Salem Media Group is expanding the reach of Salem News Channel with a new distribution agreement that brings the network to Amazon Prime Video, a move executives believe further strengthens the channel’s growing footprint in the rapidly evolving streaming television space.
For Cary Pahigian, the Vice President and General Manager of Salem News Channel, the addition represents another milestone in the channel’s effort to build a broad national presence through major streaming platforms.
“Well, it’s adding another significant layer to our distribution on Salem News Channel after three-plus years,” Pahigian said. “We have almost two dozen distribution points now, including Pluto, Samsung TV Plus, Amazon Prime Video, Sling, and soon the Roku Channel coming up in a few weeks.”
The deal with Amazon Prime Video places Salem News Channel alongside some of the most recognizable content providers available through the platform. For Pahigian, that visibility is both a validation of the channel’s programming strategy and a sign that distributors see value in the network’s offerings.
“I’m pleased that these distributors, whose real estate is very valuable and tough to access, have viewed SNC as worthy of being added to their channels and becoming partners with us,” Pahigian stated.
The path to landing deals with major streaming distributors doesn’t happen overnight. According to Pahigian, Salem took time to ensure its programming and operational infrastructure were ready before pursuing wide-scale distribution opportunities.
“On our team, we have a point person who handles distribution,” Pahigian said. “When we felt comfortable a few years ago after launching the channel and concluding we had a product we were comfortable bringing to market, the gentleman who heads up that team began engaging with a number of distribution points.”
At the same time, he noted that the growing awareness of Salem News Channel has also led potential partners to reach out directly.
“At the same time, as we’ve grown, other companies have contacted us,” remarked Pahigian. “So it’s a little bit of both. You have to be deemed to be at a quality level they want to accept on their channel. We continue conversations — sometimes they happen quickly, and sometimes it takes time to establish a relationship and determine whether it’s the right addition to their lineup.”
While the deal with Amazon Prime Video stands out because of the platform’s global brand recognition, Pahigian said the channel’s overall growth has actually moved faster than Salem initially anticipated.
“I would say we’re far ahead of schedule,” Pahigian said. “The first six months to a year were really about building out a product we were proud of that represented the content we wanted to present, along with building out operations.”
That work included creating a nationwide production footprint capable of sustaining a continuous programming schedule.
“We have studios and offices in Los Angeles, Dallas, Tampa, New York, and Washington, D.C., so we’ve built a nationwide operation for the Salem News Channel,” the Salem News Channel Vice President and General Manager said.
As the operational structure took shape, Salem News Channel also had to navigate the rapidly changing media landscape. Streaming television has grown dramatically in recent years, creating new opportunities for networks willing to adapt.
“It’s growing so fast that it has surpassed cable and satellite,” Pahigian stated of the streaming television environment. “From there, we worked to understand the distribution side — how to make connections and build partnerships. We thought it might take a long time to get there, but it moved much quicker.”
Part of that acceleration came from Salem’s existing reputation within media and talk programming circles.
“One reason is that Salem had already cultivated a good amount of product and credibility,” Pahigian said. “We had a number of proven talent, news people, personalities, and content producers already in-house and access to those people. That was helpful.”
At the same time, he said the explosion of streaming services has created significant demand for reliable programming.
“The other part was that the streaming space was growing so quickly that there was a need for quality content,” said Pahigian. “A lot of people are knocking on doors and there’s a lot of content. For every channel that goes on, a couple leave. It’s a revolving door right now as the space settles in.”
Even before joining Amazon Prime Video, Salem News Channel had already begun to see significant audience growth, particularly around major political events.
“We have millions of viewers each month on the Salem News Channel,” Pahigian said. “We carried the State of the Union address last week, where we had pre- and post-coverage from our staff, and we more than doubled our audience that night. People are coming to us for that type of analysis and content.”
In Pahigian’s view, the strategy that has helped drive that audience growth is Salem’s commitment to building programming around recognizable personalities with established followings.
But he emphasized that the network doesn’t simply view its hosts as traditional radio personalities expanding into television.
“We don’t view these people as radio personalities doing TV or video,” Pahigian said. “We’ve turned that upside down. These are truly multi-platform content providers.”
Shows hosted by Mike Gallagher, Chris Stigall, Scott Jennings, Hugh Hewitt, and Larry Elder are produced by Salem News Channel and distributed across multiple formats.
“They’re broadcast as television shows in real time while also airing as radio shows, and later as video podcasts,” Pahigian remarked. “We produce each show every day as a high-quality video presentation first, which is also heard on audio and later distributed as video and audio podcasts.”
That approach, he said, has helped position Salem News Channel as a legitimate competitor in the digital streaming ecosystem.
“These are high-profile personalities,” Pahigian said. “People see that and recognize that these personalities have followings and credibility. They’ve been around for years. This isn’t a fly-by-night organization plugging in nameless faces and voices.”
Still, operating a 24-hour streaming news network comes with challenges — particularly when it comes to maintaining consistent quality across an around-the-clock schedule.
“One of the biggest challenges is sustaining a quality 24/7 product,” Pahigian said. “The demands of operating around the clock — whether it’s responding to changes in the world or simply managing a continuous operation — are significant.”
Consistency, he added, is ultimately the key to long-term success.
“It’s one thing to have a good day or two, but it’s important that when people come to you there’s a consistent expectation level,” Pahigian stated. “I have to quarterback a quality product every day. That’s really the magic.”
The continued expansion — including the addition of Amazon Prime Video — is something Pahigian said wouldn’t be possible without strong support from Salem Media leadership.
“When Dave Santrella first interacted with me and asked if I would help lead this, I knew we would need the proper backing,” Pahigian said. “Dave and the Salem Media team have been phenomenal.”
Despite the challenges facing the broader media industry, he said that support has remained steady since the channel’s launch.
“This could not be done without the solid backing of Dave and the Salem Media Company,” Pahigian said. “They have been with us from day one and have never wavered. They’ve been supportive, invested in the product, and have set a high standard for excellence that we hope to deliver every day to our viewers, advertisers, and colleagues.”
As Salem News Channel continues to grow its distribution footprint, Pahigian said each new partnership builds additional momentum for the brand.
“As you add each distribution point, you expand credibility and awareness,” Pahigian remarked. “It all feeds off each other.”
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