The mere title “Christian media” raises an awkward question—are there non-Christian or atheist media in the US? Certainly statements about God and Christian values in the news, sports, contests, and talk shows, as well as assumptions about church as weekly activity in many series underscore a pervasive civic Christianity. Jews have had an ethnic presence in radio and television since the Goldbergs crossed over from radio to the golden age of television and have also had a lively press and literary output. Other religions make only exotic appearances in mass media, for example those of Santería and Voudou in Miami Vice, the Hinduism of the storeowner Apu in The Simpsons, or the mysterious “Chinese-flavored” religion of Kung Fu, despite their roles in ethnic media.

Christian media, therefore, represent a self-identification within publishing, music, radio and television that often questions the morals or purity of other media. In this sense, Christian media start from widely shared knowledge and beliefs within the US and push them further, attacking enemies on the basis of issues and actions more than doctrines.

On these foundations, a series of generally white male evangelical preachers have built empires that move beyond religion into politics, education and world affairs (see Christian Right). Yet, Christian media also incorporate science-fiction apocalypse, children’s games and toys, music videos and slogan-bearing T-shirts.

In some cases, these media have extended revivalist careers like that of Billy Graham, who relied on television specials rather than shows. The next step, however, was taken by televangelists like Pat Robertson, Jim and Tammy Faye Baker, Jack Van Impe, Jim Swaggart, Robert Schuyler, Jerry Falwell and others, who found their melodious preaching and fundamentalist answers attracted widespread audiences’ support. The Bakers built their PTL (Praise the Lord) network into an empire, including a Christian Heritage theme park before it crashed on charges of embezzlement and improprieties.

Robertson, with his 777 Club, used televangelism as a springboard for presidential politics, while Falwell has used Liberty College and his network to assert influence over issues from abortion to homosexuality. The media presence of such figures, however, does not equate to readership or support, as mass movements based in Christian media have discovered.

By contrast, African Americans have tended to become better known in local broadcasting, although Reverend “Ike” made a long career out of miracles, prayer-cloths and fundraising over national radio. Catholics, too, have generally had a quieter role in Christian media. Bishop Fulton J. Sheen showed a shrewd knowledge of television in the 1950s, but Catholic broadcasting has tended to be pious, local and focused on issues from the Eucharist to shut-ins. The Evangelical World Network, however, made a star out of the maternal nun Mother Angelica and raised the presence of conservative and evangelical Catholicism on cable nationwide.

In 1998 Lowell Paxson’s PAX network launched a national network of Christian content—generally tame asexual series like reruns of Touched by an Angel or family game and variety shows rather than evangelists. In 1999 NBC acquired a substantial interest in PAX. Beyond radio and television, Christian media tend to synthesize old and new forms, which is apparent from venerable publishers like Zondervan or the Paulist Press. Christian bookstores, Christian music stations, concerts and church events all insist on Christian media and their message as alternatives to American corporate control even as these corporations themselves have invested in Christian media.