Black Christians--particularly those who are fond of gospel music--are being targeted by advertisers who see a demographic that has not been effectively reached, according to a piece on
WashingtonPost.com. The beneficiary: Radio stations that program gospel. According to Max Siegel, president of Sony's Zomba Gospel label, "There's been a growing interest in the faith-based
market from mainstream corporate America. The consumers are loyal, and they have a lot of disposable income." Indeed, the buying powers of U.S. blacks has risen substantially in recent years, to
$723 billion in 2004, reports the University of Georgia's Selig Center for Economic Growth. To reach this prosperous demographic, many advertisers are going to gospel radio. "Many African
Americans consider faith an integral part of their lives. These are people who fit our target demographic," said a Ford executive in the story. While many advertisers have long reached
churchgoing blacks through consumer magazines such as
Ebony, Jet, and
Essence, they have recently turned to gospel radio as an effective outlet.
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