Telemundo Campaign Encourages "Be the Next Story Told"
Date Posted: 10/18/2023
Telemundo and NBCUniversal are celebrating this Hispanic Heritage Month with a new campaign that recognizes the vibrant and diverse culture of the Hispanic community through activations, special content and programming across the company all month long. Telemundo Enterprises' bilingual campaign "Be the Next Story Told" (El Futuro Lo Escribes Tú) is a multiplatform initiative honoring and recognizing the culture, spirit and achievements of Hispanics in the U.S. The campaign's celebratory anthem spot features an original song delivering an inspiring message in both English and Spanish.
Black Excellence 365 is a year-round initiative from Nexstar Media Group’s ABC 6 in in Augusta, Ga., that honors the contribution, kindness, innovation and selflessness of black individuals in their community. It is the station’s philosophy that the importance of recognizing black excellence is a year-round obligation. The station honors strong, forward-thinking representatives of their communities with the Mary L. Jones Black Affirmation Award. Recipients improve the lives of the people around them. They are passionate about what they do, and work tirelessly to translate that passion into meaningful, impactful change in the community.
The “Coffee’s On US” campaign from Spokane, Wash., TV station KHQ highlights the work of local community organizations by gifting them with coffee delivery from a local shop, Craven’s Coffee. Recent recipients include CASA Partners, a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing the lives of abused and neglected youth in Spokane County’s foster care system, and the Boy Scouts of America Inland Northwest Council.
iHeartMedia Central Florida helped present the second Florida Jobs Now Career Expo in July. “We look forward to bringing our 2nd of three recruiting events this year to Central Florida,” said Barbara Latham, iHeartMedia Area President for Orlando and Melbourne. “As a business ourselves serving our local community in Central Florida, we continue to realize the need from our business partners to fill jobs and is a top priority. We feel uniquely poised to help connect these businesses with people living or moving to Central Florida as an essential part of our efforts in our local communities.”
Each week in 2022, Fredericksburg, Va., station B101.5, owned by Centennial Broadcasting, and their partner Radley Automotive are giving away $1,000 to a lucky winner, who keeps half the prize and chooses a charity to receive the other half. “We are thrilled to partner with Radley Automotive to award B101.5 winners this amazing cash prize in the hope that their choice of charity will do much good and pump extra dollars back into the local community,” says Market Manager Mark Bass.
Cumulus Media’s KISS 103.1 presented the inaugural 2022 Columbia Neighborhood Awards Reception and Ceremony on Saturday, April 23. Awards will be given to local businesses, people, projects, and community organizations making the community and neighborhoods a better place to live.
Seattle Sports and Bonneville International raised a reported $41,000 in just one day for the John Clayton Memorial Fund. The Fund, created in memory of longtime NFL reporter and radio host John “The Professor” Clayton, will benefit the Multiple Sclerosis Society, a MS research organization. Clayton passed away March 18, 2022.
Cumulus Media’s Dallas-Fort Worth Country radio stations New Country 96.3 (KSCS-FM) and 99.5 The Wolf (KPLX-FM) raised more than $165,000 for Cook Children’s Hospital through the first-ever "Texas Independence Jam" guitar-pull concert on Wednesday, March 2, 2022, at the historic Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth. The event featured star-studded lineup including Maren Morris, Parker McCollum, Clay Walker, Jon Pardi, Carly Pearce, Ryan Hurd, Priscilla Block, Drew Parker, Scotty McCreery, and surprise guest, Cody Johnson.
Michigan’s WILX and the Lansing Brewing Company partnered with the Greater Lansing Food Bank and the South Michigan Food Bank to collect nonperishables during the last week of February for the “News 10 Make an Impact” campaign. 
Cumulus Media’s Detroit News/Talk station 760 WJR raised more than $1.74 Million to help The Salvation Army of Metro Detroit combat hunger and homelessness in Metro Detroit through the "35th Annual Bed & Bread Club Radiothon." The 27-hour radio fundraiser aired on 760 WJR on Thursday, February 24 and Friday, February 25 and featured on-air personalities Paul W. Smith, Sean Baligian, Kevin Dietz, Lloyd Jackson, Chris Renwick, Mitch Albom, Ken Brown, Steve Courtney, Kevin O’Neill and Guy Gordon broadcasting from The Salvation Army Eastern Michigan Divisional Headquarters in Southfield, Mich.
Lite Rock 97.3 (WYXL-FM) Ithaca raised more than $13,000 for United Way of Tompkins County with the “Wine & Dine Radiothon” in February. For 13 hours, Dave Ashton and Jen Mattison of Lite Rock 97.3 hosted the live radiothon, where they auctioned a different restaurant and wine or beer pairing every hour to listeners with the highest bid. Restaurants donated $200 gift certificates and each Finger Lakes Region winery or brewery donated a case of wine or beer.
Each year, Madison’s Life 102.5 listeners donate needed items for a children’s hospital for Valentine’s Day. For the last five years, Life 102.5 listeners have shown love every Valentine’s Day to the kids and their families at the American Family Children’s Hospital. This year the hospital needed a full restock of many items including Legos, markers, activity books and baby items. Listeners stepped up donated more than 700 items off the hospital’s registry.
WPVI, the ABC affiliate in Philadelphia, produced and broadcast a dance marathon that raises money for children battling cancer. “THON – 50 Years For The Kids,” aired Saturday, February 19 in honor of Penn State’s THON, the world’s largest student-run philanthropy.
NBC5 Chicago is working to creative positive change in the community with Project Innovation, an initiative launched by the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation in partnership with NBC and Telemundo stations in 11 markets. Project Innovation aims to strengthen communities by providing funding to local nonprofit organizations that are solving everyday problems. In 2022, NBC5 will award $315,000 to exceptional nonprofit programs that are addressing local community issues in an innovative way.
Five Cumulus Media radio personalities in Charleston, S.C., were honored with official Proclamations from the City of North Charleston for their outstanding continued service to the community. The Cumulus Charleston on-air hosts receiving Proclamations are Gentry Via (WMGL-FM/WWWZ-FM), Riecy G (WWWZ-FM), DJ Cass (WWWZ-FM), Tessa Spencer (WMGL-FM), and Stevie Byrd (WMGL-FM). The Proclamations were presented to the honorees on Thursday, February 10, in a ceremony at the North Charleston City Hall.
For 29 years, WAVY10-TV in Norfolk, Va., has teamed up with local businesses, nonprofits and churches to collect, clean and distribute winter garments to families in need. This year the WAVY’s 10 “On Your Side Coats for Families” campaign set a new record by gathering more than 16,000 coats. 
Beasley Media Group announced the return of the WCSX Stone Soup Project in the Motor City. The 2022 initiative, “Big Jim’s House Stone Soup Project,” hosted by 94.7 WCSX morning show personalities Big Jim O’Brien and Ryan Logan, will feature a 1974 Ford Bronco. WCSX will once again team up with sponsors and encourage listeners to share their ideas on how to rebuild the Bronco, from deciding on the best paint to determining tire size. Proceeds from the raffle tickets will benefit Vets Returning Home. 
Sabrina Ahmed, news anchor for WOI in Des Moines, Iowa, is the mother of twins, Beau and Bella, who just turned 2 years old. To celebrate the end of her twins needing diapers, WOI held “Beau & Bella’s Birthday Diaper Drive” in February. Ahmed felt such love and support from the Des Moines community as she became a mother, she wanted to give back to local families.
A gospel radio station in Tuscaloosa collected 2,000 pounds of food this month during its annual Thanksgiving and Christmas donation drives. The station, Townsquare Media’s Praise 93.3 WTSK The Truth, has asked listeners to give to those in need every year since 1965. This year, more than one ton of food was collected, including a donation of 829 pounds of non-perishable food items by Brother J, a longtime host on WTSK.
Audacy raised $220,000 for pediatric care in Norfolk, Va., through 94.9 The Point’s (WPTE-FM) 20th annual Radiothon to benefit Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters (CHKD). 94.9 The Point morning show hosts Mike Powers and Woo Woo broadcasted live from the station November 10-12 to raise money for the region’s only children’s hospital. Listeners learned what makes a children’s hospital unique and heard stories of strength and resilience from CHKD patients and their families. 
Audacy’s 830 WCCO held its 19th annual 
ABC15 Phoenix will hold its 21st annual 
Green Bay’s Fox 11 teamed up with local food pantries to help fight hunger November 9-11. The “Fox 11 Food Project: Northeast Wisconsin Gives Thanks” food drive brought in more than 20,000 pounds of food and $4,400 to help families in need. Through drive-up donation sites and daily live reports, Fox 11 helped make a difference for those in need.
Beasley Media Group’s 93.3 WMMR-FM hosted "Preston & Steve Camp Out For Hunger" November 1-5, collecting more than 2.3 million pounds of food and raising $1.04 million to benefit needy individuals and families residing throughout the greater Philadelphia area. Proceeds directly benefited local hunger relief organizations through Philabundance, Delaware Valley’s largest hunger relief organization.
Hearst Television’s ABC affiliate KMBC 9 News Kansas City, Mo., 
Cumulus Media’s Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, station HOT 93.3 
E.W. Scripps Company’s NBC26 Green Bay, Wis., 
TEGNA’s CBS19 serving Tyler and Longview, Texas, 
iHeartMedia 
Univision Communications Inc. 
Telemundo and NBCUniversal joined forces to commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month and 
Cumulus Media’s Providence, R.I., stations held their annual Hasbro Children’s Hospital 
Tuned In Broadcasting’s WRLT-FM Nashville, Tenn., continuously demonstrates an extraordinary 
Audacy’s WSCR-AM Chicago, Ill., 
Hubbard Broadcasting’s WIRK Indiantown, Fla., morning show team Tim Leary and Chelsea Taylor 
Beasley Media Group’s WMMR Philadelphia, Pa., 
iHeartMedia Louisville, Ky., 
• iHeartMedia’s WHYI-FM Miami is celebrating International Women’s Day with an all-female programming lineup, playing only music from the incredible women of pop music. The morning show will kick off the music celebration on Monday, March 8 at 9am ET.
WAVY, Nexstar’s NBC affiliate in Porstmouth, Va., collected new and gently used coats for people of all ages for their for the "10 On Your Side Coats for Families" campaign, in its 28th year. Because of the community’s generosity, this season’s campaign collected, cleaned, and distributed more than 15,000 coats. The campaign ended on February 10.
Entercom announced a new series of special programming to commemorate Women’s History Month through March 31. Entercom properties including RADIO.COM will celebrate top women in Country music through the new "Leading Ladies" initiative, a month-long series integrated into national radio shows. The program will help to spotlight and celebrate the impact that women have had in the genre and on Country music radio. 
Royal Broadcasting’s WZRV-FM Front Royal, Virginia raised more than six months worth of meals during the annual "Camping for Hunger" food drive in mid-December. The 8,600 pounds of food and nearly $11,700 in cash donated equates to approximately 40,000 meals--enough to cover six months’ worth of need.
Hearst’s NBC affiliate WESH-TV in Orlando, Fla. partnered with Second Harvest Food Bank, a local non-profit, to raise more $1,000,000 during the 35th annual "Share Your Christmas" food drive. The total will provide 3.8 million meals, enough to provide 2 weeks of groceries to more than 3,300 families.
Sunbeam Television’s independent station WHDH-TV Boston and Sunbeam Television’s Ansin Foundation donated $100,000 to Project Bread, a Boston non-profit that provides food assistance.
Bold Gold Media’s station cluster and general manager Michael Staton raised more than $30,000 during the 19th annual "Shower for Charity" to benefit Wayne County Children’s Christmas Bureau.
Sunbeam Television’s Fox affiliate WSVN-TV Miami and Sunbeam Television’s Ansin Foundation donated $100,000 to Feeding South Florida, a local non-profit that provides food assistance to families in need.
Cumulus Media-owned WJR-AM Detroit personalities Mitch Albom and Ken Brown raised an incredible $1,500,000 to benefit local families and community members during the "SAY Detroit Radiothon" on December 10. The annual event, currently in its ninth year, brought together local and national celebrities, including national media figures CNN’s Anderson Cooper, NBC’s Mike Tirico and ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Carter Broadcast Group’s Kansas City, Mo. cluster hosted a digital weekend of giving on December 4 and 5 for the 27th "Annual Toy and Food Drive." All stations in the cluster--KPRS-FM, KPRT-AM/FM and KPRS-HD2--participated over the weekend to encourage donations and promote the drive over the air. More than 6000 meal and 300 toys were donated during the two-day period.
Entercom’s WDOK-FM Cleveland raised more than $200,000 during the 18th annual “2020 Rainbow Radiothon” on December 4 to benefit the local children’s hospital. Hosted by morning show personalities Jen Toohey and Tim Richards, the station highlighted stories of pediatric patients, their families and the staff at University Hospital (UH) Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital to encourage listener donations.
In a twist on a classic radio station gimmick, Cumulus Media’s WZYP-AM Huntsville, Al. took over another a gas station on December 4 and provided free gas to the local community. Station employees pumped the gas while customers were able to sit in their cars.
iHeartMedia’s WHEB-FM Portsmouth, N.H. held the 30th annual "Lend A Helping Can" radiothon on November 19--20 and raised more than $247,000 to benefit 12 charities working to combat local hunger and homelessness in the local community. The two day radiothon encouraged listeners to donate directly or participate in an online auction to raise the total funds.
Cox Media Group Atlanta stations (WSBB-FM/WSB-AM, WSB-FM, WSRV-FM, WALR-FM) partnered with the Atlanta Community Food Bank to collect food and donations during the annual pre-Thanksgiving food drive. The event included live radio broadcasts by participating stations on November 14 and November 21 to educate listeners about the increased need at food banks due to the pandemic, and to encourage donations.
Saga Communications’ WAFX-FM and WNOR-FM Hampton Roads, Va. collected more than a million meals to help feed local families during the 24th annual Mayflower Marathon food drive, held the weekend of November 20. The collected donations benefit the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank and the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore .
Beasley Media Group’s WMMR-FM Philadelphia raised more than $1.4 million to help fight hunger across the city during the annual ’Camp Out For Hunger’. On November 16–November 20, morning personalities Preston and Steve camped out and broadcast live from a parking lot. Local and national leaders and celebrities joined the two morning hosts over Zoom to encourage further donation. In total, the station raised 2.5 million pounds of food and $1.4 million in monetary donations.
CBS Radio’s WCCO-AM Minneapolis raised more than $330,000 to provide over 169,000 meals and care to those in need through WCCO-AM’s “2020 Union Gospel Mission Hunger Radiothon” on November 17.
The annual event, now in its 18th year, has raised in more than $3.3 million since 2003.
Hubbard Radio’s WIRK-FM West Palm Beach raised more than $11,000 for their annual
"Friends Feeding Friends" Food Drive on November 21. The station surpassed its original goal of $10,000, but because of the pandemic, the entire event was held virtually. The total will provide more than 68,000 meals for people in the community.
Seton Hall University’s WSOU South Orange, N.J. set a record for donations to its annual clothing drive held in October for the Our Lady of the Sioux Church on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. The station collected enough clothing to fill 25 large boxes with clothes, footwear, and accessories for all ages and all seasons. Students folded and packed the donations at the radio station, while following safety measures in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Salem’s KKNT-AM, KPX-AM, KXXT-AM Phoenix helped individuals and families who are suffering and have little to no access to resources by supporting the local non-profit HopeFest. HopeFest Phoenix has impacted over 100,000 of the working poor in Arizona and has been the motivator for life change. Over 150 service agencies, plus faith, education, government, and non-profit leaders have created a day of honoring care. Salem’s support helps get the word out about these life-altering resources.
Graham Media Group’s WSLS Roanoke, Va., has supported the community in many ways in 2020. Some of their initiatives include:
Cox Media Group (CMG) Tulsa, Okla., including Fox affiliate KOKI-TV, myNetworkTV affiliate KMYT, KRAV-FM, KWEN-FM and KRMG-AM set two records in the 2020 St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway campaign. The stations sold out a record number of tickets a full six weeks before the live drawing on FOX23 on August 2. The campaign raised $1.2 million to further the work of the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Gaston College’s WSGE 91.7FM Charlotte assistant PD/music director/afternoon drive personality and film writer/director Tim Greene recently gifted eleven year old entrepreneur Imani and her two younger sisters ages seven and four with laptop computers so that they can now apply for business licenses online and move their gourmet lemonade stand to the next level. Tim also loaded the laptops with over 30 programs on running a successful business, becoming a young millionaire and other programs that will help the sisters in the event that they have to do at home schooling this fall. They also received Medals Of Honor, Certificates Of Excellence and a trophy for coming up with new gourmet lemonade flavors and catch words for their generation. The heat index outside was at 110 degrees but these young entrepreneurs want to inspire other kids from four to eleven years old to start their own businesses and give back to their communities.
Townsquare Media Tri-Cities, Wash., partnered with Morgan Murphy Media’s ABC affiliates KAPP-TV and KVEW-TV to raise nearly $75,000 during a two-day radiothon in support of local non-profits. The donated funds will help provide funds and goods for those affect by the COVID-19 outbreak.
Graham Media Group’s WKMG Orlando, Fla., took additional time and resources to highlight Black stories with a new initiative, “Rooted in Central Florida,” during February. More than 30 stories detailing local Black history aired on television and were posted to the station’s website and social media pages.
Big River Broadcasting’s WQLT-FM, WXFL-FM and WSBM-FM Florence, Ala., is running a “Shop Local” campaign to encourage the community to support small businesses during the pandemic. The station is additionally awarding a $10,000 advertising grant, and providing all businesses free listings on station websites.
Sinclair Broadcasting Group’s CBS affiliate KUTV, MyNetworkTV affiliate KMYU and Independent KJZZ Salt Lake City have been airing spots to support local businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 
Cumulus Media’s WKQX-FM Chicago hosted a 34-hour radiothon to help "Save The Stages" across the city on May 23. The raised money benefits the Chicago Independent Venue League.
Quincy’s NBC affiliate WREX Rockford, Ill., supported the community in many ways early in 2020. WREX provided critical updates on the COVID-19 pandemic, aired a weekly “Reading with WREX” segment, honored a “Teacher of the Week” and more. Read details 
Momentum Broadcasting’s KJUG-FM, KIOO-FM, KCRZ-FM, and KVMI-FM Porterville, Calif., raised $22,000 on February 21 – 22 after the local library was hit by arson the previous week. Station staff sold t-shirts to raise money to support of the families of the two firefighters who died in the blaze.
Hearst’s NBC affiliate WBAL-TV Baltimore sponsored the Polar Bear Plunge, which raised a record $3.27 million for the Special Olympics Maryland on January 23 – 25. The WBAL-TV, WBAL-FM and WBAL-AM Polar Bear Plunge teams raised $133,404 towards the total. The fundraiser supports programs for 8,000 Special Olympics athletes in Maryland who train and compete year-round for free.
NBC-owned WCAU-TV and Telemundo’s WWSI-TV Philadelphia are offering grants to non-profits through their “Project Innovation” grant challenge for the third consecutive year. Through this program, the stations work to promote community engagement, volunteerism and empowerment for underrepresented communities and new storytellers. Alongside Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation, the stations will award a total of $225,000. Grant applications are accepted from January 1 – February 14.
Cumulus’ Dallas cluster raised a total of $1,282,996 for Dallas-Fort Worth charities during the 2019 calendar year. KPLX-FM, WBAP-AM, KTCK-AM, KLIF-FM, KSCS-FM, KLIF-AM and KESN-FM raised funds to benefits schools, food banks, hospitals, veterans and military organizations and various other area non-profits.
Nexstar’s Fox affiliate WITI-TV Milwaukee collected more than 10,000 coats during the 35th annual “Coats for Kids” fundraiser, held November 13 – December 9. For the second consecutive year, WITI also partnered with Operation Warm to collect money to purchase new coats and raised nearly $35,000.
Quincy Media’s NBC/CW affiliate WREX-TV Rockford, Ill., hosted multiple donation drives throughout the 2019 holiday season to support neighbors in the community. During the annual “12 Hours of Salvation” toy drive on December 6, the station partnered with the Salvation Army to collect 6,000 new and unwrapped toys for kids in the community.
Hubbard Broadcasting’s KRWM-FM Seattle collected over 6,500 teddy bears for the local children during the annual “Fred Meyer Teddy Bear Toss” on January 11. The toss occurred at the Seattle Thunderbirds hockey game, immediately following the first goal of the night. The toys will be distributed by the Salvation Army.
TEGNA’s NBC affiliate KING-TV and Hubbard’s WARM-FM Seattle collected a record 7.9 million meals during the 19th annual Home Team Harvest food drive, held throughout November and December. The food drive has provided more than 55 million meals in 19 years.
Cumulus-owned KNBR-AM/FM San Francisco raised over $125,000 with the San Francisco 49ers during the third annual 49ers Foundation Holiday Sports Auction on December 3 and 4. The two-day charity auction was broadcast live and featured 49ers memorabilia and on-air appearances by current 49ers players.
The Rhode Island Broadcasters Association, Governor Gina Raimondo and First Gentleman Andy Moffit launched a mental health awareness campaign, “It’s Okay Not to Be Okay.” Stations, including Nexstar’s CBS affiliate WPRI-TV, Standard Media’s ABC affiliate WTEV-TV and Sinclair’s NBC affiliate WJAR-TV Providence are airing stories from people across Rhode Island who found help for mental health or substance abuse issues through statewide programs. On December 14 at 7:30 p.m., TV and radio stations across the state aired a commercial-free half-hour special that provided information on mental health resources, including a 24/7 hotline. Viewers and listeners were also encouraged to visit 
Cumulus’ WMAL-FM Washington, D.C., raised $523,000 for the Fisher House in a radiothon held December 5 – 6. The foundation provides temporary housing and support for families of injured service members at more than 85 locations across the country. Over past 17 years, WMAL has raised over $7 million for the Fisher House Foundation.
Nexstar-owned WGN-TV Chicago collected 25,000 pounds of food (21,000 meals) to the Greater Chicago Food Depository in its sixth annual food drive, held November 22. Last year, the Food Depository distributed nearly 70 million pounds of shelf-stable food, fresh produce, dairy products and meat every day - the equivalent of 159,000 meals.
