Cross Rhythms is a Christian media organisation based in
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent (often abbreviated to Stoke) is a city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Staffordshire, England, with an area of . In 2019, the city had an estimated population of 256,375. It is the largest settlement ...
, England. It operates an FM and online radio station, produces radio shows sent internationally, and its website has resources about contemporary Christian music.
History
1983–2002
In 1983, Chris Cole started a 30-minute weekly Christian music radio show on
Plymouth Sound FM
Heart Plymouth (formerly Plymouth Sound) was an Independent Local Radio station broadcasting to Plymouth in Devon, England.
History
The heritage name Plymouth Sound was a pun on the popular meaning of ''sound'' (in the audio sense) and the b ...
Plymouth
Plymouth () is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to ...
. Originally titled ''The Solid Rock of Jesus Christ'', the programme aired on Sunday evenings. It grew into a one-hour programme, and became one of the most listened to programmes in its time slot in South Devon. The show continued until 1996.
In May 1990, music journalist
Tony Cummings
Tony Cummings is the founding editor of the magazine ''Cross Rhythms''.
Biography
Cummings' journalistic career started in 1963. He started a black music fanzine originally called ''Soul'', then ''Soul Music Monthly'', and finally ''Shout''. ...
founded the magazine '' Cross Rhythms''. In 1991, publication of the magazine was taken over by Cole's publishing company, Cornerstone House. That same year, Cross Rhythms took over the organisation and management, of what had previously been the Umberleigh Rock Gospel Festival. The event was renamed to the Cross Rhythms Festival, and continued to be held annually until 2003. In 1992, the radio show was renamed the ''Cross Rhythms Experience'', and became a syndicated show in 1993. By 1995, the magazine had a readership of about 15,000.
Cross Rhythms, in partnership with United Christian Broadcasters (UCB), launched a satellite radio channel in 1998 (broadcasting to the UK and Europe on digital satellite). At the same time, Cross Rhythms moved its base from Plymouth to
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent (often abbreviated to Stoke) is a city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Staffordshire, England, with an area of . In 2019, the city had an estimated population of 256,375. It is the largest settlement ...
, and shared facilities with UCB. The partnership continued until 2002, when Cross Rhythms was granted a pilot licence for a new form of local radio (then called access radio, but now known as
community radio
Community radio is a radio service offering a third model of radio broadcasting in addition to commercial and public broadcasting. Community stations serve geographic communities and communities of interest. They broadcast content that is popu ...
). Cross Rhythms City Radio went on air in February 2002. At the same time as obtaining the FM licence for Cross Rhythms City Radio, Cross Rhythms moved out of UCB's headquarters and into Conway House, the former home of
BBC Radio Stoke
BBC Radio Stoke is the BBC's local radio station serving Staffordshire and South Cheshire.
It broadcasts on FM, DAB, Freeview and via BBC Sounds from studios in the Hanley area of Stoke-on-Trent.
According to RAJAR, the station has a weekl ...
.
2003–present
The last Cross Rhythms Festival was held in 2003. The festival was subsequently re-launched as a partnership with Gilead Foundations, under the new name of the Arrow Festival. The editorial content of the magazine is now carried by the Cross Rhythms website. To help finance the expansion of the radio aspect of the organisation, Cross Rhythms Direct was launched in 2003 as an online Christian music shop.
In addition to operating Cross Rhythms City Radio and the Cross Rhythms website (which has a review section of Christian music releases and life-based articles by a selection of writers including Mal Fletcher and
Paul Poulton
Paul Poulton is a British singer-songwriter, guitarist and writer. Born in West Bromwich, West Midlands, England, he has released fifteen albums, eight singles and four books since 1989. That year Paul did over a hundred performances in his fir ...
), Cross Rhythms also provides syndicated radio programming for a number of other radio stations, mostly community based and music review content for several publications including the UK Christian retail trade magazine ''
Christian Marketplace
''Christian Marketplace'' (formerly known as the ''Christian Bookstore Journal'' and the ''European Christian Bookstore Journal'') was the UK-based trade magazine for the Christian retail industry, featuring news, product reviews and interviews ...
''.
The ''Cross Rhythms'' magazine ceased publication in 2005.
The name "Cross Rhythms" is also used by two other UK community radio stations.
Cross Rhythms Plymouth
Cross Rhythms Plymouth is a Christian community radio station broadcasting to Plymouth, Devon, England.franchise agreement, whereby the new stations will take syndicated programming from Cross Rhythms, outside their own core broadcasting hours while retaining full
editorial independence
Editorial independence is the freedom of editors to make decisions without interference from the owners of a publication. Editorial independence is tested, for instance, if a newspaper runs articles that may be unpopular with its advertising
...