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The Wilmington DMA covers New Hanover, Brunswick, Pender, and Columbus counties, blending coastal tourism, the Port of Wilmington, a maturing film industry, and military adjacencies at Camp Lejeune and Fort Liberty. Newsrooms balance hurricane preparedness, beach safety, and growth management for rapidly expanding bedroom communities. Streaming households, second-home owners, and UNCW students keep demand high for real-time updates delivered across broadcast, mobile, and connected TV platforms.
Gray Television operates NBC affiliate WECT alongside low-power CBS outlet WILM, while Morris Multimedia runs ABC/CBS/CW affiliate WWAY from bureaus in Wilmington, Bolivia, and Jacksonville. American Spirit Media's WSFX (FOX) pairs with Raycom content services, and PBS North Carolina's WUNJ amplifies statewide education and emergency coverage. Cable-only Spectrum News 1 adds legislative reporting from Raleigh, giving advertisers both local journalism and statewide reach.
North Carolina Association of Broadcasters initiatives and FCC rules around tower hardening, translator spacing, and children's programming guide operations during rebuilds after coastal storms. Emergency managers rely on joint EAS tests conducted with Brunswick and New Hanover counties, while port officials, tourism boards, and film commissions collaborate with station marketing teams on public-service messaging and economic development campaigns.
Spectrum, AT&T Fiber, and Atlantic Telephone Membership Cooperative expand gigabit coverage along US-17 and island bridges, supporting hybrid work, short-term rentals, and telehealth. Newsrooms simulcast digital-first shows on FAST channels, Roku, and YouTube, ensuring hurricane briefings and traffic updates are available to cord-cutters and visiting tourists.
Stations and agencies lean on first-party data from mobile alerts, loyalty newsletters, and app registrations to tailor creative. Film-friendly venues, craft breweries, and waterfront venues sponsor podcasts and Instagram Live segments, while tourism marketers deploy geofenced OTT buys to convert day-trippers into overnight stays.
Residents and visitors monitor multiple platforms for tropical forecasts, evacuation orders, and bridge closures, making NOAA updates, live radar, and text alerts essential companions during hurricane season.
Brands that provide preparedness checklists, generator availability, or insurance resources gain goodwill when paired with trusted meteorologists and government partners.
Audience spikes track beach patrol reports, port expansions, and film set coverage, with weekend getaways driving heavy mobile usage for dining and event recommendations.
Stations extend these lifestyle stories into newsletters, OTT segments, and TikTok reels, allowing advertisers to retarget travelers and relocating families with timely offers.
| Indicator | Latest Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| DMA rank | 132 (2023-2024 season) | https://www.stationindex.com/tv/markets/Wilmington |
| Estimated TV households | ~312,000 homes | https://www.stationindex.com/tv/markets/Wilmington |
| Median household income | $54,658 (Wilmington city, 2018-2022 ACS) | https://data.census.gov/profile/Wilmington_city,_North_Carolina?g=1600000US3774456 |
| Port of Wilmington container volume | ~272,000 TEUs handled in FY2023 | https://ncports.com/port-wilmington/ |
| Visitor spending (New Hanover County) | $1.1 billion economic impact in 2023 | https://partners.visitnc.com/economic-impact-studies |
Stations collaborate with county emergency management, the Cape Fear Collective, and chambers of commerce to deliver town halls, Spanish-language briefings, and recovery resources.
Public broadcasters reinforce trust by publishing preparedness checklists, transportation dashboards, and mental health resources linked to long-term storm recovery.
Local marketers favor integrated packages that pair linear reach with OTT retargeting, supported by footfall analytics for beach towns, outlet malls, and downtown Wilmington merchants.
Healthcare systems, port operators, and universities prioritize transparent measurement, accessibility features, and brand-safe adjacencies during crisis coverage.
