Religious radio stations that often discuss politics are more likely to talk about issues in an opinionated way
% of coverage of each topic on U.S. religious radio stations that takes a stance or expresses an opinion
Note: “Often” group includes stations that mention politics or current events in more than two and a half hours of programming daily. “Sometimes or rarely” group includes stations that mention these issues less often. Content can contain mentions of multiple topics. Mentions of Israel and the Palestinian territories refer to modern geopolitical entities and do not include biblical or historical references.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of 439,711 hours of programming on FCC-licensed terrestrial AM/FM religious radio stations, recorded July 2025.
“Religious Radio Across America”
“Religious Radio Across America”
PEW-KNIGHT INITIATIVE
Religious radio stations that often discuss politics are more likely to talk about issues in an opinionated way
% of coverage of each topic on U.S. religious radio stations that takes a stance or expresses an opinion
| Issue | Stations that often discuss news and politics | Stations that sometimes or rarely discuss news and politics |
|---|---|---|
| Economy | 68% | 55% |
| Crime/law Enforcement | 66% | 30% |
| Donald Trump | 59% | 31% |
| The Republican Party | 47% | 30% |
| Joe Biden | 85% | 64% |
| The Democratic Party | 83% | 58% |
| Israel | 56% | 31% |
| Palestinian territories | 57% | 26% |
| LGBTQ issues and rights | >99% | >99% |
| Abortion | 95% | 92% |
| Immigration | 67% | 52% |
Note: “Often” group includes stations that mention politics or current events in more than two and a half hours of programming daily. “Sometimes or rarely” group includes stations that mention these issues less often. Content can contain mentions of multiple topics. Mentions of Israel and the Palestinian territories refer to modern geopolitical entities and do not include biblical or historical references.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of 439,711 hours of programming on FCC-licensed terrestrial AM/FM religious radio stations, recorded July 2025.
“Religious Radio Across America”
“Religious Radio Across America”
PEW-KNIGHT INITIATIVE
