NRB Milestone Spotlight: Northwestern Media

Editor's Note: This year, NRB will be recognizing a record number of organizations with the NRB Milestone Award, which is presented each year at the annual NRB Convention in recognition of pioneers in Christian communications who have demonstrated exemplary service in the industry for five decades or more. In each weekly edition of NRB Today leading up to the NRB 2013 Convention & Exposition, one of this year's honorees will be spotlighted. This week, we recognize Northwestern Media, which will mark 64 years since its first radio station went on air in 1949. Here is their story:

Northwestern Media, the media network owned by Northwestern College in St. Paul, MN, began with the purchase of two stations (KTIS-AM and FM) in St. Paul in 1949, when the Rev. Billy Graham was President of Northwestern Schools.

Since its beginning, Northwestern Media has endeavored to lead people to Christ and to nurture believers in their spiritual growth through Christ-centered media.

For more than 30 years, Northwestern stations have also been donating funds to help Christian stations in other countries purchase equipment and to train radio personnel. They work primarily with the major international Christian broadcasters – HCJB Global, TWR and FEBC – though they have also partnered with Daystar University (Kenya) and Belizean Christian Broadcasters. 

From 1985 to 2005, Northwestern served hundreds of other Christian stations around the country by providing a syndicated music service along with AP News and the Faith Report throughout their SkyLight Satellite Network

Northwestern’s stations have furthermore sought to super-serve each of the communities they minister in by promoting dozens of Christian and some non-Christian nonprofit organizations in those communities, and by encouraging their listeners to volunteer to serve others.

In 2009, Northwestern developed an interactive prayer tool, PrayerWorks, which is used by all of its stations plus 85 other radio stations and ministries.  As of the end of October 2012, requests posted on PrayerWorks have been prayed for approximately three million times.

Today, Northwestern consists of 14 radio stations in seven Upper Midwest markets that minister to approximately 835,000 unique listeners each week. Its flagship station, KTIS-FM, currently ranks No. 6 in total audience among all stations in the Twin Cities market.

Published: Janurary 17, 2013