Cross Rhythms

What Cross Rhythms does

Cross Rhythms is a UK registered charity (no. 1069357) founded in 1983 that operates a multi-channel Christian media platform combining FM radio broadcasting, digital audio broadcasting, online streaming, and a long-form editorial website. Its broadcast operations consist of Cross Rhythms City Radio (Stoke) on 101.8FM, Cross Rhythms Plymouth on 96.3FM, and xRhythms DAB digital radio, supplemented by web-based online streaming and XML/RSS syndication that allows third parties to redistribute its content. The supporting editorial property is anchored by an archive of 2,686 pages of music reviews covering Christian music from 1971 to present and 2,552 pages of music news, together with artist profiles, a weekly Cross Rhythms Chart, Key Quotes, Life Articles, Life Files newsletter, online Prayer Rooms, and an Artist Partnerships program. The organization is co-led by founders Chris and Kerry Cole and operates from a registered office in Framlingham, Suffolk.

The core technology is a content and broadcast platform rather than a software product: a website fronting streaming radio, a programmatic chart system, an archive-driven reviews and news CMS, and RSS/XML syndication feeds. Distribution infrastructure spans two terrestrial FM stations, a DAB channel, and web streaming. Additional capabilities include a Cross Rhythms Media Training Centre that offers media-skills development, suggesting the organization is diversifying beyond broadcasting into educational services.

The business model is charitable rather than commercial: over 70% of Cross Rhythms income is sourced from donations, the organization is governed by a Board of Trustees, and no products or services are sold on a commercial basis. Audience and revenue concentration sit with a diffuse base of individual supporters, listeners, and readers in the UK and globally via online channels. Strategic partnerships — including with Word Records UK, Kingsway Records, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and Christian festivals such as Greenbelt and Cornerstone — support content depth but are not commercial revenue drivers. Headcount is reported at 1–10, consistent with a lean nonprofit operating model.

Name

Cross Rhythms

Legal name

Cross Rhythms

Website

https://crossrhythms.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cross Rhythms is a UK registered charity operating FM radio stations in Stoke and Plymouth, DAB and online streaming, and a Christian music editorial website with reviews, news, and artist profiles serving listeners and supporters in the UK and online.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Broadcasting

NAICS

Other Sound Recording Industries (51229)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Religious Music & Worship Broadcasting (MPABALAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Podcast Networks & Studio Platforms (MPAIADAC)

Keywords

• Christian radio broadcasting
• Online radio streaming
• Religious media content
• Music review journalism
• Christian music coverage

Headquarters

HQ city

Stoke-on-trent

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Over 70% of Cross Rhythms income comes through donations from supporters. The organization is a UK registered charity (no. 1069357) relying on public donations to sustain operations.

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cross Rhythms is a UK-based Christian media organization that broadcasts Christian music and faith-based programming via FM radio (Stoke 101.8FM, Plymouth 96.3FM), DAB digital radio (xRhythms), and online streaming. The organization operates an extensive editorial platform featuring a music reviews archive spanning 1971 to present, music news, artist profiles, spiritual life articles, curated key quotes, online prayer rooms, and a weekly email newsletter (Life Files).

