Texas's Broadcasters

San Antonio Station Investigates Uvalde Accountability

Date Posted: 8/14/2024

After the Robb Elementary School shooting, the City of Uvalde, Texas, hired the Austin area investigator, Jesse Prado, to lead the investigation, though he had no active shooter response training. Through the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement records, an investigation by Graham Media Group’s KSAT 12 News found that Jesse Prado had not had any active shooter training during his 20 years with the Austin Police Department. Texas has now mandated “all officers, not just school police, take 16 hours of active shooter training every two years.”

Houston’s KHOU and Policymakers Investigate Postal Service Delays

Date Posted: 3/4/2024

Since December, Tegna’s KHOU 11 in Houston, Texas, has been investigating ongoing issues with delayed mail at Houston-area USPS processing centers. “KHOU was the first station to report on the problems and worked to find solutions,” the station said. Policymakers including Sen. Ted Cruz (TX), Rep. Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) and Rep. Al Green (TX-9) have spoken to the station about working to get answers for frustrated customers. "My hope is that we’ll get them to come around and have this level of transparency. I currently do not see it, and I’m still very much concerned, and I’m currently having conversations with members on determination as to whether or not it would take a congressional hearing to move us along," Green told the station in February.

Dallas Stations Raise More Than $1 Million for Children’s Hospital

Date Posted: 1/10/2024

Cumulus Media’s Dallas-Fort Worth stations New Country 96.3 and 99.5 The Wolf raised $1,071,096 for Cook Children’s hospital through the 10th Cook Children’s Radiothon. Mike Preston, Program Director, New Country 96.3 and 99.5 The Wolf, said: “Combine two of America’s most listened-to Country stations working toward one mission and this is what you get: the DFW community responding to support one of its most cherished institutions, Cook Children’s Medical Center. Our personalities painted pictures and told the stories that led to this second million-dollar effort!”

Houston Station Raises $194,000 for Texas Children’s Hospitals

Date Posted: 1/10/2024

Cumulus Media station 104.1 KRBE in Houston raised $194,000 for Texas Children’s Hospitals through the second annual Houston’s Little Heroes Radiothon. The station kicked off the full-day fundraising event with The Roula & Ryan Show broadcasting live beginning at 6:00am at Houston’s Texas Children’s Hospital, a not-for-profit health care organization. Throughout the day, KRBE on-air talent shared with listeners compelling stories showing how this organization has greatly impacted children’s lives.

Dallas Station Raises $88,000 for Adults with Disabilities

Date Posted: 12/18/2023

Audacy’s 105.3 The Fan in Dallas raised more than $88,000 for My Possibilities, a charity dedicated to assisting adults with disabilities, with the station’s 13th annual Piece-A-Thon. The event featured a live auction with special items and experiences to help raise money, as well as special guests including Dallas Cowboys Executive Vice President and Chief Brand Officer Charlotte Jones, former Dallas Stars goaltender and current Dallas Stars Foundation President Marty Turco, former Texas Rangers pitcher Derek Holland, Rangers Hall of Fame play-by-play announcer Eric Nadel and German actor, comedian, and musician Flula Borg.

KHOU 11 Investigates Hiring Practices at Local Police Department

Date Posted: 9/27/2023

An in-depth investigation from TEGNA’s KHOU 11 in Houston, Texas, explored the hiring practices of the police department of a small Texas town. Coffee City has about 250 residents and 50 sworn police officers, many of whom were “suspended, demoted, terminated or dishonorably discharged from their previous law enforcement jobs,” according to the station.

KXAN Collects 740 Fans, $231,000 in Summer Fan Drive

Date Posted: 8/16/2023

Nexstar Media Group’s KXAN in Austin, Texas, helped collect 740 fans and more than $231,000 to help neighbors in need combat dangerous temperatures. Family Eldercare has been running the drive for more than 30 years. The 2023 drive came during a week with multiple days in a row topping out over 100°.

ABC13 Investigates Jail Deaths

Date Posted: 4/26/2023

An investigation by ABC owned-and-operated ABC13 in Houston, Texas, looked into the death of Matthew Shelton, a young man with diabetes, in the Harris County jail, part of an ongoing investigation into jail deaths. During this process, the station reported on long wait times and a lack of information about these deaths in response to records requests. "For this to happen and then for there to be no answers - that’s almost even worse than actual death itself," Shelton’s sister told the station.

Texas Station Collects 32,793 Thank You Cards for Troops

Date Posted: 7/7/2022

“The Morning Bullpen” from Audacy-owned 100.3 The Bull in Houston, Texas, collected 32,793 thank-you cards as part of their “10K for the Troops” campaign. The morning show asked listeners to write a thank you card for active-duty soldiers. Houston-area Texas Roadhouse restaurants and country stars including Dierks Bentley, Jason Aldean, Eli Young Band, Chase Rice and Carly Pearce participated in the campaign.

“I got to chat with a green beret who told me about a card his platoon received from a young girl,” said The Morning Bullpen co-host Erik Smith. “The girl’s unicorn drawing became the platoon’s mascot. These little things have a big impact.”

Texas iHeart Stations Host Concert for Uvalde

Date Posted: 6/10/2022

iHeartMedia radio stations in San Antonio and Austin partnered for a country music concert in San Antonio to benefit the community of Uvalde, Texas, after the tragic shooting at Robb Elementary. The concert raised over $138,000.

The lineup of artists included Russell Dickerson, Easton Corbin, Kevin Fowler, Thompson Square and Erin Kinsey.

“After the horrible acts of violence that our neighbors in Uvalde experienced last week, it’s time for us to come together as Texans,” said Jason McCollim, KASE 101 Program Director and Senior Vice President of Programming for iHeartMedia San Antonio and iHeartMedia Austin. “Our entire team and network of stations here in Central Texas support and stand with the Uvalde community.”

iHeart Stations Rally Listeners to “Stand Up For Ukraine”

Date Posted: 5/4/2022

“Stand Up for Ukraine” social media rally raised $10.1 billion in grants and loans to support those who had to flee their homes in Ukraine, according to the international education and advocacy group Global Citizen. iHeartMedia joined forces with Global Citizen urging listeners to take action and contribute to the global campaign.

iHeartRadio shared special calls to action and PSAs and used its platforms to amplify artists who posted content on their social channels in support of the April 9 event.

“Millions of Ukrainian families have been displaced from their country and are currently living in the cold without food and shelter. They need our help now”, said iHeartMedia President of Entertainment Enterprises John Sykes. “iHeart is asking all of our listeners, employees and personalities to join some of the world’s biggest musicians and entertainers to use their voices to advocate for the people of Ukraine and call on world leaders to mobilize urgent refugee relief and humanitarian aid as soon as possible."

KICKS 105 Raises Record Amount for St. Jude

Date Posted: 4/6/2022

Townsquare Media-owned KICKS 105 in Lufkin, Texas, raised more than $113,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital during its March 2022 radiothon. This is a record for the station, which has raised almost $2 million for St. Jude during 25 years of radiothons.

Cumulus Media’s Inaugural “Texas Independence Jam” Raises More Than $165,000 for Children’s Hospital

Date Posted: 3/8/2022

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.

KYTX Shines a Light on Spanish Communication Program for Parents

Date Posted: 10/12/2021

TEGNA’s CBS19 serving Tyler and Longview, Texas, shined a light on a program enacted by the Longview Independent School District to expand communication with Spanish-speaking parents. Communication Coordinator Francisco Rojas and the communication team spearheaded a Spanish language radio show that helps Spanish-speaking parents stay up to date on important district information. “Through the radio show, we provide family support topics or parenting topics. We provide information on what is going on in the school district," said Rojas.

KLIF-FM Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

Date Posted: 10/12/2021

Cumulus Media’s Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, station HOT 93.3 partnered with Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Throughout the month, the station aired stories highlighting local Hispanic-owned businesses and recognizing the achievements and contributions of inspiring Hispanic Americans in the community.

iHeartMedia Houston Helps New Orleans Community

Date Posted: 9/14/2021

In response to Hurricane Ida, iHeartMedia Houston’s seven radio station cluster mobilized with the help of their listeners to fill and deploy dozens of trucks filled with donations for impacted communities. “The people of Houston are very close to the New Orleans community. They came to Houston after Hurricane Katrina and they came and helped us after our last horrible hurricane Harvey,” said Michael Berry, on-air personality in iHeartMedia Houston.

KSAT San Antonio Highlights Agriculture Losses Due to Storm

Date Posted: 3/3/2021

Graham Media Group’s KSAT-TV San Antonio, Texas, highlighted on March 3 the estimated $605 million in agricultural losses due to the winter storm. According to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, the figure includes losses to the livestock and poultry industries, the cost of keeping animals warm and the animals that died due to the cold. Dr. David Anderson, the education agency’s livestock economist, said that cattle needed to eat in order to create the energy to stay warm. “More hay was put out, more feed put out, and (there is) more cost because of that,” Anderson said. He added that even though the losses will be costly to cattle and poultry producers, because Texas also has out-of-state suppliers, “oftentimes, storms like this cause some short-term market turmoil but really don’t result in higher prices for consumers at the grocery store.”

KTVT Fort Worth Warns Viewers About Unlicensed Contractors

Date Posted: 3/1/2021

CBS-owned KTVT Fort Worth, Texas, warned their viewers on March 1 against hiring unlicensed contractors to clean up the damage to their homes after the winter storm. Due to the disaster declaration issued by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, out-of-state and unlicensed contractors can obtain temporary registration and perform work on storm-damaged properties in the state. KTVT spoke with Mold Inspection Sciences Texas about the dangers of hiring unlicensed or unqualified contractors to handle mold assessment, remediation and material removal due to burst pipes. “We’ve seen this happen before,” said Mold Inspection Sciences Texas Chief Operating Officer Mike Marshall. “Six, eight, 12 months down the road, state-licensed mold assessors and remediators come back to find ‘fixed’ properties worse off than they were from the initial damage.”

Broadcaster Secure Life-Saving Information Access for Texas Families

Date Posted: 2/28/2021

The Broadcasters Foundation of America is providing emergency assistance to help ensure Texas families have access to life-saving information as the winter storm continues to impact the area.

The grants benefit broadcasters so they can broadcast through the power outages and grid failure. The information broadcasters disseminate during this time is critical to protect families and local people seeking assistance and guidance during the blizzard.

