Date Posted: 12/18/2023
Cumulus Media Indianapolis’ 99.5 WZPL and the Smiley Morning Show raised more than $1 million for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana during its Request-A-Thon. The event has raised more than $13 million over 27 years for local children battling critical illnesses.
Date Posted: 12/9/2022
The Nexstar Media Charitable Foundation and Indianapolis Nexstar Media stations FOX 59 and CBS 4 donated $5,000 each to two food banks serving the area, Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana and Midwest Food Bank of Indiana. On the same day, FOX 59 held a day-long event with Financial Center First Credit Union to benefit the food banks, encouraging viewers to donate either by texting, calling or via the station’s website.
These efforts are part of the annual “Pack the Pantries” project to help local food pantries stock their shelves. The donations will be used to help each food bank continue providing vitally needed food and supplies to families and fight food insecurity throughout central Indiana.
“The number of families in central Indiana who are experiencing hunger and food insecurity is staggering,” said Dominic Mancuso, vice president and general manager, FOX59 and CBS4. “Year after year, we prioritize the ‘Pack the Pantries’ project to help community organizations provide some relief to those who need it most. Supporting these local food banks is core to the company’s mission.”
Date Posted: 7/1/2022
Nationally syndicated radio show The BOB & TOM Show kicked off the summer with The BOB & TOM Show’s Pop-Up Comedy For A Cause in Indianapolis, ind. This benefit raised $12,000 to send kids to summer camp.
“It was great to be back in the beautiful Irving Theater with stars of The Bob & Tom Show and an enthusiastic, sold-out crowd,” said Tom Griswold. “We raised more funds than ever with this year’s one-night show, and that means more kids get to go to summer camp. Thanks to the tremendous support of our fans who came out for a night of comedy and fun, the treasured childhood experience and great American tradition of summer camp will be a reality for local kids.”
Date Posted: 5/20/2022
Indiana’s WKVI raised $46,000 for the Starke County Youth Club during their annual radiothon.
“We’re able to wrap around them with a network of support that helps make sure they will make better choices in their lives,” said Starke County Youth Club Executive Director Irene Szakonyi told the station. “It is one of the pieces of the puzzle that help us be a community that can be successful.”
Date Posted: 3/14/2022
The “B100 (WBYT-FM) St. Jude Radiothon” raised $321,425. The Elkhart, Ind., station’s footprint covers Indiana and Michigan. The fundraising effort included an outreach to schools to collect pennies, leading to two million pennies collected. B100 also featured numerous stories about the good work St. Jude has done over the years. This year’s total was a record for the radiothon, bringing the total amount raised to more than $6.3 million over the years.
Date Posted: 8/23/2021
Nexstar Media Group’s Fox affiliate WXIN Indianapolis, Ind., highlighted a new national campaign, Sound It Out, which launched on April 29 ahead of Mental Health Awareness Month. The campaign uses the power of music to help parents and caregivers have conversations about emotional wellbeing with their middle schoolers. Music can help bridge the gap between adults and their children, and the website provides guidance on how to broach sensitive topics and have meaningful discussions.
Date Posted: 7/15/2020
Rebecca White’s WSLM-FM Salem, Ind., established the Kentuckiana Covid Taskforce to deliver food to the elderly, collect materials for masks and to distribute the masks to doctors, nurses and others in need.
Date Posted: 7/15/2020
Brewer Broadcasting Group’s WQLK-FM Radio Richmond, Ind. coordinated with local health department for a mask distribution event on May 28. The event help support the local reopening of businesses by ensuring they have the proper equipment needed to open. The station has also provided :15 second air spots so local businesses can communicate changes to the public, such as special hours or carry-out only.
Date Posted: 7/15/2020
Scripps-owned ABC affiliate WRTV-TV Indianapolis is extending its reputable “Hiring Hoosiers” initiative with the launch of “The Rebound: Indiana” in late April. The project provides a one-stop shop to help businesses navigate through the financial impact COVID-19 has had on the community.
Date Posted: 7/15/2020
In partnership with Indianapolis Public Schools, Circle City Broadcasting’s CW affiliate WISH-TV and MyNetwork affiliate WNDY-TV Indianapolis produced and broadcast academic lessons to IPS students in Grades K–8 five days a week. The lessons provided needed educational content to students removed from the classroom and learning from home, often without the support and resources provided in a traditional classroom setting.
Date Posted: 7/15/2020
Cumulus Media’s WITZ-FM Jasper, Ind. has been promoting local shopping through a gift card drive and giveaway. The giveaway is helping to drive traffic and customers to the business and provides additional on-air advertisement.
Date Posted: 7/12/2020
Michiana Public Broadcasting’s WNIT-TV South Bend, Ind., has aired a couple of specials on the Black Lives Matter movement. The station aims to spark conversations in the community and increase understanding of important issues.
Date Posted: 6/30/2020
Radio One’s WTLC-FM Indianapolis, Ind., was nominated for a Service to Community Award in the Radio – Major Market category.
In recognition of September’s National Suicide Prevention Awareness month, WTLC-FM and its partners collaborated with local mental and behavioral health organizations to address the alarming increase in the suicide rate among black and Hispanic teens in the Indianapolis community. On September 10, 2019, all Indianapolis Radio One stations stopped their regular programming from 10 a.m. to noon, instead running an uninterrupted special to provide mental health information and resources. In addition, mental health professionals were available to help listeners cope with their mental health conditions.
Date Posted: 6/29/2020
Gray Television’s WNDU-TV South Bend, Ind., was nominated for a Service to Community Award in the Television – Medium Market category.
After the tragic deaths and critical injuries of four children trying to cross the highway to get on the school bus, WNDU went beyond news coverage to advocate for stronger school bus safety and awareness.
