them seriously and certainly would not allow affiliation.

 

[gr8oldies]

How do you become "recognized as a real broadcaster" if you aren't. If an online station is running national spots no doubt its a barter deal from a network or syndicated show. I'm a little confused.

 

[JimTroost]

How do you become "recognized as a real broadcaster" if you aren't. If an online station is running national spots no doubt its a barter deal from a network or syndicated show. I'm a little confused.

I'm not sure. The national commercials do run during syndicated shows, but also during local programming like the Morning and Afternoon shows. In fact, sometimes the DJs specifically thank a particular local or national company for sponsoring the local shows.

The Journey is listed the Missouri Broadcaster's Association directory as a Member Station not an affiliate member (for non broadcasters). A friend from church who works at a local FCC licensed station showed me. They are listed as a "major market" station. He also has met staff of the station at MBA conventions several years ago. There are no other Internet stations with membership.

The Missouri Secretary of State's Office lists The Journey in the State's Official Manual, which anyone can view online or at most Missouri libraries, order free online (it's expensively hardbound) or view online.

As I said in the original post, The Journey is the ONLY Internet station listed as a Missouri Broadcaster even though there are other people in St. Louis who stream on the Internet, I'm sure. Here's the link to The Missouri Secretary of State's Blue Book page which has a link to view the actual current edition in PDF format. As you can see it's a real mo.gov website. If you go to the online edition and look under Missouri Information, with the link to Missouri Broadcasters, everybody listed besides The Journey is an actual FCC licensed AM, FM or television station. No pirate stations and no other Internet stations. Just The Journey.
It's also the ONLY online station I've ever heard that interrupts programming whenever the weather alerts go off for Saint Louis or the surrounding Missouri and Illinois communities. And in winter, it actually interrupts regular programming to do winter storm related school closings!

What I don't know is how the people behind the online station did all this as an Internet station. Originally it was one of the highest rated Christian genre stations on Live 365 along with JOY FM, the now high power FCC licensed Christian Adult Contemporary station here.

I love their shows, especially the local guys on weekdays and I wish that they were on licensed radio so that I could listen in the car. The daytime shows are superior, I think, to the other Christian genre choices here. Night on the other hand, I think, is automated.

I'm interested in how they did it (got sponsors, recognition, etc.) because some friends in Chicago tried and they couldn't get anyone to take them seriously because they were Internet.

 

[JimTroost]

I just got back from after church errands and went to listen to The Journey. On first connection attempt, I couldn't connect to streams now its running some technical difficulty notice with some new agey type music in the background. I hope after promoting them here, this doesn't mean that its going dark .

When it comes to online listening, I'm never sure whether its MY connection or the Internet radio station at fault, but I guess this one wasn't me.

I've never had trouble before with them.

 

[radioboy]

The spots that run in the syndicated shows are likely barter spots in exchange for the rights to carry the program.

I became familiar with The Journey through Live365. Rob Weiter is a pastor and is the gentleman with the vision to get the station started. I'm pretty sure it is on a different streaming provider now.

They do have live folks there, which is not the norm for most Internet stations. By doing those weather alerts and such they are working to serve the local market.

 

[JimTroost]

The spots that run in the syndicated shows are likely barter spots in exchange for the rights to carry the program.

I became familiar with The Journey through Live365. Rob Weiter is a pastor and is the gentleman with the vision to get the station started. I'm pretty sure it is on a different streaming provider now.

They do have live folks there, which is not the norm for most Internet stations. By doing those weather alerts and such they are working to serve the local market.

Ann,
I sent a message to The Journey with a link to our discussions and even though it's a weekend, I got a response. It wasn't from Pastor Rob but somebody working as an "outreach coordinator". (My guess is a Public Relations person, but it's impressive that he answers emails over weekends.) He wrote that Pastor Rob would mention the board and answer some of my questions on his show tomorrow. So people might want to listen in if he's going to promote us or mention us between 8 am and noon St. Louis time.

The station's still going. It's had some staff changes over the years, but Pastor Rob is still doing mornings. He was off the air awhile several months ago in the hospital with something serious, but he's back. I hope allot of people tune in from all over, but especially from here in St. Louis, I guess. I'm going to ask a friend who owns a restaurant down on Grand and another in the CWE if they'd consider sponsoring The Journey. Most of the commercials during his local live shows are from national sponsors and I'm glad The Journey has them if the station's getting paid, but I'd like to hear more local biz sponsoring the station.

If you've missed the station for awhile, The Journey no longer carries the liberal Pacifica garbage like Democracy Now, which I'm not sorry to see gone. Network Europe, from Radio Netherlands, runs from 6:30 to 7 am and then Wyatt Cox with his show out of Nevada, American Sunrise. Then Pastor Rob from 8 until noon. Since it does carry some public service programming at really early morning hours (I think), I wish The Journey would publish a schedule like it used to.

The music mix continues to be excellent, much better than that on JOY FM Tomorrow, though, will be a "no repeat" day if the station follows their usual routine.

I think allot of people are missing the boat by not providing local, live content on Internet radio. So many of our local stations are now owned by a few conglomerates that Internet programmed for local markets might be a way for people who would have owned local broadcast stations back in the day to go.

 

[JimTroost]

I've been home from work about an hour and I'm tuned to The Journey on broadband. They just interrupted programming to give a Severe Thunderstorm watch for some counties in Missouri and Illinois. I don't think many other online stations, if any, do that complete with the irritating Emergency Weather Tones.

Did anyone hear US mentioned on Pastor Rob's show this morning? I was stuck in a meeting and missed his comments.