Houston Public Media Spotlights Water Crisis

Date Posted: 2/26/2021

University of Houston’s Houston Public Media reported on February 26 on those in the Houston area who were still without water a week after the winter storm. Some in Houston’s Fifth Ward still had burst water pipes in their homes that had not been fixed, forcing them to rely on borrowed water and bottled water to bathe, cook, drink, wash dishes, flush the toilet and brush teeth. After the storm that left more than 8 million under a boil water advisory, some communities had not been able to bounce back as quickly even when the notice was lifted, highlighting racial inequities. Volunteer Amatullah Contractor helped coordinate a food and water drive on February 25 in the historically Black neighborhood after seeing the extraordinary need when she dropped off a few cases of water earlier in the week. “People just started coming out of their homes because they saw people were gathering around me and they saw that I was holding a water case and they were like, ‘Hey, can we get a case, can we get a case, can we get some water,’” Contractor said. “And it was just like the worst feeling because I only had three cases in my car.”

KERA-FM Dallas Reports on Emergency Home Repair Program

Date Posted: 2/25/2021

North Texas Public Broadcasting’s KERA-FM Dallas, Texas, reported on February 25 about a program passed by the city council that will grant low-income Dallas residents up to $10,000 per household to repair home damage caused by the winter storm. The total funding available is $2 million, and eligible recipients must be homeowners within the city of Dallas and have experienced damage to their homes since February 11 when freezing temperatures occurred. Recipients must also earn at or below 80% of the area median income, which is about $60,000 for a household of four, according to the city. There is also lingering concern about raising awareness about the program for homeowners who do not have internet access. “My concern is that it is going to be very difficult to share this with equity,” council member Tennell Atkins said.

KTBC Austin Covers Severe Cold Weather

Date Posted: 2/23/2021

The employees at Fox-owned KTBC Austin, Texas, who were also dealing with no power or water, stayed in hotel rooms or at the station to continue providing news coverage to viewers. KTBC booked 15 hotel rooms and the engineering, operations and news departments had eight employees stay overnight at the station February 15-19, using the station’s emergency supply of bottled water and Meals Ready-To-Eat (MREs). Despite the conditions inside and outside of the facility, KTBC produced nine hours of news per day, along with five-minute news updates every 30 minutes between newscasts. They also carried three live press conferences daily on air and on social media. In between newscasts, the news teams shared the latest information in real time on social media.

TEGNA Texas Prepares for Storm

Date Posted: 2/22/2021

TEGNA Senior Vice President Brad Ramsey, president and general manager at ABC affiliate WFAA Dallas, Texas, spoke with TVSpy on Feb. 22 about their preparation for the winter weather. As senior vice president, Ramsey also oversees stations in 11 Texas markets. TEGNA stations cover 87% of households in the state and the station group has nearly 1,200 employees across Texas. “We knew in the middle of last week that this was going to be a historic Texas storm, and we were largely prepared for the storm itself. Our stations started booking hotel rooms last Friday and Saturday, for what we knew would be extended hotel stays near our stations,” said Ramsey. “What we were not prepared for, and what the entire state of Texas was not prepared for, was the rolling blackouts not rolling. It became clear Monday afternoon that they were simply blackouts. I would estimate that more than half of our 1,200 employees in Texas were without power at some point Monday and/or Tuesday, and a notable portion of them for 24-36 hours straight, or more…that’s when we realized we had more of a humanitarian crisis than a weather crisis.”

Ramsey discussed the storm prep meetings held at stations across the state, many of them including the chief meteorologists, and the effort to shift resources to digital content in anticipation of power outages. “On Tuesday, at the height of the power outages, we had nearly 4 million visitors to our websites across Texas. I think at least part of our success can be attributed to focusing just as much on the written word as we did on video, knowing that cell service was jammed in a lot of places and for many consumers it was easier to access text than video.” Ramsey said their top priority is keeping people safe in times of crisis, especially when it comes to their employees. “I tell our teams in times like this that no soundbite, no piece of video, no story is more important than their own well-being. If our people aren’t fed, warm and safe they can’t do their jobs. We were more so in the people business than the media business this week.”

KXAN Austin Investigates Power Bill Concerns

Date Posted: 2/19/2021

Nexstar Media Group’s NBC affiliate KXAN-TV Austin, Texas, investigated on February 19 viewer concerns about high electricity bills in the aftermath of the winter storms. Some viewers who just got their lights back on were already seeing warnings about high electricity bills even during the outages, and those who never lost power braced themselves for bills hundreds of dollars higher than normal. Investigative reporter Avery Travis reported on the different electric company providers and rate plans available to Texans, the difference between wholesale prices and retail prices and how energy consumption in the days before the storm and during peak times could also affect customers’ electric bills.

Entercom Texas Radio Stations Fight to Stay On Air Amid Power Outages

Date Posted: 2/19/2021

Entercom Communications Corporation’s radio stations in Texas fought to stay on the air amid power outages due to the winter storm. At KRLD-FM Dallas, Brand Manager Gavin Spittle scrambled to relocate studio equipment and connect it into power generators on different floors of the station building. George Lindsey, morning show host at KILT-FM Houston, lost power at his home and stayed at the studio with his wife, working together to provide critical news and answer listener calls. Ten other employees joined Lindsey at the station for several nights, maintaining COVID-19 protocols and relying on the 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel for the generators. Entercom’s four stations in Austin, including KKMJ-FM and KAMX-FM, endured power outages when transmitters lost power and needed to switch to backup generators, leading to five or six 30-second bursts of dead air. The morning show at KAMX-FM often shifted focus from its normal entertainment news format to providing critical emergency information. “Our show is very entertainment-based, very relationship-driven. We reined back quite a few segments and focused more on what was happening,” said co-host Brad Booker. “Radio is still the number one way of getting content.”

KTRK-TV Houston Hosts Townhalls Aimed at Hispanic and Black Communities

Date Posted: 1/28/2021

ABC-owned KTRK-TV Houston, Texas, hosted a two-night townhall on the COVID-19 vaccine and infection rate focused on addressing concerns in the Hispanic and Black communities. The CDC says Black and Latinx Americans are nearly three times more likely to die from COVID-19 complications than whites. The first night was hosted by Anchor Mayra Moreno on January 27, and discussed how hesitation about vaccination, resistance to mask wearing or social distancing and fear of seeking medical attention in underserved communities can lead to higher infection rates and deaths. "We come from a culture where, typically, we don’t like to ask for help," said Dr. Laura Murillo, president of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. "I cannot begin to tell you how many conversations I have had personally trying to convince people to pay attention to the facts, the science."

The second night was hosted by Anchor Chauncy Glover and local leaders warned that infections and hospitalizations in the Black community are likely to rise unless hesitation about the vaccine is addressed soon. "The legacy of mistrust goes back many, many years, and it’s not just in medicine but in other areas," said Dr. Jacquelyn Johnson Minter, health and human services director of Fort Bend County. "But I think the really important thing to consider is that we don’t want that legacy to then create a new legacy of more illness." Minter also addressed how the name “Operation Warp Speed” can lead to questions about the efficacy and safety of the vaccine and discussed how the vaccine had been researched and in development since 2002. "We did not want to be in the position of pushing out a vaccine that we didn’t have confidence in, and I can tell you, we all have confidence in this one," Minter said. "All of us have rolled up our sleeves. We did our homework, and by about July, we were ready, we felt like things were good, and we felt like not only could we take it, but we could promote it."

KHOU and TEGNA Foundation Provide Computers For Kids

Date Posted: 12/1/2020

TEGNA’s CBS affiliate KHOU-TV Houston, Texas and the TEGNA Foundation have partnered together to provide a grant to a local non-profit, Comp-U-Dopt, to provide tech equipment to students in need. The station also raised an additional $75,000 during its September 3 “Computers for Kids” telethon.

As virtual schooling continues, students without tech equipment are at a higher risk for falling behind. The program helps to bridge the digital divide and provide a valuable tool for families to access education and other online resources.

Nexstar Stations Host Texas Senate Debate

Date Posted: 10/9/2020

Nexstar Broadcasting hosted the first debate on October 9 in the race for one of Texas’ U.S. Senate seats between U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and his Democratic challenger, MJ Hegar. The one-hour event aired on 15 Nexstar stations across the state and also streamed live online.

KTRK Hosts ’COVID-19 and Our School’

Date Posted: 7/29/2020

ABC’s KTRK Houston hosted a two-night town hall, “COVID-19 and Our School,” on July 29 and 30 to discuss and how school districts are preparing for the new school year during the COVID-19 pandemic. As COVID-19 infections surge in the region, concerns are mounting about how the pandemic could affect classes, sports, activities, and college admissions. KTRK’s investigative team surveyed 125 school districts that have about 2.5 million students to understand the complexities of the issue.

KXAN Addresses Mental Health in Students

Date Posted: 6/30/2020

Nexstar Media Group’s KXAN-TV Austin, Texas, was nominated for a Service to Community Award in the Television – Large Market category.

In Texas, mental health experts estimate that one in six students is significantly affected by mental illness. As state leaders looked to address the issues within schools, KXAN explored potential solutions across Texas and beyond. With over 50 team members, this local station travelled across the country to report on solution-oriented stories of saving students dealing with mental illness. Through a partnership with the Solutions Journalism Network, the campaign grew through exclusive interviews, social media livestreams and interactive online tools to showcase the experiences reported across the country. This campaign not only helped save young lives but also served as a resource to let students and communities know they are never alone.

KABB and WOAI’s Investigative Reporting Changes Legislation

Date Posted: 6/30/2020

Sinclair Broadcast Group’s KABB-TV/WOAI-TV San Antonio, Texas, was nominated for a Service to Community Award in the Television – Large Market category.

WOAI committed a full year to investigating the ongoing impact of surprise medical billing in their community. Issuing one story a week during the station’s “Show Me Your Bill” segment, the investigative journalism team has helped viewers resolve their surprise medical bills with more than $750,000 returned or dropped by collectors. In addition, this initiative caught the attention of Rep. Lloyd Doggett (TX-35), chair of the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Health Subcommittee and the first congressional author of legislation to protect patients from surprise medical bills. The bill was changed based on the station’s reporting.

KNDE-FM Launches Annual Day of Giving

Date Posted: 6/29/2020

Bryan Broadcasting KNDE-FM College Station, Tex., was nominated for a 2020 Service to Community Award in the Radio - Small Market category. KNDE-FM launched an inaugural day of giving on October 22, 2019 to benefit non-profits both large and small across the Brazos Valley. In partnership with the local Community Foundation, this 18-hour online giving event encouraged residents to “give where you live” and donate to local charities of their choice.

In addition to the generous support from listeners, local businesses provided matching hours to incentivize donations and increase total money and prizes. Through the power of local radio, KNDE worked with 103 participating causes to raise a total of $389,000. With a passion for helping their local community, this independent radio station with a staff of four understands the significance of live and local.