WNDU not only covered a tragedy but aimed to increase awareness around school bus stop safety and encourage the Indiana General Assembly to pass the MAXSTRONG School Bus Safety bill into law. The bill was signed by the Indiana governor in May 2019, but the station didn’t stop there. As children went back to school in districts across the DMA, WNDU launched a back-to-school safety campaign using yard signs, news coverage, PSAs and social media support all in an effort to make sure Hoosier children were headed back to school with a safer way to get there.
Indiana passed a law to protect kids at bus stops. WDNU distributed 5,000 Stop Means Stop bus safety awareness signs to community and aired 178 fifteen second PSAs for the “Stop Means Stop” yard sign campaign for a value of $17,800. 133 fifteen second PSAs were aired on 16.2 Antenna TV for the campaign for a value $665.
Date Posted: 6/19/2020
Gray’s NBC affiliate WNDU South Bend, Ind., aired on June 18 a socially distanced town hall “Black White and Blue: A Conversation about Race in Michiana.” The panel included Black Lives Matter members, local law-enforcement and prominent faces including Notre Dame Women’s basketball coach and Hall of Famer, Muffet McGraw.
Date Posted: 6/10/2020
Neuhoff Media Lafayette’s WASK-FM, WKHY-FM, WKOA-FM, WXXB-FM and WASK-AM held a 12-hour radiothon on April 15 called “Feeding the Frontline” and raised over $11,000 to purchase gift cards from local restaurants for local frontline workers. The stations also ran an on-air campaign called “Stock the Pantry” to benefit Food Finders Food Bank.
Date Posted: 6/10/2020
Nexstar Media Group’s Fox affiliate WXIN-TV and CBS affiliate WTTV-TV Indianapolis raised $219,000 on April 10 for the Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana and Midwest Food Bank Indiana Division. The “Pack the Pantries Virtual Food Drive” encouraged viewers to donate online during the drive.
Date Posted: 6/5/2020
LeSEA Broadcasting’s WHPZ-FM, WHPD-FM and WHME-FM South Bend are giving away masks and helping families facing financial hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The stations are providing free masks to listeners and local community members. They are also encouraging listeners to snap their best PPE selfies for a chance to win $100.
Date Posted: 5/30/2020
Hoosier AM/FM’s WBAT-FM, WCJC-FM, WMRI-AM and WXXC-FM Marion, Ind., created and aired senior spotlights to celebrate the Class of 2020. Listeners submitted photos and bios of graduating seniors to appear on stations’ websites and select seniors are spotlighted on the air.
Date Posted: 5/30/2020
WSLM-AM/FM Salem, Ind., celebrated student graduations in May with an on-air and online series called “Kentuckian Senior Spotlight.” The station interviewed local students each day and asked how they’ve spent their time in quarantine, their hopes for the future and their favorite memories.
Date Posted: 5/30/2020
Brewer Broadcasting’s WHON Richmond, Ind., aired a daily “Senior Shout Out” every morning in April and May to honor students graduating from high school amid the pandemic. Families were encouraged to upload a short blurb about their student, which were read aloud on the air.
Date Posted: 5/30/2020
Jasper on the Air’s WITZ-FM, WQKZ-FM and WITZ-AM Jasper, Ind., are honoring graduating high school seniors by airing “Senior Shout Outs” through May and June. Friends and family can record messages for graduates, which are broadcast on air. The stations also broadcast a social distance graduation day for students of a local high school.
Date Posted: 5/2/2020
Nexstar Broadcasting’s stations across Indiana joined together to host a state-wide virtual town hall for coronavirus relief on April 30. The broadcast will originate at FOX affiliate WXIN-TV Indianapolis and be additionally broadcast on CBS affiliate WTTV-TV Indianapolis, ABC affiliate WEHT-TV Evansville, WANE-TV Fort Wayne, ABC affiliate WAWV-TV Terre Haute and ABC affiliate WBND-TV South Bend. The broadcast was also live-streaming on stations’ websites.
U.S Senator Mike Braun and U.S. Senator Todd Young joined the broadcast, along with U.S. Representatives from eight Congressional districts in Indiana.
Date Posted: 4/20/2020
Circle City Broadcasting’s CW affiliate WISH-TV and MyNetworkTV affiliate WNDY-TV Indianapolis partnered with Indianapolis public schools to broadcast lessons for students up to eighth grade. The lessons will air five days a week for the remainder for the academic year and will cover a variety of subjects, including English, math and reading.
Date Posted: 3/31/2020
MeTV’s ABC affiliate WBND South Bend, Ind., launched “We Unite Together” in late March, a public service announcement campaign to remind viewers to stay calm and virtually connected through periods of self-isolation related to COVID-19. Watch the PSA here.
Date Posted: 3/30/2020
The Indiana Broadcasters Association launched a website, BestIdeasinBroadcasting.com, to help radio and television stations across the state are “weathering the storm,” during the COVID-19 crisis. Broadcasters in Indiana are sharing ideas and best practices, with submissions are organized into categories such as Sales Ideas, Community Outreach Ideas, and Promotional Ideas.
Date Posted: 3/25/2020
CBS released a public service announcement on March 17 for affiliate station use featuring station personalities and celebrities from network programming. The PSA is aimed to calm nerves amid the COVID-19 pandemic and remind viewers we will deal with the pandemic together. Watch one version of the PSA from Sinclair Broadcasting Group’s FOX/CBS affiliate station WSBT-TV South Bend, Ind.
Date Posted: 3/25/2020
Radio One Indianapolis has committed to airing 10,000 PSAs to help local citizens and community organizations during the COVID-19 crisis. PSAs must be community driven, diverse in nature, and contain resources that serve the public.
“Radio One has the most diverse listening audience in central Indiana. Our overall goal is to make sure our wide range of listeners have the necessary information and tools they’ll need to help navigate this crisis,” said Radio One Regional Vice President Deon Levingston.
