I wrote a quick story Monday about a Grand Forks radio station switching to a somewhat unusual format – year-round Christmas music.
Santa, of course
Leighton Broadcasting’s FM station 94.7 Rocks, up until Monday morning a rock station, suddenly became 94.7 Santa-FM. You may have noticed folks standing in Santa suits around town to get some local buzz about the change, and you can read my article that was in Tuesday’s Herald.
But there are some skeptics about this format switch. Shortly after my story was posted online Monday evening, I got an e-mail from a reader warning me that I should take the station’s operations manager Jarrod Thomas “with a grain of salt.” The reader provided some links on Wikipedia that discuss gimmicks that radio stations sometimes use while switching formats – think of it as a way to get curious residents talking about the station before it suddenly switches again to its real new format. Here’s a link about stunt broadcasting, and there are even cases of Christmas music being used as a stunt format during a switch like this.
But all speculation aside, all I can go with today is what Jarrod Thomas told me during a quick interview on Monday. Here’s part of my article:
The Grand Forks airwaves became a little more festive on a muggy summer day when a rock radio station became the place to hear holiday music — even in August.
Jarrod Thomas, operations manager for Leighton Broadcasting, said Monday’s switch from 94.7 Rocks to 94.7 Santa-FM means listeners can expect “all Christmas music, all the time.â€
“Radio is kind of an evolving medium, always has been,†he explained. “And research has shown us that people really do like Christmas music 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.â€
In a Monday news release, station officials said they had undergone “the most arduous and focused research test ever†before making the switch. Thomas said he thinks the idea of a year-round Christmas station is something that will catch on across the country.
“Who doesn’t like Christmas music?†he asked. “If you speak out against Christmas music you’re really speaking out against the season, and who doesn’t like Christmas?”
its a goddamn TOP 40 station now! Jerrod Thomas is a liar and awful radio host! here is the website link http://www.947rocks.com/default.asp?pid=37994 …. To think they are going to beat XL93 in ratings is a joke. I hate top 40 music, its overplayed and annoying!
You’re just embarrassing yourself, Ryan. I feel you’re giving Leighton Broadcasting free advertising by publishing the Herald article in the first place, but don’t pretend you don’t know it’s a publicity stunt.
Deffinitly a stunting thing… There’s no logical sense to the switch. 94.7 had a horrible morning show, and a not very “set” area of music.
I’m hoping they change to something like how fargo’s 104.7?? the DAMM used to be, with alternative rock or maybe even some weird indie stuff. Heck its not my thing but I may listen to Tapes and Tapes, or other’s in that genre. Anything but country and Top 40 please!