KWTX Helps Feed Families

Date Posted: 6/28/2020

Gray Television’s KWTX-TV Waco, Texas, was nominated for a Service to Community Award in the Television – Medium Market category.

KWTX founded what would become the largest one-day food drive in the state of Texas back in 1990. Now in its 29th year, the annual Food for Families drive supports food banks throughout central Texas. In partnership with community organizations, KWTX welcomed thousands of volunteers and secured 18 collection sites for a 14-hour long food drive the Friday before Thanksgiving. A true testament to helping the community, this 2019 campaign collected a total of 2,428,167 pounds of food and helped stock food pantry shelves well beyond the holiday season. For KWTX, this is more than just a food drive, it’s helping families feel secure in knowing food is available and in bringing the community together to experience the joy that comes from helping others.

KTRK Hosts ’Police & Our Communities of Color’ Town Hall

Date Posted: 6/4/2020

ABC-owned KTRK Houston hosted a one-hour virtual town hall on June 4 to discuss the relationship between law enforcement and communities of color. The special examined police issues that have extended from the Civil Rights Movement to the wake of George Floyd’s arrest and death. Panelists included Houston’s Mayor and Chief of Police and a variety of community activists.

KTRK hosted an additional town hall addressing racism and social justice on June 15.

Entercom Houston Raises More Than $14 Million for COVID Relief

Date Posted: 5/28/2020

Entercom Houston joined forces with the United Way of Greater Houston and the Greater Houston Community Foundation through April and May to help support the Greater Houston COVID-19 Recovery Fund. The fund raised more than $14 million by May 19.

Stations throughout Houston aired more than 1,000 promotional announcements and promoted the fundraiser on their social media and websites. In total, stations donated $555,000 worth of air time.

KPRC Hosts ‘Asks 2’ Live Zoom Event

Date Posted: 5/27/2020

Graham’s NBC affiliate KPRC Houston evening anchors Dominique Sachse and Kris Gutierrez, Chief Meteorologist Frank Billingsley and VP/General Manager Jerry Martin joined an intimate bunch of fans for a live “Ask 2” Q & A session on May 27. The meet and greet held via Zoom was moderated by KPRC host Khambrel Marshall. Viewers asked questions about the business and personal questions for the anchors.

“As a huge fan, you have no idea how much this meant to me.,” Viewer and Zoom participant Danny Allen. “You’ve definitely given me a cherished memory for 2020 despite all of the downsides the pandemic has brought.”

“I’m a stay at home mom to two sons with autism and we are still on quarantine due to my high risk situation and this gave me a reason to get dressed up,” said another participant, Shannon Stillwell, said, I really loved hearing behind-the-scenes stuff.”

KXIT-FM Honors Graduates

Date Posted: 5/22/2020

Rogco Family’s KXIT Dalhart, Tx., aired the "Drive Thru Graduation!" on May 22. KXIT also prerecorded The School Song, Valedictorian and Salutatorian addresses and a special message from the school counselor.

KVEO Supports Food Bank

Date Posted: 5/7/2020

Nexstar’s NBC/CBS affiliate KVEO-TV Harlington, Tx. produced multiple PSAs to encourage viewers to donate to local food banks. These donations are critical as the COVID-19 pandemic cripples the economy.

Giving Tuesday in Dallas Raises $21 Million

Date Posted: 5/5/2020

CBS-owned KTVT Dallas partnered with the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, the Communities Foundation of Texas, the Dallas Cowboys, and musician Caroline Kraddick to present the “Concert for North Texas Giving Tuesday Now” on May 5. The “living room concert” featured performances by Josh Abbott, Ryan Cabrera, Jaret Reddick, Jason Castro and Michael Castro, Caroline Kraddick, Leighton Fields, and Abraham Alexander. The program encouraged viewers to support any of more than 3,000 nonprofits with a donation to the organization of their choice. “North Texas Giving Tuesday Now” raised an estimated $21.76 million for local charities.

‘East Texas Giving Day’ Raises $2.2 Million

Date Posted: 5/1/2020

Nexstar’s NBC affiliate KETK and Fox affiliate KFXK Tyler, Tx., broadcast and livestreamed three hours of special programming on April 21 for “East Texas Giving Day” to encourage donations to local non-profits and charities. The KETK/KFXK effort helped raise a record $2.2 million. In all, 5,726 separate donations were received and will be used to support 196 different organizations.

KPRC Educates Kids and Adults During Pandemic

Date Posted: 5/1/2020

Graham’s NBC affiliate KPRC Houston has made education their mission (space pun intended). Their KPRC 2 Kids page is packed with fun activities for kids of all ages from art assignments to story time to a Texas wildlife special in partnership with the Houston Zoo. The page also serves as a resource for parents, with ideas for family-friendly activities, informative updates regarding child care and more.

KPRC’s focus extends to educating the public about aspects of our current socio-economic climate that impact local families. "Ask 2 Town Hall: Coronavirus and Your Money" recently aired on KPRC with extended coverage online. The special featured a panel of experts answering viewer questions about stimulus checks, unemployment, stocks, small business help and other topics. The station’s health reporter and consumer expert are now also doing regular Facebook Live sessions to answer viewer questions with new information as Texas’ coronavirus information and plans to reopen businesses evolve.

KAMR Collects Tons of Food

Date Posted: 4/30/2020

Nexstar’s NBC affiliate KAMR Amarillo, Tx., partnered with the High Plains Food Bank on a three-day food drive, held in the station parking lot and online. They raised over $23,000 and 5,700 pounds of food to help their neighbors.

Telemundo Stations Air ‘Climate Change’ Documentary

Date Posted: 4/20/2020

Telemundo-owned KXTX Dallas produced a 30-minute, Spanish Language documentary, “Climate Change / Cambio Climatico” that aired across Telemundo stations on April 22 (Earth Day). Shot in Anchorage, Santa Monica, Miami, New York City, Houston, and Ontario, Canada, the documentary delivers a scientific presentation about the effects of climate change in communities. The documentary also features Telemundo stations’ first-ever use of augmented reality technology for a TV documentary. Telemundo owned stations KXTX, KVEA Los Angeles, WSCV Miami, WNJU New York and KTMD Houston contributed. Click here for more on the different locations.

KOSA Provides Educational Content, Food for Families

Date Posted: 4/15/2020

Gray’s CBS affiliate KOSA Odessa, Tx., has been supporting the community during the COVID-19 crisis in several ways, in addition to airing critical news updates. The West Texas Food Bank faced a significant increase in demand at the same that that donations dropped, as local grocery stores no longer had extra food to give. In two weeks, KOSA helped raise $158,000 for the food bank.

KOSA also produces its “Weather School,” with educational weather lessons for parents and kids that are available every day on CBS7.com and on Facebook.

As soon as layoffs began hitting the region, both due to the Coronavirus and the drastic drop in oil prices, KOSA created a section of CBS7.com called “West Texas Employment.” On this page, people looking for local jobs can access companies looking for employees.

KSAT Fundraises for The Children’s Shelter

Date Posted: 4/8/2020

Graham Media’s ABC affiliate KSAT San Antonio hosted an all-day fundraiser campaign for The Children’s Shelter in San Antonio on April 8. The Children’s Shelter is San Antonio’s leader in child abuse, neglect prevention and trauma-informed care. Viewers donated 1,446 items worth a monetary value of $20,544. KSAT’s promotion helped The Children’s Shelter generate an additional $24,000.

Austin Station Raise $3.5 Million for COVID-19 Relief

Date Posted: 4/4/2020

Nexstar Media Group’s NBC affiliate KXAN-TV Austin partnered with other local media outlets on April 3 to raise over $3.5 million for All Together ATX, a relief fund created to assist those suffering due to COVID-19 in central Texas. Stations covered stories related to the need caused by COVID-19 both on-air and digitally.

KLIF-AM and WBAP-AM Host COVID-19 Town Hall

Date Posted: 3/27/2020

Cumulus Media’s WBAP-AM and KLIF-AM Dallas aired a town hall on March 27 with famous entrepreneur Mark Cuban to discuss ways to help local businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Topics included how can businesses survive; the government’s Coronavirus Spending Package; and how can consumers help their local community businesses.

Nexstar Hosts Town Hall with Texas Governor Greg Abbott

Date Posted: 3/20/2020

Nexstar Broadcasting’s NBC affiliate KXAN-TV Austin hosted a virtual town hall with Governor Greg Abbott on March 19 to discuss the state’s response to novel coronavirus and the resulting disease, COVID-19. The governor was joined by top state government officials from the departments of health, infectious diseases, education and emergency management. The town hall was additionally broadcast on Nexstar’s ABC affiliate KMID-TV; CBS affiliate KLBK-TV; CW affiliates KIAH-TV and KDAF-TV; FOX affiliate KWKT-TV; and NBC affiliates KXAN-TV, KRBC-TV, KAMR-TV, KVEO-TV, KTSM-TV, KSAN-TV, KTAL-TV, KETK-TV and KFDX-TV.

WFAA Covers Climate Change With an ’Everyman’

Date Posted: 1/30/2020

TEGNA’s WFAA-TV Dallas aired on November 3 and 17 a two-part investigative report on climate change. "Verify: Climate Truth" followed WFAA reporter David Schechter and local roofer and self-proclaimed climate change skeptic Justin Fain as they investigated whether the environment has changed due to human activity. The two spoke with climatologists, geologists and other scientists throughout Texas to understand the impact of climate change before traveling to Alaska to report on environmental changes in one of the fastest warming regions of the country.

Cumulus Dallas Raised $1.2 Million in 2019

Date Posted: 1/22/2020

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.

“The job of any station group is to serve the community. In 2019, our Cumulus Dallas employees all worked with our listeners and various charities to be sure we gave back to the tune of almost $1.3 million,” said Regional Vice President of Cumulus Media-Dallas/Houston Dan Bennett.

KSCS Dallas Collects Over $178,000 For Kids

Date Posted: 12/16/2019

Cumulus’ KSCS-FM Dallas raised $178,000 in its 6th annual “Cook Children’s Radiothon” on December 14. In six years, the event has raised $1.2 million to help the families serviced by Cook Children’s.

Cox Houston Raises Over $477,000 for Kids

Date Posted: 12/15/2019

Cox Media Group in Houston raised nearly $477,000 during its 16th annual radiothon, held December 12 - 13 to benefit Texas Children’s Hospital.