Date Posted: 1/14/2020
Quincy Broadcasting’s NBC-affiliate WGEM-TV Quincy, Ind., partnered with local schools and the Salvation Army to deliver 1,350 food baskets to local families during the holiday season. Food was collected during the 32nd annual “Fall Harvest Food Drive,” which ran throughout the month of October. Local schools competed to collect the most food items per student, with the top school receiving a $1,000 donation from WGEM-TV.
WGEM-TV also raised $41,500 from December 9 - 12 for the Salvation Army during the 35th annual “Bucket Blitz” donation drive. To encourage listener donations, the station held several live broadcasts from the collection location and took donations online. The total raised will help fund Salvation Army’s various programs, including running a local shelter for people experiencing homelessness.
Date Posted: 12/20/2019
Pathfinder Communications’ WOWO-AM Ft. Wayne, Ind., raised $100,000 for Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana during its annual charity fundraiser “Penny Pitch” fundraiser, held December 12 - 13. Since 1948, WOWO has asked listeners to contribute pennies, nickels and dimes to help local families.
Date Posted: 12/6/2019
Cumulus Media-owned WZPL-FM Indianapolis raised a record-breaking $839,638 during the station’s 23rd annual "Make-A-Wish Request-A-Thon," held December 5 - 6. The station played listeners’ song requests in exchange for a donation to Make-A-Wish Foundation. Over the last 23 years, WZPL has helped raise more than $7.5 million for Make-A-Wish.
Date Posted: 2/5/2019
Quincy’s ABC-NBC affiliate WPTA Fort Wayne, Ind., aired an investigative series, “Dying on the Job,” in December and January. The series focused on 23-year-old Shacarra Hogue, who died after her employer intentionally disabled safety features on the equipment she operated. After the company was fined only $6,300, WPTA reviewed every safety order issued by the state over six months and found that companies often pay small amounts for serious and repeated code violations. The stories inspired legislative reforms.
“Your story was very moving to me,” State Rep. Martin Carbaugh. “[It] hit me in the heart, and also made me pretty frustrated.”
“Quite frankly, if you hadn’t brought it to our attention, we might not be aware that we haven’t made changes in some time,” State Sen. Liz Brown (R-Fort Wayne).
Date Posted: 1/15/2019
Sarkes Tarzian’s WTTS-FM Indianapolis raised $22,000 in its annual “Rock to Read” benefit concert series, held in September and October to support children’s reading programs and the Indianapolis Public Library. Since 2007, the WTTS “Rock to Read” concert series has raised more than $200,000 for critical reading programs.
Date Posted: 12/19/2018
Entercom’s WZPL-FM Indianapolis raised enough money during its 22nd annual “Request-A-Thon,” held December 6-7 to allow the Make-A-Wish Foundation to grant wishes for 90 children.
Date Posted: 12/6/2018
Raycom’s NBC affiliate WFIE Evansville, Ind., produced and aired “Choosing to Survive,” an hour-long special on sexual violence, on October 18 in primetime. The idea came from Creative Director Brandon Ridge, who witnessed a sexual assault while commuting to work and called 911. He later visited a women’s shelter, where he met the three survivors WFIE later featured in the special.
“We could literally be saving someone’s life if we motivate them to get out of a relationship,” said Ridge.
Date Posted: 12/6/2018
Tribune’s Fox affiliate WXIN-TV Indianapolis announced on October 29 that they donated $15,000 to the non-profit RIP Medical Debt to erase nearly $1.5 million in debt for local people. A WXIN investigation showed that 23 percent of central Indiana residents have medical debt in collections. As of September 2018, 678,942 local people owe nearly $900 million. RIP Medical Debt buys debt in the secondary market for pennies on the dollar and uses donations to forgive it. Ten dollars wipes out $1,000 in debt.
WXIN highlighted the story of Jada Storm, who was trapped inside her car after a vehicle crossed the median. Jada suffered four broken limbs, five broken ribs, two cracked vertebrae, a collapsed lung, lacerated liver, and lacerated kidney. Storm’s mom has received nearly daily calls from collection agencies for the intensive medical care.
Date Posted: 4/19/2018
Tribune’s FOX affiliate WXIN Indianapolis held a 13-hour telethon that raised more than $102,000 as part of its "Pack the Pantry" program. The station raised enough to provide over 300,000 meals for local food banks.
Date Posted: 4/10/2018
Three debates between GOP candidates in the Indiana Senate race aired on broadcast stations throughout the state:
Date Posted: 4/1/2018
WOWO’s annual “Penny Pitch” campaign has been providing grants to individuals and not-for-profit organizations serving Northeast Indiana since 1948. The initiative aims to help those who are either disadvantaged or physically handicapped by supporting charities that have a similar mission. In 2017, the campaign raised more than $200,000 for The Shepherd’s House, which provides temporary housing for homeless military veterans living with addictions. The Shepherd’s House recently had its federal funding denied but the station generated enough money to keep the facility open for nearly six more months.
Date Posted: 4/25/2017
Dispatch Broadcast Group’s NBC affiliate WTHR-TV Indianapolis became the first local television station to be honored with two separate Peabody Awards in the same year. The station was honored at an event on April 25 for “Charity Caught on Camera,” an undercover investigation that exposed mismanagement at an Indiana charity, and “Dangerous Exposure,” which discovered lax oversight by environmental regulators. The investigations are WTHR’s fourth and fifth Peabody Awards.
Date Posted: 1/11/2017
Tribune’s Fox affiliate Indianapolis WXIN photojournalist Greg Dunn pulled a woman to safety after her car spun into a nearby canal. The car flipped upside down in the water, with the woman trapped inside. In this video , Dunn describes how he climbed down the side of the canal as the woman screamed for help.
