Faith-based radio has deep roots in the United States, tracing back to the first broadcasts of Sunday services in the early 1920s. Today, more than 4,000 terrestrial religious radio stations operate nationwide, according to an analysis by the Pew Research Center through its Pew-Knight Initiative.
These stations account for roughly one-quarter of the nearly 17,000 AM and FM outlets licensed by the Federal Communications Commission. As a result, nearly all U.S. adults — about 98% — live within the broadcast range of at least one religious radio station.
The new study from the Pew Research Center finds that religious radio remains a significant — and in some cases preferred — form of media among highly religious Americans, even as digital alternatives grow.
The findings show that traditional media still plays a major role in religious life. Pew reports that radio listening outpaces other modern formats like religious podcasts, and remains part of a broader pattern in which more observant Americans rely on established, offline or broadcast channels for spiritual content.
At the same time, the data suggests religious media habits are evolving. While radio remains popular, Americans are also increasingly turning to online services and digital platforms for worship and engagement, reflecting a hybrid approach to religious participation.
Earlier Pew research similarly found that about one-in-five Americans engage with religious media such as talk radio, placing it on par with other forms like religious television or online sharing of faith, underscoring its longstanding role in U.S. religious culture.
Overall, the study indicates that religious radio stations continue to hold a meaningful place in the U.S. media landscape, particularly among the most devout, even as newer technologies reshape how Americans practice and experience religion.