“Giving back to our community means more to everyone at CMG Houston than just about anything else we do. Our on-air talent and behind-the-scenes crew worked 30-plus hours over two days, fighting through fatigue, tears, and pain, to help raise money for pediatric research and care,” said CMG Houston Director of Operations Johnny Chiang. “Today, TCH patients and their families are a little better off because of our team, and there are no words to describe how proud I am of them.”

iHeart’s KAJA-FM Raises $547,000 for St. Jude

Date Posted: 12/15/2019

iHeartMedia’s KAJA-FM San Antonio raised $547,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital during its “Cares for Kids Radiothon,” held December 12 – 14. In 11 years, the radiothon has raised $5.8 million.

KLOL-FM and KTMD-TV Raise $408,193 for Hospital

Date Posted: 12/6/2019

Entercom’s KLOL-FM and Telemundo’s KTMD-TV Houston raised $408,000 to benefit Texas Children’s Hospital during its ninth annual Mega Radiothon, held December 5 – 6. The live broadcast was hosted at KLOL’s studio and televised by KTMD-TV. All funds raised benefit Texas Children’s Hospital.

“I am thankful to our listeners that helped us achieve our goal,” said Entercom SVP and Market Manager Sarah Frazier. “Texas Children’s Hospital delivers selfless, admirable work and we are honored to be able to contribute to their efforts of providing medical resources for children in the community.”

KTXS Raises $195,000 for Local Community

Date Posted: 11/25/2019

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.

KTXS aired PSAs prior to the event and produced news segments to raise awareness. The station also aired its morning show live from the fundraiser and used social media to engage viewers throughout the day.

The City of Houston Pays Intern $95,000

Date Posted: 10/21/2019

Graham’s NBC affiliate KPRC Houston aired on September 30 an investigation by Reporter Mario Diaz into a $95,000 publicly funded internship for the City of Houston, created to allow a former intern to sidestep a hiring freeze. Diaz looked at 8,000 e-mails between city officials and found that Mayor Sylvester Turner signed off on the position for Marvin Agumagu at the request of Houston’s Chief Development Officer Andy Icken. Turner later denied having met Agumagu, even though they have been photographed together at multiple events. Read the full story, including the mayor’s response.

KHOU Photographer Rescues Kids During Flooding

Date Posted: 10/3/2019

TEGNA’s CBS affiliate KHOU Houston Reporter Tiffany Craig and Photographer Greg Ramirez helped rescue children during flooding. They were covering the flooding on September 19 when they stopped to help an SUV stranded in flood waters, with a mom and two children inside. Ramirez pulled out a little girl and a baby wearing only a diaper from the car. Another passerby pulled the car to dry ground.

“I’m like a proud mom. My KHOU11 team ALWAYS ready to help OUR community. We live here too. Neighbors help neighbors. #ThisIsJournalism Thank you Photojournalist G-Ram & @TiffanyKHOU," tweeted News Director Sally Ramirez.

Nexstar Hosts Town Hall with Texas Governor Greg Abbott

Date Posted: 9/3/2019

Nexstar hosted an hour-long live Town Hall meeting with Texas Governor Greg Abbott on August 15 that was broadcast and streamed on 14 Nexstar stations across Texas. Moderators from NBC affiliate KETK-TV Tyler and NBC affiliate KXAN-TV Austin hosted a ten-minute question and answer session with Governor Abbott, who spent the remainder of the program answering questions from the live audience. Local stations provided additional opportunities for voters to ask questions. KXAN produced pre- and post- Town Hall specials that stations streamed digitally.

“As one of the nation’s largest local media companies, Nexstar remains committed to supporting the evolving needs and interests of the local communities that we proudly serve in Texas and across the United States,” stated Nexstar President Tim Busch. “Town Halls provide an important public forum for constituents to engage with local leaders on the issues that matter to them and their families.”

Participating stations included KXAN-TV Austin (NBC), KRBC-TV Abilene (NBC), KAMR-TV Amarillo (NBC), KVEO-TV Brownsville (NBC), KTSM-TV El Paso (NBC), KLBK-TV Lubbock (CBS), KMID-TV Midland (ABC), KSAN-TV San Angelo (NBC), KTAL-TV Texarkana (NBC), KETK-TV Tyler (NBC), KWKT-TV Waco (FOX), KFDX-TV Wichita Falls (NBC), KIAH-TV Houston (CW) and KDAF-TV Dallas (CW).

KTVT Honored for Successful Telethon

Date Posted: 8/23/2019

The Texas Association of Broadcasters honored CBS-owned KTVT Dallas with a 2019 Bonner McLane Public Service Award in recognition of the station’s inaugural “Pulling Together” event. The “Texas-sized tug-of-war” held in August 2018 raised over $200,000 for Children’s Cancer Fund.

KHOU Surprises Eight Nonprofits with $11,000 Each

Date Posted: 7/31/2019

TEGNA’s CBS affiliate KHOU Houston recently surprised eight local nonprofits with community grants of $11,000 each. The grants address education, fight childhood hunger and support at-risk youth. Recipients include:

• Bo’s Place: to provide free grief and mental health support to children in both English and Spanish.
• Camp for All Foundation: to support a week-long camp experience at eight Houston area hospitals to serve children and youth with challenging illnesses or special needs.
• Lunches of Love: to help children living in food insecure homes.

KPRC-TV Houston Supports Military Appreciation Month

Date Posted: 5/31/2019

Graham’s NBC affiliate KPRC-TV Houston spent Military Appreciation Month saluting the service and sacrifice of service members through on-air and digital campaigns featuring active-duty and veteran military members as well as their families. Houston-area veterans were asked to speak out on topics like their reasons for enlisting, life lessons learned and veteran-based issues that they would like to address. The campaign encouraged viewers to send care packages consisting of new and unused personal hygiene items, unworn socks, snacks, reading materials and any other items that would lift the spirits of the brave men and women serving in combat zones and overseas.

Houston Cluster Raises $625,000 For Kids Hospital

Date Posted: 12/19/2018

Cox Media Group’s (CMG) KKBQ-FM, KGLK-FM, KHPT-FM and KTHT-FM Houston raised $625,000 during a radiothon held December 13 – 14 for pediatric cancer research, patient care and education at Texas Children’s Hospital.

“Giving back to our community means more to everyone at CMG Houston than just about anything else we do. Our on-air talent and behind-the-scenes crew worked 30-plus hours over two days, fighting through fatigue, tears, and pain, to help raise money for pediatric research and care,” said Director of Operations Johnny Chiang. “Today, TCH patients and their families are a little better off because of my team, and there are no words to describe how proud I am of them.”

KLIF-FM Collects $46,000 in Toy Drive

Date Posted: 12/1/2018

Cumuls’ KLIF-FM Dallas morning show host Ed Wallace of the “Wheels with Ed Wallace” raised $46,000 during the 30th annual “KLIF Kids Toy Drive,” held December 1. Bikes, toys and monetary donations from this event benefited Charles Nash Elementary in Fort Worth and the MLK Learning Center in Dallas.

KGSR-FM Awarded 2018 NAB Crystal Radio Award

Date Posted: 11/1/2018

KGSR-FM Austin, Texas was awarded the 2018 National Association of Broadcasters’ (NAB) Crystal Radio Award. Since 1987, the NAB Crystal Radio Awards have recognized radio stations for their outstanding year-round commitment to community service. Among their outstanding public service, KGSR-FM played a big role in relief efforts after Hurricane Harvey hit Texas.

KMKT-FM Raises $50,000 for Law Enforcement

Date Posted: 9/15/2018

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.

CBS Dallas Raises $200,000 to Fight Childhood Cancer

Date Posted: 9/4/2018

CBS-owned KTVT-TV Dallas / Ft. Worth raised $200,000 for Children’s Cancer Fund during a “Tug of War” event held August 11. During the event, teams including the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers competed in a friendly match up of east vs. west. Read more about the day of family fun here.

WFAA-TV Investigative Reporting Earns Murrow Award

Date Posted: 8/28/2018

TEGNA’s ABC affiliate WFAA-TV Dallas earned a Murrow Award for its investigative report, “Criminal Caretakers.” WFAA found that nearly 200 certified nursing aides (CNAs) that are legally certified to work in Texas nursing homes have serious or violent criminal histories. The CNAs have been arrested for crimes including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, continuous violence against family, injury to a child, abandoning a child, aggravated robbery and aggravated sexual contact with a child. State Representative Bill Zedler, together with Health and Human Services, have come up with a solution that would require FBI background checks for all CNAs. Previously, CNAs received a one-time background check through the Texas Department of Public Safety as part of their initial certification.

“[WFAA] performed a very important service,” said State Representative Bill Zedler of the Public Health Committee, “because a lot of times you don’t know you have a problem until someone brings it to your attention.”

KXAS Recovers $1 Million for Consumers

Date Posted: 8/1/2018

NBC-owned KXAS-TV Dallas’ consumer investigative unit, NBC 5 Responds, has recovered more than $1,000,000 for viewers and has responded to more than 16,000 consumer complaints since the unit’s launch in November 2015. NBC 5 Responds answers every consumer email and phone call. Recent cases include:

• Consumer investigator Wayne Carter recently secured $1,700 from an air conditioning service so a family could replace their A/C compressor during the hot summer.
• The NBC 5 Responds team secured a full manufacturer refund after a car dealership refused to fix a recurring gas leak in a new vehicle.
• Consumer investigator Samantha Chatman helped a group of customers recoup $39,900 collectively from a contractor who owed them money.
• The NBC 5 Responds team secured a policy change from an auto company after a viewer was denied a loaner car several times during an airbag recall. The company is now required to make loaner cars more readily available.

KXAN Investigation Uncovers Police Loophole

Date Posted: 4/22/2018

Nexstar’s NBC affiliate KXAN-TV Austin produced a five-part investigative series, “Denied,” on a loophole in Texas law allowing police to withhold crucial information when a person dies in custody. KXAN began investigating after a police department denied KXAN reporters access to video captured during a high-profile in-custody death. KXAN’s series features interviews with families and explores the efforts to close the legal loophole without hindering active police investigations. “Denied” launched April 22 on Facebook and KXAN.com and broadcast on KXAN at 10 p.m. on April 26 and 27.

First Informers: Hurricane Harvey

    View Video
Date Posted: 3/1/2018

In August 2017, Hurricane Harvey struck the Gulf Coast, primarily the Houston area. As Harvey approached, radio and television broadcasters took to the airwaves to warn those in the storm’s path about the oncoming danger. During the storm, local broadcasters provided lifeline support as ’first informers,’ relaying emergency and disaster relief information. And after the skies cleared, radio and TV stations played a critical role in the recovery and rebuilding efforts of their hometown communities.