Radio stations across the U.S. have raised more than $2.2 million for their local communities as of November 25, according to Radio Ink. More information about stations’ fundraisers can be found 
Hearst Communication’s ABC affiliate WISN-TV Milwaukee and Hunger Task Force partnered for the eighth consecutive year on the “Food for Families Phone Bank,” held November 26 – 27. The event brought in $133,000, which will provide more than 1,000 meals for families in need. Since 2014, over $825,000 has been raised for families in need across Milwaukee and its surrounding areas.
iHeart Media’s WZLX-FM Boston collected over 1,200 pounds of food for a local food pantry at the annual “Turkey Meat & Greet” on November 26. Listeners brought non-perishable food items to gain entry to a Thanksgiving dinner hosted by WZLX-FM hosts Karlson, McKenzie & Heather. The event also featured a silent auction of classic rock memorabilia from artists including Alice Cooper and The Red Hot Chili Peppers. All donations went to the Pearl Street Cupboard & Café, which is run by The United Way.
Beasley Media Group’s WMGK-FM Philadelphia collected more than 11,200 turkeys annual “Turkey Drop” on November 26. The WMGK “Turkey Drop” is Philadelphia’s the largest, single-day food gathering event. The non-profit City Team Ministries will distribute the turkeys.
Sinclair Broadcast Group’s ABC affiliate KTXS-TV Abilene, Tex., raised over $195,000 to benefit Love & Care Ministries, a non-profit that provides food and clothing for people facing poverty, during the annual “Mission Thanksgiving” donation event, held November 22. Viewers also donated enough food and clothing to fill 11 semi-trucks.
Faith Communication’s KSOS-FM Las Vegas, N.V., partnered with a local middle school to feed 15,000 food-insecure students through the end of the year. The station’s “SOS for Food” event packed backpacks with enough food to provide weekend meals through December. Local middle schoolers initiated the food drives, with all donations going to Serving Our Kids Foundation, a local non-profit that raises awareness and provides meals to children experiencing hunger in southern Nevada. The students also helped KSOS-FM pack and sort donations.
Lenawee Broadcasting’s WLEN-FM Adrian, Mich., raised over $31,000 during its 14th annual “Thank A Vet” day on November 11th. Housing Help of Lenawee will distribute the funds throughout the year to help local veterans with rent, mortgage payments to avoid foreclosure, utility bills, rental facilities to store possessions when they are displaced, transportation stipends and items such boots needed for employment. In 14 years, WLEN has raised $280,000 to support local veterans.
Hearst’s ABC affiliate WCVB Boston raised $322,000 for The Greater Boston Food Bank during a day-long fundraiser on September 17. 
Seton Hall University’s WSOU-FM South Orange, N.J., collected 3,200 bottles of water for residents exposed to lead-contaminated drinking water. Pregnant women and children under six years old are advised to avoid drinking city water, even if it has been filtered. The City of Newark (population 285,000) has only two distribution centers for free bottled water for children and pregnant women. They are limited to two cases of water every two weeks regardless of household size. WSOU delivered the water on October 17 to the Women and Children’s Center at St. John’s Soup Kitchen.
Scripps’ ABC affiliate WMAR-TV hosted its “Fill the House” event on October 16 to benefit House of Ruth Maryland, which provides services to victims of intimate partner abuse. Listeners donated enough supplies to fill a truck with items such as diapers, wipes, new women and children’s underwear, comforters, sheets and pillows. They also received $3,500 in donations from and $2,000 in gift cards.
iHeartMedia Seattle’s Classic Rocker KZOK-FM raised over $101,000 during its 22nd annual Rock The Harvest radiothon on October 17. The money benefits Northwest Harvest, a hunger relief agency in the state of Washington, which supports a statewide network of 375 food banks, meal programs, and high-needs schools. Over the last 22 years, 102.5 KZOK raised over $1.2 million to benefit Northwest Harvest.
E.W. Scripps’ CBS affiliate WTVF Nashville has wiped out $4 million in medical debt for more than 1,000 people across Middle Tennessee through its "Medical Debt Rescue" program. WTVF achieved this using a total of $35,000 in donations, $15,000 from WTVF and another $20,000 from viewers. There are no strings attached. Recipients include a 
NBC-owned WMAQ-TV and Telemundo Chicago’s Consumer Investigative Reporters Lisa Parker and Zully Ramírez from “NBC 5 Responds” and “Telemundo Chicago Responde” covered consumer issues during the afternoon and evening newscasts from September 9 - 12. Parker addressed issues with car defects, appliances, banking, contractors, home warranties, internet scams, parking tickets and wireless service. Ramírez discussed used cars, contractors, warranties, shipping delays and contract breaches.
Quincy Media’s Wisconsin stations - ABC affiliates WKOW Madison, WAOW Wausau, WXOW La Crosse, WQOW Eau Claire and NBC/CBS affiliate KBJR Superior - and Farm Aid raised more than $40,000 during an 18-hour telethon on September 21 to provide support and relief for local family farmers. Family farmers in the Upper Midwest are facing intensifying corporate consolidation, a multi-year downturn in the U.S. agricultural economy, rising production costs, and diminished crop yields from extreme weather.
Cumulus-owned WGRF-FM Buffalo, NY., set a new donation record for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Western New York. The station raised more than $300,000 during the 25th annual Make-A-Wish Radiothon. The 28-hour program was broadcast on location from the Eastern Hills Mall in Williamsville, NY.
NBC recently unveiled the 2019-2020 classes for Female Forward and the Emerging Director Program, two initiatives that aim to increase the representation of female and ethnically diverse directors in scripted television. Participating directors will direct at least one episode in-season.
Scripps’ ABC affiliate WXYZ Detroit won on August 10 the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) 2019 Salute to Excellence Award for its special, “Spotlight on the News: Inside Michigan’s African American Vote.” WXYZ’s winning entry aired last October and explored the issues constituents faced in the election and how the African American vote impacts Michigan’s future. It included conversations with political experts, journalists, civil rights activists, religious leaders and prominent members of Michigan’s Democratic and Republican parties. The NABJ awards honor exemplary coverage of African Americans and highlight the work of media organizations and individuals involved in digital, print, television, radio, photojournalism, podcasting and public relations / marketing.
Gray Television’s CBS affiliate KFVS-TV Cape Girardeau, MO., hosted their annual summer fundraisers in early August to support, honor and provide for the community. The station ran on-air promotions, mentions in local broadcasts and social media content to educate and encourage community members to participate in all events.
Hearst’s NBC affiliate WBAL-TV Baltimore helped transform an abandoned lot into a peace walk in the Harlem Park West Community. Nearly a dozen WBAL-TV staff members joined veterans-led non-profit The Mission Continues on this initiative as part of its “Operation Charm City Charge.” Volunteers cleared a weed bed, installed poles and painted stones.
Cox Media Group (CMG) Tulsa stations - Fox affiliate KOKI-TV, myNetworkTV affiliate KMYT, KRAV-FM and KWEN-FM – raised a record $1.1 million in this year’s St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway. The stations raffled off a home valued at more than $500,000 in the Stone Canyon community along with several other prizes during an hour-long broadcast on June 23. Other prizes included a new car, a trip to see Carrie Underwood at Madison Square Garden, and a $10,000 furniture shopping spree.
Legend Communications’ Big Horn Radio Network in Cody, Wy. hosted a concert by country artists Clint Black, Craig Campbell and Carin Mari on June 27 that honored the 100th Anniversary of the Buffalo Bill Stampede. An auction at the concert raised $45,000 and included an autographed guitar and cowboy hats signed by the three artists, a replica Henry Sharpshooter rifle and some Cody 100th Anniversary Belt buckles. Larry and Susan Patrick, owners of Legend Communications, matched all proceeds to make a $90,000 total contribution to St. Jude. Over 7,500 people attended the outdoor concert, which was free with donations for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis.
Cox Media Group (CMG) Tulsa, including Fox affiliate KOKI-TV, myNetworkTV affiliate KMYT, KRAV-FM, KWEN-FM and KRMG-AM, raised a record $3.4 million for community partners in the first half of 2019. This includes $1.1 million raised on June 23 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, more than 200 toys collected by KWEN-FM around the release of Toy Story 4, the 450 pounds of peanut butter KRAV-FM and KOKI collected for the Community Food Bank of Oklahoma, and 175 pints of blood donated to the American Red Cross during KRMG and KOKI-TV’s drive.
Hearst’s ABC affiliate WCVB Boston aired on June 4 the 
WCVB-TV raised almost $200,000 in its “5 for Ellie Fashion Show,” held June 12. Anchors Maria Stephanos and Emily Riemer co-emceed the fashion show, which featured several anchors and reporters as models. Proceeds support The Ellie Fund, which provides grocery assistance, meal delivery, childcare, transportation to medical appointments, housekeeping and integrative therapies to 1,000 breast cancer patients and their families in Massachusetts.
Hearst Radio-owned WIYY-FM and WBAL-FM Baltimore delivered a record-breaking $26,000 to the Firefighter’s Widows & Orphans Funds on February 9th. The stations helped raise the money at firehouse tailgate parties for Ravens home games. The pregame events, hosted by WIYY-FM and WBAL-FM radio personalities, also brought an additional $90,000 from food and beverage sales. This is the most ever raised for the Widow & Orphans Funds in foundation history.
Morris Multimedia’s CBS affiliate WDEF in Chattanooga, Tenn., continued its partnership with the Salvation Army for the 2018 Angel Tree program. As a result of the on-air and online giving campaign, all of the “angels” were adopted in record time. Morris Multimedia employees distributed gifts to more than 4700 children and seniors in total.
Beasley Media Group’s WPEG-FM Charlotte has partnered with Habitat for Humanity for the third consecutive year to build a home for a local family. “No Limit Larry and the Morning Maddhouse” launched the initiative during a live broadcast on January 18. WPEG-FM staff members, listeners and local businesses will work together to build the home, which will be complete in March.
Graham Media’s NBC affiliate WDIV Detroit offered a 
E.W. Scripps employees presented more than 80,000 new books to children across the country on January 23, National Reading Day, as part of the Scripps Howard Foundation’s annual 
California Oregon Broadcasting’s NBC affiliate KOBI-TV in Medford, Ore., partnered with AllCare Health on a 30-week long project, 
Graham Media Group’s NBC affiliate WDIV-TV Detroit continuously served the community in 2018. They covered opioid addiction, elections, gun violence, school safety, infrastructure concerns and education. WDIV continues to report on the aftermath of the Flint Water Crisis. Read more 
ABC-owned WPVI-TV Philadelphia distributed 10,000 smoke alarms on February 2 to local families in need through its 
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.
Sinclair’s Fox affiliate KSAS-TV Kansas and MyTV affiliate KMTW-TV Wichita co-sponsored the Arc of Sedgwick County’s Holiday Lights Display. Over 15,000 cars drove through the lights which featured over a million lights and raised nearly $120,000.
The money supports hundreds of activities and programs for adults and children with developmental disabilities.
Alpha Media’s KAYO-FM Wasilla, AK, collected 3,000 pounds of food for Frontline Mission during a three-hour live fundraiser held October 27.
Sinclair’s Fox affiliate KSAS-TV and myNetworkTV affiliate KMTW Wichita co-sponsored “Night of the Living Zoo” the weekend before Halloween. Several thousand families enjoyed fun, safe Halloween activities, including the stations’ “Scary-O-Kee” karaoke stage. Proceeds supported the Sedgwick County Zoo’s animal winter food fund.
Entercom’s WAAF-FM Boston raised more than $75,000 in the “Rock for Change” radiothon held December 7 – 10 to benefit the Greater Boston Food Bank, Worcester County Food Bank, and New Hampshire Food Bank. Over the last 27 years, WAAF has raised more than $1.7 million in the fight against hunger.
Beasley Media Group’s WJBR-FM Wilmington, DE, collected turkeys and other donations during its day-long “Turkeython 2018” event on November 20 to help the Ministry of Caring provide Thanksgiving meals for local families. The festival-style event featured ice cream, food, music and activities.
Alpha Media’s KMKT-FM Dallas and the Classic of Texoma car dealership raised $50,000 for the Texoma Back the Badge Foundation in their second “Wheeler and Castellanos Back the Badge Memorial Golf Tournament” on September 14. The Texoma Back the Badge Foundation assists law enforcement agency employees dealing with illness, serious injury, or death. The tournament was renamed after law enforcement officers Rickey Wheeler and Vinny Castellanos, who succumbed to cancer this year.
Hearst’s NBC affiliate KCRA-TV Sacramento won a 
Hearst’s NBC affiliate WBAL-TV Baltimore held a four-hour seminar on July 27 for the Baltimore City Schools Student Media. Students took a station tour, viewed a live newscast and watched the taping of the weekly public affairs program. They also interacted with and asked questions of WBAL’s media professionals. “We were thrilled to host these incredibly talented students and look forward witnessing their collective contributions to broadcasting in the coming years,” said President and GM Dan Joerres.
NBC-owned KXAS-TV Dallas’ consumer investigative unit, NBC 5 Responds, 
Scripps’ ABC affiliate KNXV-TV Phoenix collected 106,000 water bottles during a 
Gray Television’s CBS affiliate KOLN / KGIN Lincoln, NE, collected 265,000 pounds of food in its 31st annual “10/11 Can Care-a-Van,” June 1-8. During the week-long food drive, the station travels around the viewing area to collect donations for local food pantries. In 31 years, the station has collected total over 4.9 million pounds of food.
TEGNA recently announced the first round of 2018 TEGNA Foundation Media Grants, supporting projects ranging from developing diversity in media to funding for immersive newsroom experiences for student journalists. Information on the awardees can be found 
Cherry Creek Radio’s KXDR-FM Missoula, Mont., participated in Special Olympics Montana’s 2018 Plane Pull fundraiser on June 2. Teams raise money to participate, and all proceeds benefit Special Olympics Montana. Teams compete to pull a 45,000-pound airplane 25 feet, the fastest. In addition to their team, KXDR-FM provided on-air promotion of the event and emceed onsite on June 2.
The New York State Broadcast Association (NYSBA) recently presented the “Serving New York” award to stations for service to their community conducted in 2017. The 59 winning stations from seven regions throughout the state hosted a variety of efforts that NYSABA representatives say “demonstrate the unique importance of broadcasting to the fabric of your communities.” Initiatives included telethons for hurricane relief, fundraisers to support childhood cancer research, school supply drives, winter coat collections and many more. Descriptions of the public service performed by each winner can be found 
Cox Media Group’s CBS affiliate KIRO-TV Seattle investigative reporter Jesse Jones won his fight for "
WCTV’s “Peanut Butter and Jelly Jam” is a two-week drive during which students are encouraged to collect jars of peanut butter and jelly for struggling families in the local community. In its first year, the initiative collected nearly five tons of supplies. The drive helps fill food bank shelves at a time when demand is high, especially in this community where 25,000 children rely on school meal assistance.
Consumer investigative teams at local NBC and Telemundo stations have recovered more than $20 million for consumers since 2014. The NBC Responds and Telemundo Responde units have answered more than 250,000 consumer inquiries. For example, Telemundo Arizona helped a woman recover unpaid wages from her former employer so she could pay for medical care. NBC Chicago’s recovered more than $190,000 after discovering that certain couches contain “bonded leather,” an imitation material.
“As many communities continue to recover from recent natural disasters, our consumer teams are helping viewers navigate through the rebuilding processes by providing them with direct help or delivering vital information through their reporting,” said NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations President Valari Staab.
Salem Media Group’s KKFS-FM Sacramento raised $13,000 for Blue Heart International on March 17th during its Ladies Night event, attended by 1,300 women. The sixth consecutive sold-out Ladies Night Out event included inspirational music from recording artist Plumb, comedy by Amy Barnes, food, a photo booth and other vendors. Missy McCall from Blue Heart International spoke about the organization’s efforts to rescue and find homes for trafficked women in Sacramento and surrounding areas.
Beasley Media Group Boston is partnering with Project Bread to promote the anti-hunger organization’s year-round efforts to combat hunger in Massachusetts and increase awareness of statewide services. Beasley’s Boston stations WBQT-FM, WROR-FM, WBOS-FM, WKLB-FM, WBZ-FM and WRCA-AM will also promote Project Bread’s 50th Celebration, including the “Walk for Hunger & 5K Run” on May 6.
Cox Media Group’s CBS affiliate KIRO-TV Seattle relieved $1 million in viewers’ medical debt following consumer Advocate Jesse Jones’ investigation into the medical debt collection system. Medical debt is the top cause of bankruptcy in the U.S., with 19 percent of Americans in collections. KIRO-TV and Jones then worked with RIP Medical Debt to purchase $1 million worth of medical debt for $12,000.
Cumulus’ WKHX-FM Atlanta morning hosts Cadillac Jack and Ali Mac delivered a customized handicap accessible SUV to a police officer’s widow in nearby Locust Grove. On February 9, Officer Chase Maddox was fatally shot while serving a warrant, leaving behind his pregnant wife, Alex, and their seven-year-old special needs son. Alex delivered their second son days later. “When I was holding Brodie, it was like I was holding a piece of Officer Maddox,” said Cadillac Jack. “And as a father, looking at this newborn baby, I was heartbroken that he’ll never meet his father.”
Scripps’ ABC affiliate KGTV-TV San Diego raised more than $1 million, enough for more than four million meals, in a month-long drive held last December. KGTV’s fifth annual “Month of a Million Meals” was held in partnership with Feeding San Diego. “We are so impressed with the generosity of San Diegans,” said General Manager Joel Davis. “They gave so much we more than quadrupled the original goal.”
Univision Communications announced the creation of a Corporate Social Responsibility External Advisory Board on January 10. The External Advisory Board (EAB) will provide strategic advice, thought-leadership and best practices to inform Univision’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Internal Council. The EAB will advance community empowerment platforms to build strong minds, promote healthy habits and celebrate diversity.
The NBCUniversal Foundation and NBC-owned stations launched Project Innovation, a grant challenge that will award $5 million in two years. Grants of up to $225,000 each will be awarded to nonprofit organizations that use technology to promote civic engagement, digital skills and STEM education. The 11 participating markets are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, San Francisco, Washington, Miami, San Diego, Boston and Hartford, Conn. “Project Innovation weds our identity as an innovative global media company with our stations’ deeply rooted commitment to the communities they serve,” said Vice President of Community Impact Jessica Clancy.
Project innovation winners can be found 
Local television stations owned by Meredith Communications performed outstanding community service in 2017. Stations raised money for disaster relief efforts, scholarship initiatives, cancer research, mentoring programs and more. Details are available in 
Nextstar’s NBC affiliate WCMH-TV Columbus, Ohio, partnered with the Mid-Ohio Foodbank to raise almost $1.8 million in an 18-hour fundraiser on December 13. The fifth-annual “Double Your Donation Day” collected enough money to serve seven million meals to local families.
Entercom’s WCBS-AM, WINS-AM, WFAN-AM and WFAN-FM New York partnered with WhyHunger to raise awareness about hunger and poverty through its annual Thanksgiving radio tradition, “Hungerthon.” The campaign includes exclusive online auctions and radio promotions that continued through December 13. For the second year in a row, “Hungerthon” raised $1.1 million to invest in long-term solutions to hunger that will enrich communities and nourish people.
Gray’s NBC affiliate WMTV-TV Madison, Wis., collected a record 4.18 million meals for the Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin during the 2017 “Share Your Holidays” campaign held throughout November and December. The food bank serves approximately 500 people each month. Watch the video 
Scripps Television Station Group’s ABC affiliate KNXV-TV Phoenix held their 16th annual “Operation Santa Clause” from November 16 through December 20. KNXV-TV collected food, toys, clothes and monetary donations to benefit local families in need through St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Phoenix, Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center (SARRC) and Military Assistance Mission (MAM). The campaign raised a total of $611,636.
Hearst’s ABC affiliate WCVB-TV Boston led the “Celebrity Bell Ringing” for the Salvation Army of Massachusetts Red Kettle Drive on December 11. The red kettles are a vital source of funding for Salvation Army programming and services for hundreds of thousands of children, families and seniors across Massachusetts each year. WCVB-TV reporters, Kathy Curran and Mike Beaudet, and WCVB-TV anchors, Doug Meehan and Maria Stephanos, took turns ringing the bell at the red kettle to collect money for those in need this holiday season.
Blue Ridge Broadcasting Company’s WMIT-FM partnered with seven local rescue missions to provide 71,391 meals through their “Hope to the Hungry” campaign on December 5. WMIT-FM gave listeners the opportunity to “give where they live,” apportioning donations to rescue missions in Asheville, Charlotte, Henderson, Hickory, Shelby, Waynesville, and Greenville.
Hubbard Radio Group’s KRWM-FM Seattle partnered with TEGNA’s NBC affiliate KING-TV for their 17th annual “Home Team Harvest” campaign benefitting Northwest Harvest. With four live broadcasts on December 2, day one of the campaign generated enough food for 4,156,321 meals. Home Team Harvest will continue to collect donations through the end of December in order to reach their goal of providing five million meals to community members in need.
Beasley’s WMMR-FM Philadelphia media personalities celebrated their 20th year of the "Preston & Steve Camp Out for Hunger." Preston and Steve lived in the parking lot of Xfinity Live! Philadelphia from November 27 to December 1 to solicit food donations from listeners and businesses in the greater Philadelphia area. This year’s efforts yielded over 839 tons of food – that’s 1,679,823 pounds. Combined with $272,683 in monetary donations, this campaign provided over 2.2 million meals for individuals facing hunger insecurity.
Raycom Media, Inc.’s CBS affiliate WTOC-TV Savannah held its “WTOC’s Day of Giving” food drive on November 16. The event secured donations totaling 6,792 pounds of food, exceeding last year’s total by more than one ton. All of the donations served America’s Second Harvest Food Bank of Coastal Georgia and were used to create Thanksgiving baskets for local families in need.
Scripps Television Station Group’s ABC affiliate WXYZ-TV Detroit held its 9th annual “Together We Can” food drive benefitting the Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan. The 25-day event ran from October 24 through November 17, collecting more than 16,800 pounds of nonperishable food items. Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan was able to reach more than 500 soup kitchens, shelters and pantries in the local community with the amount raised from the event. “One in six people in Michigan struggle with hunger, so it’s more important than ever that we help those in need throughout our community, especially during the holiday season,” said WXYZ and WMYD Vice President Mike Murri.
Press Communication’s WBBO-FM Atlanta radio personalities Tad and Drex lead a “Stuff the Truck” food drive on November 16 to provide Thanksgiving dinners to food-insecure families in support of the Atlanta Community Food Bank. The Atlanta metro area community faces one of the highest levels of food insecurity in the nation, where one in four children go to bed at night not knowing when they’ll have their next meal. Broadcasting live, WBBO-FM was able to collect 4,800 pounds of food, including 2,792 pounds of turkey, 1,522 pounds of canned goods and 486 pounds of produce. “Our listeners are great! When we ask them to give, they always come through and help worthy causes like the Atlanta Community Food Bank,” said Chris Eagan, Director of Branding and Programming. “Giving back to the communities we serve is exactly what local radio does best.”
Beasley Media Group’s WMGK-FM Philadelphia held its annual "John DeBella Turkey Drop" on November 21, collecting over 12,800 turkeys and donations for area families in need, exceeding the amount raised in previous years by a wide margin. The event is the largest one-day food gathering event of its kind in Philadelphia. Proceeds from the John DeBella Turkey Drop benefit Cityteam Philadelphia, a nonprofit organization that works to provide year-round food and support services to less fortunate individuals, families, shelters and agencies in the local community.
Alpha Media’s KLAK-FM, KMKT-FM and KMAD-FM Dallas had a record-breaking year in community giving. Initiatives included a new scholarship program for two local high schools. The McKinney Food Drive provide consistent food for residents at the Samaritan Inn, plus 500 meals for Thanksgiving. Toy drives held by all three stations, plus the cluster’s annual coat drive, all collected record amounts for families in need.
Scripps-owned ABC affiliate WMAR-TV Baltimore partnered with House of Ruth Maryland to encourage Baltimore residents to donate money and other items to the women and children who found shelter at the House of Ruth Maryland. WMAR-TV matched all monetary donations made December 1-20 and devoted the entire day of broadcasts on December 20 to promoting the “Fill the House” campaign. Additionally, WMAR-TV presented the House of Ruth Maryland with 595 backpacks filled with teddy bears and books.
Alpha Media’s KMKT-FM, KLAK-FM and KMAD-FM Dallas held their 21st annual “Bob Skaggs Food Drive” on November 21-23. The three-day event raised more than $130,000.
Beasley Media Group’s WJRZ-FM Tom’s River, N.J., held its “Share the Joy” collection drive and live radio broadcast November 18-19. The station collected $1,832 in cash and checks; $275 in gift cards; 13 pallets of food; 20 turkeys; 13 pallets of clothing; and 375 toys to benefit Ocean County Hunger Relief and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ocean City. “Year after year, 100.1 WJRZ’s listeners come through for local families in need at the holidays during our ’Share the Joy’ broadcasts, and 2017 was no exception,” said Program Director Matt Knight. “100.1 WJRZ’s listeners are dedicated to ensuring that people are able to enjoy the holidays a little bit more than they would have.”
Beasley Media Group hosted “Vegas Strong: A Night of Healing” concert on October 19. Country Music Superstars Rascal Flatts surprised attendees with a special live performance. Nashville Recording Artists Big & Rich performed “God Bless America” in honor of the victims, survivors and first responders. The concert, which 7,000 people attended, was streamed live nationwide. One hundred percent of donations received benefit the Steve Sisolak Las Vegas Victims’ Fund, which has collected 
Raycom Media’s Fox affiliate WFXG-TV Augusta, Ga. held its fourth annual “Coats For Our Children” drive in partnership with the Salvation Army on October 19. By the end of the day, the station had collected enough winter clothes to outfit 350 people, including 250 coats.
Neuhoff Communications’ WSOY-AM Decatur, Ill. collected more than 1.5 million pounds of food during the “Community Food Drive,” held October 6. The food will be distributed to those in need through the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities and other organizations. Area schools also participated in the drive.
Nevada Broadcasters Association promoted “Broadcasters Unite Nevada Day,” held October 6 in the aftermath of the mass shooting in Las Vegas that left 58 dead and over 500 injured. Local radio and TV personalities showed their support by wearing the state colors of blue and silver on air and encouraging residents to do the same, showing they are “Nevada Proud and Vegas Strong.”
Mayber, who has a spinal cord injury, on August 25 at a “Sock Hop” dance event hosted by the station. The van was the top item on her wish list, followed by her desire to attend a sock hop. The family couldn’t afford the van on top of medical expenses, but the wheelchair accessible van became a priority after Melissa’s mom suffered a heart attack trying to lift Melissa into a vehicle for her doctor’s visit. WZSR-FM on-air personalities regularly promoted their fundraising efforts for the van in the months leading up to the sock hop. Seeing the joy on Melissa’s face, News Director Stew Cohen said, “I realized in that very moment why WZSR-STAR cherishes its public service work in the community.”
Beasley Media Group launched a “Community of Caring” initiative across its 63 radio stations. A rotating public service announcement (PSA) series and social media campaigns address opioid abuse, bullying, racism and mental health. Beasley will also host “Day of Caring” events, allowing employees to volunteer at non-profits during work hours. “As a company, we take all of these issues very seriously,” said CEO Caroline Beasley. “The rotating PSA and social media campaigns, combined with our Day of Caring events across all of our markets, underscores our company’s strong commitment to making a difference in the communities we serve.”
Cox Media Group’s WSB-AM/FM Atlanta raised a record $1.75 million in the 17th annual WSB Care-a-Thon, held July 28. The 37-hour radio event supports research and programs at the Aflac Cancer & Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
NBC’s Telemundo affiliate WWSI-TV Philadelphia hosted its third live, informational phone bank on July 20 to answer viewer questions about immigration-related topics. The phone bank featured 18 Spanish-speaking legal experts who provided free, confidential advice and counsel to local callers. “One measure of a television station can be how it leverages its resources to help just one local viewer, or 100,” said Paul Greeley of 
Milwaukee Public School’s WYMS-FM Milwaukee has used grant money to commission local artists to paint murals aimed at spurring community conversations. Artist Stacey Williams-Ng will work on the first mural from July 31 – September 10. Katie Mullen and Jordan Pintar will work on the second mural from September 1 – October 6. “We want these pieces to propel dialogue,” said Marketing Director Alyssa Feuerer. By seeding thought-provoking messages through the city, we hope to encourage people to be more accepting and empathetic with their neighbors.”
Scripps’ ABC affiliate KNXV-TV Phoenix partnered with White Water Bottling Company and St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance for a 
Cox Media Group’s Fox affiliate WHBQ-TV Memphis has held several events in the community. In July, WHBQ collected school supplies for Communities in Schools, Teacher Toolbox and United Way. Through the supplies collected, more than 35,000 Mid-South students will receive necessary items for the school year. In April, WHBQ’s “Family Focus” collected non-perishable food items for the Mid-South Food Bank, serving more than 16,000 people.
Gray Television’s CBS affiliate WSAW-TV and Fox affiliate WZAW-TV Wausau, Wis., raised $331,000 for the families of the victims of a deadly shooting in the Wausau community. On March 22, 2017 four people lost their lives in three separate but connected shootings in three local communities. Central Wisconsin Media Partners and River Valley Bank organized Victims Family Fund the day after the deadly shootings. WSAQ-TV and WZAW-TV provided public service announcements and WZAW dedicated time in their newscasts to remind viewers how they can help support the Victims Family Fund. The campaign, originally slated to run from March 23 - April 30, was extended an extra month thanks to an influx of contributions. All money was given directly to help the surviving families of the four victims.
Beasley Media Group’s WPEG-FM Charlotte raised $30,000 as its morning show host “No Limit Larry” held a 28-hour radiothon on July 13 for the Salvation Army’s summer overflow shelter. The Salvation Army helps homeless women and children with their immediate needs of shelter, food and social services. On-air personalities slept outside of the Salvation Army during the live broadcast to demonstrate their commitment.
Beasley Media Group’s WPBB-FM Tampa supports listeners through the “
Sinclair’s Fox affiliate KSAS-TV and MyNetworkTV affiliate KMTW-TV Wichita partnered with the local soccer team FC Wichita to hold a supply drive in mid-July to benefit two local charities. The stations collected 530 pounds of food for the KS Food Bank and a variety of supplies for Catholica Charities, including microwaves, toasters, crock pots and silverware.
Salem Media Group’s WFFH-FM Nashville hosts monthly “
Hearst’s ABC affiliate WTAE-TV Pittsburgh aired “
iHeartMedia’s WGCI-FM Chicago is organizing several “Peace in the Streets” Summer Block Parties in light of recent shootings. The block parties, hosted by the “Chicago Morning Takeover” team, showcases the importance of maintaining peaceful communities and features WGCI live broadcasts, food, music, games, prizes and community resources.
The 
Hearst’s ABC affiliate WCVB-TV Boston supports the Massachusetts White Ribbon Day Campaign, which invites men and boys to help end violence against women. WCVB’s Mike Lynch joined Sports Directors from Cox’s Fox affiliate WFXT-TV, Sunbeam-owned WHDH-TV and CBS-owned WBZ-TV to shoot a PSA titled “Reimagine Manhood” to promote the campaign. All four stations debuted the PSA during the March 1 evening news. During the 10th anniversary celebration of White Ribbon Day, the sports directors publicly pledged to be part of the solution in ending gender-based violence.
Univision Arizona and the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication have partnered on a regular 30-minute news program. “
Salem Media Group’s KFSH-FM Los Angeles recently received information about Lexi, a local girl in need of a heart transplant. KFSH shared Lexi’s story on-air and via social media. KFSH’s “The Fish Cares Team” also participated in a community event to raise money and support Lexi. Station personnel were thrilled to find out that Lexi will receive a new heart.
Univision Communications Inc. (UCI) established the 
U.S. Representative Kevin Cramer (R-ND) participated in 164 town halls in 2016, more than any other member of Congress. They air on iHeartMedia’s KFYR-AM Bismarck, Leighton Enterprises’ KNOX-AM Grand Forks, Three Way Broadcasting’s KHND-AM Harvey and Forum Communications’ WDAY-AM Fargo. Cramer is so dedicated to these discussions that he sometimes calls in from votes on the House floor. “It’s been fun because I get to listen to people’s questions and concerns,” Cramer told 
Salem Media Group’s WTBN-AM Tampa aired live interviews and discussions on race relations on February 16 in partnership with Tyndale House Publishers and NFL tight end Benjamin Watson. Watson’s book, Under Our Skin, inspired the event. Personality Bill Bunkley hosted live interviews with the six panelists, including Watson, each of whom offer unique perspectives. Thousands of listeners engaged in the conversation. The main forum, moderated by ESPN’s Sage Steele, was simulcast nationwide and can still be accessed at 
CBS Radio’s WINS-AM New York City has produced an eight-part series, “
Univision Houston and Univision Arizona hosted citizenship and immigration phone banks throughout the month of February. Volunteers received thousands of calls with questions on how to become a U.S. Citizen, requirements, benefits and alternatives to fee payments. They also produced community forums on executive orders on immigration, addressing the concerns of close to 1,000 attendees.
Emmis’ WBLS-FM New York City released an original content series, “
Wisconsin radio and television stations submitted a record number of on air, digital and social media projects for consideration for the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association (WBA) Awards for Excellence. The 1,783 submissions - up from 95 in 2015 - came from 101 radio stations and 34 television stations. The Awards for Excellence will be presented at the WBA Awards Gala on May 6. “The Awards for Excellence have evolved so much over the years to recognize all the new tools our members are using to connect with local audiences,” said WBA President and CEO Michelle Vetterkind. “The awards give everyone a chance to see the best of what’s happening in local broadcasting.”
ABC Radio recently launched a weekly podcast called “No Limits with Rebecca Jarvis.” Jarvis speaks with women in Hollywood, business, technology, fashion, comedy, food, sports and startups about their accomplishments. The first three episodes feature Arianna Huffington; co-founder and former editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post; Wende Zomnir, founding partner of Urban Decay Cosmetics; and actress Danielle Brooks. “Rebecca Jarvis’ No Limits podcast lets listeners learn how success is achieved, whether in business or life, by focusing on a remarkable group of women who inspire and inform with humor and candor,” said ABC Radio Vice President Steve Jones.
The Radio Television Digital News Foundation (RTDNF) announced the recipients of its 2017 First Amendment Awards. "At a time when freedom of the press is facing unprecedented challenges, our honorees stand up for values that are critically important to democracy," said RTDNF chair Kathy Walker.
E.W. Scripps employees around the country delivered 40,000 children’s books to local markets and read with kids to celebrate National Reading Day on January 23, through the Scripps Howard Foundation’s “If You Give a Child a Book…” campaign. Monetary donations reached $143,000. “This campaign is helping to make the Scripps vision of creating a better informed world accessible to even the most disadvantaged children in our communities” said Scripps Howard Foundation President and CEO Liz Carter.
Participating ABC affiliates include:
Hearst’s NBC affiliate WBAL-TV Baltimore President and General Manager Dan Joerres produced an 
Great Eastern Radio’s WRFK-FM, WWFY-FM and WSNO-AM Barre collected two tractor-trailers worth of food donations and lots of cash for the Salvation Army’s emergency food shelf in Barre. In less than 60 hours, the stations raised a record 26.7 tons of food and $16,000 in cash. “It’s all about neighbors helping neighbors,” said morning show host TJ Michaels.
Hearst’s NBC affiliate KSBW Salinas, Calif. collected a record 15,000 pounds of food and $177,000 in the “Share Your Holiday” drive, held December 9. This was the event’s 30th year.
Alpha Media’s KAUS-AM/FM Austin-Albert Lea, Minn. accepted monetary donations from the community to fill grocery bags for local families who otherwise would be able to afford a holiday meal as part of its ninth annual “Feed-A-Family” event. On December 21st, every KAUS radio employee was on hand at the local Hy-Vee to fill the holiday bags alongside volunteers from the community. Over 500 bags were distributed to people who pre-registered through the local Salvation Army and $10,000 in Hy-Vee store credit was given to the Salvation Army Food Shelf. Nearly $32,000 in retail grocery products was distributed to those in need. Each holiday bag provides a holiday meal for four.
Alpha Media’s WSGW-AM Saginaw, Mich. raised $53,250 during a radiothon it held December 21. The money was donated to Rescue Ministries of Mid-Michigan, which has homeless shelters in both Saginaw and Bay City and combined houses over 200 people per night.
Scripps TV’s ABC affiliate WMAR-TV Baltimore partnered with area businesses for the 18th annual “It’s Kindertime Toy Drive.” The drive has helped distribute more than 800,000 toys during its long history, and generated countless donations to area organizations.
Capitol Broadcasting’s NBC affiliate WRAL-TV Raleigh aired documentary, “Black and Blue,” commercial-free during prime time on December 15. The program examines the relationship between police and the African-American communities in Raleigh. Immediately following the documentary, WRAL invited community and faith leaders, law enforcement and the community to join the conversation online. “This is a complex topic that deserves meaningful and ongoing action and dialogue beyond news coverage of the shootings,” said General Manager Steven D. Hammel. “WRAL is committed to providing it using every path we have into the community.”
Raycom’s CBS affiliate KFVS-TV Cape Girardeau, Mo. hosted the second annual "
Media General’s NBC affiliate WCMH-TV Columbus, OH, in partnership with the Columbus Division of Fire, collected enough toy donations to fill two semi-trailers and more than $41,000 in monetary and gift card donations during the 39th annual “NBC4 Firefighters 4 Kids Toy Drive.” "I’m always inspired and awed by the kindness of our neighbors in Central Ohio, witnessing them share their blessings with others less fortunate; it rekindles your belief in the innate goodness in the human spirit," said WCMH-TV Vice President and General Manager Ken Freedman.
Jackson Radio Works’ WKHM-AM/FM Jackson, Mich. partnered with Walmart for its annual toy drive benefitting Toys for Tots on December 9. While broadcasting live from 6:00-9:00 a.m. onsite at the local Walmart, area citizens made cash and toy donations. To aid this effort, Walmart offered 10 percent off the entire toy department for those wishing to make a donation. Over $8,000 in toys and monetary donations was raised.
Jackson Radio Works’ WKHM-FM partnered with 14 area businesses for its annual “K-105.3 Cares” promotion. These businesses helped the station purchase around $1,400 in gifts for two adopted families through The Salvation Army.
Raycom Media’s NBC affiliate WMC-TV Memphis held its annual “Holiday Food Drive” benefitting Mid-South Food Bank on December 7. The station collected enough food and money to provide 200,000 meals across the viewing area.
Entercom’s WAAF-FM Boston’s annual "Rock for Change" raised more than $105,000 in a drive held December 7-9 for area food banks. “For decades, WAAF and their listeners have creatively raised funds and awareness about hunger for the Greater Boston Food Bank, Worcester County Food Bank and the New Hampshire Food Bank and we are all incredibly thankful for this partnership each and every year,” said Greater Boston Food Bank President & CEO Catherine D’Amato.
Raycom Media’s NBC affiliate WIS-TV Columbia, S.C. partnered with the Palmetto Project for the 26th annual “Families Helping Families Phone Bank.” Each year, WIS works with the Palmetto Project, a statewide non-profit organization, to organize and publicize the gift-giving campaign. WIS maintains a phone bank for 10 days to compile a list of donors, who spend on average $300 each to “adopt” a needy individual or family. Family sizes range from two to 10 or more. The 2016 event provided gifts for more than 3,000 applicant families (totaling more than 9,000 individuals), with an estimated value of over $1.5 million.
Fox’s owned-and-operated WTXF-TV Philadelphia partnered with major league baseball team the Phillies to honor Anthony Conly, an area man who had been honorably discharged from the Army in 2002. He received a signed glove, jersey and was invited to attend the Phillies Phantasy Camp.
Jackson Radio Works’ WKHM-FM partnered with 14 area businesses for its annual “K-105.3 Cares” promotion. These businesses helped the station purchase around $1,400 in gifts for two adopted families through The Salvation Army.
Entercom’s KFXX-AM Portland held its sixth annual radiothon benefitting Special Olympics Oregon. The station raised a total of $173,000. “This was our most successful radiothon yet, and we could not have done any of it without the best audience in radio,” said station anchor Isaac Ropp.
TEGNA’s NBC affiliate KUSA-TV Denver held a food drive on November 12. Through donations from area residents, the station collected enough food to provide more than 475,000 meals to those in need during the holiday season. “It was great being back in Colorado and seeing everyone come together for the 34th year in a row to do such a tremendous service,” said KUSA President and General Manager Steve Carter.
Raycom Media’s KSLA-TV Shreveport, La. Sold raffle tickets on behalf of The House for Hope, which is a non-profit that builds a house in a newly developed community for a family in need. In total, the station rose $250,000, which was then distributed between four area charities.
Alpha Media’s KKRV-FM Wenatchee, Wash. purchased $10,000 worth of holiday presents for children at the local Women’s Resource Center. The station received Christmas lists from 36 children and every item on the lists was received. Several local businesses assisted by purchasing items for every child’s stocking.
Alpha Media’s Brookings, South Dakota stations KKQQ-FM, KBRK-AM/FM, KDBX and KJJQ concluded 2016 by collecting $70,000 for Project Joy. Thirty five thousand dollars in toys was collected and an additional $35,000 was raised in cash donations to purchase toys and clothing for 458 kids in Brookings County. Project Joy gives families in need an opportunity to receive holiday gifts through the generous donations of individuals, businesses, and organizations.
Raycom Media’s KOLD-TV Tucson held its 17th annual “Stuff the Stagecoach” on December 1. The station collected $14,000 in donations and 3,500 pounds of food, which were then donated to the Southern Arizona Community Food Bank.
Univision Arizona and a panel of judges selected Vanessa Nielsen as the winner of “Véndeme tu Sueño” (Pitch Me Your Dream) season 2 on November 17 at Univision Arizona Studios. “Véndeme tu Sueño” seeks to promote original ideas and startup ventures from Hispanic entrepreneurs in Arizona. Sol Book Box, the winning business idea, is a female-founded subscription-based service that provides culturally appropriate books and items to children of bilingual families to encourage Spanish-language literacy and cultural preservation. Nielsen will be awarded $30,000 in media support from Univision Arizona and SEED SPOT, one of the top social impact incubators in the United States for entrepreneurs.
Sinclair Broadcast Group’s CBS affiliate KVAL-TV Eugene, Ore. completed its annual “KVAL Take A Bite Out of Hunger Food Drive” on November 29. Non-perishable foods and monetary donations were collected, providing much needed reserves to pantries and kitchens for the winter months. In total, the station collected enough food for 9,518 meals.
Alpha Media’s KSAL-AM and Y93.7 Salina, N.Y. assisted Saint Francis Community Services’ “Christmas for Kids” campaign by collecting hundreds of toys through on-air donations and several community toy drives from November 28 through December 13. “We are so thankful for Alpha Media in orchestrating the events to raise awareness and collect toys and clothes for the children of Saint Francis. This year, they made sure Christmas wishes came true for 70 individual children in our care, with an abundance of additional gifts to help meet the needs of the additional 700 kids served by Saint Francis in Salina and surrounding communities,” said Director of Marketing for Saint Francis Community Services Vickee Spicer.
Raycom Media’s WOIO/WUAB-TV Cleveland again partnered with Ohio-based personal injury law firm Kisling, Nestico & Redick (KNR) in hosting the fourth annual “KNR Coats & Cans for Kids Turkey Giveaway.” WOIO broadcast live during their noon and evening newscasts, along with Facebook Live & social media engagement with KNR, as they handed out 1,000 Thanksgiving turkeys in exchange for a canned good to benefit the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank or a gently used coat for The Salvation Army and Volunteers of America. Twenty thousand pounds of non-perishable food was collected, which will serve over 16,000 meals – plus hundreds of coats were collected for local needy families in Northeast Ohio. Station Managing Partner Rob Nestico said “It’s overwhelming to see so many people donating to help their neighbors in need and we are so thankful to everyone who came out to support us.”
Alpha Media’s North Dallas-Sherman-McKinney, IA stations hosted the “20th Annual Bob Skaggs Memorial Food Drive” November 21-23. Nine U-Haul trucks were filled and 178,920 food items were collected in support of The Salvation Army of Grayson County, which helps community members in need.
Raycom Media’s WTOC-TV Savannah/Hilton Head held its second annual “Day of Giving Food Drive for Second Harvest” on November 17. The station partnered with Ken Nugent Attorneys and Kroger to collect 4,615 pounds of food and $1,453. Together, the collected food and money will provide 7,265 meals to those in need.
Media General’s NBC affiliate WFLA Tampa consumer reporter Shannon Behnken hosted a six-and-a-half hour phone bank on November 14 that netted residents more than $2.3 million of unclaimed cash. The money is often from dormant accounts in financial institutions, insurance and utility companies, securities and trust holdings. “The volume of calls we received was unbelievable, proving once again that News Channel 8 is truly ‘On Your Side’,” said WFLA General Manager Andy Alford.
Raycom Media’s NBC affiliate WECT-TV Wilmington held its annual “Coats for the Coatless” November 7-11 in partnership with area William/Hangers Cleaners and The Salvation Army. In total, 3,714 coats were collected.
Cumulus Media Des Moines hosted a world-record setting 
Student-run WSOU-FM at Seton Hall University participated in the “Students Change Hunger” program, collecting 640 pounds of food for the Community Food Bank of New Jersey. The haul was 300 pounds more than was collected by the station in 2015. WSOU kicked-off its 2016 food drive on November 4 as part of the station’s College Radio Day activities.
Raycom Media’s WTOC-TV Savannah/Hilton Head partnered with the Marines to collect holiday gifts for area children through Toys for Tots. Approximately 500 toys were collected.
Raycom Media’s CBS affiliate WOIO-TV and WUAB-TV Cleveland partnered with Ohio-based law firm Kisling, Nestico and Redick (KNR) for the fourth annual “KNR Coats & Cans for Kids Turkey Giveaway.” The station distributed 1,000 Thanksgiving turkeys in exchange for canned goods to benefit the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank or gently used coats for The Salvation Army and Volunteers of America. In total, 20,000 pounds of non-perishable food was collected, which will serve over 16,000 meals. Hundreds of coats were collected.
Graham Media Group’s CBS affiliate WKMG-TV Orlando anchor Matt Austin suffered a severe concussion and required 10 staples in his head last month after his car was totaled by a driver who was texting. On the 11 p.m. news on October 17, Austin issued a 
Univision Houston partnered with Project GRAD and the Houston Public Library to promote “CaféCollege’s” workshops every Saturday during October on FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. If families could not attend, they were encouraged to call Univision Houston’s FAFSA phone bank on October 5 to get answers about deadlines, requirements, qualifications and how to apply. The initiative is part of Univision Network’s annual campaign, 
Berkshire Hathaway’s ABC affiliate WPLG Miami aired an hour-long primetime special about gun violence on September 16. The program is part of its “My Future, My Choice” initiative, which focuses on youth and gives voice to parents who lost children to gun violence. “We are fully invested in this endeavor, and we want this town hall meeting to also serve as a youth summit where young minds can hear, contribute to the dialogue and feel free to respond to ideas for solutions,” said WPLG President Bert Medina.
Scripps’ ABC affiliate WXYZ-TV Detroit launched a multipart digital video series “
Pillar of Fire’s WAWZ-FM Princeton, N.J. produced its “
Media General’s NBC affiliate WFLA-TV Tampa investigative reporter helps Tampa viewers get $1 million in unclaimed property and money on August 11. Investigative consumer reporter Shannon Behnken hosted a one-day phone bank that helped residents reclaim more than 4,000 accounts totaling over $1,051,000. The phone bank connected viewers to a Florida database of unclaimed money and property from dormant accounts in financial institutions, insurance and utility companies, securities and trust holdings. The property can include items such as watches, jewelry, coins, stamps and cash. “The volume of calls we received was unbelievable proving once again that News Channel 8 is truly On Your Side,” said General Manager Andy Alford. Watch video via 
Weigel Broadcasting Company’s CBS affiliate WDJT-TV Milwaukee aired a one-hour commercial-free special report on September 6 to address the gun violence and unrest in the city. The broadcast included a roundtable discussion with five families who have lost loved ones to gun violence, plus remarks from Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn, County Sheriff David Clarke and community leaders.
Univision Communications Inc. is partnering with the New York University College of Dentistry to provide oral health content for Univision’s healthcare website, Univision Salud (Univision Health). Topics include: “Everyday Habits That Harm Teeth,” “Orthodontic Care for a Beautiful Smile,” “Bad Breath – Causes and Cures” and “Overcoming Dental Fears.” NYU Dentistry’s experts will also be featured in Univision website videos and Univision TV stories on oral health topics. Personal stories will introduce Univision’s younger viewers to the field of dentistry.
Raycom’s NBC affiliate WAVE Louisville will host a community event later this month as part of “
Scripps’ WTMJ-AM Milwaukee held a community conversation regarding social unrest on August 17, following violence and protests over the shooting death of an armed black suspect by local police. The special served as a forum for local residents, clergy, politicians and police to discuss life in the most challenged areas of the city. “The violence that erupted this week is a reminder of the struggles many face in our community. WTMJ Radio will lead the way for a productive listening session, where leaders can get together and offer solutions. Now is not a time for finger pointing, it’s a time to listen,” VP/GM Tom Langmyer said. In addition to being aired on WTMJ, it was streamed on the station’s website and via “Facebook Live.”
Univision’s Houston and Los Angeles stations helped more than 30,000 students prepare for the new school year. Events on August 13 included Houston’s “6th Annual Mayor’s Back to School Fest,” an onsite Ronald McDonald Care Mobile. Partnerships with Children’s Institute and El Salvador Foundation in Los Angeles provided backpacks, clothes, health screenings and immunizations for students, plus social service resources for parents. Also, Univision expanded its multi-platform education campaign “Regresa a Clases con Univision” (Back to School with Univision) on August 15. The campaign provides parents, students, mentors and educators with more than 10 weeks of programming on education topics, including early-childhood enrichment, college prep, STEM skills and applying for financial aid.
CBS owned-and-operated KTVT Dallas, KTXA Fort Worth and CBS Radio Dallas/Fort Worth partnered with local Albertsons grocery stores to raise money in support of the police officers and their families affected by the July 7 shootings in Dallas. The effort provided $167,600 for the Dallas Foundation’s Line of Duty Fund.
Emmis’ KPWR-FM Los Angeles station host J Cruz hosted an open dialogue to address recent violence that has erupted throughout the country. Cruz said, “We wanted to provide a safe place for our listeners to get answers to their questions and give them a platform to discuss what could be done.” Special guests included Rapper The Game, America’s Got Talent host Nick Cannon, KPWR-FM host Yesi Ortiz, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, #BlackLivesMatter organizer and Cal State LA professor Dr. Melina Abdullah and LA Journalist Wendy Carrillo. Rapper The Game, performed a spoken word poem that he wrote with his son that specifically addresses the challenges facing young African Americans. Watch a performance of the poem 
Media General’s CBS affiliate WIAT-TV Birmingham organized a flag signing to show support for police officers across the country, following the deadly ambush of five Dallas officers. Morning show hosts Matt Murphy and Andrea Lindenberg hand-delivered the flag to Dallas Police Chief David Brown. Watch more 
Manship Station’s ABC affiliate WBRZ-TV Baton Rouge raised $185,000 during the “Unite for our Heroes Telethon” on July 28. “All the funds were placed directly in our long-established First Responders Fund, which will benefit victims and their families who need help now and in the future,” said John G. Davies, president and CEO of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, which manages the fund. Law enforcement and community leaders, including Gov. John Bel Edwards and Mayor Kip Holden, participated in the telethon.
Quincy Media’s ABC affiliate WKOW-TV Madison aired a 90-minute, commercial free documentary titled “Our Wisconsin: Equity & Justice For All?” on July 22. The program examined the disparities between white and black people, including infant mortality, student performance and graduation rates, unemployment and poverty. “Because our audience is predominantly white, we decided to make our documentary the ‘black voice’ that many Wisconsinites never hear,” said WKOW-TV anchor Greg Jeschke. The special also aired on ABC affiliates in Wausau, La Crosse and Eau Claire.
Univision Arizona partnered with Councilman Valenzuela and Silent Witness to produce a special live call-in show to encourage community involvement following the recent wave of crimes in the Maryvale area in Phoenix. The two-hour special, titled “Voces de Maryvale” (Voices of Maryvale), aired July 22. It featured a panel discussion with Councilman Valenzuela, Phoenix Police Commander for the Maryvale Estrella Mountain Precinct Sean Patrick Connolly and local area residents, followed by questions from a live audience.
Raycom Media’s FOX affiliate WXIX-TV Cincinnati broadcast “Black, White and Blue: A Community Conversation” on July 15 following the deaths of two unarmed black men in in Minnesota and Louisiana. The special focused on topics such as policing with body cameras, race and justice. As part of the project, activists, city leaders and former law enforcement officers came to the station to discuss the nation’s toughest questions and how those issues are felt in the community. Viewers also interacted via social media.
Cumulus Media’s WMGB-FM Macon, Ga. sponsored the first annual “Back the Blue Glow Run 5K/10K,” a partnership with the Warner Robins Police Auxiliary, which kicked off National Police Week 2016. The Auxiliary supports officers and their families within the Warner Robins Police Department. Their mission is to promote a positive, family support system for the bravest men and women on the force. The event raised $8,000 to purchase tourniquet holsters for the local officers.
Raycom Media’s owned-and-operated WTOC-TV Savannah, Ga. served as a media sponsor for the 14th annual “Smart Living Expo & Health Fair.” The event provides free health screenings to area residents. A total of 1,750 people attended.
Univision News has launched an interactive digital tool to help U.S. residents prepare for the official citizenship examination required by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The free, user-friendly Citizenship Exam Tool provides a practice test featuring the 100 questions that appear on the test. Users can take the test as many times as they want, in English or Spanish, and can review their answers to learn the correct responses. The tool can be accessed on computers and mobile devices via the “Examen de Ciudadanía” (Citizenship Exam) button on UnivisionNoticias.com and Univision.com.
TEGNA’s ABC affiliate WHAS-TV Louisville accepts grant proposals from non-profit organizations that serve Kentucky and Southern Indiana. Grants are awarded through the TEGNA Foundation, whose mission is to invest in the future of the communities it serves and in the future of the industry.
Raycom Media’s NBC affiliate WECT-TV and FOX affiliate WSFX-TV Wilmington, N.C. hold two meet and greet events each month, where local community members are encouraged to share the types of things they would like covered.
Cumulus’ KLAL-FM Wrightsville, AR collected more than 300,000 boxes of cereal for the Arkansas Food Bank in the “Summer Cereal Drive.” KLAL-FM staff members spent nearly a month traveling from town to town collecting cereal The Drive provides local families with non-perishable breakfast items that are both nutritious and kid-friendly, so families in central Arkansas do not have to skip the most important meal of the day. In 15 years, the drive has provided over 2.1 million boxes of cereal.
Graham Media Group’s WDIV-TV Detroit was the television sponsor of the annual Ford Fireworks. In addition to broadcasting the firework presentation, the station hosted the “Super Singer” contest, which gives area singers and musicians the opportunity to perform in front of a live audience.
Cumulus Media’s WNTQ-FM Syracuse employees Amy Robbins and Rick Roberts emceed the annual “Ride and Run for the Rescue” on June 25. All proceeds went toward ending hunger in the community. A total of $140,845 was raised, which equates to 63,000 plates of food for hungry community members.
Alpha Media’s KGNC-FM, KGNC-AM and KXGL-FM Amarillo, Tx. partnered with Coffee Memorial Blood Center for the “Boots vs. Badges Blood Drive” on June 24. The event collected 332 units of blood from 390 donors. Local law enforcement and first responders provided tours of emergency vehicles and cooked at the event. “It makes all the difference in the world having a partner who takes ownership of the event and invests in the success of our organization,” said Suzanne Talley, Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Coffee Memorial.
Raycom Media’s NBC affiliate WECT-TV Wilmington, N.C. collected nearly 600 fans for its annual “Fran’s Fans Summer Fan Drive” on June 23. Named after long-term anchor Frances Weller, the initiative collects fans and other cooling devices, which are then distributed to members of the community in need.
TEGNA’s ABC affiliate KING-TV Seattle held a special community forum on June 20 with local leaders and law enforcement. Participants discussed how to move forward as a community in the wake of the events in Orlando. Viewers watched "Pride and Peace" at 7 p.m. on air, online and on the KING 5 app.
Raycom Media ABC affiliate WTVM-TV Columbus, Ga. held its “Give9 Day of Service” on June 18. Participants learned about home safety from a variety of sponsors. Children had the opportunity to practice live TV reporting with real station equipment. Additionally, the station distributed free car seats and bike helmets.
Sinclair’s ABC affiliate WJLA-TV Washington, D.C. shared with TVNewsCheck its emotional tribute expressing support for the victims and their families affected by the Orlando massacre. WJLA used the voices of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington spontaneously singing “We Shall Overcome” in front of the White House on June 12. On June 13, WJLA extended a 5’x20’ banner in the middle of D.C.’s historic DuPont Circle, asking viewers and passersby to sign messages of love and hope.
Raycom’s NBC affiliate WMC-TV Memphis partnered with the Memphis Police Department (MPD) to support the family of Police Officer Verdell Smith, who was killed in the line of duty on June 4. In 12 hours on June 7, WMC and MPD staff members raised $43,000 in front of the WMC studio.
Alpha Media’s WFLS-FM, WNTX-AM/FM, WVBX-FM and WWUZ-FM Fredericksburg, Va. raised $1.2 million in a radiothon held May 5 – 6. The event benefits the Community Foundation of the Rappahannock River Region, which distributes the funds to local charities.
Raycom’s CBS affiliate KFVS-TV Cape Girardeau, Mo. honored 12 local “
Raycom’s WLBT-TV Jackson was awarded the Golden Bow Tie Award of Excellence by Jackson Public Schools. The award was given to the station for their continuing coverage of the students, teachers, and staff of the district.
Raycom Media’s HNN Honolulu partnered with Regal Cinemas for a charity benefit during its grand opening. For three days, 100 percent of proceeds from movie tickets, popcorn and soft drinks went to three local non-profits: Make A Wish Hawaii, Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii and UH West Oahu - Academy for Creative Media. In addition to on-air spots promoting the event, HNN also produced a version of the promo that aired to captive audiences at Regal’s other Hawaii locations.
Alpha Media’s WPBG-FM Peoria, Ill. morning host John Riley received the Bill Houlihan Professional Award from Children’s Hospital of Illinois. Every year Children’s Hospital of Illinois recognizes advocates throughout Central Illinois who are making a difference in the lives of children. The Bill Houlihan Professional Award recognizes a professional who advocates for children through their work, going beyond the daily expectations. John has hosted and coordinated the “Drive for Miracles”
Radiothon for the past 15 years, raising well over $3 million for Children’s Hospital of Illinois.
Alpha Media SVP/Market Manager, Mike Wild commented on the announcement, “John’s family has experienced the amazing work of Children’s Hospital first hand, making him the perfect advocate. He has a wonderful passion and is dedicated to helping families that are going through difficult times.”
"How we care for our children is one of the most telling aspects of any community...and thanks to Children’s Hospital of Illinois, our children have the best. We are proud of our efforts with the Radiothon, and to be in the same company of others who have been nominated or received this award is truly humbling," remarked John.
Alpha Media’s KSAL-AM and KYEZ-FM Salina, Kan. collected 320 boxes of tuna and hamburger helper meals during “Project Salina,” held throughout May. They exceeded the goal of 300 boxes, promoting the drive through remote broadcasts from local food markets, public service announcements (PSAs) and news coverage on the stations. Ashby House, Salina Rescue Mission and Domestic Violence of Central Kansas distribute the food to those who cannot afford groceries.
Raycom Media’s WCSC-TV Charleston, S.C. sponsored the “Carolina Strong Book Drive,” honoring Mother Emanuel AME shooting victim Cynthia Graham Hurd. Throughout June, the station encouraged viewers to donate through promos, live news coverage and digital elements, resulting in thousands of donations that will help continue Cynthia’s life work in teaching children to read. The drive was presented in partnership with WBTV, Charleston County Public Library and Reading Partners.
Raycom Media’s WCSC-TV Charleston, S.C. is supporting “Project Cool Breeze” all summer. The initiative from South Carolina Councilman Wendell Gilliard provides new fans and air conditioners to elderly persons, 60 years of age or older. In addition to an on-air PSA, the station covered the kickoff event and distribution as well as included multiple pushes for donations.
Univision has drawn 100,000 people to 145 citizenship workshops, forums and voter registration drives across the U.S. as it aims to register three million new Latino voters this election season. Univision launched a PSA campaign in English and Spanish on its 126 television and radio stations. Its new election-based texting tool has 130,000 subscribers from all 50 states.
Raycom Media’s ABC affiliate WALB-TV joined Midland Weather Radio and Sumter County Emergency Management to host the "NOAA Weather Radio Programming Event", held May 25. WALB-TV meteorologists helped attendees understand weather radios and broadcast live from the event.
Raycom Media’s ABC affiliate WALB-TV Albany, Ga. brought its 6:00 p.m. newscast to five different towns. Local fans had the opportunity to watch the broadcast be produced and interact with the on-air personalities.
Raycom Media’s CBS affiliate WAFB-TV Baton Rouge partnered with the Baton Rouge chapter of the Susan G. Komen Foundation for the 20th annual “Race for the Cure” on March 5. Nearly 75 percent of the organization’s net income goes toward funding grants to local hospitals and community organizations that provide breast health education, screenings and treatment programs, specifically for underserved women. The remaining net income supports national foundation efforts.
Raycom Media’s ABC affiliate WTVM-TV Columbus, Ga. partnered with the “Thunder in the Valley Air Show” to raise money for local charities. To date, the family-friendly event has raised more than $750,000.
TEGNA’s CBS affiliate WWL New Orleans launched “
Univision Houston presented its 37th Annual “Festival de Mayo,” a one-day celebration of Hispanic culture featuring live performances by regional Mexican artists, authentic food and cultural exhibits. Local non-profit organizations also provided information to families on various topics including education and employment services. Univision Houston promoted the “
Fort Meyer’s Broadcasting’s CBS affiliate WINK-TV Ft. Meyers, Fla. conducted an investigation that found at least 13 offenders who were not following the state law requiring them to register their internet information and social media accounts with their local sheriff’s office. The station’s work led to criminal investigations headed by the county.
On May 11, Univision announced that all its local TV news operations will rebrand with the tagline “Tu Gente. Tu Voz” (“Your people. Your voice”). “The campaign shows our local news anchors for who they truly are—renowned, award-winning journalists who not only report the news but who are also part of the communities they report on,” said Univision Communications’ Chief Marketing Officer Jessica Rodriguez.
Raycom Media’s Fox affiliate WBRC-TV partnered with the City of Birmingham and the Department of Labor to host a job fair on May 11. One-hundred-fifty companies representing 4,700 jobs were present. More than 5,000 residents participated.
Hearst’s ABC affiliate WATE-TV Pittsburgh reporter David Kaplan and photographer Eric Hinnabusch helped victims of a multi-car crash that occurred on May 6. The station crew members witnessed the crash and immediately went to the aid of a woman trapped in one of the cars, in addition to phoning for help. Click 
Raycom Media’s Fox affiliate KNIN-TV Boise partnered with Idaho Gives, a single-day statewide charitable giving celebration that highlights the diversity of nonprofit organizations. On May 5th, thousands of people showed their support for Idaho’s nonprofits by making an online donation through the Idaho Gives web site. KNIN-TV aired stories leading up to the event featuring local non-profits. The day of the event, the station went live in Good Morning Idaho, and FOX 9 News at 9 soliciting more donations. Thorough these efforts, KNIN-TV helped Idaho Gives raise more than $1 Million.
Sinclair’s CBS affiliate KVAL-TV Eugene, Ore. collected more than 33,500 meals in the eighth annual KVAL CanDo! Food Drive on April 13. “KVAL’s commitment to the CanDo! Food Drive is fabulous and really helps us bring in healthy non-perishable foods at a time when our food supplies begins to decrease over the summer,” said Beverlee Potter, FFLC Executive Director. “Thank you for your commitment to feeding people throughout Lane County.”
Raycom’s NBC affiliate WIS-TV Columbia, S.C. raised $1.6 million during the Midlands Gives radiothon, May 3. The Central Carolina Community Foundation dispenses the funds to local non-profit organizations.
Cromwell Radio’s WMCI-FM, WWGO-FM and KZTP-FM Mattoon, Ill. will receive the “2016 Special Olympics Illinois Statewide Outstanding Media Sponsor” on June 10. The award recognizes an individual or organization that communicates the achievements of Special Olympics athletes, coaches and volunteers through news features and social media, in addition to raising money. Cromwell Radio Group has supported the Special Olympics for more than a decade. On-air personalities act as emcee and master of ceremonies for the Special Olympics Family Festival and Polar Plunge. KZTP’s Polar Plunge team raised $5,000 this year. Cromwell Radio airs countless PSAs about Special Olympics Area 9 competitions, in addition to providing remote broadcasting support, radio marketing, and a call to action for events that benefit the organization. Undoubtedly, the Cromwell Radio Group of Mattoon deserves the recognition of Outstanding Media Support for Special Olympics Illinois and much more, as it truly is a comp\any that cares about its community,” said Jessica Duncan of Special Olympics Illinois.
TEGNA’S NBC affiliate KUSA-TV Denver raised $94,000 for Metro-Denver Crime Stoppers in the 9th annual Shred-a-thon, held May 14 at six locations throughout the metro area. Metro-Denver Crime Stoppers supports local law enforcement agencies by offering cash rewards for tips that help solve crimes. The Shred-A-Thon is Crime Stoppers’ biggest fund raiser. In addition, hundreds of thousands of pounds of sensitive documents were shredded at the event. Last year, KUSA raised $75,000.
Raycom Media’s NBC affiliate WMC-TV Memphis joined with the Memphis Fire Department and Cumulus Radio Group to hold a fundraiser for the family of Lt. Rodney Eddins, who died while fighting a fire. WMC Action News 5 employees and Memphis Firefighters stood in front of the studio from 6:00 a.m. -6:30 p.m. with donation buckets. More than $13,000 was raised for his family.
Cox Media Group’s Fox affiliate WFXT-TV Boston participated in the Red Cross “Boston Strong Blood Drive” on One Boston Day in April. The event and blood drive are held in honor of the lives lost and individuals injured during the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings.
Hubbard’s WTMX-FM Chicago will receive the 
Raycom Media’s ABC affiliate KAIT-TV Jonesboro partnered with local nonprofit Arkansas Gives for a fundraiser on April 7. Over $4 million was raised. An additional $500,000 was distributed among area nonprofits.
Hearst’s NBC affiliate WBAL-TV Baltimore aired a one-hour special, “Baltimore Rising,” on April 27, to mark the one-year anniversary of the day that protesters demonstrating the death of Freddie Gray turned violent. The program explored how far the city has come over the past year and examine where Baltimore is going.
Arkansas County Broadcasters’ KDEW-FM Stuttgart, AR raised $36,000 on April 8 during the Stuttgart Kiwanis Radiothon. The funds support the Kiwanis’ community and child-focused projects, including Boys Scouts, Boys State, Girls State, a local Food Bank, Museum of the Arkansas Grand Prairie, scholarships for graduating high school seniors, children’s programs at the Grand Prairie Center, Easter Seals, a Back Pack Program, Restoration of Hope, Stuttgart Parks and a Teachers Appreciation Luncheon.
Nexstar’s ABC affiliate WEHT-TV Evansville, IN raised more than $1 million in its 39th annual 
Heartland Media’s NBC affiliate WTVA Tupelo, Miss. started as a dream of broadcast engineer Frank Spain, who wanted to build a station in his hometown. He spent three years designing and building the antenna, transmitter and cameras from scratch in his garage. The station went on the air in 1957 as WTWV and soon produced numerous firsts for Mississippi commercial television. It was the first to devote its entire daily morning schedule to educational programming; the first to broadcast a live basketball game; and first to air a live telethon for an entire broadcasting day, raising money to fight cerebral palsy. It switched its call letters to WTVA in 1979. Spain served as CEO until his death in 2006.
Media General’s ABC affiliate WTNH New Haven, Conn. collected 2,542 pounds of food and $5,504 for the Connecticut Food Bank on April 1, amounting to 13,126 meals. "With one in seven households struggling to put food on the table in Connecticut, we believe strongly in rolling up our sleeves to help fight hunger in our state," said General Manager Mark Higgins.
WHKO-FM Dayton was recognized by the Dayton Daily News in an article published March 3, titled “7 ways K99 makes our community better.” “Of course you’ve heard [Nancy Wilson and James Frye] host K99.1 FM’s morning show, but few people know how much they serve the community,” wrote Kamron Taylor. “It’s intrinsically tied to the station’s mission to connect with the community -- and the station provides a platform for the two to make it happen.” Taylor then goes on to provide 
Tribune’s Fox affiliate KDVR Denver stepped in to help viewer Tom Ast. While on her deathbed, Ast’s wife of 45 years encouraged him to take the cruise they had already booked. He agreed to go with family and friends who could share in her remembrance. However, when he canceled his wife’s reservation, the cruise line charged a $853 “rebooking fee.” If he didn’t pay it, he would lose his $11,000 trip payment. After Ast 
Cumulus’ WJR-AM Detroit raised $1 million for the Salvation Army Bed and Bread program in a radiothon held February 26. The Radiothon is the program’s primary source of funding. The Bed & Bread program serves more than 4,200 meals to the Detroit community, which amounts to more than 1.5 million meals annually, and provides shelter to 500 people every night. The Salvation Army Bed & Bread recently expanded its truck routes to deliver to new underserved areas.
CBS Radio’s WWJ-AM Detroit raised $1.5 million in the 13th annual "
Univision released its first corporate social responsibility report. Titled 
CBS-owned KCBS-TV, KCAL-TV and KNX-AM were honored on Jan. 23 with a 
Seton Hall University’s WSOU-FM stayed live on air while the university was closed. Students worked in shifts to provide news, weather and traffic updates. "Experiences like these help prepare students for their careers and demonstrate that student-run college radio stations can be vital souces of information for the communities they serve," 
Hearst’s ABC affiliate KMBC Kansas City, Mo., aired 
Tegna’s CBS affiliate KYTX Tyler, Texas, was named the 2015 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN) National "Television Station of the Year." KYTX was nominated along with stations in 170 television markets. During the station’s 12-year partnership with CMN, KYTX has raised millions of dollars in an annual telethon, supported local events and educated the community on CMN’s local impact. "This award is a testament to the work they do, their professionalism, skill, and compassion for the community they serve," said Robin Rowan, Director of CMNH at Trinity Mother Frances. Watch 
Media General’s CBS affiliate WPRI-TV Providence, R.I., raised more than $1 million in its Jan. 31 telethon for Meeting Street’s educational programs. Meeting Street serves almost 5,000 children each year, many of whom have significant learning disabilities. The annual telethon attracts hundreds of guests and tens of thousands of viewers and is Meeting Street’s largest fundraiser. The telethon included special segments featuring children in Meeting Street’s programs. Seven-year-old Molly, who has cerebral palsy, hosted a significant part of the broadcast. Watch 
Television broadcasters that recently increased their local news programing include:
Raycom’s NBC affiliate WSFA Montgomery, Ala., the Alabama Department of Labor and the City of Montgomery hosted a job fair on February 18. A record 3,300 people and 70 employers attended.
Raycom’s CBS affiliate WBTV Charlotte provided free credit counseling services through a hotline on February 10. Credit counselors helped 534 callers, 134 of whom booked full counseling appointments.
Alpha Media’s KOYE-FM Tyler, Texas, raised more than $100,000 for the Children’s Miracle Network in a radiothon on October 22-23. Proceeds from the event assist local families who are receiving care from the Children’s Miracle Network at Trinity Mother Frances Hospitals and Clinics.
Neuhoff Communication’s WSOY-AM Decatur, Ill. collected 1.3 million pounds of food in the 14th annual WSOY Community Food Drive, held Oct. 9. The drive benefits Catholic Charities, the Salvation Army, Good Samaritan Inn, Northeast Community Fund, the Judy Mason Thanksgiving Basket Project and Reasonable Services. WSOY recognized five local schools for outstanding participation. (
Alpha Media San Antonio stations KTSA-AM, KZDC-AM, KTFM-FM, KJXK-FM, KLEY-FM and KSAH-FM raised $114,000 on Oct. 16 in a fundraiser for the Raul Jimenez Thanksgiving Dinner. Local restaurateur Raul Jimenez began the event in 1979 to serve senior citizens who live alone and/or cannot afford to prepare a Thanksgiving meal for themselves. In 2015, the event served 25,000 meals.
Cumulus’ KFOG-FM San Francisco donated $200,000 to Bay Area Food Banks on Nov. 12, which came from the proceeds of last year’s "Live From the Archives 2,." a benefit CD featuring singles from current rock artists. KFOG’s CDs are the biggest single fundraiser for these Bay Area Food Banks: Alameda County Community Food Bank; Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano; Napa Valley Food Bank; Redwood Empire Food Bank; San Francisco-Marin Food Bank; and Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. On Nov. 6, KFOG released its 22nd annual benefit CD "
Gray Television’s CBS affiliate WCAV-TV Charlottesville, Va. raised $120,000 in its telethon for the Charlottesville Salvation Army, held Oct. 20. All of the money raised remains local and helps provide shelter and food for people in need. In 2014, the Charlottesville Salvation Army served more than 41,400 meals. (
Hearst Television’s ABC affiliate WAPT-TV Jackson, Miss. collected 220,326 cans of food in its “Food for Families Football Challenge,” which asks local high schools to collect cans at football games. WAPT’s 
Univision’s 
Raycom Media’s CBS affiliate WOIO Cleveland collected hundreds of coats and 2,875 pounds of food on November 20, when it gave away 1,000 free turkeys to those who donated to the fifth annual "
E.W. Scripps’ ABC affiliate KGTV San Diego collected 100,000 meals on December 1 in a phone bank for the "
Entercom’s WMYX-FM Milwaukee collected more than 100,000 meals in the 18th annual "Stuff the Bus" food drive, led by morning show hosts Wes and Elizabeth on November 25. Five Milwaukee County Transit System buses were stuffed with food, including 235 turkeys, during the 12-hour live broadcast. The drive benefits Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin.
Raycom Media’s CBS affiliate KFVS-TV Cape Girardeau, Mo., and Withers Broadcasting’s 
Media General’s ABC affiliate WTNH-TV New Haven, Conn., filled two trucks with non-perishable food and turkeys on November 21 during "Forecast to Help End Hunger" for a local food bank. Meteorologists interacted with hundreds of viewers at the event. (Watch 
Sinclair Broadcasting’s NBC affiliate WJAR-TV Providence, R.I., raised $83,000 in the "10 Cares Thanksgiving" telethon for The Salvation Army in October. Proceeds provided Thanksgiving food baskets to families in southern New England.
(Watch 
Eagle Communication’s KWBW-AM Salinas, Kan., raised a record $25,500 to help local families through the "2015 Project Concern," held in partnership with Dillon’s and Midwest Superstore. KWBW ran promos and talked about the drive daily on the morning show. Thanks to "Project Concern," 1,700 people in the 550 families that requested help received assistance. All funds stay local and were distributed through the Hutchinson Salvation Army, the Hutchinson Christian Soup Ministry and a local church that offers a free lunch on Thanksgiving.
Hearst Television’s ABC affiliates KHBS-TV Fort Smith, Ark., and KHOG-TV Fayetteville, Ark., collected 3,000 turkeys in the "Feeding Hope" food drive, held November 20. (Watch 
Heartland Media’s NBC affiliate WTVA Tupelo, Miss., raised a record $319,000 for Regional Rehab Center on November 21-22. The center’s free resources include physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, audiology and dyslexia treatment. In the past year, the center has helped more than 1,300 people in 18 counties who cannot afford therapy. The $319,000 far surpasses the $200,000 raised in 2014. (Watch 
Paxton Media Group’s NBC affiliate WPSD-TV Paducah, Ky.’s 59th annual "Telethon of Stars Celebration Concert" 
The "Chaz & AJ Morning Show" on Connoisseur’s Conn. stations WDRC-FM Hartford, WPLR-FM New Haven and WFOX Stamford, helped raise almost $16,000 for a local veteran in risk of foreclosure. Brendon Cameron, who served in the U.S. Air Force in Desert Storm, lives in Middletown with his wife, Janette, and two daughters. In March, he suddenly developed symptoms consistent with Gulf War Syndrome, including epilepsy, tremors, weakness and memory loss. He and Janette, who provides round-the-clock care for her husband, needed $8,000 to avoid foreclosure on their home. On Veterans Day, Chaz & AJ featured the Cameron family on the morning show, raising $16,000 before the show ended. "We’ve done some amazing things on the air," Chaz 
Sinclair’s ABC affiliate WJLA-TV Washington, D.C., aired a segment on November 30 about a mother and her eight children living in a car. Investigative reporter Jennifer Donelan found Maria Herrera and the kids, who range in age from one-year-old twins to 15. After Herrera’s alleged abuser kicked them out of their apartment, five different organizations turned them away because of the family’s size. After the story aired, D.C.’s Department of Human Services placed them in temporary housing until something permanent is found. (Watch 
Cumulus Media’s KMJ-AM Fresno, Calif., helped local cancer patient Wilson Odom, whose car had been stolen from his home on November 29. The car was his only means to get to his cancer treaments and was the only transportation for his wife and seven children and grandchildren. Listener Glynn Ward had recently bought a car when morning hosts Matt Otstot and Blake Taylor 
Univision’s KXLN-TV Houston, the University of Houston-Downtown and the ACT presented "
Hubbard Radio’s KSTP-FM St. Paul, Minn. raised $531,000 on December 11 for Children’s Cancer Research Fund and Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare. KSTP’s "12 Hours of Hope" event at Mall of America culminated with 5,500 people singing "Clouds." Written by teenager Zach Sobiech and produced with KSTP’s help, the song went viral before he passed away from osteosarcoma in 2013. "It was absolutely amazing. People of all ages and backgrounds standing shoulder-to-shoulder singing at the top of their lungs to celebrate the season and honor Zach Sobiech and all children who are battling cancer or other childhood diseases and illnesses," Vice President and Market Manager Dan Seeman said. "[It] was a VERY PROUD moment for everyone associated with Hubbard Broadcasting. It speaks to the power and reach of KS95. But even more so, it speaks to the tremendous heart of KS95." Watch 
Tribune’s Fox affiliate WGHP-TV High Point, N.C., collected over 500,000 cans of food during its December holiday concert series. In November, the station collected $115,000, plus five truckloads of toys. WGHP also collected 17,000 coats in October. Watch 
Tegna Media’s NBC affiliate KUSA-TV Denver collected almost 328,000 pounds of food, plus $82,000 and truckloads of clothing and toys during the 33rd annual "9Cares Colorado Shares," held November14. Watch 
Hearst’s NBC affiliate KSBW Salinas, Calif. raised a record $177,000, plus 10,000 pounds of food and 7,000 toys, during its 29th annual "KSBW Share Your Holiday" campaign, held December 11.
Cedar Rapids Television’s ABC affiliate KCRG-TV Cedar Rapids, Iowa, raised $100,000 on December 6 for the Heritage Area Agency on Aging in the "Fill the Plate" telethon. In 2014, Heritage delivered 330,000 healthy meals to low-income seniors in Eastern Iowa.
Gray’s CBS affiliate WSAW-TV Wausau, Wis.’s 12th annual "Share Your Holidays" campaign, held December 4-18, raised a record $63,000 for the Salvation Army and Neighbor’s Place food pantries.
E.W. Scripps’ ABC affiliate WMAR-TV Baltimore regularly investigates issues at local schools, including problems with mold and air conditioning units. WMAR posts stories online under "
Tegna’s CBS affiliate KHOU-TV Houston exposed city housing troubles through a series of investigative reports. Even though the public housing waiting list has 24,000 people on it, some public housing residents make close to $100,000 each year. KHOU’s investigation shows that officials had knowledge of the situation. (
NBC-owned KNBC-TV Los Angeles revealed a cover-up of radioactive waste and toxic chemicals that endangered thousands of kids at a camp. Families claim that camp staff and board members covered up evidence for 65 years. Workers told KNBC’s investigative team that they were ordered to secretly release radioactive gases into the wind. Watch 
NBC’s KNTV San Francisco sent news teams to Israel to learn about how they handle water shortages. 
Local news provider NewsON 
iHeartMedia’s WDVE-FM Pittsburgh raised a record $653,000 for the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation on Sept. 26. The live broadcast featured musical performances and guest appearances from Arthur Moats and Jarvis Jones of the Pittsburgh Steelers. "As we celebrate the 125th Anniversary of Children’s Hospital, we are so grateful for community partners like 102.5 WDVE, who have been loyal and supportive of our mission throughout the years," said Foundation President Greg Barrett.
The “Alison & Adam Memorial Fund” has raised $88,175 for the families of the victims of the Aug. 26 Roanoke TV shooting. NAB and the Radio Television Digital News Association launched the fund on behalf of Alison Parker and Adam Ward of Schurz-owned CBS affiliate WDBJ-TV Roanoke, who were killed on-air. Proceeds will be distributed evenly between the families of Parker and Ward, Vicki Gardner, who suffered gunshot wounds, and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Donations 
Townsquare Media’s WCHR-FM Tom’s River, N.J. raised $119,000 for Ocean of Love Foundation. During the fundraiser, DJ Andy Chase spent five days braving the elements and living on top of a billboard to raise awareness of the Foundation. Currently, 53 families affected by childhood cancer receive support from Ocean of Love. Watch 
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 
NAB offers two awards programs that provide an opportunity for radio and television stations to receive national recognition for their year-round service to local communities.
Cumulus’ WJR-AM Detroit’s "2015 Mitch Albom S.A.Y. Detroit Radiothon," held December 10, raised a record $1 million for the Mitch Albom charities. Guests included Hugh Jackman, Billy Bob Thornton, Jane Pauley, Craig Ferguson and Alice Cooper. Watch 
Cumulus’ WQKL-FM Ann Arbor, Mich., collected a record one million meals during its annual five-day food drive, "Rockin’ for the Hungry," held December 2-6 to benefit Food Gatherers in Washtenaw County. "’Rockin’ for the Hungry’ is more than a food and fund drive for Food Gatherers – it brings people together to raise awareness about the issue of hunger in our community," said Food Gatherers President and CEO Eileen Spring.
Media General’s CBS affiliate KELO-TV Sioux Falls, S.D., distributed more than 4,000 coats last month. "Operation KEEP KELOLAND Warm" was inspired by a homeless woman’s death from exposure to extreme cold. Local temperatures can fall to 42 degrees below zero. More than 300 people attended each of the four distribution events, where they selected coats, hats, gloves and scarves. Watch 
Several stations were recently honored with Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Awards.
Raycom Media’s NBC affiliate KCBD Lubbock, Tx. concluded its 33rd annual “U Can Share” food drive on December 6. The station raised over 335,000 pounds of food and $125,000 for the South Plains Food Bank. The donations will directly benefit people in 20 counties.
iHeartMedia Binghamton made sure many lonely seniors in nursing homes had a great holiday season. “Gifts for Goldens” is a Christmas wish tree for seniors in the Binghamton area. The station group teamed up with Retired Seniors Volunteer Program, a local nonprofit group focused on seniors helping seniors.
Raycom Media’s NBC affiliate WSFA Montgomery Ala. held a two hour phone bank regarding renter’s rights. Legal experts fielded calls from more than 150 local viewers and helped them make more informed decisions about how and when to rent.
Connoisseur Media Long Island helped to welcome Stew Leonard’s Grocery to Long Island with their first annual “Long Island Turkey Brigade.” Stew Leonard’s Stores distributed 2,000 free turkeys to people in need. The stations introduced the company to many local agencies, non-profits, church groups and community groups who need extra help this season to feed families for Thanksgiving and beyond.
E.W. Scripps’ ABC affiliate KNXV Phoenix 
Cumulus Media’s KKOB-AM and KOB-FM Albuquerque provided support to a grieving city after a four-year-old girl was shot and killed in a road rage incident on Oct. 20. Albuquerque Police Chief Gordon Eden called KKOB as Morning Show Host Bob Clark discussed the story with listeners. Police Chief Eden said, "We know that 770 [KKOB-AM] is heard around the Southwest and we need your help in tracking down truckers who may have witnessed the road rage shooting." Listen to 
California Oregon Broadcasting’s NBC affiliate KOBI-TV Medford, Ore. provided lifeline information after a tragic shooting at Umpqua Community College on Oct. 1 left nine dead and nine injured. KOBI’s 
Tegna’s CBS affiliate WTSP St. Petersburg, Fla. aired "
The Miami Herald 
Hearst-owned NBC affiliate KCRA-TV Sacramento investigated the slow response time of Mather VA Hospital. Surveillance video shows a local veteran on the ground in pain outside of the emergency room. No one from the hospital came to help, even as his wife pounds on the door. Following the news segment, the hospital fixed the emergency call button and camera feed. (
Broadcasters that recently increased local news coverage, or announced plans to do so, include:
Tribune’s NBC affiliate KFOR-TV Oklahoma City was 
On Oct. 24, a drunk driver drove into a crowd at the Oklahoma State University homecoming parade, killing four people and injuring 47 others. Team Radio’s "Triple Play Sports" stations, including KOSB-FM, pre-empted live game day programing to provide complete coverage. Anchor Jordan Woodruff was live on-air about 45 minutes after the car struck the crowd, interviewing witnesses and gathering news. Woodruff’s co-hosts, Steve Daniels and Tom Dirato, provided comfort to listeners and aired the live broadcast of the Stillwater Police Department press conference. During the game, Team Radio focused on the tragedy, updating listeners on the number of injuries and probable cause. "I was very proud of these four guys who instinctively knew what to do upon hearing the news of the tragedy," said Team Radio Owner Bill Coleman. "They became great informers instead of sports broadcasters."
NBC owned KNTV-TV San Francisco was honored with a national Emmy Award in the outstanding regional news story category for its investigative series "Inside Sysco: Exposing North America’s Food Sheds." Sysco is the world’s largest food distributor, with annual sales of $48 billion and customers that include schools, hospitals and restaurants all over the world. After KNTV’s investigation exposed Sysco for storing food in unrefrigerated storage sheds, the company was forced to settle a consumer protection lawsuit in California for almost $20 million. (
Meredith Corp.’s NBC affiliate WSMV Nashville Chief Meteorologist Lisa Spencer received the National Weather Association’s 2015 NWA Broadcaster of the Year Award, which recognizes broadcasters who contribute significantly to the dissemination of critical weather information. Spencer and WSMV’s weather team regularly travel across Tennessee promoting severe weather preparedness via their "4WARN Weather Alert Tour." Spencer has helped raise thousands of dollars through tornado and flood relief telethons. She also leads "Warm Coats from Warm Hearts," which collects thousands of coats each year, and "Heat Wave Help" to collect air conditioners. (
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 
Cumulus Media’s KMJ-AM/FM Fresno, Calif., hosted a food drive on August 25 - September 1 that raised more than $73,000 for a local food bank. The station also collected 1,055 lbs. of canned food, 2,810 lbs. of potatoes and 1,000 lbs. of frozen turkeys. Listen to an 
Raycom Media’s NBC affiliate WAVE-TV Louisville, Ky., 
Gray Television’s NBC affiliate WMTV Madison, Wisc., hosted a "Go Orange" campaign on September 3. The initiative brought in 72,000 meals for the Second Harvest Food Bank of Southern Wisconsin. WMTV asked viewers to take a selfie while wearing orange and post it to Facebook with the #Orange4SHFB hashtag.
The following stations are among those that have recently expanded local news coverage:
Beasley Broadcasting Group’s WNCT-FM Greenville, N.C. stayed on-air after a fire on September 4 caused an estimated half a million dollars in damage. WNCT-FM, North Carolina’s oldest radio station, has always been located in the same building. The station’s commitment to its listeners inspired them to broadcast immediately following the fire. “They listen to us for entertainment, news, weather, (to) find out what’s going on in the community ... It’s part of their life," said General Manager Brad Hood.
American Broadcasting Company’s ABC affiliate WFAA-TV Dallas was the media sponsor for the Communities Foundation of Texas’ North Texas Giving Day. The station provided extensive coverage, including news segments, PSA airtime and online news stories.. A record $33.1 million was raised in 18 hours. More than 2,000 north Texas non-profits benefitted from the event.
Capitol Broadcasting Company’s CBS affiliate WRAL-TV Raleigh, N.C. partnered with Radio One Raleigh for a second year to expand HungerFreeNC, a week of special programming that raises money for a different hunger-focused non-profit each year. This year’s beneficiary was Inter-Faith Food Shuttle. Through broadcast radio and television, plus online and social media efforts, the movement raised $112,000. “This is about using the power of the media for good,” says WRAL-TV Vice President and General Manager Steven D. Hammel. “Together with Radio One Raleigh, we can reach hundreds of thousands of people. With North Carolina ranking fifth in the nation in hunger, we knew this year’s effort had to be bigger.”
Graham Media Group’s NBC affiliate WDIV-TV Detroit provided month-long coverage of “Arts, Beats & Eats.” The event, which helps support local charities, raised $360,000. WDIV-TV provided month-long coverage of the event, including a PSA and reports that highlighted the charities who benefitted from the raised funds.
ESPN Sports WEPN-AM/ESPN New York 98.7 FM raised over more than $15,000 for the V Foundation for Cancer Research at its 11th annual Tee it Up Golf Classic. The event featured ESPN anchors Linda Cohn;, Trey Wingo, NFL analyst Trey Wingo; and former Patriots, Jets and Lions lineman Damien Woody;, former Giants players Shaun O’Hara and Jeff Eagles;,and former Jets players Ray Lucas, Marty Lyons and Greg Buttle.
During a particularly busy evening for Washington, DC area police, WTOP Director of Traffic and Weather Operations Jim Battagliese headed to the heart of the city to report on the subsequent traffic jams. Upon surveying the tie-ups, Battagliese began assisting the police with directing traffic. A letter of recommendation from the police states, “Without being asked, and with no personal gain, Mr. Battagliese sacrificed his time to support the mission of the U.S. Park Police in a time of need.”
Cumulus Media’s KLOS-FM Los Angeles was recognized by the Los Angeles City Council when the group declared Aug. 8 “95.5 KLOS ‘80s Rock Day.” L.A. City Council President Herb Wesson presented the official proclamation on The Heidi and Frank Show on Aug. 5. “A warm congratulations to KLOS for withstanding the test of time and remaining the preferred rock and roll station for millions of rock music fans,” said Wesson.
Meredith Corporation’s Fox affiliate WALA-TV Mobile, Ala., introduced new Saturday and Sunday morning newscasts on Aug. 8. Reporter Candace Murphy and meteorologist Matt Barrentine anchor the newscasts. On Aug. 24, WALA extended its weekday late newscast to 90 minutes, to broadcast from 9-10:30 p.m. “We are committed to being the place Gulf Coast residents turn to for local news, weather and information — all day, every day,” said News Director Scott Flannigan. “Expanding our 9 p.m. news presence gives us the chance to do more investigations, more weather coverage and be of more service to our viewers.”
Graham Media Group’s CBS affiliate WKMG-TV Orlando will offer a 4 p.m. newscast starting Sept. 7. The station announced the additional newscast on social media and during regular newscasts. It will feature anchors Julie Broughton, Matt Austin, Lisa Bell and Ginger Gadsden and Chief Meteorologist Tom Sorrells.
Telemundo owned-and-operated WNEU-TV Boston began airing local newcasts at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. in August. "Noticiero Telemundo Boston" is the latest in a series of efforts to bolster local news coverage at Telemundo stations nationwide. The newscasts broadcast from a state-of-the-art newsroom and feature on-screen graphics and visuals that complement WNEU’s digital properties. “We are ecstatic that Telemundo Boston will debut its first-ever live and locally produced weekday newscasts to help fill the void for Spanish-language viewers that has existed in our market for far too long,” General Manager Mike St. Peter said in a statement.
Nexstar Broadcasting’s CBS affiliate KLAS-TV Las Vegas and North Texas Public Broadcasting’s KERA-FM Dallas won the 2015 RTDNA/NEFE Award for Personal Finance Reporting from the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) and the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE). KLAS-TV’s Emmy Award-winning journalist Michelle Mortensen and photojournalist Sarita Kichok were honored for the "8 On Your Side Consumer Series." Mortensen launched the "Debt Destroyer" program in 2015 to help viewers become financially stable. On the radio side, KERA-FM’s award-winning reporter Courtney Collins was honored for "One Crisis Away: Inside a Neighborhood."
The fatal on-air shootings of Alison Parker, 24, and cameraman Adam Ward, 27, of Schurz Communications’ CBS affiliate WDBJ-TV Roanoke, Va. caused shock, anxiety and sadness throughout the industry. The Roanoke community and fellow broadcasters across the country 
Cox Media Group’s CBS affiliate KIRO-TV Seattle anchor Jesse Jones delivered a truckload of groceries and supplies on Aug. 24 to a command center in Okanogan, WA, as firefighters 
The Texas Association of Broadcasters (TAB) surveys its member stations in order to document the public service efforts of broadcasters in Texas. Since 1998, stations that responded to TAB’s survey have raised or contributed $4.98 billion to their communities, including $499 million for charities since 2004. They produced more local news than ever, averaging 27 hours per week. TAB proudly reports that 723 children have been saved nationally since 1998 (including 296 from Texas) by the AMBER Alert program, which was created by Dallas broadcasters. TAB shared 
Auburn Broadcasting’s WAUB-AM Auburn, N.Y. helped promote the local arts with regular guest appearances on the Finger Lakes Morning News by people with the Schweinfurth Art Center, Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, the Hangar Theater, Auburn Chamber Orchestra and Finger Lakes Musical Theater Festival.
National Public Radio’s WXXI-AM Rochester, N.Y. has partnered with The Golisano Foundation, the nation’s leading foundation dedicated to helping individuals with intellectual disabilities, for 10 years. The station and foundation developed a week-long program to help inform the community about the “abilities” of those we consider to be “disabled.” That first initiative, “Dialogue on Disability,” was an instant success, with radio, television and online programming reaching tens of thousands of people. Each year, “Dialogue on Disability” continued to grow and to have more impact. Due to this growth, the station approached the Golisano Foundation and proposed a partnership to focus on “inclusion.” With grant support of the Foundation, WXXI launched “Move to Include,” a year-long initiative to encourage our community to become more welcoming towards, and more inclusive of, people with intellectual disabilities.
Salem Media Group’s WMCA-AM New York provides support for a worthy cause with its donor campaigns each month. In this past year alone, the station sent children to school with the School Scholarship Program, provided food for starving children around the world with Food for Orphans, Feed the Children, and Food for the Poor, and provided safety and hope through organizations like Bible League and Christian Solidarity International. This past month, WMCA partnered with the Bowery Mission to provide meals for thousands of homeless and hungry men, women and children in the community. Over the span of two weeks, the station exceeded its goal by 20 percent, raising enough funds to provide meals for over 8,000 people.
Pamal Broadcasting’s WYJB-FM Albany has participated in the “Walk A Mile in her Shoes” community march for the past four years. The event raises funds for and awareness of sexual assault victims. This year, the event raised over $47,000, which was donated to the Samaritan Hospital’s Sexual Assault & Crime Victims Assistance Program.
iHeartMedia Syracuse, in partnership with the Onondaga County Agriculture Council, created a robust multi-media campaign that provided consumers in Onondaga County with the knowledge they need to buy food grown within their county. The campaign centered on the message of “Buy local. Buy Onondaga Grown.” Every retailer, restaurant, market, and farm stand offering Onondaga Grown food items was invited to participate by requesting a free kit containing small “Buy Local Onondaga Grown” stickers that could be affixed to signage, large window clings, posters, and more. The kit was also available as a free digital download. Participants were then listed at a web portal hosted at all five iHeartMedia radio station websites. Consumers now had a straightforward way to change their shopping habits to include Onondaga Grown products.
Brittlecone Broadcasting’s Fox affiliate WSYT-TV Syracuse worked with local East Syracuse Minoa High School and their TV production classes to create anti-bullying PSAs featuring students. Additionally, the station sponsors ACR Health, a local AIDS Foundation, with their charity walk/ runs and produces PSAs and short form video for their internal use.
Nexstar Broadcasting’s WROC-TV Rochester, N.Y. partnered with a local agency, Tipping Point Communications, to develop a public service campaign focused on reintroducing Willow Domestic Violence Center through public service announcements, news stories and live studio interviews. The focus of the campaign will be to inform the public that Willow is prepared to provide services to not just women who are in abusive situations but children, men and even pets.
Citing a dramatic increase in drug use in Chautauqua County in 2015, News Director Dave Rowley, in cooperation with local law enforcement, greatly increased Chadwick Bay Broadcasting’s WBKX and WDOE’s coverage of local drug activity, arrests, and convictions. The stations now provide a comprehensive daily news coverage of this major issue impacting Chautauqua County, enhanced with bi-weekly live interviews with law enforcement officials and local elected leaders addressing the problem.
Throughout the year the Entercom stations of Buffalo sponsor a number of public service campaigns. The stations act to promote and provide support for a number of events. The Women’s and Children’s Hospital is extremely important to Buffalo. In addition Veteran’s One Stop provides much needed support for Buffalo’s Veterans. The stations hosted a celebrity roast of hockey legend Mike Robitaille at the Seneca Niagara Casino. The event raised $7,500 for both Women & Children’s Hospital and Veteran’s One Stop of Western New York.
Nexstar Broadcasting Group’s WETM’s “18 Cares” is a community service program that seeks to provide awareness to its audience about issues related to personal/community safety, health and wellness. “18 Cares” events are promoted within newscasts promotional announcements and public service announcements. These themed events are tied in with non-profit partners. Each month, a different issue is addressed. Over the past year, the station has promoted a number of issues each month including, water safety with the YMCA, pet safety, back to school safety, hunger awareness, breast cancer awareness, gun safety, and holiday toy drives.
ABC owned-and-operated WPVI-TV Philadelphia was the official media partner for Musikfest, an 11-day concert, the largest of its kind, held in Bethlehem, PA. The event, held August 5 – 11, was presented by ArtsQuest, a nonprofit that supports the arts and culture in the local area. Attendees could select from more than 550 music and art performances across 16 indoor and outdoor stages. Some of the performers included Darius Rucker, Culture Club and 3 Doors Down.
Nearly 18,000 people gathered at Baltimore’s Druid Hill Park on July 25 to attend an eight-hour gospel concert put on by Radio One’s new Gospel station Praise 106.1 (W291BA/WLIF-HD2). Along with the music, by over a dozen artists, the event featured station personalities and local politicians, all pushing for peace in the streets of Baltimore. "I believe this event was a catalyst for change. When 18,000 people can gather peacefully for the purpose of prayer, praise, empowerment, and fun then I know Baltimore is on its way to healing," said Howard Mazer, Radio One Baltimore GM/VP.
Cumulus Media’s WBAP-FM and KLIF-AM Dallas-Fort Worth reporter Eric Bushman has been honored with a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award from the RTDNA for his reporting on the U.S. Ebola outbreak last year. Bushman also received a Murrow Award last year for his coverage of the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
On June 17, a gunman opened fire on the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C., shooting 10 and killing nine in what the shooter admitted was racially-motivated.
Graham Media Group’s ABC affiliate KSAT-TV San Antonio provided wall-to-wall coverage of tornado and flood warnings on May 23. Staff worked all night and into the morning to track storms and provide tornado and thunderstorm alerts. It was all hands on deck as the station provided extended weather coverage on air, online, on mobile and on social media. As the devastation in Hays and Blanco counties became clear the next morning, KSAT aired information about road closures, power outages and community needs. KSAT raised $10,000 for flood relief for families in one afternoon. Click 
Hearst Television’s ABC affiliate WTAE-TV Pittsburgh aired "
The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) announced the 
E.W. Scripps’ ABC affiliate WMAR-TV Baltimore earned two Associated Press (AP) Awards. The "Outstanding Spot News Reporting" award recognized WMAR’s "
At the 2015 NAB Show in April, NAB Public Service provided non-profit partners with the opportunity to share their PSAs with radio and television stations. Local broadcasters are an invaluable resource to non-profit organizations, as they communicate critical public service messages to communities across America. NAB recently released 
The University of Missouri’s NBC affiliate KOMU-TV Columbia earned six first-place awards from the Missouri Broadcasters Association: Documentary Public/Affairs: "No 1 Left Behind," on homeless veterans in Missouri; Special Program: "No 1 Left Behind;" Feature Reporting: World Series coverage; Best weathercast: meteorologist Rosie Newberry; 
Graham Media Group’s NBC affiliate WDIV-TV Detroit provided vital information as severe storms on June 22 threatened the annual Ford Fireworks celebration, which hundreds of thousands of people attend. As the official media partner, WDIV advised event producers to begin an hour early so attendees could avoid severe weather. WDIV aired updates every 15 minutes during evening newscasts and provided continuous weather coverage when tornado warnings were in effect. At least two tornados touched down. Staff worked all night to broadcast and stream updates, warnings and damage reports, reaching 1.3 million people in 24 hours. Social media comments included: 
CBS Radio’s WFAN-FM New York raised $400,000 during "Boomer & Carton’s True Blue Charity Softball Game" at Yankee Stadium on June 3. More than 17,200 people attended the event, which benefits the Silver Shield Foundation, the NYC PBA Widows’ and Children’s Fund and the families of three slain police officers: Brian Moore, Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu. WFAN’s Dan Chozahinoff told 
Cox Media Group Orlando hosted "
Graham Media Group’s NBC affiliate WDIV-TV Detroit held a live broadcast of the 57th Annual Ford Fireworks on June 22nd. The fireworks, dubbed as one of Detroit’s hallmark summer events, honors veterans and the relationship between the United States and Canada. The “Super Singer” competition, in which five local singers compete for a $2,500 cash prize and a front-of-the-line pass to audition for NBC’s “The Voice” was also held at the fireworks.
Cumulus Media’s WPLJ-FM New York City morning show co-host Jayde Donovan surprises local pediatric cancer patients with new Apple iPads through her "Apple-a-Day" program. Donovan surprised a different local pediatric cancer patient with a new iPad each day in May on her morning show. At the "iPad Party" in Times Square, 20 children received tablets. "I’ve seen how this one small gesture can change a child’s outlook in such a positive way. This technology offers them a bridge into the world they are not currently able to be a part of," Donovan said. "My program is not going to change the world, but it can change that child’s world." More than 200 children have received an iPad through the "Apple-a-Day program" since 2011.
CBS Radio’s KNX-AM Los Angeles hosted a special series 
Saga Communication’s WKLH-FM Milwaukee morning hosts Dave Luczak and Carole Caine raised a record $1.3 million in their annual fundraiser before the Memorial Day weekend. During the 36-hour radiothon for Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, the morning show broadcast live from the hospital, speaking about available programs. Since its with patient families and hospital staff inception in 1998, the radiothon has raised over $22 million.
Meredith Corporation’s Fox affiliate KVVU-TV Las Vegas launched the Surprise Squad in December 2013. The Surprise Squad travels around Las Vegas performing random acts of kindness for local residents. The surprises have included providing people in need with groceries, gas and furniture. Over Memorial Day weekend, the Surprise Squad personally delivered flowers to four families who lost a loved one to military service. KVVU-TV donated money in honor of each family to provide care packages for troops or lay wreaths on the graves of fallen soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery through the Wreaths Across America organization. Click 
Cox Media Group’s WDBO-FM Orlando aired a one-hour special, Awareness & Action: Domestic Violence on May 6. The program discussed how every minute, 20 people are victims of intimate partner violence and about 25 percent of all women will experience domestic violence at some point. The panel included Belvin Perry, Former Chief Judge, who presided over the Casey Anthony murder trial; Jeff Ashton, Florida’s Ninth Judicial Circuit State Attorney and prosecution team member in the Casey Anthony trial; and several experts from the law and social services fields. The program aired live on WDBO-FM and streamed online on Cox Media Group’s five Orlando radio stations: WDBO-FM, WWKA-FM, WCFB-FM, WMMO-FM and WPYO-FM.
Fox Television’s owned-and-operated WTTG-TV Washington, D.C. helped make a wish come true for 97-year-old local woman Vivian Bailey. WTTG-TV aired 
Sinclair Broadcasting’s CBS affiliate KVAL-TV Eugene, Ore. raised a record 34,441 meals in the 7th annual "KVAL CanDo! Food Drive" on April 15. The two-week event culminated in a day-long telethon. "Not only does the KVAL CanDo! Food Drive consistently bring in donations during a time when reserves are low, it garners an enormous amount of attention for the very real need in our community," said Dawn Marie Woodward, media coordinator of Food for Lane County.
Univision Houston hosted its 36th Annual "Festival de Mayo," a one-day celebration of Hispanic culture featuring live performances by regional and Mexican artists, authentic food and cultural exhibits. Ten non-profit organizations provided information on education, training, employment services, parent education for at-risk communities and support programs to deal with alcoholism. More than 40,000 people attended the event.
iHeartMedia owned WHO-AM Des Moines, IA afternoon drive host Simon Conway met Kerri Kasem, daughter of the late Casey Kassem, and was inspired by her story about being denied access to her father during his final days. Through radio advocacy, Conway joined Kassem’s state-by-state campaign to develop protective legislation. The work paid off when on April 24, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad signed the “Adult Visitation Bill” into order. Iowa is the first state to enact such legislation.
Connoisseur Media’s WPLR-FM, WFOX-FM, WYBC-FM and WEZN-FM raised $10,000 for four area charities. They also assisted an autism agency in Milford, CT with obtaining a grant for a new roof.
Northern Wisconsin’s WEMI/WEMY, owned and operated by the Family Radio Network, raised over $343,000 worth of hygiene and cleaning products during their 23rd annual “Help for the Homeless” collection. Collected supplies were donated to 79 local crisis programs.
Bold Gold Media’s WDNB-FM Liberty, N.Y. held “ThunderBash 10” on May 2. The free concert included performances by country music starts Eric Palsay, David Adam Byrnes, and Cooper Boone, among others. Attendees were asked to bring a non-perishable food item, which were then donated to area food pantries.
The National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation (NABEF) announced the winners for the 2015 Celebration of Service to America Awards, recognizing outstanding community service by local broadcasters. Winners will be honored at the Celebration of Service to America dinner held Tuesday, June 16 at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.
The National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation (NABEF) announced the winners for the 2015 Celebration of Service to America Awards, recognizing outstanding community service by local broadcasters. Winners will be honored at the Celebration of Service to America dinner held Tuesday, June 16 at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.
“Broadcasters have an unwavering commitment to serving the public, and the Service to America Awards are an opportunity for us to celebrate those radio and TV stations that epitomize what it means to be a broadcaster,” said NABEF President Marcellus Alexander. “This year’s winners have gone above and beyond to create a positive and worthwhile impact on the communities they serve.”
This year’s Service to America Awards will honor the following broadcaster:
The National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation (NABEF) announced the winners for the 2015 Celebration of Service to America Awards, recognizing outstanding community service by local broadcasters. Winners will be honored at the Celebration of Service to America dinner held Tuesday, June 16 at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.
The National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation (NABEF) announced the winners for the 2015 Celebration of Service to America Awards, recognizing outstanding community service by local broadcasters. Winners will be honored at the Celebration of Service to America dinner held Tuesday, June 16 at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. 
The National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation (NABEF) announced the winners for the 2015 Celebration of Service to America Awards, recognizing outstanding community service by local broadcasters. Winners will be honored at the Celebration of Service to America dinner held Tuesday, June 16 at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. 
The National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation (NABEF) announced the winners for the 2015 Celebration of Service to America Awards, recognizing outstanding community service by local broadcasters. Winners will be honored at the Celebration of Service to America dinner held Tuesday, June 16 at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.
Manship Stations’ ABC affiliate WBRZ Baton Rouge, La. hosted the “Big Day Giveaway” in March. The winner received a wedding reception at the Oak Lodge center. Participants that sought to win the prize entered the contest by visiting WBRZ’s website and explaining what winning would mean to them.
Several members of Congress praised broadcasters in speeches given on the House floor and submitted comments for the record on Feb. 25. The Representatives commended local broadcasters for their charitable work and their vital role as first informers during times of emergency. 
ABC owned-and-operated KGO-TV San Francisco recently 
Nextar Broadcasting’s CBS affiliate WROC-TV Rochester, N.Y., aired a 
Forty-two Raycom Media stations aired the documentary "SELMA: A March to Remember" on Feb. 2 to honor events of Bloody Sunday and the historic Selma-to-Montgomery March that followed in 1965. Leaders, participants and witnesses who discussed their experiences in "SELMA: A March to Remember" included former United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young, who worked with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; and U.S. Representative John Lewis, a leader in the Students for Non-violent Coordinating Committee. "As an Alabama based company, we are proud to be able to document the stories and history of our state, especially an event of this magnitude that has helped change our nation," said Raycom Media President and CEO Paul McTear.
Graham Media Group’s NBC affiliate WDIV-TV Detroit’s investigative unit, including reporter Kevin Dietz, went undercover for a four-part series on homelessness. They exposed the dangers people face while living on the streets and spent several days with parents who gave up their children due to addiction or joblessness. He also talked to a former nun who makes sandwiches for the hungry. Every day, shelters in Detroit turn away 3,000 people. In the report, Dietz noted that people who are uncomfortable giving money can give granola bars, water bottles, or clean clothes. Several homeless people expressed a desire for a central location to become sober, acquire clothing and learn job skills. Following the report, tens of thousands of dollars and truck loads of clothes and blankets were donated to local organizations.
Hearst Television’s NBC affiliate WLWT-TV was a finalist for the 2014 NAB Education Foundation Service to America Awards. 
WGBO-DT Chicago Univision collected 430 units of blood from more than 600 people on January 21. The pints of blood will help save 61 lives.
Manship Family’s ABC affiliate KRGV-TV Weslaco, Tex. celebrated the 30th anniversary of “Tim’s Coats,” a program that distributes winter coats. Texas’ Rio Grande Valley is one of the poorest areas in the U.S., with an 85 percent poverty rate. Each winter, KRGV-TV partners with the Southwest Dry Cleaners Association to clean, mend and distribute donated coats. In 30 years, the program has distributed over 250,000 coats.
Emmis Communications’ WBLS-FM, WQHT-FM and WLIB-AM New York partnered with Geico and Fedelis Healthcare this past holiday season to gather collect coasts for local communities. The third annual “Spread the Warmth” Coat Drive collected new and gently worn coats to support New York Cares, the New York City’s largest volunteer management organization that runs programs for around 1,300 nonprofits, public schools, and city agencies. The staff of WBLS, WQHT, and WLIB was on-site during the drive giving away prizes and entertaining the holiday shoppers that donated. Click 
Sinclair Broadcasting’s CBS affiliate KTVL-TV Medford, Ore. collected 72,000 pounds of food (7,200 bags full) in their annual “Fill the Truck” food drive in partnership with Ray’s Food Place. This record-breaking food drive succeeded in filling a semi-truck trailer with non-perishable food items for local food banks.
Cumulus Media’s WFAS-AM, WPLJ-FM, WNSH-FM, and WABC-AM New York’s The Daily News Food Drive netted one million pounds of non-perishable food. City Harvest distributed the food to local organizations in mid-January. WFAS-AM personality Tom Joyner kicked off the challenge.
Morris Media’s ABC affiliate WWAY-TV Wilmington, NC broke records in their 15th annual Help for the Holidays One-Day Blitz to restock the Salvation Army’s food pantry. This year, WWAY collected 18, 865 pounds of food and $2,600. “The food will keep the food pantry’s shelves stocked well into spring and help hundreds of people in need in our community,” said the Salvation Army’s Maj. Richard Watts.
Univision owned-and-operated KTVW-TV Phoenix collaborated with the State Bar of Arizona to help local families receive free legal consultation. An estimated 550 people attended the “Access to Justice” event on Dec. 22, during which 13 attorneys offered free legal advice on consumer fraud issues related to immigration law and deferred action. In addition, 286 families received one-on-one consultations.
Bold Media Group’s WDNH-FM, WYCY-FM and WPSN-AM Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penn. have made it a tradition to do two concurrent fundraisers during the holiday season. The Michael G. Stanton Shower for Charity raised more $20,000 this year for the Wayne County Children’s Christmas bureau as on-air personality Michael Stanton took a shower in the freezing cold in the dead of winter. To date, “The Michael G. Stanton Shower for Charity” has raised more than $170,000. During the “Toys for Tots Challenge,” listeners helped fill up six trucks of toys with thousands of toys for the U.S. Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots foundation. “Several years ago, when we made the decision to attempt to do two large fundraising efforts concurrently, we wondered if both could be successful… but our listeners rally every year and the promotions continue to get bigger,” said Bold Gold President Vince Benedetto.
NBC launched “Responde” consumer investigation units at seven Telemundo affiliates: KVEA-TV Los Angeles, WNJU-TV New York, WSCV-TV Miami, KTMD-TV Houston, KXTX-TV Fort Worth, Tex., KVDA-TV San Antonio, Tex. and KSTS-TV San Francisco. Responde has followed up on 700 stories from 13,000 tips and recovered more than $1 million for viewers. The program has helped a Los Angeles woman who was owed nearly $1,000 after participating in a medical research project; a New York victim of identity theft whose bank would not credit him for an unauthorized charge; and a Dallas family living in the dark when their electric company refused to turn on their power for three weeks.
Greater Media’s WROR-FM Boston’s holiday CD raised more than $15,000 for Christmas in the City, an organization that benefits homeless families in Boston. Titled “The World’s Greatest Christmas Album,” the CD is a collection of all of the best holiday songs on WROR-FM’s morning show, Loren and Wally.
Raycom Media owned NBC affiliate WSFA-TV Montgomery, Ala. hosted its annual 12 Days of Giving event this December. The event raised money, food, and toys for families in need during the holiday season. The proceeds benefited the Montgomery Area Food Bank, Christmas Clearinghouse, and Toys for Tots. In total, $33,000 was raised in addition to 10,245 pounds of food and nearly 4,000 toys.
Raycom Media’s ABC affiliate KAIT-TV Jonesboro, Ark.; CBS affiliate KFVS-TV Paducah-Cape Girardeau-Harrisburg, Miss;. and ABC affiliate WLOX-TV Biloxi, Miss. hosted successful blood drives. KAIT-TV hosted the “2015 Drive for Life” in January, and had a total of 368 people donate. The KFVS-TV Heartland Blood Drive was a three-day event at seven locations throughout Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois that generated 1,091 pints of blood. This particular event has won several awards for community service and continues to be one of the largest blood drives in the Midwest. WLOX-TV’s 32nd Annual Blood Drive in December collected 458 pints of blood for the Red Cross.
Raycom Media owned NBC affiliate WWBT-TV Richmond, Va. partnered with Salvation Army this December for the Angel Tree program. Each year, the station adopts children in need so they can wake up to presents under the tree on Christmas. A total of 6,905 children were served with the 43,843 toys collected through the campaign. In South Carolina, Raycom’s NBC affiliate WIS-TV Columbia teamed up with the Palmetto Project to help provide Christmas gifts for needy families. Their efforts helped over 3,000 families this Christmas and collected $200,000 in clothes, toys, and food.
Univision Local Media’s WXTV-TV, WFUT-TV, WADO, WXNY and WQBU New York executed a week-long campaign that provided free information and resources about immigration and the executive order in February. All of the Univision stations participated and provided support for a number of events. The station hosted and manned a three-day phone bank for listeners and viewers that had questions. They hosted a town hall meeting with a panel discussion on immigration issues and describing the free resources that are available. The town hall was attended by more than 500 people. Univision news talent moderated the town hall event.
Delmarva Broadcasting’s WDEL-AM Wilmington, Del., Feed a Friend Food Drive raised nearly $12,000. The event benefitted the Newark Area Welfare Committee, the Sunday Breakfast Mission, the Emanuel Dining Room, YWCA Delaware and the St. Paul’s Church Outreach Center. For each pledge of $11.50, a case of food was donated to those in need.
NBC Affiliate WXIA-TV Atlanta’s 32nd annual Can-a-Thon for the Salvation Army collected a record-breaking 229,000 cans in 2014. Since 1982, the Can-a-Thon has raised millions of cans. The community came together to donate food, money, and volunteer to make the canned food drive a success.
Greater Media Detroit’s employees from WRIF-FM, WCSX-FM and WMGC-FM helped the Neighborhood Service Organization (NSO) grant wishes for eight families. Information on the eight families, including their holiday wishes, were posted on the walls of Greater Media Detroit studios. Greater Media Detroit employees ensured that all 50 people in each of the eight families received a holiday gift.
Raycom Media’s CBS affiliate WOIO-TV and MyNetworkTV affiliate WUAB-TV Cleveland held the largest collection drive in Northeast Ohio this season. The stations collected gently used and new coats, new toys and non-perishable food items to benefit the Salvation Army, Cleveland and Akron food banks and Volunteers of America.
Raycom Media owned FOX Affiliate WBRC-TV Birmingham, Ala. hosted a variety of community initiatives in 2014, including six Shred-A-Thons that allowed community members to shred 50,000 tons of documents.
Raycom Media’s CBS affiliate KGMB/KHNL-TV Honolulu donated all of their commercial airtime during its January 13th 10 P.M. newscasts to KHET-TV, the PBS affiliate in Hawaii. KHET used the airtime to request donations for a new broadcast center in the state. PBS Hawaii reported that there was an increase in daily donations following the help from KGMB/KHNL.
Hearst Television-owned NBC affiliate KSBW Salinas, Calif. hosted its annual Share Your Holiday drive to benefit the Salvation Army. KSBW collected $161,000 (30 percent more than in 2013), in addition to 10,000 pounds of food and 1,000 toys. "We are humbled by the generosity of our viewers," said KSBW General Manager Joseph Heston. "It’s one thing to profess to want to help others and it’s quite another to step up and actually get it done.”
The New York State Broadcasters Association (NYSBA) recently presented "Serving New York" awards to local broadcast radio and television stations across the state for their public service campaigns. The dozens of award-winning initiatives include awareness campaigns for mental health issues and suicide prevention; fundraisers for breast cancer research, Lupus treatments and bone marrow transplants; anti-bullying campaigns; education fairs; food, winter clothing and school supply drives; and hours of air time donated to cover the Special Olympics. Click on the city names to read more about how broadcasters serve their communities in the regions surrounding 
Cumulus Radio’s Nashville stations WNFN-FM, WKDF-FM, WSM-FM, WGFX-FM, WWTN-FM and WQQK-FM collected 5,000 toys for the Salvation Army’s Forgotten Angel Program. On Dec. 9, the stations formed a "field of toys" at LP Field. The Salvation Army in Nashville reached more than 9,000 "angels" during the 2014 holiday season.
Capitol Broadcasting Company’s CBS affiliate WRAL-TV Raleigh collected winter clothes, money and toys for the Salvation Army. Of the $100,000 collected this year, WRAL-TV raised $87,600 in a one-day telethon on Dec. 12. Each year, WRAL-TV helps the Salvation Army achieve its goal of providing two new toys for each family that signs up for the December "Toy Shop," a program that has seen a huge increase in participation in recent years. Since 1989, WRAL-TV has collected more than 150,000 coats and $1.5 million to provide winter clothing for families assisted by the Salvation Army.
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.
Cumulus Media’s WBAP-AM Dallas collected 1,000 gifts during a week-long fundraiser to benefit the physically and mentally challenged adults at the Denton State Supported Living Center. Santa delivered the gifts during a holiday party. WBAP-AM also collected money for necessary medical equipment and supplies.
FCBS Radio’s WBZZ-FM Pittsburg’s Afternoon Host Flick was honored with the Salvation Army’s “Doing the Most Good” award in early December. Flick received the award for his fundraising efforts and increasing awareness of the Salvation Army’s programs. The annual “Doing the Most Good” awards banquet draws nearly 500 people each year, allowing the Pittsburg community to recognize exceptional support of the Salvation Army.
Prairie Public Broadcasting’s PBS affiliate KFME- TV Fargo hosted a Mr. Rogers Sweater Drive in December. The drive spanned communities throughout North Dakota and Minnesota. The event was named for TV personality Mr. Rogers because he, like broadcasters, was primarily concerned with neighborhoods and communities.
Leighton Broadcasting’s KNOX-FM Grand Forks, ND raised $30,675 for the Salvation Army on Dec. 2. This year’s event, the 10th annual, featured a silent auction and donations from the Valley Dairy Store’s gas sales.
Scripps Television’s ABC affiliate WMAR-TV Baltimore’s "In Focus" news program, which provides in-depth reporting and investigations, aired multiple reports highlighting veterans’ health care issues. As of last April, Baltimore’s VA Maryland Health Care System ranked in the top five longest average wait times for veterans new to the system who tried to get a primary care appointment. WMAR-TV spent six months collecting stories from local veterans and their families. During that period, the VA Chief of Staff addressed the issue twice, stating on Oct. 15 that 13 new doctors were hired to reduce wait times. 
Riverfront Broadcasting was named “2014 Broadcasters of the Year” at the South Dakota State Broadcasters Annual State Leadership Conference. Riverfront Broadcasting’s eight stations in South Dakota are KYNT-AM, KKYA-FM, KDAM-FM, KCCR-AM, KLXS-FM, KCCR-FM, KORN-AM and KQRN-FM. KYNT-AM Yankton, S.D. was specifically recognized for its outstanding public service. KYNT-AM helped to raise over $800,000 for local charitable organizations. KYNT-AM won a 2013 NAB Crystal Radio Award.
Gannett’s NBC affiliate KING-TV Seattle received a Peabody Award for its investigative reporting that uncovered an underground tank leak at a nuclear dump located 200 miles from Seattle. KING-TV found the leak had run into one of the region’s main source of drinking water. KING-TV’s program, "
Journal Broadcasting’s CBS affiliate WTVF-TV Nashville received a Peabody Award for its year-long investigation into the outsourcing of government projects within Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam’s administration. WTVF-TV presented more than three dozen reports that outlined questionable government activities described as "cronyism." The "Questions of Influence" series has led to a state audit, a review of several state contracts and hearings within the Tennessee legislature.
Louisiana Media Company’s FOX affiliate WVUE-TV New Orleans was honored for its 
CBS-owned WBZ-TV and WBZ-AM Boston were recognized for their coverage of the Boston Marathon bombings. As the only local TV station covering the Boston Marathon, WBZ-TV was positioned to provide coverage as it unfolded from the bombing scene. WBZ-AM quickly went into wall-to-wall coverage, interviewing local public safety officials, law enforcement and elected officials to help explain what was happening. As the Peabody Award website notes, WBZ-TV and WBZ-AM received the recognition "for becoming go-to sources, not just for their city but for a stunned nation."
Univision’s KUVS-TV Sacramento held its annual blood drive, Día de Donar Sangre, in three locations across California on June 6 to benefit BloodSource and the Delta Blood Bank. KUVS-TV provided live coverage throughout the day to drive awareness in the community about the need for blood transfusions and the benefits for transfusion recipients. In total, 2,400 individuals visited one of the three drives to donate blood in Sacramento, Stockton and Modesto.
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 
Scripps’ ABC affiliate WMAR-TV Baltimore recently announced the station has launched a new, original news program, "ABC2 In Focus," during its 6 p.m. newscast. The program features original, in-depth community reports from WMAR-TV’s team of investigative journalists and producers. "We’ve noticed a thirst in the market for in-depth stories," said WMAR-TV’s News Director Kelly Groft. "We’ll always cover the news of the day, it’s just now, at 6 p.m., we’ll slow down a bit, dig deeper and ask more questions." "In Focus," promoted as "The Next Level in Local News," intends to ask the hard questions, provide relentless follow-ups and target the issues too often ignored in the Baltimore area and beyond.
Hubbard’s WTOP-FM Washington sponsored an online contest called "Click for a Cause," in which nonprofit organizations in the D.C. metro area could win money or PSA prizes. Listeners were invited to vote for a week in late April, and the winners received up to $10,000 dollars or $5,000 in PSA donations. WTOP-FM Director of Marketing Mary Kay Lemay told All Access, "’Click for a Cause’ provides an opportunity for all sizes of organizations to fundraise in a fun and easy way, and the social aspect allows for grassroots marketing and exposure. We at WTOP are happy to use our megaphone as a catalyst for helping some great causes." Click 
Scripps Media’s ABC Affiliate WXYZ-TV Southfield, Mich., has launched an unprecedented regional war on 
CBS Radio’s KDKA-FM Pittsburgh morning host Larry Richert hosts an event each year to recognize Hometown Heroes who have contributed to the Pittsburgh community. Richert recently awarded the five 2014 honorees at an event at PNC Park. Each hero was recognized individually for their work and received a $1,000 donation to a charity of their choice.
Tribune Broadcasting’s FOX affiliate KCPQ-TV Seattle has partnered with Umpqua Bank to support those affected by the mudslide disaster. Viewers can stop by any Washington Umpqua Bank location and make donations to the Cascade Valley Hospital Foundation – Oso Landslide Relief Fund. One-hundred percent of all donations will go to the Oso fund.
Trinity Broadcasting Network New York and Senator James Sanders Jr. presented "A Salute to Gospel" in celebration of Black History Month at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center, hosted by Hazelle Goodman. Goodman became the first black actress to have a prominent role in a Woody Allen film and developed her one-woman show. Trinity Broadcasting Network set up a booth and gave announcements and giveaways at the event which brought in 350 attendees, and a variety of local entertainment.
Scripps-owned WXYZ-TV Southfield, Mich., recently aired an investigative piece that uncovered the numerous broken highway lights scattered across southeastern Michigan. The report prompted the Michigan Department of Transportation to announce a sweeping effort to repair approximately 1,300 lights by the end of the summer. WXYZ-TV highlighted an infrastructure problem in the state and helped to find a solution for the community. Click 
Townsquare Media’s WDOS-AM, WSRK-FM and WZOZ-FM Oneonta, N.Y., partnered to raise money to repair the community’s Little League baseball field after vandals painted graffiti on the outfield fence and concession stand, damaged the PA system and burned down a dugout. During a two-hour simulcast, the stations raised more than $10,000, allowing the community to repair the $3,500 in damage and make enhancements to the field.
Scripps’s NBC affiliate WPTV-TV Palm Beach, Fla., launched an Impact 5 campaign, to raise awareness of autism. WPTV-TV assembled an advisory panel of parents, educators and autism advocates to guide the station’s on-air and online coverage, which airs every Wednesday in a special segment during the 6 pm newscast and on weekend mornings. The ongoing campaign will also include four phone banks for viewers to call in and ask questions, four primetime specials and a special autism website. Click 
Scripps-owned ABC affiliate WXYZ-TV Detroit recently launched a special program called, "Taking Action in Detroit," which highlights community projects that are making a difference in metropolitan Detroit. The new show is hosted by WXYZ-TV news anchors and is part of the station’s Community Action Team, an ongoing effort to highlight the important community work being done through partnerships between local businesses and community service organizations. The program will cover local efforts to fight hunger, to give hope to children and to find a cure for cancer.
Entercom’s KFXX-AM Portland held its third annual radiothon to support Special Olympics Oregon. The 28-hour event was led by KFXX-AM’s hosts Isaac Ropp and Jason Scukanec, and raised more than $120,000 from listeners. "We can’t thank our listeners enough. They stepped up again and beat last year’s record by more than $45,000," said Scukanec.
Univision Los Angeles and the Women’s Leadership Council in LA hosted a two-week suit drive to benefit Homeboy Industries, an organization that is helping young men and women re-enter society and fulfill their motto of "Jobs Not Jails." The campaign collected 1,090 garments and accessories for men and women. These items will provide Homeboy Industries’ trainees with the proper attire for interviews, school enrollment and social occasions. Homeboy Industries serves high-risk, formerly gang-involved men and women with a continuum of free services and programs. It also operates seven social enterprises that serve as job-training sites.
Hubbard Radio’s KSTP-FM St. Paul recently honored a local high school student, Zach Sobiech, who died a year ago from cancer. Before Zach passed away, he wrote a song called "Clouds," which was professionally produced and licensed through BMI. In December, KSTP-FM morning hosts Ryan and Shannon invited listeners to the Mall of America to sing "Clouds" together and remember Zach. More than 5,000 people attended the event. 
Independently-owned WIIS-FM Key West, Fla., has partnered with the local Community Foundation of the Florida Keys to launch the "Nonprofit and Volunteer of the Week Awards." Each week the Foundation selects a worthy local nonprofit and an outstanding volunteer, and WIIS-FM mentions that person and the organization on air multiple times throughout the week. The winners get on-air recognition, a framed certificate and a gift certificate to a local restaurant.
Addressing head-on a significant problem in the Tampa Bay area specifically and in the country as a whole, WFTS launched a six week Taking Action Against Domestic Violence campaign aimed at heightening awareness, educating viewers and inspiring victims of abuse through the stories of survivors. The campaign featured weekly news stories, PSAs, in-studio interviews with local advocates and a one hour commercial-free primetime special that helped raise approximately $230,000. Included in every element of the campaign, the statewide Domestic Violence Hotline saw a 77 percent increase in calls during the six weeks alone. Not stopping there, WFTS reached out to teens with a 16-page special edition on Teen Dating Abuse, produced with the Tampa Bay Times Newspaper and Education Program. This edition was distributed to more than 150,000 high school students and made available online. WFTS also put a spotlight on workplace violence, hosting a Domestic Violence in the Workplace Seminar. Amid numerous public appearances for domestic violence community events, the collection of supplies for domestic violence shelters, a dedicated year-round website page with links and resources and a Facebook page, WFTS has created a lifeline for many suffering in the shadow of domestic abuse. What started out as a campaign to better the community has ended up a campaign that saves lives.
A community station in the fullest sense of the word, KTUL has Tulsa at heart. Heavily invested in the well-being and engagement of its residents, KTUL in 2012 produced nearly 50 community projects touching all aspects of life in the community. Their deep involvement is only outdone by the depth and attention given to each initiative. Fulfilling basic needs for warmth and food, KTUL helped launch a wildly successful Spread the Warmth blanket drive during, which 5,000 blankets were collected in just four weeks. They also partnered with local organizations in the Stamp Out Hunger campaign bringing in more than 267,000 pounds of food to the city and surrounding areas. But KTUL not only acts in service, they inspire a culture of service. In 2012, they created an ongoing Random Acts of Kindness campaign. KTUL staff also focus on prevention and health awareness, participating in such projects as the American Heart Association’s year-long Go Red campaign. And no community effort would have lasting effects without healthy children, who are featured at the forefront of KTUL’s busy agenda. Channel 8 staff donated time and talent to a variety of initiatives with the local Park Elementary school, the Tulsa County Library Summer Reading Program and an OK PLAY Children’s Expo. The year 2012 saw record growth for all of KTUL’s annual initiatives and set a true example of service at the heart of a community.
Scripps Television’s ABC affiliate WFTS-TV Tampa partnered with the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence on its 2013 Taking Action Against Domestic Violence Campaign. The six-week campaign featured weekly news stories, PSAs, interviews with local advocates, a free community event and an hour-long, commercial-free, primetime special. All campaign elements displayed the statewide domestic violence hotline phone number.