Date Posted: 11/8/2016
Dispatch Broadcast Group’s NBC affiliate WTHR-TV Indianapolis provided extensive coverage on election night. The station led the market in total household viewership from the moment the polls closed at 6:00 p.m. until 2:00 a.m. and WTHR political reporter Kevin Rader was the only Indianapolis-based TV reporter to interview Vice President-elect/Indiana Governor Mike Pence that evening. “I’m proud of our station’s great planning, journalistic integrity and commitment to excellence around such an important and historic day in our nation’s political history,” said Dispatch Broadcast Group President Larry Delia. Additionally, the wthr.com news app and website received 1.4 million page views on election night, including 219,000 unique visitors.
Date Posted: 8/31/2016
Dispatch Broadcasting’s NBC affiliate WTHR-TV Indianapolis raised $200,000 to assist Red Cross relief efforts following the August 24 tornado outbreak. Eight confirmed tornadoes across the state left more than 200 people homeless in Kokomo, damaged 1,000 homes and left thousands without power. Partners in the WTHR Cares Emergency Relief Network include Cumulus’ WFMS-FM, the Red Cross, St. Vincent Health, Kroger and FORUM Credit Union. WTHR provided seven hours of live coverage and created on-air promos, including one featuring former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. "Our team is committed to serving our community every day,” said WTHR President and General Manager Larry Delia. “We want to let people of Kokomo and Central Indiana know that WTHR truly cares and that we are here to help in times of need.”
Date Posted: 6/1/2016
Dispatch Broadcast’s NBC affiliate WTHR-TV Indianapolis broadcast “13 Investigates report ’Dangerous Exposure,’ gets results” on June 2. Investigative reporter Sandra Chapman found that a cancer-causing chemical close to some central Indiana homeowners water supply. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) says the creek is at risk of contamination from chemical solvents and petroleum flowing from one of the state’s largest voluntary cleanup sites.
Date Posted: 5/23/2016
Dispatch Broadcast’s NBC affiliate WTHR-TV Indianapolis aired “Dangerous Exposures: 13 News Investigates Reveals State Program Lets Contamination Spread” on May 23. Reporter Sandra Chapman examines Indiana’s voluntary program that protects companies from lawsuits if they agree to stop generating toxins and clean up what has already spread in the air and water. Some companies in the program have not filed a remediation plan in more than a decade and have not taken adequate steps to stop toxins from entering the environment.
Date Posted: 5/23/2016
Raycom Media’s NBC affiliate WFIE-TV Evansville, Ind. aired a report, “14 News Investigates: Heroin In Henderson” on May 23. In the first of a three-part series, reporter Hillary Simon investigates the heroin epidemic among teenagers and young adults in Henderson County, Ky. Local police are making more arrests in an effort to get teen users into rehab before they experience a fatal overdose. Part two of the series will focus on stark reality that parents of teen addicts face.
Date Posted: 4/4/2016
Nexstar’s ABC affiliate WEHT-TV Evansville, IN raised more than $1 million in its 39th annual Easter Seals Telethon, held April 10. The Easter Seals Rehabilitation Center offers therapy services to children and adults with disabilities who cannot otherwise afford services. Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke joined the WEHT news crew on-air and proclaimed April 10 "Easter Seals Day" in Evansville.
Date Posted: 3/22/2016
PBS-owned WFYI Indianapolis hosted an hour-long debate on April 18 between Republican candidates for U.S. Senate, Marlin Stutzman and Todd Young. A live feed of the telecast was made available to television stations statewide. Voters also had the opportunity to submit questions for consideration.
Date Posted: 3/1/2016
Media General’s CBS affiliate WANE-TV Ft. Wayne, Ind. will expand “First News Saturday” to two hours, from 7 to 9 a.m., beginning March 26. “WANE-TV sets the standard for news in the Fort Wayne area,” said News Director Ted Linn. “It’s only natural to make a good thing even better.”
Date Posted: 3/1/2016
Cumulus’ WRWM-FM Indianapolis’ "JC in the Morning" show collected more than 1,000 homemade Valentine’s Day cards, which they delivered to kids at Riley Hospital for Children during a party that the station hosted at the hospital on February 12.
Date Posted: 2/16/2016
Tribune’s Fox affiliate WXIN and CBS affiliate WTTV Indianapolis partnered with Cumulus’ WRWM-FM and WJJK-FM Indianapolis to collect bottled water for the citizens of Flint during the week of Jan. 18. The on air, online and on-site promotions resulted in 205,000 bottles of water and over 20,000 gallons of water, plus thousands of dollars in cash. On Jan. 29, six semi-trucks delivered the water to Flint.
Date Posted: 2/1/2016
Schurz’s CBS affiliate WSBT-TV South Bend, Ind. discovered that nearly 40 children in Indiana died in daycare facilities in six years. WSBT-TV’s investigation uncovered inadequacies in state law that allow unlicensed daycares to continue operating after receiving violations. WSBT educated parents on how to choosing a safe place for their children and how to report illegal facilities. Watch video.
Date Posted: 1/14/2016
Cumulus’ WMDH-FM Muncie, Ind.’s "Secret Families Day," held December 5, provided 372 families with a Christmas tree, decorations, food, cleaning supplies and gifts for each family member. More than 1,000 volunteers delivered $200,000 in goods on "Secret Families Day."
Date Posted: 1/14/2016
Emmis’ WIBC-FM Indianapolis raised $250,000 in its annual Salvation Army telethon, held December 4-5. Children could take pictures with Santa in the Emmis lobby on December 4 as part of the event. Watch video.
Date Posted: 1/14/2016
Nexstar Broadcasting’s ABC affiliate WEHT-TV Evansville, Ind., raised almost $300,000 on December 6 for the Santa Clothes Club. The telethon has been running for nearly 70 years and will provide clothes for 3,000 kids this year. Watch video.
Date Posted: 11/5/2015
Media General’s CBS affiliate WISH-TV Indianapolis hosted and broadcast live the city’s only mayoral debate, held Oct. 16 (watch video).
