By Alex Campbell of Vibes Media

We often discuss the power of the text message and its ability to break through other digital clutter and deliver immediate messages to whomever you are trying to reach. Last week was no exception for one of our clients, WGN-AM Radio here in Chicago.

Popular overnight talk show hosts Steve & Johnnie, because they were monitoring incoming texts to the station, engaged in a great only-on-live-radio text exchange with Wisconsin state Sen.Jon Erpenbach.

Steve and Johnnie mentioned on-air that they had heard the “Wisconsin 14,” the 14 lawmakers who went into self-imposed exile in Illinois to protest legislation over that would weaken union rights, would be returning home that morning. The result was an immediate text into the station line, which proved to be less random than they initially thought.

“Senate democrats will not be in Madison tomorrow,” claimed the texter. When questioned by the hosts, whose original information about the “Wisconsin 14” had come from a reliable source, the texter stated, “I’m one of them.”

The texter turned out to be Wisconsin state Sen. Jon Erpenbach. The number was verified after a subsequent exchange and despite his inability to appear on the station until later that day, the hosts were able to connect with Sen. Erpenbach and set the record straight immediately.

Instead of dialing into a switchboard that is often flooded with other listener calls or landing in an on-air personality’s jammed e-mail inbox, the message was received instantly and the hosts were able to utilize this real-time valuable information to inform their audience. This is the power of SMS and why so many stations such as WGN are turning to texting as the clearest and fastest way to connect and engage with their audiences.

With the amount of channels and touch-points growing each day for brands of all kinds, mobile continues to outpace them all with speed, ease-of-use and convenience. And because the reality is that everyone always has their mobile phones with them…even state senators.