The New York State Broadcasters Association hosted the "Serving New York" Awards, recognizing broadcasters that have served communities throughout the state. Representatives from the United Way of Boone County and the local American Cancer Society thanked broadcasters for their public service efforts. In all, eight "Serving New York" Awards were presented to stations in the Binghamton area region: Granite Broadcasting’s WBNG-TV, Clear Channel’s WMXW-FM, Northwest Broadcasting’s WICZ-TV, Nexstar Broadcasting’s WIVT-TV and WETM-TV, independently-owned WPIE-AM and WATS Broadcasting’s WAVR-FM.
Clear Channel Media and Entertainment’s iHeartRadio Music Festival has raised $1 million for several nonprofits over the past three years. Benefiting organizations include the American Association of Cancer Research, the Alliance for Lupus Research, Muscular Dystrophy Association and Shriner’s Children’s Hospital. The event has also created many memories for critically ill children and their families through its partnership with Make-a-Wish Foundation.
Belo’s ABC affiliate WFAA-TV Dallas served as the media sponsor for the fifth annual Communities Foundation of Texas’s North Texas Giving Day. Each year the Foundation hosts a day when people around the world can donate to North Texas-based nonprofits. WFAA-TV raised awareness about the day with coverage during the station’s news segments and with a series of PSAs. This year, WFAA-TV’s efforts helped the Foundation raise $25.2 million for 1,351 local charities.
To support National Citizenship Day on September 17, Univision’s WLTV-TV Miami partnered with the Florida International University Law Department’s citizenship clinic, Hispanic Unity of Florida, Read2Succeed and Catholic Legal Services to provide guidance on the naturalization process and help with the N-400 application. WLTV-TV hosted local workshops to encourage legal permanent residents to apply for U.S. citizenship during National Citizenship Week. In addition, WLTV-TV hosted a phone bank, fielding more than 2,000 calls with questions related to citizenship. As a result, more than 300 applications were processed and additional workshops are being scheduled to assist the rest of the viewers that called into the station.
Only 10 weeks remain to run NAB’s 2013 Congressional Public Service Announcements featuring your member of Congress. This year, a record 244 member of Congress and their families from 46 states are featured in NAB’s 2013 campaign. 
The Broadcasters Foundation of America (BFOA) raised $235,000 at its annual Celebrity Golf Tournament. This year, the tournament raised 18 percent more than last year. BFOA expects to provide more than $850,000 to broadcasters in need over the next year.
Don “Jake” Jacobs was honored recently at the South Dakota Broadcasters Association at their Annual State Leadership Conference held on June 21-22, 2013. In the past five years, Jacobs has helped raise over $1 million for Cure Kids Cancer and over $1.5 million for Make-A-Wish through his awareness efforts.
Hearst-owned KCRA-TV and KQCA-TV Sacramento raised more than $365,000 during its Oklahoma Tornado Relief Drive. The stations aired coverage of the relief efforts and solicited viewer donations during newscasts. The American Red Cross provided a hotline and text-to-give campaign to receive donations. "Sacramento may be hundreds of miles from Oklahoma, but the devastation and the stories of heroism touched us all," said Lori Waldon, KCRA news director. "We are overwhelmed by the viewer response and generosity to our Oklahoma Tornado Relief Drive."
Cumulus Media’s WZNS-FM Fort Walton Beach, Fla., donated prom dresses to 111 teenagers at 17 local high schools whose families could not afford to buy prom dresses. Many of the 450 dresses available to the girls, worth more than $22,000, were new and still had the original tags. WZNS-FM partners with a local mall, which provides store space and dressing rooms. A local dry cleaner, which donates its services. For the past nine years, the campaign has served young people from families affected by the Recession, displacement by Hurricane Katrina and depleted savings from medical bills.
CBS Radio’s WCCO-AM Minneapolis remembered the brutal winter of 2012-2013, even as temperatures passed 60 degrees. Capitalizing on listeners’ desire to say "goodbye" to winter, WCCO-AM set up 25 clothing drop-off locations around the city. The station donated the winter clothing collected to The Good Neighbor’s Coats For Kids drive, to benefit needy kids next winter.
Meridian’s WGBC-TV and WMDN-TV Meridian, MS received a Governor’s Initiative for Volunteer Excellence (GIVE) Award for "Outstanding Community Outreach by a Media Organization." Meridian donated more than $1 million worth of PSA production and air time to the United Way of East Mississippi, The Choctaw Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, Lauderdale County Habitat for Humanity, Hope Village’s Run for Hope and The American Heart Association. The stations head The Golden Apple Awards to recognize outstanding teachers based on nominations from students, parents and faculty.
Clear Channel Communication’s WTAM-AM Cleveland provided listeners with live coverage of the February 28 shooting at Chardon High School. Mike "Triv" Trivisonno mixed coverage with commentary on the local tragedy that claimed the lives of three students and injured two others. Mike (pictured) remained on the air until 7 p.m. to take calls and give the community a place to talk, something no medium does better than talk radio. Reporter Colleen O’Neill also provided listeners with a report later in the day. The station’s website featured live updates, funeral details, interviews with families, tributes to the deceased as well as donation information in the days following the tragedy.
When two police officers were fatally shot in the line of duty, WBT-AM in Charlotte, N.C., broke into programming to provide commercial free-coverage of the news. Later that day, hosts Jeff Katz, a former officer himself, and Tara Servatius did special Sunday talk shows. Then, to help the community heal and to pay respect to the fallen, WBT set aside two afternoons to air the funerals and eulogies of CMPD Officers Sean Clark and Jeff Shelton. Still wanting to do more, the station launched the Blue Ribbon Campaign, providing listeners a way to show their support to police officers throughout the city. The station kicked off the effort with a one-day event, where remotes were set up in two locations and blue ribbons were given away. For the next six weeks, ribbons were distributed through multiple stops by the WBT team throughout the community. In tandem with the campaign, Katz asked the community to provide financial support to the families of the slain officers and the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 9. Listeners came through with $50,000 in donations. On the one-year anniversary of the policemen’s deaths, The Jeff Katz Show broadcast a three-hour roadside remote, where the station passed out additional blue ribbons to listeners, and Clark and Shelton were remembered. In total, WBT has given out more than 100,000 blue ribbons.
Mrs. Claus wouldn’t have known what to do. "The Great Santa Run," an annual fundraiser for Opportunity Village sponsored by KVVU-TV in Henderson, Nev., reined in more than 7,200 runners clad in red hats and white beards, a number high enough to break the world record for the greatest number of Santas in a single place. Opportunity Village, a nonprofit organization that provides vocational training, job placement and social events for people with intellectual disabilities, partners with KVVU for the race as well as other fundraising activities throughout the year. In addition to creating a public service announcement (PSA) campaign for the most recent run, the station integrated coverage into all of its newscasts. Representatives from Opportunity Village were interviewed numerous times on the air, and on race day, KVVU talent hosted the run, which raised more than $360,000. After the event, the station produced thank-you PSAs for all of the Santas and aired follow-up features for a week. "It’s a major undertaking, and without the support we receive from KVVU, I don’t think we would be half as successful," said Holly Spoor, resource development director for Opportunity Village. "They never lose sight of the Opportunity Village message. Their support is phenomenal." On a related note, KVVU’s chief meteorologist recently hosted the Opportunity Village Celebrity Poker Tournament, which raised $100,000 for the organization.
It was a day of service to honor Martin Luther King Jr., and WQYZ-FM in Biloxi, Miss., used it to encourage commitment and dedication to community. As a sponsor of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, the station broadcast from a day-long community celebration, which started with a parade and concluded in John Henry Beck Park, where members of AmeriCorps and volunteer organization Hands On Gulf Coast shared service project opportunities and activities for children focused on Dr. King’s work. In addition to the live broadcast, the station used the airwaves to encourage its listeners to make the holiday a "day on, not a day off," spreading the spirit behind Dr. King’s words, "Everyone can be great, because everyone can serve."
LIN Media-owned WPRI-TV Providence, R.I., hosted the Eyewitness
News Job Fair, a state-wide event for job seekers throughout the
region. When Rhode Island’s unemployment rate reached double digits,
WPRI-TV President and General Manager Jay Howell noted, "In
these tough economic times…it’s critical to be proactive
members of our community." With that aim, WPRI-TV ran extensive
promos during the weeks leading up to the Fair. WPRI-TV’s morning
show also offered job seekers tips and insights on how to prepare
themselves for their search. More than 100 hiring companies participated
in the Job Fair, hosting interviews and providing resume critiques
to 5,000 individuals.
Hearst-owned WBAL-FM, WBAL-AM and WBAL-TV Baltimore, Md., recently joined forces to host the 15th Annual Maryland State Police Polar Bear Plunge at Sandy Point State Park. The event challenged participants to collect pledges from their families and friends for plunging into Sandy Point’s icy waters. The Plunge raised an estimated $3 million for Special Olympics Maryland. All event proceeds support intellectually challenged athletes who participate in the Special Olympics across the state.
Belo’s WHAS-TV Louisville broadcast a four-hour "Storm Aid Telethon" on March 5 to raise money for storm victims living in Kentucky and Southern Indiana. According to one of WHAS-TV’s anchors, "The phones were ringing so rapidly. In fact, each time we put the receiver down, someone else was ringing in." In total, WHAS-TV viewers raised $85,125 during the live broadcast. All relief funds were donated to the Red Cross. Click here to watch clips from WHAS-TV’s Storm Aid Telethon.
Fisher Broadcasting’s KVAL-TV Eugene, Ore. recently held its fourth annual CanDo! Food Drive on April 18. The event included a live remote with 62 cut-ins from two locations, starting at 5 a.m. and ending at 6:30 p.m. Twenty-eight KVAL staffers manned the locations for a total of 180 hours. Dawn Marie Woodward, media coordinator at Food for Lane County, said, "KVAL CanDo! Food Drive is a well-timed drive because the non-perishable food collected during the holiday drives is gone, and it is crucial to making sure we have canned goods going into the spring months. KVAL is a great partner in not only helping stock our shelves, but sharing our mission as well." Thanks to generous viewers, food for over 13,500 meals was donated.
Nexstar Broadcasting Group’s KTVE-TV and KARD-TV Monroe, La./El Dorado, Ark., held its 10th annual "Christmas Cheer Food Drive" in which 48 local schools competed to beat hunger by collecting canned food. The effort raised 78,028 pounds of food. All items helped to feed residents in the 12 northeast Louisiana parishes.
CBS Radio’s KDKA-AM Pittsburgh held a regional business exposition to promote local and regional business opportunities. KDKA-AM’s third "Western Pennsylvania Marcellus Shale Expo and Town Hall Meeting," held in conjunction with Range Resources, featured shale industry professionals, a representative from the Pennsylvania Governor’s office, Pennsylvania state representatives Jim Christiana and Marc Gergely and many more. The exhibits and educational breakout sessions at the day-long event were free to attendees.
Cumulus Media Network’s Dallas cluster recently hosted the "Putting Texans Back to Work" event at the Irving Convention Center. Dan Bennett, Cumulus Dallas vice president and market manager welcomed the network’s syndicated radio host, Geraldo Rivera, to the event, which was part of Rivera’s nationwide tour to help people who are unemployed find a new job. More than 5,000 people attended the event and took advantage of the opportunity to meet face-to-face with 125 North Texas company recruiters.
Scripps-owned WCPO-TV Cincinnati sponsored the first Tunnel to Towers run in Cincinnati to remember the victims of September 11 and continue to make a difference in the local community. Tunnel to Towers runs across the country honor FDNY firefighter, Stephen Siller. On 9/11 Siller ran several miles in full turnout gear through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to the World Trade Center only to lose his life. The Tunnel to Towers Foundation was created by Sillers’ brothers, who wanted to honor their younger brother’s selfless sacrifice. WCPO-TV promoted the Cincinnati run and invited organizers to be guests on the evening news. Additionally, WCPO-TV provided live coverage of the event, and the station’s anchor, Brendan Keefe, emceed the race. All proceeds raised from the run went toward building a "smart" home for Pfc. Kyle Hockenberry, an Ohio soldier who lost both legs and his left arm last year when a terrorist’s bomb exploded in Afghanistan.
KTSF-TV in San Francisco, Calif., produced public service announcements (PSAs) in five languages to inform new immigrant job seekers about Upwardly Global, a non-profit organization that helps immigrants find professional jobs. The PSAs, which are airing in Arabic, Tagalog, English, Cantonese and Mandarin, are broadcast nine times each week to the 1.4 million Asian-Americans throughout 10 Bay Area counties KTSF serves. Upwardly Global has seen a direct correlation between the number of applicants for its services and the station’s on-air support. "The challenge is getting word out to this group that we are here to help," said Outreach Coordinator of Upwardly Global Francie Genz. "The airing of the announcements during different ethnic programming has dramatically helped." The station has committed to a year-long campaign in support of Upwardly Global’s effort to help immigrant professionals rebuild their careers.
It’s a baby shower on a grand scale, and KIVI-TV in Boise, Idaho, is the host. At the station’s inaugural "Community Baby Shower," more than 1,800 items – including clothing, blankets, diapers, wet wipes and formula – were collected for struggling families with infants. KIVI evening anchor Michelle Edmonds spearheaded the event, and the station broadcast live from different drop-off locations throughout the day. KIVI invited viewers to the shower by distributing posters and fliers, as well as running promotional announcements on KIVI and six local radio stations starting 10 days before the event. The station worked with three charity organizations, including the United Way, to distribute the donations and ran a "Three Degree Guarantee," where a monetary donation was made by the station for each newscast that Scott Dorval, KIVI chief meteorologist, was off in his forecast by three degrees in either direction.
KIMT-TV in Mason City, Iowa, works to inspire its community to get involved with good causes through its "Giving Your Best" campaign. The campaign, which launched in 1997, supports several outreach efforts for nonprofits. Twice each year, it funds and organizes a family fair where thousands of residents have the opportunity to learn about local organizations. Every month, it awards someone who exemplifies volunteerism, getting the word out about the good deed through news stories and repeated vignettes. Since many teachers spend their own money to keep their classrooms going, the campaign started "Tools for Schools," which donates durable goods, such as white boards and books, in response to letters students send in nominating their classroom. The station supports "Giving Your Best" with more than $1 million worth of air time each year. "The campaign acts as a catalyst to change things for the better," said KIMT’s Steve Martinson.
Turning a tragic event into an inspiring memorial is something that KFOR-TV in Oklahoma City, Okla., does each year when it airs a live broadcast of the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon. The more than four-hour special not only allows family and friends throughout the nation to see their loved ones on the course, it also provides tribute to those who were killed and those who survived the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. The race acts as a fundraiser for the privately funded Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum. In 2007, 16,000 runners participated, raising a record $350,000 for the memorial and museum. Along the course, 158 banners are placed, one for each person killed in the bombing. KFOR conducts interviews with families, survivors and teams running in remembrance of lost friends, loved ones and coworkers. The station also produces and airs spots encouraging people to train for the marathon and promoting participation of little athletes in the Kids Fun Run. In addition to the strong on-air support, six KFOR staff members ran the last marathon. "The station has been with us since the beginning," said Kari Watkins, executive director of the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum. "The race represents hope – something fun from a tragic event. The marathon program KFOR produces and airs is an amazing contribution to the city and the nation."
WYPX-TV in Guilderland, N.Y., harnessed the power of television to help a local foundation make a difference thousands of miles away in Africa. When the Joshua Foundation of New York first approached Chris Iorio, production manager and public affairs director of Ion Media Networks, of which WYPX is a part, it had delivered $1 million worth of critical medical supplies to Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, and was ready to embark upon a similar mission for Ghana and Malawi. With the help of a comprehensive marketing campaign launched by Iorio, the foundation raised enough funds to deliver $7 million worth of medical supplies during this second endeavor. The campaign included the production of public service announcements, which WYPX distributed to other broadcasters both locally and nationally, news coverage, press releases and two special editions of the station’s half-hour talk show "Subject Matters." A press conference at the send-off allowed the community at large to see how their generosity made it possible for boxes upon boxes of medicine to make it to those that might not otherwise survive. "I saw a great need, children and adults dying because they do not have the access to our prescriptions drugs, drugs that we may take for granted," Iorio said. "Being involved in the art of television production and broadcasting, I felt a need to utilize this gift to help make a difference in the lives of others."
It’s show time! Every year, WFMZ-TV in Allentown, Pa., partners with the State Theatre Center for the Arts for the Freddy Awards, a full-blown show modeled after the Tony Awards that features high school musicals and student performers. The program was developed to encourage excellence in the performing arts. More than 26 high schools participate in the annual competition, which culminates in a live, three-hour telecast during primetime on WFMZ. Chief Meteorologist Ed Hanna co-hosts the show, complete with ensemble performances and acceptance speeches. Two significant college scholarships are awarded to students. The dedication of WFMZ staff, who work overtime and on their own time to make sure the quality of the show is nothing short of flawless, is notable. A network level production truck is brought into the area for three days of rehearsals. The news crew follows the entire story, starting with the announcement of the nominations and finishing with recaps after the show. The Freddy Awards receive multi-media support, including a dedicated section of the station Web site where the live show is streamed and videos are posted of high school performances prior to the awards ceremony. "Since beginning the Freddy Awards, we have seen a consistent increase in the quality and commitment to local high school theater in the viewing area," said WFMZ’s Barry Fisher. The Freddy Awards won the 2007 Associated Press Award for Public Affairs and has been honored with four Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters awards and an Emmy for Outstanding Performing Arts Programming.
Brechner’s WMDT-TV Keeps Salisbury, Md., Residents Warm this Winter 
Greater Media Inc.’s WBEN-FM Philadelphia, Pa., will host the annual Women of the Week Luncheon to celebrate dynamic women who are making a significant impact in the Philadelphia community through their businesses, charitable work or a combination of the two. This year, Deborah Norville, host of "Inside Edition," and Heidi Hamels, co-founder of the Hamels Foundation, will keynote the event, while WBEN-FM’s morning host Marilyn Russell will emcee the luncheon. Russell hosts WBEN-FM’s weekly Women of the Week radio program on Sunday mornings.
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 
The 
Six Colorado Cumulus stations - KATC-FM, KCSF-AM, KKFM-FM, KKMG-FM, KKPK-FM and KVOR-AM – collected donations from hundreds of listeners during “Operation Warm-up”. The five hour live broadcast solicited thousands of items including coats, hats, gloves, mittens, and boots.
ABC owned-and-operated WPVI-TV Philadelphia was the official media partner for Musikfest, an 11-day concert, the largest of its kind, held in Bethlehem, PA. The event, held August 5 – 11, was presented by ArtsQuest, a nonprofit that supports the arts and culture in the local area. Attendees could select from more than 550 music and art performances across 16 indoor and outdoor stages. Some of the performers included Darius Rucker, Culture Club and 3 Doors Down.
Entravision Communications Corporation raised $1,242,032.40 during its 3rd annual "Para los Ninos" radiothon hosted by the company’s leading Spanish-language radio networks, La Tricolor, Jose, Super Estrella, Que Pasa, Maria and El Gato. Funds were donated to 13 Children’s Miracle Network hospitals in Entravision radio stations’ local markets. "Children’s Miracle Network is very fortunate to have the support of Entravision," said CMN’s Vice President Joe Trevino. "[T]heir efforts allow us to continue to provide the very best care to sick and injured children."
The Zone Corporation’s Maine-based stations, WZON-AM, WKIT-FM and WZON-FM, owned by Stephen and Tabitha King, raised $241,820 for the Help Keep ME Warm This Winter campaign, shattering the original goal of $140,000. Fundraising efforts began after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services notified Maine Housing to expect $23 million in heating assistance funds this winter, down from $55.6 million last year.
Greater Media’s WMGK-FM Philadelphia’s midday DJ, Debbi Calton, and the Parx Casino staff collected gently-used women’s business attire for Dress For Success Philadelphia. The program assists disadvantaged women who want to transition back into the workforce by providing clothing for job interviews, career development training and a financial literacy program. More than 75 percent of the women that utilize Dress For Success Philadelphia retain jobs for at least a year. In 2011, the program helped over 3,000 women in the Greater Philadelphia area.
Sarkes Tarzian’s WRCB-TV Chattanooga served as the official media partner for the Arts Education Partnership’s "Fall 2012 National Forum: Arts Learning without Borders." The two-day event drew arts educators from around the nation. WRCB-TVs news anchor David Carroll moderated a panel at the Forum that addressed social issues like bullying through arts and literacy. Carroll’s stories on the tragedy of a local student who committed suicide after being bullied have drawn national attention and were featured in the 2012 feature film documentary "Bully." WRCB-TV also offered free live streaming of the event through wrcbtv.com and produced and aired a heavy schedule of PSAs for the Forum.
The Tennessee Association of Broadcasters (TAB) joined the National Association of Program Television Executives (NAPTE), in bringing the free Student Career Workshop, Job Fair and Station Tour to the campus of Tennessee State University. During the event, a panel of TAB’s top radio and television broadcasters presented their experiences and career pathway, along with tips for getting an internship, summer job or early start in the job search process. Recruiters from 15 broadcast groups, representing over 40 stations, spent time with the students to network and discuss job openings.
Belo-owned WFAA-TV Dallas teamed up with the Communities Foundation of Texas to generate awareness for the 4th Annual "North Texas Giving Day." Through a new public service announcement campaign and news coverage, WFAA-TV helped increase the number of people who donated on "North Texas Giving Day," (September 13) by 35%. Over 37,500 people opened their wallets to benefit more than 900 local charities. The total amount raised was more than $14.4 million.
Sarkes Tarzian-owned KTVN-TV Reno, Nev., helped raise more than 178,000 pounds of food and more than $107,000 in donations during the station’s 18th annual Share Your Christmas 
The Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce recently awarded Bold Gold Media-owned WDNB-FM Liberty, N.Y., the Sullivan County Distinguished Service Award. Each year, the Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce recognizes one local business for excellence in business and community spirit. Upon winning the award, WDNB-FM Thunder 102 Market Manager and General Manager Paul Ciliberto said, "This award is the result of community service between Thunder 102, our listeners, partner businesses and stars from the Nashville country music community, and we are proud to accept this award on their behalf."