Date Posted: 10/19/2015
Midwest Communication’s WIKY-FM Evansville, Ind., raised more than $90,000 in a radiothon held September 3-4 for Riley Children’s Foundation. Riley Children’s works with organizations across Indiana to aid kids with serious health issues and helps families with their medical bills.
Date Posted: 10/19/2015
Raycom Media’s NBC affiliate WFIE-TV Evansville, Ind., raised $293,000 in its "14 Hours for MDA" fundraiser, held September 1 to support the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). This was the 45th consecutive year that on-air personality Mike Blake hosted the telethon. According to the MDA, WFIE hosts the country’s largest event to support the organization’s work to fight muscular dystrophy.
Date Posted: 9/3/2015
Media General’s CBS affiliate WANE-TV Ft. Wayne, Ind., collected more than 20,000 supplies, weighing 640 pounds, and almost $10,000 for The Salvation Army during its "Tools for School" drive in June and July. The 36-day school supply drive collected items at eight “Pack the RV” stops and from collection bins placed at several local businesses and Salvation Army locations. The supplies have been distributed to needy children who attend Fort Wayne and Allen County public schools.
Date Posted: 1/13/2015
Emmis Communications’ WIBC-FM Indianapolis raised $253,000 for the Salvation Army during its radiothon. The radiothon, held Dec. 5-6, broke a station record and surpassed the $250,000 goal. WIBC-FM listeners have donated more than $2 million over the last 20 years.
Date Posted: 8/11/2014
Two stations in Indianapolis investigated helmet safety. LIN Media’s CBS affiliate WISH-TV Indianapolis polled seven local schools for information about their students’ helmets. The results were posted on the station’s website, leading state officials to now require that all area schools report any concussions that occur. Additionally, Dispatch Broadcasting’s NBC affiliate WTHR-TV Indianapolis surveyed 160 schools across Indiana, filing more than 100 requests for schools to share information about their football helmets and concussion records. The station created an interactive map that shows the manufacturers and models of more than 12,000 helmets used by middle school and high school football players across the state. The WTHR-TV investigation found that hundreds of the helmets in use offer little protection from severe head injuries.
Date Posted: 8/11/2014
Nineteen radio stations across Indianapolis came together on July 7 to promote and produce "Indy United on the Circle," a rally in downtown Indianapolis to support law enforcement and take a stand against violence. The event was in response to a Fourth of July holiday weekend mass shooting, in which seven people were shot on a main street in one of the city’s most popular nightlife districts and a local police officer was killed. Seven radio groups – Emmis, Entercom, Clear Channel, Radio One, Cumulus, Continental and Sarkes Tarzian – promoted the event for a week leading up to the rally. "Indy United" included speeches from business leaders, local elected officials and five members of the Indianapolis clergy. The event was capped off by a moving performance by the Indianapolis Children’s Choir.
Date Posted: 9/10/2013
The team at Emmis Communications in Indianapolis, along with the Emmis corporate team and representatives from the group’s local radio stations, participated in the 2013 United Way Day of Caring on August 23. Together, Emmis employees painted the exterior of Indianapolis Public School (IPS) 56, while reorganizing, weeding, mulching and planting flowers outside the school. In addition, Emmis CEO Jeff Smulyan read a story to students at IPS 56.
Date Posted: 6/7/2013
Midwest Communications’ five stations in in Terre Haute, Ind., partnered with local NexStar-owned WTWO-TV for "Mission: Moore" to raise money for Oklahoma tornado victims. The 13-hour event collected enough supplies to fill a semi-truck and raised more than $26,000.
Date Posted: 6/7/2013
Dispatch Broadcasting Group’s WTHR-TV Indianapolis hosted the "WTHR Cares: Oklahoma Tornado Relief" drive to provide donations to the American Red Cross. The effort raised more than $60,000 from viewers who donated online or at several locations throughout Central Indiana. "We are always amazed and grateful for the generosity of Hoosiers," said WTHR President-GM John Cardenas.
Schurz Communications partnered with the computer science and engineering department at the University of Notre Dame on their first "innovation challenge," in which students and faculty will "consider real-world digital solutions and opportunities for 21st century media companies." The challenge begins in the fall and will initially focus on mobile media development. Winning prototypes will receive cash prizes. "New relationships with young developers, designers and database talent – literally blocks away – is a potential game changer," said Todd Schurz, CEO of Schurz Communications. Notre Dame and Schurz have been cornerstones in South Bend for 150 years.
Shurz Communications’ WSBT-TV and WSBT-AM Mishawaka, Ind. participated in the "Walk MS Michiana" at Indiana University South Bend. This was the second year that WSBT has sponsored a team for the 3-mile walk that raises money for Multiple Sclerosis research. Sporting bright t-shirts with the WSBT logo, the WSBT Showstoppers team included WSBT employees, family and friends. Spearheaded by a WSBT employee who suffers from MS, the group was eager and motivated and blew away their original $1,000 fundraising goal by raising $2,153 and coming in as the top corporate fundraising team.
Capitol Records Nashville recording artists Lady Antebellum and JuJu Chang of ABC’s "Nightline" toured Henryville High School in southern Indiana. The school is currently under construction to repair devastation from recent tornadoes and will reopen this fall. The story aired on "Good Morning America," "World News Tonight with Diane Sawyer", "Nightline," ABC Radio and ABC affiliates across the country. Additional national and local media supporters aired content from the event throughout the week.
Schurz Communications’ WSBT-TV and WSBT-AM Mishawaka, Ind., recently opened their doors for "Scout Day at WSBT." Boy and Girl Scouts from across the area were invited to come and tour the studios, meet some of the news and weather talent and see the daily operations of TV and radio stations. More than 300 scouts attended the event with their parents and troop leaders. A number of WSBT Radio and TV staff volunteered on Saturday to give the kids the opportunity to learn about the TV master control room, take a look at the news and radio sets and be filmed in front of the Chroma Key wall.