These feats of courage, dedication and generosity demonstrated by local radio and TV broadcasters are captured in this short film produced by Media Arts Professor Scott Hodgson and his students at the University of Oklahoma, and Chandra Clark, professor of Journalism and Creative Media, and her students at The University of Alabama.

KLLL-FM Raises $97,000 for Lubbock Hospital

Date Posted: 3/1/2018

Alpha Media’s KLLL-FM Lubbock, Tx., raised $97,000 during the “36 Hours of Miracles” radiothon for Children’s Miracle Network, held February 21 - 22. In 20 years, the station has raised $3.9 million. “I am very blessed to have Sean Dillon and Jeff Scott lead our team for a cause in which we are all extremely committed,” said Market Manager Jay Richardson.

Alpha Media North Dallas Gives Back All Year

Date Posted: 12/3/2017

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.

“We are very committed to our community, especially during the holiday season when the need is often the greatest,” said Market Manager David Smith. “This was a fulfilling way to conclude 2017 with much more in the works for 2018!”

KPLX-FM Dallas Collects $230,000 for St. Jude

Date Posted: 12/3/2017

Cumulus’s KPLX-FM Dallas raised $230,477 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital during a series of events, November 30 - December 3. The station raised $215,000 during the annual “99.5 The Wolf’s Hunt for a Cure, Country Cares for St. Jude Kids® Broadcast,” held November 30 - December 1. On-air personalities shared heart-warming stories about the children and families assisted by St. Jude. KPLX raised an additional $15,000 on December 3, when 10 of today’s biggest country artists participated in the annual “10 Man Jam” acoustic guitar event.

Alpha Media Dallas Food Drive Raises $130,000

Date Posted: 11/23/2017

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.

“This kind of outpouring is just the sort of generosity we’ve come to expect in this unique community,” said Alpha Media, North Dallas Market Manager David Smith. “The consistent increase in annual donations is nothing short of amazing. We are always left speechless, humbled and honored to be a part of this iconic event.”

KRIS-TV and Cordillera Launch Relief Effort

Date Posted: 8/31/2017

Cordillera Communications’ NBC affiliate KRIS-TV Corpus Christi matched the first $50,000 raised in the “Give to The Gulf” drive, launched on August 31 for the Coastal Bend Disaster Recovery Group and the American Red Cross of Coastal Bend. The company raised $338,000. KRIS-TV received assistance from Cordillera’s NBC affiliate KVOA-TV Tucson, ABC affiliate KATC-TV Lafayette, La., NBC affiliate WLEX-TV Lexington, Ky., NBC affiliate KOAA Colorado Springs, NBC affiliate KSBY San Luis Obispo, and the company’s Montana Television Network stations. “At KRIS Communications, we care about our communities and strive to serve them every way we can, so we want to help our neighbors recover from this massive disaster,” said President and General Manager Greg McAlister.

KTRK-TV Donates $1 Million for the Red Cross

Date Posted: 8/30/2017

The Walt Disney Company and ABC-owned KTRK-TV Houston pledged $1 million to the Red Cross and matched employee donations.

KPRC and Telemundo Houston Raise $4.2 Million

Date Posted: 8/30/2017

Graham Media Group’s NBC affiliate KPRC-TV and Telemundo Houston raised more than $4.2 million in a fundraiser held August 30-31 for the American Red Cross. Of this total, over $1 million came from individuals calling in pledges and nearly $270,000 came directly from Click2houston.com. Corporations pledged the rest. In addition, a Walmart representative visited the studio to present the Red Cross with $10 million.

iHeartMedia Provides Wall-to-wall Hurricane Coverage

Date Posted: 8/26/2017

iHeartMedia’s KTRH-AM Houston was “one of those stations you simply cannot turn off if you want to know exactly what’s going on in that area and how the local residents are feeling,” wrote Radio Ink. Corpus Christi stations KKTX-AM and KUNO-AM provided wall-to-wall coverage, with KSAB-FM and KMXR-FM, plus WKNN-FM Biloxi, Miss., broadcasting in English and Spanish. All 850 iHeartRadio station websites featured a call to action encouraging donations to the American Red Cross. Austin and San Antonio stations sent a semi-truck full of ice, water and fuel to Houston.

Univison Provides Hurricane Coverage, Relief

Date Posted: 8/26/2017

The Univision Network and Univision Houston broadcast critical storm news around-the-clock and distributed live reports across radio, digital and social properties. They partnered with the Texas Diaper Bank, which provides diapers and wipes to babies, the elderly and disabled, and Catholic Charities, which supports direct assistance, home repair and health care services. Radio hosts deployed a caravan of donations from around the country.

Radio’s Wall-to-Wall Coverage of Hurricane Harvey

Date Posted: 8/26/2017

All Access provided details on wall-to-wall coverage from Houston radio including Cox Media Group’s KGLK-FM, KKBQ-FM, and KTHT-FM; Cumulus’ KBRE-FM; and CBS Radio’s KILT-FM, KHMX-FM and KILT-AM/AM. Univision’s KLTN-FM, KOVE-FM, KAMA-FM and KQBU-FM covered the storm with a simulcast coverage from sister station KXLN-TV. Other radio stations that provided extensive coverage include:

Liberman Broadcasting‘s KJOJ-FM Freeport, Tex. simulcast from KTJM-FM Port Arthur, Tex.
Malkan Interactive‘s KEYS-AM, KZFM-FM and KKBA-FM Corpus Christi
American Family Radio’s KKWV-FM Aransas Pass and KAYK-FM Victoria
Urban One stations, including KMJQ-FM and KBXX-FM Houston
Westwood One News’ Dallas correspondent Alan Scaia did 33 custom live reports for affiliates in Texas and around the country

“In times like these we see the continued importance of radio being live and local to service the needs of listeners,” said Radio One Senior Vice President, Programming Jay Stevens.

ABC-owned KTRK-TV Reporter Helps Deliver Baby

Date Posted: 8/26/2017

ABC-owned KTRK-TV reporter Chauncy Glover assisted a woman in delivering her baby and transported her to Texas Women’s Hospital. KTRK reporter Steven Romo shared his emotional response after reporting live about a 33-year-old mother of two, found dead on a fence.

TEGNA’s CBS affiliate KHOU-TV Houston

Date Posted: 8/26/2017

TEGNA’s CBS affiliate KHOU-TV Houston reporter Brandi Smith stayed onair August 26 after the station was evacuated due to flooding. KHOU set up a makeshift studio on the second floor and continued to broadcast live. Smith and photographer Mario Sandoval remained in the field, transmitting live feeds on their own for about half an hour. Smith and Sandoval also alerted authorities to a trapped semi-truck driver, leading to his rescue. Sister station NBC affiliate KUSA-TV Denver quickly sent reporters to help. “Nothing is more valuable than your life and the lives of your family members, those you love, your friends,” Smith said. “We are doing the things we tell you not to do. We do it so that we can show you how bad the conditions are so you do not attempt them.”

Amarillo Country Radio Fundraises for Rotary Youth

Date Posted: 6/5/2017

Alpha Media’s KGNC-FM Amarillo raised $60,553 for the Amarillo Area Rotary Youth Baseball League in their 24th annual Charity Golf Classic, held June 5. To date, the Charity Golf Classic has raised $908,000.

KHKS Helps Host Prom for Area Students

Date Posted: 5/3/2017

After six tornadoes hit the town of Canton, Texas, the students of Edgewood High School were left without a prom venue. Once a replacement was secured, iHeartMedia’s KHKS-FM Dallas-Ft. Worth assisted with transportation and supplied a photo booth. Big Al and Jenna from “The Kidd and Kraddick Morning Show” emceed the event.

Cox Media Group Texas Recognized for Outstanding Public Service

Date Posted: 5/3/2017

The Texas Association of Broadcasters (TAB) is awarding Cox Media Group with the Bonner McLane Public Service Award for Outstanding Public Service in the Large Market Radio Category. The station cluster (KGLK-FM, KHPT-FM, KKBQ-FM, and KTHT-FM) is being recognized for its 2016 “Care for Kids Radiothon”. The two-day event helped raise $655,329 to benefit the Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston. “I don’t know of another industry that consistently does more for their communities than local broadcasters,” said Cox Media Group Houston Vice President and Market Manager Mark Krieschen.

Texas Stations Raise Over $200,000 for Victims of Severe Weather

Date Posted: 4/30/2017

Alpha Media East Texas partnered with TEGNA’s KYTX-TV and the “Tyler Morning Telegraph” to raise $211,660 for victims of severe storms that ravaged the area in late April. The “Texas Cares” initiative ensured every dollar collected went directly to the local Salvation Army. Alpha Media East Texas Market Manager Cary Camp commented, “We would like to thank all of our listeners who made this disaster relief fund drive a success. Helping those in need in our community is what radio is all about.”

Univision Houston and Arizona Hold Immigration Phone Banks

Date Posted: 2/8/2017

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.

KLTV’s “7 Investigates” Uncovers Critical Issues

Date Posted: 1/24/2017

Raycom’s ABC affiliate KLTV Tyler, Tx. achieves results with its “7 Investigates” initiative. This includes exposing water problems in Tyler and prompting the city to respond; launching an investigation that led to new state and (pending) federal legislation on 911 call with Kari’s Law; and uncovering unethical actions by Judge Joel Baker. “KLTV’s 7 Investigates is constantly working for the people in East Texas,” said a station representative. “Through this initiative, we’ve helped empower citizens with knowledge, and we vigilantly work to make East Texas a better, more transparent place to live.

TEGNA Stations Air In-Depth Investigative Report

Date Posted: 12/30/2016

Local TEGNA stations are focusing on in-depth investigations. Reporter Jeremy Campbell led NBC affiliate WXIA-TV Atlanta on “Charlie Foxtrot,” a five-part series showing that veterans are denied benefits after being less-than-honorably discharged when they should be offered treatment for PTSD. WXIA posted the series online before broadcasting it on Veteran’s Day, and provided it to other stations with tips on localizing the story. WXIA and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chair Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) hosted a viewing and panel discussion on Capitol Hill. WXIA also got 12,000 people to sign a petition urging Congress to pass the Fairness for Veterans bill, requiring the military to consider PTSD or traumatic brain injury in discharge decisions. The bill passed.

Other examples of long-form investigative journalism include Campbell’s four-part series on heroin overdoses in Atlanta’s wealthy suburbs, which generated four million views online in one week. The follow-up on-air special was one of WXIA’s most-watched specials in recent years. Investigative reporter Noah Pransky at CBS affiliate WTSP Tampa wrote a 6,000-word story to accompany his five-minute television story on one PR consultant’s influence on local politics. CBS affiliate KHOU-TV Houston investigated police body cameras. Through an initiative at ABC affiliate WFAA Dallas, citizens join a reporter to conduct interviews to help them better understand journalism.

