Salem Media Group announced Tuesday that Ed Atsinger III will step down as Executive Chairman at the end of 2025, ending a three-year in that role and more than five decades in Christian and conservative broadcasting.
In a statement on Tuesday, Salem Media said Atsinger will relinquish his responsibilities on December 31, 2025. Effective immediately, Richard von Gnechten has been appointed Chairman of the Board, where he will oversee the company’s Board of Directors and annual stockholder meetings. Salem trades its stock on the over-the-counter market.
Atsinger has been a key architect of Salem Media Group since its founding in the mid-1970s. He served as Chief Executive Officer until January 2022, when he transitioned to Executive Chairman. Prior to that, he was President of Salem from its inception through June 2007. He began his broadcast career in 1969 with the purchase of an AM radio station outside Raleigh, North Carolina.
During his time with Salem, Atsinger helped grow the company into a multi-platform media firm with three major divisions: Broadcast Media, New Media, and Publishing. Broadcast Media is led by President and CEO Dave Santrella, while David Evans serves as President of New Media and Chief Operating Officer of the company.
The leadership change follows a challenging financial period for Salem. In the second quarter, net revenue fell to $54.15 million, down from $60.61 million year over year. Digital media revenue slipped to $10.56 million from $11.94 million, despite broader industry growth in online advertising. Salem reported a net loss of $17.6 million in the quarter, compared to net income of $2.3 million during the same period in 2024, after recording a $25.21 million impairment charge.
Atsinger is the brother-in-law of company co-founder Stuart W. Epperson, who died last year. Beyond his role at Salem, Atsinger has been active in numerous industry groups. He has served on the boards of the National Association of Broadcasters, the National Religious Broadcasters, and Cornerstone Christian Network. He also chaired the NRB Music License Committee and currently serves as Chairman of the Radio Music Licensing Committee, which on Tuesday announced a rate settlement with Broadcast Music Inc.
Born in Honolulu, Atsinger and his family relocated to Southern California after the Pearl Harbor attack. He has remained in the region for most of his career while building Salem Media Group into one of the country’s largest Christian and conservative media companies.