Emmis Communication’s WTHI-FM and WWVR-FM Terre Haute, Ind., joined LIN Media’s WTHI-TV Terre Haute, Ind. for "Neighbors Helping Neighbors," a day dedicated to raising money for tornado relief. On March 6, employees from each station stood in front of their studios from 6:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., collecting money from people traveling by. The three stations raised $17,560 for the Red Cross.
Dispatch Broadcasting Group’s WTHR-TV Indianapolis headed a multipronged response to benefit those affected by the tornadoes. WTHR-TV opened a phone bank to accept donations thanks to the help of station volunteers and partners from the Red Cross, Kroger Grocery stores and St. Vincent Health. WTHR-TV turned the station parking lot into a collection point for commuters to drop off donations while Cumulus Media’s WFMS-FM Indianapolis broadcast live from the parking lot, encouraging listeners to come by the TV station and drop off donations. WTHR-TV also provided extended news coverage, hosted an Eyewitness News Tornado Special and held an event with the Indiana Pacers. In total, WTHR-TV’s efforts helped raise more than $575,660 as of the middle of March.
Nextstar Broadcasting’s WTWO-TV Terre Haute, Ind., aired a day-long telethon to raise funds for the Red Cross’ tornado relief effort. "This hit kind of close to home," said Tim Sanders, promotions director for WTWO-TV. "It could have been us." The telethon ran from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 6 and raised more than $32,000. Wabash Valley Red Cross Executive Director Carol Stevens said the money raised will go to good use. "It really is going to help us to continue to do our sheltering operations and feeding and providing [tornado victims] with the kind of supplies they need for the cleanup efforts in their individual homes." A summary video of the telethon is available here.
Emmis Communications-owned WIBC-FM Indianapolis joined Scripps’ WRTV-TV Indianapolis to raise money for the Salvation Army Indiana division for tornado victims. On March 6, viewers and listeners donated nearly $46,000 during the 12-hour WIBC/RTV 6 Tornado Relief Drive.
Tribune Broadcasting’s WXIN-TV Indianapolis inserted numerous tornado relief pledge breaks between programming on March 5. Throughout the day station talent and others encouraged viewers to donate to the Salvation Army with Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels lending his support to the cause. The telethon was a success, raising more than $236,000. Lee Rosenthal, WXIN-TV’s news director said the response was attributable to “the Hoosier spirit of compassion. We’re 90 miles away, but you wouldn’t have known it from the response." Click here to watch a video summary of the telethon.
LIN Media’s WISH-TV Indianapolis covered the devastating tornadoes that swept through Southern Indiana on Friday, March 2. "The pictures and video in our Friday newscasts demonstrated something needed to be done to help Hoosiers in Southern Indiana," said Jeff White, WISH-TV president and general manager. Saturday morning WISH-TV went into action, launching the "Hoosiers Helping Hoosiers" on-air fund drive during the evening newscast. In less than 24 hours after the storm, viewers raised more than $200,000 for relief efforts.
For the past ten years, Shurz Communications’ WSBT-AM Radio South Bend, Ind. has supported University of Notre Dame basketball coach Mike Brey’s Coaches Versus Cancer campaign. Coaches Versus Cancer is a nationwide collaboration between the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches. The initiative leverages the personal experiences, community leadership and professional excellence of basketball coaches nationwide to increase cancer awareness and promote healthy living through year-round awareness efforts, fundraising activities and advocacy programs.
WSBT-AM held Coach Brey’s annual two-day radiothon. WSBT-AM personalities provided live remote broadcasts at partner locations throughout the community to raise funds through onsite donations, donations via text and the sale of t-shirts.
A new event, the Coaches Versus Cancer Night of Lights, also debuted this year. This event featured live music, ice cream and an honor ceremony. Luminaries were lit along a walkway decorated in honor of victims of cancer.
WSBT-AM yielded the largest totals in the event’s history, raising nearly $3,000 for the American Cancer Society and Coaches Versus Cancer.
Oasis Radio 1 Group’s WBTU-FM in Fort Wayne, Ind. set up a scholarship fund in honor of Alina Bigjohnny. Bigjohnny and six others lost their lives on August 13 when a stage at the Indiana State Fair collapsed moments before the Sugarland concert. The "Lights for Alina" scholarship fund will be awarded to a student from Bigjohnny’s alma mater whose career focus is education. Alina was a graduate of Wayne High School and soon-to-be teacher at Muncie Community Schools. WBTU-FM also helped organize a memorial event in the week after the tragedy. A video of the remembrance is available online.
Shurz Communications-owned WSBT-TV Mishawaka, Ind., has been committed to supporting the teachers, students and parents in its viewing area since 1997 in their challenge to improve and encourage reading skills for young people. WSBT’s "I Love To Read Challenge" is an annual month-long reading contest that has become an anticipated event among elementary schools in the area. Teachers from across WSBT’s viewing area register their classrooms, and students are then supplied with daily log sheets to track how many minutes they spend reading each day. Several schools are featured daily, and parents, teachers, students, friends and family are encouraged to vote online and by phone for their school. Every day, the winning school receives a visit from one of WSBT’s news anchors who talks with the kids about the importance of education and the joy of reading. The winning classroom is also featured on the evening newscast.
LIN Media’s WANE-TV, Fort Wayne Ind., recently congratulated its viewers for participating in the "Share the Warmth: Coats for Kids" 11th annual collection. WANE-TV collected 3,017 coats, scarves and mittens, which were distributed to children from 50 area social service agencies, schools and families. Local sports teams the Komets Hockey Team and the Mad Ants Basketball squad also participated in the drive, providing incentives for fans who donated a coat. Since 1999, WANE-TV has collected 27,460 coats for Northeast Indiana’s children.
