Podcasting continues to be a much-reported topic this month. Secular and faith-based programmers are jumping into podcasting with both feet. Also this month, we report on the results of two surveys. One is related to religious "self identification", and the second survey is a listing of the most influential churches in America based on a survey of 2000 church leaders.

• Belief By The Numbers
  The vast majority (88%) of Americans describe themselves as either spiritual or religious. But even among the faithful there's a dizzying array of diversity. The City University of New York asked 50,000 U.S. adults how they identified themselves and reported the change from 1990-2001.
  
  Results were:

  Nondenominational Christian	1.120%		Presbyterian	12%
  Hindu	237%		Mormon	12%
  Quaker	224%		Roman Catholic	11%
  Buddhist	170%		Lutheran	5%
  Muslim	109%		Methodist	-0.20%
  No Religion	106%		Baptist	-0.40%
  Christian	76%		Jehovah's Witness	-4%
  Evangelical	42%		Jewish	-11%
  Pentecostal	38%		Rastafarian	-27%
  Scientologist	22%		Protestant	-270%

• Now...The Fox Podcasting Network
  Fox Broadcasting Co. is embracing podcasting in a big way, creating free programming that fans can download and play any time they want. "Podcasting is a phenomenal concept, and it's going to explode," said Chris Carlisle, Fox Broadcasting Executive Vice President. "We're approaching it from a very, very aggressive point of view. You already have an audience plugged it to these devices and this delivery system. We want to reach them where they are and give them what they want." (Source: Hollywood Reporter August 1, 2005)

• Arbitron Measures Podcasting
  In a development that may say as much about the future of radio broadcasting as it does about the future of media audience measurement, Arbitron Tuesday announced that its new portable people meter system could successfully track podcasts. While the ultimate potential of podcasts--listener-generated radio programs distributed over the Internet--may be debatable, the technology is one of a progression of digital media applications that are transforming how, when, and why people listen to the medium, and are requiring both radio broadcasters, and the company that measures their audiences, to become more resourceful. In fact, Clear Channel Communications, the nation's largest radio broadcaster, recently issued a request for proposal inviting media research firms to step forward with new "state-of-the-art" methods for measuring radio. Arbitron, which has been trying to convince the radio industry to support the costly rollout of its new PPM system, believes it has the method. In fact, Arbitron worked with Clear Channel on its field test using PPMs to measure podcasts. (Source: Mediapost 8/24/05)

• Godcasting For Those On The Run
  Kyle Lewis, 25, missed going to church last week, but he did not miss the sermon. Lewis, who regularly attends services at the National Community Church in Alexandria, Virginia, listened to the sermon while he was at the gym, through a recording he had downloaded to his iPod. Instead of listening to music his gym usually plays, he heard his pastor's voice. Reverend Mark Batterson started Podcasting last month on theaterchurch.com. He says, "I can't possibly have a conversation with everyone each Sunday, but this builds toward a digital discipleship." (Source: The New York Times 8/30/05)

• Sirius Satellite Posts Wide Loss, But Gains Subscribers
  A jump in subscribers helped Sirius quadruple second-quarter revenue, but the cost of getting those subscribers caused it to lose more money. The company, which has never reported a profit, faces mounting cost, as it is pouring money into everything from advertising sales staff to engineering in an effort to gain more subscribers. Sirius now reports a total subscriber count of 1.8 million. (Source: The Wall Street Journal 8/3/05)

• Most Influential Churches Survey Results
  The 2005 survey was sent to 2,000 church leaders with the goal of ranking the nation's fastest growing churches and churches with more than 2,000 weekend attendance. The 127 churches nominated for the 50 Most Influential Churches survey were located in 32 states and represented 27 affiliation groups and/or denominations. The term affiliation is used to include networks of unaffiliated, independent churches.
  
  The top ten are:
  

  1. Saddleback	Lake Forest, CA	Dr. Rick Warren
  2. Willow Creek Community Church	South Barrington, IL	Bill Hybels
  3. North Point Community Church	Alpharetta, GA	Andy Stanley
  4. Fellowship Church	Grapevine, TX	Ed Young, Jr.
  5. Lakewood Church	Houston, TX	Joel Osteen
  6. Brooklyn Tabernacle	Brooklyn, NY	Jim Cymbala
  7. The Church of the Resurrection	Leawood, KS	Adam Hamilton
  8. The Potter’s House	Dallas, TX	Bishop T. D. Jakes
  9. Ginhamsburg United Methodist Church	Tipp City, OH	Michael Slaughter
  10. New Life Church	Colorado Springs, CO	Ted Haggard

For additional detail or questions, please contact Dan Griffin, GSF Director of Client Development (dan@gsfmedia.com)