Every once in a while, an announcement comes across my desk that I simply cannot approach as another radio industry story. This is one of those moments. SonicTrek Media has selected veteran programmer Rob Wagman to lead its new Christian Hot AC format, Manna, and while there’s plenty to discuss about the programming, technology, and business opportunity, I want to tell you something about the man behind it. Because Rob Wagman isn’t simply an exceptional broadcaster, a respected consultant, or the mayor of Kings Mountain, North Carolina. He’s one of those rare people whose heart is every bit as impressive as his résumé. And I know that from personal experience.
When I first became seriously ill, Rob and his wife, Sarah Lee, were among the very first people to show up for me and my family.
Not because there was a press release.
Not because there was an audience watching.
Not because somebody was going to give them an award for being good people.
They were there because that’s who they are.
And I want to make something perfectly clear.
My family will NEVER forget what Rob and Sarah Lee did for us.
There are people in this business who will tell you they’re your friends when everything is going beautifully. They’ll answer your calls when you’re making headlines, doing well in the ratings, or sitting in an office with an impressive title.
But the real measure of friendship comes when life stops going according to plan.
Rob and Sarah Lee understood that long before I ever needed to experience it.
And that’s why I couldn’t be happier about this announcement.
SonicTrek Media, led by Managing Partner Joel Denver, is launching Manna as its seventh programming format, bringing Contemporary Christian music together with market-specific programming and AI-assisted localization technology.
The concept uses experienced, real-life radio personalities and licensed AI versions of their voices to create programming customized for individual markets.
Veteran personality Sparkle will serve as the format’s anchor voice, while Rob takes responsibility for its programming direction, music strategy, and overall presentation.
The goal is to give stations a Christian music format that feels connected to the communities they serve without requiring every affiliate to build an entire programming department from scratch.
And if you’re wondering whether Rob Wagman understands what makes a radio station connect with its audience, you might want to pull up a chair.
His career includes programming assignments at WIBT in Charlotte, WEZB in New Orleans, and WFBC-FM in Greenville, along with leadership roles at WNOW-FM in New York, WFLZ in Tampa, and WNTQ in Syracuse.
He also worked with Joel Denver at All Access, served as Director of Network Programming for WAY-FM, and spent time behind the microphone at Christian AC 95.9 The Fish in Los Angeles.
That’s an extraordinary collection of experience across formats, audiences, and markets.
But here’s what makes Rob particularly suited for this assignment.
He understands that Christian radio isn’t simply about playing songs that mention God. It’s about making a genuine human connection with somebody who may desperately need to hear a message of hope.
And he’s lived that philosophy.
Rob is also serving as mayor of Kings Mountain, North Carolina, where he was elected in 2023. Think about that for a moment. He’s spent a career building successful radio brands, and now he’s helping lead an actual community while continuing to bring his broadcasting experience to the industry.
Some people collect job titles.
Rob seems more interested in collecting opportunities to make a difference.
And knowing the man, that doesn’t surprise me.
The Manna concept is particularly interesting because artificial intelligence has become one of the most controversial subjects in broadcasting.
Some see tremendous opportunity.
Others worry that technology will eventually replace the personalities and local relationships that made radio special.
Those concerns are legitimate.
But I also know Rob.
And I know that if anybody understands the difference between using technology to support human connection and using technology to replace it, he’s going to be part of that conversation.
The challenge will be ensuring that listeners receive genuine, relevant programming rather than something that merely sounds local.
Rob’s experience in both commercial and Christian radio gives him an excellent foundation for making those decisions.
Joel Denver clearly recognizes that.
The two have known each other professionally for years, and their reunion on this project brings together considerable radio experience with a new approach to format development.
For broadcasters operating an underperforming signal or considering a Contemporary Christian format, Manna offers another option worth examining.
And I’ll be watching its development with genuine interest.
But I want to return to something more important than formats, ratings, technology, or corporate strategy.
The Rob Wagman I admire most isn’t the programmer or the mayor. It’s the man who showed up when my family needed somebody.
And Sarah Lee deserves every bit as much recognition.
Because what they demonstrated to us wasn’t simply friendship.
It was love in action.
It was compassion without conditions.
It was the understanding that when somebody is hurting, sometimes the most meaningful thing you can do is be there.
That’s something no artificial intelligence system can manufacture.
You can reproduce a voice.
You can customize a playlist.
You can create remarkably sophisticated programming.
But you cannot program a machine to possess the heart of someone who genuinely cares.
And that’s what Rob brings to this opportunity.
A remarkable broadcasting mind.
A deep understanding of Christian radio.
And a heart that, from my own experience, is bigger than any market he’s ever programmed.
Congratulations, Rob, on Manna. Congratulations to Joel Denver and SonicTrek Media for bringing him aboard.
And to Sarah Lee, thank you for being part of a family that has meant more to mine than you may ever fully understand.
I hope this new venture becomes everything you envision.
But whether Manna ends up on ten stations, a hundred stations, or somewhere in between, I already know something that matters far more than any affiliate count.
Rob Wagman knows how to reach people.
He’s spent his career doing it through radio.
He’s doing it through public service in Kings Mountain.
And when my family needed somebody, he did it simply by being a good human being.
That’s why this story is personal.
That’s why I’m celebrating it.
And that’s why I believe SonicTrek Media has found the right person to help lead a format built around faith, encouragement, and connection.
The format is called Manna, and I can’t think of a better person to help deliver something meaningful to people who need it.
God bless you, Rob.
And from my family to yours, thank you for never forgetting that the greatest things we can give each other don’t come through a transmitter.
They come from the heart.
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