LIN Media-owned WANE-TV Fort Wayne, Ind., has been a key community supporter of the Voices of Unity Youth Choir (VOU), an award-winning local ensemble of youth, ages 8 - 19. Recently, VOU was chosen as one of four U.S. choirs to compete in the World Choir Games in Shaoxing, China. In order to compete, the group needed to raise close to a half a million dollars in less than six months to send 83 singers, plus chaperones and musicians, across the globe. The fundraising was a total community effort, and WANE-TV was able to provide viewers with a front seat to the performance through its "Dreams of Gold" campaign. The initiative featured interviews, news coverage and a schedule of public service announcements valued at more than $66,000. As a result of WANE-TV’s "Dreams of Gold" campaign, the choir raised enough money to represent Fort Wayne on a global stage and returned home with two gold medals.
LIN Media-owned WLFI-TV West Lafayette, Ind., supported Food Finders
Food Bank in numerous ways in 2010. WLFI-TV created an ad campaign
for the organization to help raise donations year-round. The public
service department produced and ran a PSA promoting the Food Finders
"My Way" campaign. In the spot, local celebrities explained
how they fight hunger and then asked the public to help in the
effort. WLFI-TV’s Sports Department partnered with area high schools
to put on the Annual Frenzy Food Drive. The two schools, competing
against each other in basketball that night, also competed to
see which fans could donate the most food. They raised 825 pounds
in just a few hours.
Shurz Communications’ WKHY-FM Mishawaka, Ind., will hold the annual
"Grab Life by the Ball Dodgeball Tournament" later this
month. Each year 64 teams compete in the competition which supports
the American Cancer Society’s fight to end testicular cancer.
The tournament annually raises $4,000 for the ACS. Click here
to watch highlights of last year’s competition.
Schurz Communications-owned WSBT-TV Mishawaka, Ind., hosted the third annual "Neighbors in Need" campaign to help people who have been hit hard by the recession with layoffs and losses of shelter, clothing and food. On February 21, WSBT-TV and its partner, the Food Bank of Northern Indiana, braved the cold, wind and snow to receive donations from the community. Within eight hours, WSBT-TV collected $11,943 in cash donations and 6,106 pounds of food.
Dispatch Broadcasting’s WTHR-TV Indianapolis, Ind. held a 13-hour donation drive to raise money for Indianapolis’ new September 11 Memorial. The memorial, which features two 22-foot steel beams from the World Trade Center site, was ready for its debut; however, the project’s organizers did not have enough money to pay the construction costs and maintenance fees. On the Friday before the unveiling, they were at least $30,000 short.
In response, WTHR-TV held a donation drive in the station’s parking lot from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, September 9. WTHR-TV’s anchors shot live cut-ins from the lot at the top of each hour, as station staff from every department took shifts collecting donations throughout the day. When the drive concluded, WTHR-TV had raised nearly $39,000 in 13 hours, filling the gap in needed funding for the memorial.
The corporate team at Indianapolis-based Emmis Communications took time off from their usual work recently to paint two rooms at Indianapolis Public School 56. The rooms had been in desperate need of attention before receiving the much-deserved makeovers. Participants in the paint project included Emmis CEO Jeff Smulyan and COO/CFO Patrick Walsh. The event was part of the United Way’s 20th Annual Day of Caring. The Day of Caring is the United Way of Central Indiana’s signature annual initiative that provides members of the Hoosier state concrete activities to give back to their community.
Most women don’t know that heart disease is the number one killer of women in this country, which is why WANE-TV in Fort Wayne, Ind., teamed with the American Heart Association for a second year to raise awareness and help women get heart healthy. The “Go Red for Women” campaign focuses on education about heart disease risk and prevention. In 2008, the station ran two weeks of promotions about upcoming “Go Red” programming. Their “Straight to the Heart” news segments included information on heart attack symptoms and an interview with a local woman who survived a heart attack at age 36. Taking the programming a step further, the station brainstormed ways to make the campaign interactive. Enlisting the services of a local cardiologist and an emergency medicine physician, the station hosted two hour-long Web chats, which allowed their viewers to ask questions through the station Web site. Transcripts of the Web chats, videos, health stories and links to the American Heart Association remain posted in a special section of the site. The station estimates the “Go Red” message reached 427,000 women ages 35 and older in their viewing area this year. “Raising awareness is the first powerful step to saving women’s lives. WANE’s commitment to make women aware of their risk and take action is no doubt saving lives,” said Kevin Harker, executive vice president of the Midwest affiliate of the American Heart Association.
For 52 hours during a three-day period in December, WIBC-FM in Indianapolis, Ind., used the airways to raise awareness and support for the Salvation Army. Now in its 13th consecutive year, the “WIBC Radio-a-thon to Benefit the Salvation Army” has raised more than $1 million in direct and matching donations to help feed, clothe and house the less fortunate in the area. During last year’s marathon broadcast, which raised nearly $160,000, WIBC brought special guests into the studio, conducted an on-air auction featuring celebrity-autographed photos and clothing, and held hourly drawings for one-of-a-kind collectables and prize packages. The airtime donated by the station for the radiothon alone was valued at nearly $800,000. WIBC provided an additional $80,000 worth of on-air promotions for the event.
Whether it’s the annual Relay for Life event or the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk, WLHK-FM in Indianapolis, Ind., rallies behind its local American Cancer Society chapter throughout the year. In the past 12 months, the station gave more than $40,000 worth of promotional airtime to the American Cancer Society and built custom Web pages on the station’s site to support each of the organization’s local events. With WLHK’s help, last year’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk, which was emceed by a station personality, attracted nearly 6,000 participants and raised more than $350,000. The event is the largest single-day fundraiser for the chapter. Work is already underway at the station to make the upcoming walk an even greater success. “WLHK is committed to helping us fight this disease by providing promotional support of our events to spread awareness. We value the leadership role WLHK is taking in our community as a station that cares about this cause," said Tanya Husain, executive director of the American Cancer Society, Central Indiana Area Service Center.
