Chris Cole (broadcaster)

Christopher John Cole FRSA (born 1952) is a British broadcaster, entrepreneur and Christian leader. He and his wife Kerry are the founders of Cross Rhythms and he has held leadership positions at GOD TV, United Christian Broadcasters (UCB) and the Christian Broadcasting Council of the UK (CBC).
Early life
Cole was born in London in 1952 and grew up in Canada, USA and UK. He moved from the UK to Belgium as a young man where he worked in executive recruitment. He also owned a night club and worked as a DJ. Following his conversion to Christianity Cole returned to Plymouth where he met Kerry and they married in 1982.
Career
Christian Contemporary Music (CCM) was starting to become popular in the UK in the 1970s and 80s and Cole saw its potential to reach a mass audience. This led him to host a show on his local radio station, Plymouth Sound. It was called 'The Solid Rock of Jesus Christ' and was one of the first to promote CCM and Gospel artists at a time when 'Christian rock' was not always well received among church leaders.
This led Chris and Kerry Cole to start Cross Rhythms Radio and Media Ministry in 1983. It was named after a music magazine founded by Tony Cummings and became part of the media vehicle of radio, print journalism and music festivals in the South West of England. The couple also started Cornerstone House Advertising and Marketing in Plymouth in 1985 to help finance their media venture. Cornerstone House published newspapers for the Church of England and other denominations and later became Cornerstone Vision Limited.
In 1991 Cole was appointed to the board of Gilead Foundations, a drug rehabilitation charity in Okehampton.
In the 1990s Cross Rhythms moved to Stoke on Trent where its headquarters is now based. This came about through a partnership with UCB where Cole acted as Executive Director and Trustee from 1996 to 2002. Cole was the first broadcaster to obtain a community radio licence from the British government in 2001.
While he was in Stoke on Trent Cole also became a regular host of GOD TV's series, Dream on TV. In 2005 he was appointed as GOD TV's Regional Director for the UK and Ireland, serving in this position until 2012. He was appointed a trustee of the Angel Foundation in 2015, GOD TV's charity in the UK.
As of 2020 Cole, continues as part of the leadership of Cornerstone Vision which publishes the Plymouth Chronicle.
Awards
Cole became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 2010. He is also a member of The Society of Leadership Fellows of . Cole has also be recognized by the CBC for his contribution to broadcasting in the UK.
Personal life
Cole and Kerry Cole have three adult daughters. The Coles' autobiography, Gotta Die to Live, was published by Kerry Cole.

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu