Walter A. Maier - Entry Into Radio Broadcasting

Entry Into Radio Broadcasting

In March 1923 the Messenger featured a W.A.M. editorial entitled “Why not a Lutheran Broadcasting Station?” Its editor had long recognized the potential of radio to carry the gospel message to the masses, and dedicated numerous articles, editorials, conferences and addresses to the realization of this goal. Funded by appropriations from the Walther League, Lutheran Layman’s League, friends, and seminary students, a 500 watt transmitter was purchased and the first Christian radio station was born at Concordia Seminary. The new station, designated KFUO by the Federal Radio Commission, first proclaimed “The Gospel Voice” upon a 545.1 meter wavelength on Sunday, December 14, 1924 at 9:15 p.m. Maier had two weekly programs on the fledgling station, but repeatedly promised, “This is only the beginning!”.

Although KFUO was well received and well supported, Maier envisioned a broader audience than could be reached by constructing local radio stations. By 1929, with the goal of spreading the gospel from coast-to-coast, he was investigating the logistics of network broadcasting. At this time, the major radio networks donated air time to the Federal Council of Churches, but no single denomination had ever produced a nationwide radio show dedicated to spreading the gospel. Having persuaded the Missouri Synod of the validity of this project, Maier contacted the National Broadcasting Company early in 1930. He was disappointed to find that NBC would not donate air time to the Lutheran Church, or any other single denomination. Worse still, they would not even allow the Lutheran Church to purchase air time. NBC’s policy, Maier was told, precluded putting religious time on a commercial basis.

Maier then approached the Columbia Broadcasting System. CBS accepted paid religious programs but would the charge full commercial rate of $4500 per half-hour to broadcast over its thirty-four city network. An expense of over $200,000 annually seeming too much for the Synod during the depths of the Great Depression, the project was turned over to the Lutheran Layman’s League. The L.L.L. had already shown enthusiasm for religious broadcasting, and had great respect for Maier. In the end, the L.L.L. and Walther League were able to raise commitments of $94,000 by late summer – enough to sign the contract with CBS and commence broadcasting. With Maier as Speaker, The Lutheran Hour premiered on Thursday, October 2, 1930 at 10:00 (Eastern) or 7:00 (Pacific); immediately following CBS’s hit mystery, The Shadow.

Polling systems for ratings had not yet been invented. The size of a listening audience was estimated by counting each program’s fan mail. 15,000 communications were received during the first few weeks of broadcasting. Within a few months, with the listening audience estimated at five million hearers, The Lutheran Hour was receiving more mail than such top secular shows as Amos ‘n’ Andy. The Lutheran Hour was featured in over eight-hundred newspapers nationwide and regularly selected by both the New York Herald Tribune and Post as a recommended program for Thursdays. The program ran for thirty-six weeks its first season, and received over 57,000 pieces of correspondence. Due to financial concerns, The Lutheran Hour was discontinued from June, 1931 through 1934.