The Arbitron Radio ratings are out for the Fort Wayne radio market, and with three notable exceptions, most stations stayed within their normal rating range.  The exceptions were drops by the two big A/C stations, WAJI and WMEE, and a big increase for Country, WBTU.

In past years, Christmas music has been a big ratings hit.  This year, it may have lead to the decline of WMEE, WAJI, and WGL. (WJOE also played all Christmas music, but this is their first official ratings period, so we don’t know how their audience was affected.

The problem may have been that this year there were four all holiday stations instead of three, and that they all started earlier than past years.  They may have just spread their limited audience around, while driving away their regular listeners.

Where did they go?  How about WBTU which nearly doubled their 12+ share.  They came in third, a whisker behind K105, and well behind market leader, WOWO.

My bet is that one or two of the all holiday stations won’t be doing it next year.  Let’s just hope we don’t go from four to none.  I really enjoyed the Christmas cheer on all four stations this year.

You can view the 12+ shares at

http://www.stationratings.com/ratings.asp?market=165

Of course, no smart advertiser used the 12+ numbers to buy advertising, but they are interesting to watch and often reflect growth or reduction of overall audience.

Federated Media (WOWO, WMEE,WBYR and several other stations) introduced Hip Cricket to Fort Wayne advertisers yesterday. An advertiser, say a Pizza place, can add a line to his commercial that tells people to text the word PIZZA to Fed Med’s text number and receive a $2 off coupon. The texter will then receive a text with the coupon. All he has to do is show the message on his/her phone to the clerk, and claim the discount.

Not sure if this is truly “New” media, but with the increasing number of texters in the world, it certainly should claim some value, especially for coupon oriented businesses. It also helps the Fed Med stations continue to build an interactive relationship with their audience, something that is vital in marketing going forward.

Recently, General Motors, who has a truck plant here in Fort Wayne, IN, announced that about 500 GM workers who had been laid off at other GM plants around the country, would have first crack at new jobs being created at the Fort Wayne plant.

How does an apartment community located near the plant reach 500 GM workers spread all over the US? First, they find a resident who has worked at the plant for 20 years, and have them make a testimonial for their website. Then, contact GM and the UAW and let them know they want to help GM employees moving to Fort Wayne. The company is handing out information booklets for interested workers, and the union has posted the web address on their site.

This is a great testimonial. Watch, and do this for your business.

The radio and TV trade magazines have been running stories for the past year about how this or that major advertiser is cutting back on their radio/tv budget, and putting the money into “New Media.”

After 20 years, the internet isn’t new anymore, so instead of new media, let’s call it what it really is: The Now Media.