CBS Radio Dallas Raises a Record $1.26 Million

Date Posted: 12/30/2016

CBS Radio Dallas KLUV-FM, KMVK-FM and KRLD-AM raised a record $1.26 million in the 11th annual “Christmas is for Children” Radiothon, held December 8 - 9 for the Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Hospitals. “The Christmas is for Children Radiothon is one of our biggest fundraisers of the year, and this year exceeded our expectations in every way,” said Children’s Medical Center Foundation President Brent E. Christopher. “We also appreciate the dedicated team of professionals at CBS Radio for their support and passion, highlighted by the extraordinary Jody Dean and El Chiquilin, whose desire to help children included devoting a remarkable 26 hours – each – to hosting the event.”

Univision Houston Celebrates the Holidays

Date Posted: 12/28/2016

Univision Houston distributed 1,500 toys to local families and children at the Univision Houston Fiestas Navideñas at PlazAmericas, held December 4. The event included activities, a visit with Santa, a tamale contest, magicians and music. Univision Houston also helped 50 children in the community through the Salvation Army’s “Angel Tree Program.”

Houston Radio Raises $655,000 for Pediatric Care

Date Posted: 12/2/2016

Cox Media Group’s stations KKBQ-FM, KHPT-FM, KTHT-FM and KGLK-FM Houston raised $655,000 for Texas Children’s Hospital in the 13th annual radiothon, December 1 – 2. Money supports patient care, education, research, a new pediatric tower center and the opening of a community hospital.

Central Texas Radio Stations Help Those in Need During the Holidays

Date Posted: 12/1/2016

Emmis Austin Radio’s seven radio stations supported the local community through the following efforts:

• KLBJ & 99.7FM: This season’s Operation Thank You donation drive on Veteran’s Day raised over $12,000 benefitting the Fisher House Foundation at Fort Hood, which provides no cost lodging services for military families during a loved one’s service-related hospital stay.
• KGSR hosted its sold-out 26 Anniversary Party, benefitting the SIMS Foundation, featuring Band of Horses, Kurt Vile, and Lucy Dacus at ACL Live at the Moody Theater on December 14.
• KLBJ raised over $7,500 to help less fortunate families in Central Texas in its seventh year of the Dudley and Bob with Matt Show’s Breaking and Entering Christmas.
• 101X (101.5FM) celebrated 11 years of partnering with Austin’s Habitat For Humanity chapter with two sold out Emo’s shows this week, featuring hit alternative acts Phantogram , Bishop Briggs, and Local Natives, plus Austin’s own Calliope Musicals.
• BOB-FM is a proud supporter of the Chuy’s Children Giving to Children Parade, along with the rest of its six Emmis Austin Radio sister stations.
• 107.1 La Z and Latino 102.7 conducted their bi-annual Children’s Miracle Network Radiothon, December 9 and 10, raising $165,679 to benefit Dell Children’s Medical Center.

WOAI-AM Raises $243,000

Date Posted: 12/1/2016

iHeartMedia’s WOAI-AM San Antonio hosted a radiothon and silent auction that raised a record-breaking $243,034 in two days to benefit The Elf Louise Christmas Project, a local non-profit organization that purchases and delivers toys during the holiday season for the region’s less fortunate children. Louise Locker, the woman behind the Elf Louise Christmas Project, is in her 48th year of delivering toys and other gifts to needy children in the San Antonio area.

Alpha North Dallas Hosts Get Their Coat-Drive On

Date Posted: 11/4/2016

Alpha Media Dallas collected more than 3,000 coats in fourth annual “Share the Warmth Coat Drive,” held October 3 - November 4. Texas Laundry and Dry Cleaning cleaned the coats in advance of delivery on November 10 to hundreds of families. A special pick-up time was set aside for veterans. “We are proud and thrilled with the continued growth of our Share the Warmth Coat Drive and the number of people we’re now able to help,” said Alpha Media Market Manager David Smith

KXAS-TV Discovers School Bus Scandal

Date Posted: 10/31/2016

NBC-owned KXAS Dallas conducted an investigation into Dallas County Schools bus drivers that led to 13 drivers being fired and 229 suspended. Records obtained by KXAS found more than 480 traffic citations have been issued to school bus drivers since Jan. 1, 2014 for violations such as running red lights. In some cases, bus drivers were caught on camera running past other buses that had their stop arms extended for loading or unloading students. Dallas County Schools had never punished the drivers involved. Instead, the district spent $80,000 of taxpayers’ money to pay the fines.

KIII Hosts Prescription Drug Takeback Day

Date Posted: 10/22/2016

TEGNA’s ABC affiliate KIII Corpus Christi, Tx. hosted prescription Drug Take Back Day on October 22 to help fight the prescription medicine abuse crisis. The station participated in the DEA’s national event, through which people could safely dispose of prescriptions.

Alpha Media San Antonio Raises $131,000 for Thanksgiving Dinner Radiothon

Date Posted: 10/21/2016

Alpha Media San Antonio raised a record $131,000 in the ninth annual “Raul Jimenez Thanksgiving Dinner Radiothon,” held October 21. The Raul Jimenez Thanksgiving Dinner is named for a late local restaurateur who began serving meals to hundreds of people in need 36 years ago. His daughter Patricia Jimenez continues the event, which currently serves Thanksgiving Day meals to 25,000 people. "We’re appreciative of Alpha Media for hosting the radiothon for a ninth straight year and the generosity of the San Antonio community never ceases to amaze us,” Jimenez said.

KOYE Raises Over $92,000 for the Children’s Miracle Network

Date Posted: 10/20/2016

Alpha Media’s KOYE-FM Frankston, Tx. helped raise $92,000 for the Children’s Miracle Network during its fourth annual two-day radiothon. The radiothon was held October 20-21 and all proceeds were donated to local East Texas families needing medical assistance from the Children’s Miracle Network at Trinity Mother Frances hospitals and clinics. “KOYE has a fantastic staff and caring audience. We are proud that our listeners gave from their hearts in such a big way,” remarked KOYE Sales Manager Corinna Ruiz.

Univision Houston Encourages Millennials to Speak Their Mind

Date Posted: 10/18/2016

Univision Houston hosted a ‘Millennial Debate’ on October 18. Democrat, Republican and Independent young voters discussed a range of topics including gun control, immigration and student debt. The debate broadcast exclusively on Facebook Live, reaching more than 100,000 people.

Univision Houston Educates Families on Financial Aid

Date Posted: 10/13/2016

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, ¡Estudia, Hay Dinero! (There’s Money to Study!), which provides information regarding financial aid for higher education.

WFAA Collects 2,000 Books

Date Posted: 9/2/2016

TEGNA’s ABC affiliate WFAA Dallas hosted “Shelly’s Summer Bookworms” from August 19 – September 2, during which they collected and donated over 2,000 books to Children’s Health hospitals. Every Tuesday during the campaign, reporter Shelly Slater focused on reading, shared tips on how to make reading cool for kids and featured adults who are inspiring change within literacy programs.

KRGV Collects Money and Donations for Flood Relief

Date Posted: 8/29/2016

Manship Station’s ABC affiliate KRGV-TV Welasco, Tx. raised $74,000 on August 29 to support American Red Cross flood relief efforts in Louisiana. They also filled two semi-trucks with 150,000 pounds of water, cleaning materials, diapers and other supplies. “This is an awesome display of human kindness, of human graciousness for people they don’t even know [who] are suffering and need help,” said Mary McMinn of the American Red Cross.

KJTV Raises $238,000 in Texas Boys Telethon

Date Posted: 8/20/2016

Ramar Communications’ Fox affiliate KJTV Lubbock, Tx. raises $238,000 in the Texas Boys Ranch telethon on August 20. The telethon included music from West Texas artists and auctions for donated items, including a Kliff Kingsbury-autographed Texas Tech helmet and football, and an LCU basketball signed by the 2016 national championship team.

Dallas Radio and TV Raise $167,000 for ‘Line of Duty’ Fund

Date Posted: 8/13/2016

CBS-owned 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.

Broadcasters Cover Racial Tensions

Date Posted: 8/12/2016

On July 7, a sniper opened fire at a protest in Dallas against police violence, killing five officers and wounding seven others. This shooting came within days of violent incidents in Minneapolis and Baton Rouge. Local broadcasters immediately provided wall-to-wall coverage of the situation and forums for solace and discussion in the weeks that followed.

All Access reported that some journalists used their personal vehicles or Uber to travel to the scene and were not able to leave because the crime scene was still active. “The staff remains committed to serving the people of Dallas-Ft. Worth,” Service Broadcastings’ KKDA-AM Director of Operations George Cook told Inside Radio. “I am very proud of the efforts under pressure demonstrated by the K104 Family and the KRNB Smooth Crew.”

- iHeartMedia Dallas also re-imaged to include “#DallasStrong on digital platforms.
- Cumulus Media’s WBAP and KILF-AM went commercial-free and pulled all contesting, jingles and station imaging. Radio Ink interviewed Program Director Tyler Cox about the station’s approach to coverage.
- CBS Radio’s KRLD-AM Dallas aired a special edition of “Weekend Roundup” entirely devoted to the Dallas shootings and the recent police shootings of black men in Baton Rouge and Minnesota.
- ABC aired "America in Crisis: Ambush in Dallas" and a special edition of "20/20."
- CBS "48 Hours" aired a special, "Bringing A Nation Together."
- According to RBR, “Radio One, Inc. stated that it is deeply saddened and troubled by the recent events in our country. There is no doubt that this is a critical moment in our history.”
- A CBS journalist filed a report while down, almost on his stomach. Another was so close to the site where a bomb detonated early on July 8 that viewers could hear the explosion. “It was a pretty harrowing experience but we got solid coverage,” said CBS Dallas President and General Manager Gary Schneider told Broadcasting & Cable.
- Watch video here from CBS News Dallas correspondent Manuel Bojorquez, who was a short distance away when the gunman opened fire.

