Salem Communications Expands Web Network with CrossDaily.com

California-based Salem Communications, the leading U.S. radio broadcaster to the Christian audience, has expanded its operations, adding CrossDaily.com to its corporate owned web properties.

By Audrey Barrick, Christian Post Reporter Saturday, February 18, 2006

California-based Salem Communications, the leading U.S. radio broadcaster to the Christian audience, has expanded its operations, adding CrossDaily.com to its list of corporate owned web properties.

The corporation announced Thursday its acquisition of the online provider of Christian content and resources for $2.3 million. Vice President of Salem Web Network, Rick Killingsworth, called it "another important step forward in Salem's online strategy," according to a released statement.

"This acquisition further diversifies our Internet revenue streams and adds an established web business to our growing online portfolio," said Killingsworth. "By leveraging the operational and marketing infrastructure of our existing Internet businesses, which target the same church audience, we believe the acquisition of CrossDaily.com will be immediately profitable.”

As one of the leading Christian portal sites on the internet, CrossDaily.com provides graphics, e-cards, games, resources for churches and businesses and online shopping for the Christian market.

"The site complements our current efforts to serve the growing and increasingly important church services market," Killingsworth said. “With one of the largest collections of Christian graphics anywhere on the web, we now can offer a larger suite of services to our church and ministry clients."

With more than seven million page views and 600,000 unique users, according to Tom Perrault, executive director of operations of Salem Web, the added web property will help "widen the traffic and audience" for its web communications.

The acquisition was made as network professionals in Christian communications began gathering in Texas for the largest world’s largest convention for Christian broadcasters. The National Religious Broadcasters Convention kicked off officially on Saturday with thousands of attendants anticipating training and networking to enhance their ministry.

Salem Communications currently owns and operates Crosswalk.com, OnePlace.com, Christianity.com, ChristianJobs.com, ChurchStaffing.com, TheFish.com and CCMmagazine.com, along with more than 60 radio station websites. Salem owns Salem Radio Network, Salem Radio Representatives, Salem Web Network, and Salem Publishing.