In a culture increasingly defined by media saturation, Christian content is not only surviving; it is thriving. The National Religious Broadcasters (NRB), in partnership with Barna Group, conducted a landmark study on the state of Christian media (CM) in the United States. The findings, drawn from a nationally representative sample of over 2,000 U.S. adults in early 2025, reveal a media ecosystem that is both expansive and deeply personal—one that is shaping lives, households, and even elections.
This article marks the first in a series unpacking key insights from the study. Over the next several weeks, we’ll explore how Christian media is influencing American culture, who is engaging with it, and what this means for the future of faith-driven content.
A full version of the report will be available exclusively for NRB members to download.
Broad Reach: Most Americans engage with Christian media.
More than 60% of American adults report consuming Christian media in some form, whether through television, radio, podcasts, news websites, social media, or YouTube. This is not an occasional interaction—among these users, half engage with Christian content at least once per week.
What’s more, twenty-eight percent of Christian media users are “heavy” users (16% of all respondents). These heavy users consume Christian media across an average of more than six platforms on a weekly basis and more than two different platforms every day.
This kind of habitual engagement speaks to a trend that NRB has long championed: the multi-platform approach. As digital and broadcast technologies continue to converge, the most engaged audiences are not choosing one medium over another. Rather, they are integrating Christian TV, podcasts, YouTube channels, and social media into their daily rhythms.
Christian media holds a significant presence in American life. As we’ll explore in the weeks ahead, the data paints a picture of a movement that is not only growing but is also shaping the future of media.
Stay tuned for part two in this series, where we’ll explore the demographic heartbeat behind the Christian media audience.