Stations Provide Solace Following Shootings

Television Stations that held town hall meetings to address racial tensions include:
- TEGNA’s ABC affiliate WFAA-TV Dallas on July 16. WFAA also raised $716,000 for the fallen officers in a “Stand United” campaign.
- Cox Media Group’s CBS affiliate KIRO-TV Seattle hosted, aired and streamed a one-hour conversation on July 13.
- TEGNA’s ABC affiliate KVUE Austin aired a video on Facebook, getting almost two million views.
- Raycom’s Fox affiliate WXIX Cincinnati aired special reports and programming throughout the day on July 15, including an hour-long special, “Black, White and Blue: A Community Conversation.” Activists, city leaders and former law enforcement officers came to the station to discuss the nation’s toughest questions and how those issues affect Cincinnati.
- Scripps’ ABC affiliate WXYZ-TV aired “Detroit 2020: Unify Detroit” on July 14.
- Raycom’s CBS affiliate WAFB Baton Rouge held a town hall: “Where Do We Go From Here?”
- TEGNA’s CBS affiliate KHOU-TV Houston hosted a town hall, “Courageous Conversation.” It was intended to last an hour and a half, but continued for four hours.
- Manship Station’s ABC affiliate WBRZ Baton Rouge raised $185,000 in the “Unite for Our Heroes Telethon” on July 28 on WBRZ, WBRZ.com, and Facebook Live to benefit the families of the officers and deputies who were killed or injured. “During this tragic time for our community, we were just trying to find a way, like so many others, that we could help,” said Director Jake Manship.
- TEGNA’s NBC affiliate WGRZ-TV Buffalo aired a half hour special and moderated a on July 18.
- ABC-owned KGO-TV San Francisco hosted a two-hour live town hall “A Bay Area Conversation.”
- Hearst’s ABC affiliate WCVB Boston aired “5 On: Race in Boston” July 14.
- TEGNA’s ABC affiliate WZZM-TV Grand Rapids, Mich. used the morning drive to hold a community conversation with a project called “LOVE/Hate.”
- Bounce TV and one of its founders, Martin Luther King III, launched an on-air and online initiative asking the Justice Department to require that local law enforcement be trained in de-escalating incidents with African Americans.
- TEGNA’s CBS affiliate WUSA Washington aired “Race: An Honest Conversation” for viewers to discuss the shootings in Baton Rouge, Minneapolis and Dallas. They used the hashtag #9TalksRace.

Radio Stations that held town halls and fundraisers

- Alpha Media’s KMKT-FM Dallas organized a Stop the Music, Stop the Violence” community conversation at its headquarters on July 8 and a forum on July 15. The program aired on WFXE-FM, WOKS-AM, WKZJ-FM, WIOL-FM and WEAM-FM. “The purpose is to open up the phone lines to have a real conversation with the listeners and the citizens of Columbus, Georgia, to give them an outlet to express any of their feelings as to whether the things happening nationally are impacting them locally,” said Business Manager Geniece Granville.
- Alpha Media’s KXL-FM Portland Ore. personality Lars Lawson held a fundraiser for law enforcement on July 15 to benefit the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. “We are extremely excited about hosting this event and letting Law Enforcement Officers know that there are many people who truly support them and sincerely appreciate the job they do each day,” said Operations Manager Bruce Collins.
- Summit Media’s WBHK-FM Birmingham hosted a “Silence the Violence Rally” on July 14.

KLUV-FM Wins Award for $1 Million Fundraiser

Date Posted: 8/5/2016

CBS Radio’s KLUV-FM Dallas received the Bonner McLane Public Service Award from the Texas Association of Broadcasters in August. The honor recognized KLUV for raising more than $1 million in “Christmas is for Children” Radiothon last December. The radiothon supports Children’s Health, the nation’s seventh largest pediatric children’s hospital system.

Texas Stations Raise Money for Police Fund

Date Posted: 8/4/2016

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.

KHOU-TV Receives Multiple Media Awards

Date Posted: 7/14/2016

Tegna Media’s CBS affiliate KHOU-TV Houston was honored with multiple awards at the annual Lone Star Awards banquet by the Houston Press Club. In 2016, the station took home 14 Lone Star Awards, more than any other media organization in Texas, including television, radio, magazines and public relations. First Place Winning entries for the station included:

• TV Journalist Of The Year: 1st place: Scott Noll
• TV Breaking News: 1st place: Marcelino Benito, Scott McKenney– “Shots Fired Into Crowd At Vigil”
• TV Investigative Series: 1st place: Jeremy Rogalski, Keith Tomshe– “Keeping HPD Honest”
• Internet Collaborative News Reporting: 1st place: KHOU.com – “Fallen Deputy Darren Goforth”

KHOU-TV Receives Multiple Media Awards

Date Posted: 7/14/2016

Tegna Media’s CBS affiliate KHOU-TV Houston was honored with multiple awards at the annual Lone Star Awards banquet by the Houston Press Club. In 2016, the station took home 14 Lone Star Awards, more than any other media organization in Texas, including television, radio, magazines and public relations. First Place Winning entries for the station included:

• TV Journalist Of The Year: 1st place: Scott Noll
• TV Breaking News: 1st place: Marcelino Benito, Scott McKenney– “Shots Fired Into Crowd At Vigil”
• TV Investigative Series: 1st place: Jeremy Rogalski, Keith Tomshe– “Keeping HPD Honest”
• Internet Collaborative News Reporting: 1st place: KHOU.com – “Fallen Deputy Darren Goforth”

Univision Houston Encourages Summer Reading

Date Posted: 7/14/2016

Univision Houston partnered with the Houston Public Library to promote the 2016 Summer Reading Program “Aim for the Stars.” The Summer Reading Program encourages kids and teens to read during the summer months to elevate their reading skills in preparation for the next school year. Univision Houston also promoted the Company’s “Pequeños y Valiosos” campaign, a cross-platform campaign encouraging Hispanic parents to engage in specific actions that will boost early cognitive and social-emotional development among young children ages 0-5.

KPRC-TV Investigates University Sexual Assault Claims Process

Date Posted: 7/7/2016

Graham Media Group’s NBC affiliate KPRC-TV Houston investigated how Baylor University handles allegations of sexual assault after several woman came forward claiming the university failed to properly handle their claims. An Austin attorney representing Baylor informed KPRC the university would not release the records until the Texas Attorney General’s Office ruled on whether those reports were subject to open records law. Many legal experts say that the school is circumventing the law and should be required to release the records.

KRIS-TV Investigates State Highway Standards

Date Posted: 7/7/2016

Cordillera Communications NBC affiliate KRIS-TV Corpus Christi, Tx. investigated a report from the Government Accountability Office that suggested state transportation departments and highway safety device manufacturers aren’t doing enough to ensure what lines the nation’s highways is properly vetted, tested and then, kept track of, once installed. Learn more about the investigation here.

KXXV-TV Serves as Media Sponsor for Nonprofit Golf Event

Date Posted: 7/7/2016

Raycom Media’s KXXV-TV Waco, Tx. served as a media sponsor for the Economic Opportunities Advancement Corporation’s Annual Golf Tournament, which helps transition individuals and families out of poverty. With the station’s assistance, the tournament raised $18,301.99.

Broadcasters Cover Racial Tensions

Date Posted: 7/1/2016

On July 7, a sniper opened fire at a protest in Dallas against police violence, killing five officers and wounding seven others. This shooting came within days of violent incidents in Minneapolis and Baton Rouge. Local broadcasters immediately provided wall-to-wall coverage of the situation and forums for solace and discussion in the weeks that followed.

All Access reported that some journalists used their personal vehicles or Uber to travel to the scene and were not able to leave because the crime scene was still active. “The staff remains committed to serving the people of Dallas-Ft. Worth,” Service Broadcastings’ KKDA-AM Director of Operations George Cook told Inside Radio. “I am very proud of the efforts under pressure demonstrated by the K104 Family and the KRNB Smooth Crew.”

- iHeartMedia Dallas also re-imaged to include “#DallasStrong on digital platforms.
- Cumulus Media’s WBAP and KILF-AM went commercial-free and pulled all contesting, jingles and station imaging. Radio Ink interviewed Program Director Tyler Cox about the station’s approach to coverage.
- CBS Radio’s KRLD-AM Dallas aired a special edition of “Weekend Roundup” entirely devoted to the Dallas shootings and the recent police shootings of black men in Baton Rouge and Minnesota.
- ABC aired "America in Crisis: Ambush in Dallas" and a special edition of "20/20."
- CBS "48 Hours" aired a special, "Bringing A Nation Together."
- According to RBR, “Radio One, Inc. stated that it is deeply saddened and troubled by the recent events in our country. There is no doubt that this is a critical moment in our history.”
- A CBS journalist filed a report while down, almost on his stomach. Another was so close to the site where a bomb detonated early on July 8 that viewers could hear the explosion. “It was a pretty harrowing experience but we got solid coverage,” said CBS Dallas President and General Manager Gary Schneider told Broadcasting & Cable.
- Watch video here from CBS News Dallas correspondent Manuel Bojorquez, who was a short distance away when the gunman opened fire.

Stations Provide Solace Following Shootings

Television Stations that held town hall meetings to address racial tensions include:
- TEGNA’s ABC affiliate WFAA-TV Dallas on July 16. WFAA also raised $716,000 for the fallen officers in a “Stand United” campaign.
- Cox Media Group’s CBS affiliate KIRO-TV Seattle hosted, aired and streamed a one-hour conversation on July 13.
- TEGNA’s ABC affiliate KVUE Austin aired a video on Facebook, getting almost two million views.
- Raycom’s Fox affiliate WXIX Cincinnati aired special reports and programming throughout the day on July 15, including an hour-long special, “Black, White and Blue: A Community Conversation.” Activists, city leaders and former law enforcement officers came to the station to discuss the nation’s toughest questions and how those issues affect Cincinnati.
- Scripps’ ABC affiliate WXYZ-TV aired “Detroit 2020: Unify Detroit” on July 14.
- Raycom’s CBS affiliate WAFB Baton Rouge held a town hall: “Where Do We Go From Here?”
- TEGNA’s CBS affiliate KHOU-TV Houston hosted a town hall, “Courageous Conversation.” It was intended to last an hour and a half, but continued for four hours.
- Manship Station’s ABC affiliate WBRZ Baton Rouge hosted “Unite for Our Heroes Telethon” on July 28 on WBRZ, WBRZ.com, and Facebook Live to benefit the families of the officers and deputies who were killed or injured. “During this tragic time for our community, we were just trying to find a way, like so many others, that we could help,” said Director Jake Manship.
- TEGNA’s NBC affiliate WGRZ-TV Buffalo aired a half hour special and moderated a on July 18.
- ABC-owned KGO-TV San Francisco hosted a two-hour live town hall “A Bay Area Conversation.”
- Hearst’s ABC affiliate WCVB Boston aired “5 On: Race in Boston” July 14.
- TEGNA’s ABC affiliate WZZM-TV Grand Rapids, Mich. used the morning drive to hold a community conversation with a project called “LOVE/Hate.”
- Bounce TV and one of its founders, Martin Luther King III, launched an on-air and online initiative asking the Justice Department to require that local law enforcement be trained in de-escalating incidents with African Americans.
- TEGNA’s CBS affiliate WUSA Washington aired “Race: An Honest Conversation” for viewers to discuss the shootings in Baton Rouge, Minneapolis and Dallas. They used the hashtag #9TalksRace.