Product overview

Cross Rhythms is a UK-based Christian media organization operating as an online radio platform and content aggregator. The core offering consists of live and on-demand streaming radio services across multiple distribution channels including FM (Stoke 101.8FM, Plymouth 96.3FM), DAB (xRhythms), and online streaming. Supporting the radio content is an extensive editorial platform featuring music reviews database (2686 pages), music news archive (2552 pages), artist profiles with discographies, and the Key Quotes curated content system. Additional engagement features include online Prayer Rooms, Life Files newsletter, and Artist Partnerships program. The organization also operates a Media Training Centre. Content syndication is available via XML/RSS feeds. The platform operates as a registered UK charity (no. 1069357) with over 30 years experience in Christian music and media.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cross Rhythms Online Radio Online streaming Christian radio station offering live broadcasts, listen-again functionality, and syndicated content distribution through web console, accessible globally.
• Cross Rhythms City Radio (Stoke) 101.8FM Local FM radio station broadcasting Christian music and faith-based programming in the Stoke-on-Trent area at 101.8FM frequency.
• Cross Rhythms Plymouth 96.3FM Local FM radio station broadcasting Christian music and faith-based programming in the Plymouth area at 96.3FM frequency.
• xRhythms DAB Digital audio broadcasting (DAB) service and online radio offering for Cross Rhythms content.
• Music Reviews Database Comprehensive database of music reviews covering Christian music across multiple genres including Pop, Rock, Gospel, Classical, and Choral, spanning from 1971 to present with 2,686 pages of reviews.
• Music News Archive News section covering Christian music industry updates, artist announcements, album releases, and music industry developments with 2,552 pages of archived news.
• Artist Profiles Database Database of artist profiles featuring biographies, discographies, product listings, and news stories for Christian music artists.
• Key Quotes Collection Curated collection of quotes organized by year (2002-2026) and category including Church, Crime, Health, Politics, Religion, and Young People, with news source citations.
• Prayer Rooms Online prayer spaces including Courts of Praise, Watering Hole, Dedication Room, Intercession Room, and Incinerator for spiritual engagement.
• Life Files Newsletter Weekly email newsletter and article series featuring advice and stories from people making a positive impact through faith.
• Cross Rhythms Media Training Centre Training program for media skills development offered by the Cross Rhythms organization.
• RSS/XML Content Syndication XML/RSS feed services allowing third-party websites to syndicate and display Cross Rhythms content with proper attribution and intact links.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% of income from donations demonstrates strong community support and engagement

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Greenbelt FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1989One Bad Pig performed at Greenbelt 1989, bringing them rave reviews. Cross Rhythms has covered performances and events at major Christian festivals including Greenbelt.
• Word Records UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWord Records UK released Adrian Snell's 'Father' album and was the label for his 1986 'Alpha & Omega' album, which became the best-selling European origin gospel album ever. Word Records UK also spent significant budget recording 'Alpha & Omega' with the biggest budget Word had ever spent on a British recording at that time.
• Kingsway RecordscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKingsway Records originally released Adrian Snell's 'The Passion' album in 1980, recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The label has been involved in releasing Adrian Snell's concept albums and published related books.
• Royal Philharmonic OrchestraflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Adrian Snell on the original 'The Passion' album (1980), performing the Easter story concept album featuring orchestral arrangements.
• Cornerstone FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor US Christian festival where One Bad Pig recorded their 'Live: Blow The House Down' album and video. Cross Rhythms has extensive coverage of Cornerstone Festival events.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Air1 Radio: US-based contemporary Christian music radio network operated by Educational Media Foundation alongside K-LOVE. Comparable in audience demographic and faith-based music programming, but at much larger commercial scale.
• K-LOVE: Major US contemporary Christian music radio network with hundreds of affiliate stations and digital streaming. Comparable in mission and audience but operates at significantly larger scale and with broader geographic reach.

Direct peers

• UCB (United Christian Broadcasters): UK Christian radio charity operating multiple stations (UCB1, UCB2) with online streaming. Closest direct peer given shared UK charity structure, broadcasting model, and faith-based audience targeting.
• Premier Christian Radio: UK-based national Christian radio station offering music, news, and talk programming to faith audiences. Direct competitor in the UK Christian radio market with similar online streaming and editorial content offerings.

Regional players

• Spirit Radio: Irish Christian radio broadcaster with FM frequencies across Ireland and online streaming. Operates a similar model combining FM broadcast with online streaming for faith audiences, but in a different national market.
• GOD Radio: UK Christian radio station focused on the London region with online streaming. Comparable faith-based broadcast model with similar target audience, operating in a different UK geographic market than Cross Rhythms.

Others

• NewReleaseToday: Online Christian music news and review platform covering album releases, artist interviews, and editorial content. Adjacent to Cross Rhythms' editorial/review function rather than direct broadcast competition.
• CCM Magazine: Long-running US-based Christian music journalism publication covering artist news, album reviews, and industry coverage. Overlaps with Cross Rhythms' editorial review and news archive but focused on print/digital publishing rather than broadcasting.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/crossrhythms
• Facebookfacebook.com/CrossRhythms
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cross-rhythms-fm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cross Rhythms