From Thanksgiving to Christmas, WYXB-FM in Indianapolis, Ind., is on the air and in the community encouraging listeners to embrace the season of giving and donate to the station’s annual “Soft Rock Santa” campaign. The month-long effort, which begins with a 10-hour live broadcast from various locations throughout Indianapolis, supports the Shepherd Community Center’s Christmas Gift Drive, which brightens the holidays of more than 1,000 needy children each year. The station places donation bins at businesses throughout the area to collect new toys, books, clothing and money. Recorded and live promotional announcements, an email blast to listeners and Web site promotion all help get the community involved. Last year, the station also worked with the Trans Siberian Orchestra to donate a portion of each ticket sale back to the Christmas drive, resulting in more than $8,000 in additional financial support. “WYXB has helped parents in a special way through their commitment to ‘Soft Rock Santa.’ Their efforts have enabled many needy parents to provide Christmas for their own children – a gift for the child and a gift for the parents’ self esteem,” said Jay Height, executive director of the Shepherd Community Center.
Putting children first, WISH-TV of Indianapolis, Ind., kicked off a year-long program called "Eye on Kids" that quickly became an umbrella campaign to assist community leaders with issues regarding parents and schools, juvenile courts and law enforcement, the health care system and more. The station produced a wide range of programs as part of the comprehensive effort, including two one-hour primetime specials featuring experts discussing childhood obesity, bullying and the importance of role models. "Kids Count Minutes" offered weekly, 60-second educational health tips ranging from childhood obesity to the health benefits of good sleep habits. Special programming encouraged reading, and there was a "Back to School Family Day" to help underserved children get ready for the school year with everything from immunizations to school supplies. The station’s "Day of Caring" helped improve the safety and quality of a local early development center with a one-day volunteer blitz. The weekly "Eye on Kids News Reports" gave viewers a more complete understanding of legal issues affecting children. Overall in the 12 months, WISH helped organize and support 36 community-based efforts focused on children and raised more than $500,000 for children’s organizations.
WTLC-AM in Indianapolis, Ind., is advocating for an end to street violence. Broadcasting live from a location where multiple homicides took place, on-air talent hosted a public forum for concerned citizens to discuss how to stop the senseless killing. Regular music programming was suspended for two hours so listeners and citizens could have their voices heard. For the week leading up to the broadcast, the station aired recorded public service announcements about the event every day. Making sure the discussion could reach as many community members as possible, WTLC distributed a press release and secured live broadcasts from its four network affiliates as well as coverage in the local newspaper. The station’s staff worked 50 hours to organize the event.
WFWA-TV in Ft. Wayne, Ind., took learning about science, technology and nature to new heights with its programs for children. The "Girls Investigating Science and Technology" program provided 80 middle school girls the opportunity to work with female scientists and complete their own scientific investigation. "It’s a Big, Big World" enabled 500 preschool children the opportunity to complete hands-on investigations and learn about camouflage in nature. To encourage even more children to learn about science, the station helped create a "Video Field Trip" that uses animation and NASA resources to give students a taste of how they can pursue a space-based career. These educational activities were supported by 690 30-second spots worth more than $22,000. A future program, "Storytelling Festival at the Three Rivers," will use a digital sky to show how early Native Americans used the constellations for guidance.
The community came out in force to help the homeless in a series of events organized by WAOR-FM of South Bend, Ind. In just more than a month’s time, the station held a golf outing and two pre-concert parties to raise money for the South Bend Center for the Homeless, which provides food and shelter as well as assistance with job training, sobriety and learning how to re-enter the community. Thanks in large part to 75 promotional spots, targeted email blasts, staff hours and a two-hour live remote that allowed the shelter to educate listeners about its work, the Center for the Homeless Golf Outing sold out, generating $41,000. The station raised an additional $1,100 for the cause by hosting two Pre-Concert Plaza parties as fundraisers on the days of performances by the Doobie Brothers and Deep Purple. On-air support prior to each event featured 50 public service announcements and a four-hour live remote immediately prior to the concert. Ten staff hours and a week-long Web site promotion also contributed to raising awareness of the center and the opportunity to contribute.
To help its listeners cope with a tight employment market and economic uncertainty, WABX-FM of Evansville, Ind., organized the Careers Now! Fair. Thirty-two local businesses and schools participated, and approximately 750 people attended to learn more about job opportunities, provide businesses with resumes and talk about educational possibilities. The event also offered seminars on resume writing and what to expect when enrolling in a college or university. The high turnout was a direct result of WABX providing more than 100 minutes of promotional announcements prior to the event, highlighting the career fair on the station’s Web site for three weeks, blasting emails to more than 5,000 listeners and contributing more than 250 hours of staff support.
Helping support the St. Joseph County Police Department in its effort to bring drug and alcohol prevention programs to school children, WBYT-FM in Mishawaka, Ind., provided media support for the 2007 "D.A.R.E. Golf Outing and Hog Roast." The station inspired golfers to go to the green by broadcasting promotional spots, a live interview and a two-hour live remote from the event. WBYT staff fielded a team in the event as well. The day on the course brought in a total of $9,000 for the St. Joseph County Police Department D.A.R.E. (Drug and Alcohol Resistance Education) program, which went toward the purchase of workbooks, school supplies and t-shirts for area students participating in the program. In a letter to the station, D.A.R.E. Officer Sgt. William Redman and spokesperson for the Saint Joseph County Police Jaimee Thirion wrote, "The promotional ads that aired live definitely helped us out. We had to turn golf teams away because we filled up so fast! We couldn’t have done it without you."
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