Radio Stations that held town halls and fundraisers

- Alpha Media’s KMKT-FM Dallas organized a Stop the Music, Stop the Violence” community conversation at its headquarters on July 8 and a forum on July 15. The program aired on WFXE-FM, WOKS-AM, WKZJ-FM, WIOL-FM and WEAM-FM. “The purpose is to open up the phone lines to have a real conversation with the listeners and the citizens of Columbus, Georgia, to give them an outlet to express any of their feelings as to whether the things happening nationally are impacting them locally,” said Business Manager Geniece Granville.
- Alpha Media’s KXL-FM Portland Ore. personality Lars Lawson held a fundraiser for law enforcement on July 15 to benefit the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. “We are extremely excited about hosting this event and letting Law Enforcement Officers know that there are many people who truly support them and sincerely appreciate the job they do each day,” said Operations Manager Bruce Collins.
- Summit Media’s WBHK-FM Birmingham hosted a “Silence the Violence Rally” on July 14.

Alpha Media, Amarillo Supports Boots vs. Badges Blood Drive

Date Posted: 6/24/2016

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.

KHOU Raises $52,000 for Flood Relief

Date Posted: 6/7/2016

TEGNA’s CBS affiliate KHOU-TV Houston raised $52,000 for American Red Cross flood relief in a telethon held June 7 to support the hundreds of families who were displaced by recent flooding.

KXAS Investigates Dangerous Bridge Posts

Date Posted: 5/23/2016

NBC-owned KXAS-TV Dallas aired “NBC 5 Investigates: TxDOT Failing to Protect Drivers from Concrete Bridge Posts on Freeways” on May 23. Reporter Scott Friedman and the investigative team discovered the Texas Department of Transportation is failing to protect drivers from some concrete bridge posts that sit dangerously close to the edge of freeways. Friedman found that deaths have occurred in some spots where posts were less than five feet from the roadway with no protective barrier or guardrail installed.

KOSA Telethon Raises $1.1 Million

Date Posted: 5/19/2016

Gray’s CBS affiliate KOSA-TV Odessa, TX raised $1.1 million in a telethon held April 23-24 for the Permian Basin Rehabilitation Center. The Center provides a variety of multidisciplinary services to children and adults in the community.

Tens of Thousands Celebrate the 36th Annual ‘Festival de Mayo’ Along with Univision Houston

Date Posted: 5/12/2016

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 “Vota Por Tu America” campaign and helped people register to vote. News Anchors from Noticias Univision 45 and Univision Radio personalities interacted with community members. Over 50,000 people attended.

KPRC Houston Investigates City Corruption

Date Posted: 5/12/2016

Graham Media Group’s KPRC-TV Houston exposed a consumer scam involving a businessman with ties to Mayor Sylvester Turner. The City Council awarded Ricardo Gonzalez’s company, USA Auto Collision Center, a contract to tow vehicles involved in accidents. The city allows companies to charge $155.50 per tow, but Gonzalez charges $3,000. Gonzalez, who donated $10,000 to the Mayor’s campaign, allegedly has customers unknowingly consent to additional charges, in a scam commonly referred to as flipping.

Univision Breaks Ground on Media Centers at Middle Schools

Date Posted: 4/29/2016

Univision Communications Inc. (UCI) broke ground on April 29 at five new Univision Media Centers at middle schools in Austin, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles and Oakland. All five ceremonies broadcast live on Univision’s morning show “Despierta América” and marked the culmination of Yo Soy Univision Contigo (I Am Univision Contigo), the national employee week of service. At the Media Centers, Univision staff members provide students with experience in media production and editing. Univision broke ground on its first Media Center in the Bronx earlier this year.

Houston Stations Provide Critical Weather Updates

Date Posted: 4/21/2016

Cox Media Group Houston aired 42 hours of extensive coverage of a devastating flood that ripped through the area in April. Continuous weather, traffic and closings information helped keep local residents safe and in-the-know. Following the flood, the stations aired information regarding clean-up efforts.

KXAN Austin Investigates Racial Profiling

Date Posted: 4/12/2016

Media General’s NBC affiliate KXAN-TV Austin reporter Brian Collister’s investigation, titled "Racial Profiling Whitewash,” looked into Texas state troopers traffic tickets. When Collister reviewed 16 million traffic citations issued by Texas state troopers in a five-year period, he uncovered that state troopers routinely ticketed Hispanic drivers, but reported to the state that the drivers were white to avoid accusations of racial profiling. The investigation began in response to the Sandra Bland case. Bland, a black woman, was pulled over for a routine traffic stop that ended in a violent confrontation and her arrest. Police found her hanged to death in her jail cell three days later.

KTRK Reporter Saves Man From Flooded Car

Date Posted: 4/12/2016

Broadcast television stations that shared video of their reports on the Houston floods with TVNewsCheck included TEGNA’s CBS affiliate KHOU-TV, Fox-owned KRIV, ABC-owned KTRK-TV, and Graham Media Group’s NBC affiliate KPRC-TV. KTRK Houston reporter Steve Campion helped a man to safety during the floods that submerged much of the Houston area on April 18. Campion was about to go live on-air when he noticed a car slowly sinking into nearby and a man crawling out of the door. He helped the man to safety seconds before the car became fully submerged. View video of the rescue.

Radio Serves Houston During Floods

Date Posted: 4/12/2016

Local radio stations aired in-depth coverage and supported the Red Cross as 240 billion gallons of rain flooded Houston on April 18. Six people died in their cars and 1,200 people required rescuing. All Access reports that these stations included CBS Radio Houston, iHeartMedia’s KQBT-FM, Cumulus’ KRBE-FM and Cox Media’s KKBQ-FM and KGLK-FM. "We’ve been in ’taking care of our listeners’ mode for the last two mornings, and our team is meeting throughout the day today to plan a longer-term response to serve Houston as the city recovers," said Ty McFarland of independently-owned KSBJ-FM.

KPRC Raises $670,000 for Flood Relief

Date Posted: 4/12/2016

Graham Media Group’s NBC affiliate KPRC-TV Houston extensively covered the historic flooding that hit the Houston metro area on April 18. In addition to the live broadcast, the station utilized Facebook Live, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and its website to get critical information to viewers on mandatory evacuations, traffic, property damage, relief efforts and casualties. KPRC also raised $670,000 during a phone bank for the American Red Cross hosted inside the station’s studios on April 19 – 20. KPRC partnered with Kroger grocery stores to continue accepting donations for the Red Cross. "It is our pleasure and our privilege to serve our community," said Promotions Director Mariah Gardner.

KRGV’s Heart of the Valley Addresses Diabetes Epidemic

Date Posted: 4/9/2016

Manship Station’s ABC affiliate KRGV-TV Weslaco, Tx. dedicated its full resources to address the impact of diabetes during its two-week "Heart of the Valley" initiative, which aired from March 28 - April 10. KRGV aired 23 stories at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., examining the roots of the diabetes epidemic and how to address it. All reports also aired in Spanish and are available online in both languages. KRGV hosted 10 hour-long Facebook Livestream sessions with a local doctor or expert addressing different aspects of diabetes and answering questions. The Facebook sessions reached 56,000 people and generated 1,000 comments, 2,300 reactions and 300 shares. During the two-week initiative, 6,500 free diabetes screenings were completed. Viewers shared that "the stories empowered them to speak out for their own health and realize they aren’t alone in battling the disease," said General Manager John Kittleman. "We are proud of the effort."

Univision Houston Celebrates Area Children

Date Posted: 4/7/2016

Univision Houston participated in the 28th Annual McDonald’s Houston Children’s Festival. As one of Houston’s signature events to educate the public about child abuse and the mission of child advocates, the festival welcomed over 50,000 people. Univision Houston engaged with families about Univision Contigo campaigns “Vota por Tu America” and “Pequeños y Valiosos” to empower families in the community.

CBS Dallas Raises $265,000 to Wipe Out Kids Cancer

Date Posted: 4/5/2016

CBS-owned KTVT and KTXA raised $265,000 for Wipe Out Kids’ Cancer (WOKC) during a telethon held April 12. During the broadcast, the stations aired special segments on the research funded by WOKC and introducing viewers to some of WOKC’s Ambassador Families who are battling childhood cancer.

Townsquare Media Raises $1.4 Million for St. Jude

Date Posted: 4/4/2016

Townsquare Media, Inc. raised $1.4 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital during the group’s third national Country Cares radiothon, March 3-4. Townsquare stations in 16 markets, including Albany, NY; Owensboro, Kentucky; Lafayette, Louisiana; and Tyler, Texas, participated to help St. Jude continue their life saving treatments. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food.

KRBE-FM Partners with NCAA

Date Posted: 4/3/2016

Cumulus Media’s KRBE-FM Houston was the official radio partner for the “NCAA Final Four Dribble Fueled by Powerade.” On April 3, the station held a contest to choose the “Honorary Dribbler,” who would help lead more than 3,500 kids as they dribbled basketballs from Houston’s City Hall to the George R. Brown Convention Center to help kick off the NCAA Final Four Championship activities and game.

KBMT Raises $250,000 For Texas Flood Relief

Date Posted: 4/3/2016

TEGNA’s ABC affiliate KBMT Beaumont, Tx. led a state-wide donation drive on March 24 to support the American Red Cross flood relief efforts. TEGNA stations across Texas raised $250,000 during the “SETX Flood Relief: 12 Hours of Giving.”

KTAL-TV Texarkana Nets $25,000 for Flooding

Date Posted: 4/2/2016

Nexstar’s NBC affiliate KTAL-TV Texarkana, TX raised $25,000 on March 18 in the ’6 Hours of Caring’ telethon to support flood relief efforts. Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards joined the telethon to praise the community for pulling together.

KRYS-FM Corpus Christi Raises $51,000 for Children’s Hospital

Date Posted: 3/4/2016

iHeartMedia’s KRYS-FM Corpus Christi, TX raised $51,000 for Driscoll Children’s Hospital in a radiothon on March 4. Morning show hosts Big Frank and CoCo broadcast live for 12 hours, with patients, parents, physicians and staff sharing their stories. In 14 years, the event has raised $818,500.

Univision El Paso Hosts ‘FAFSA Nights’ at Local High School

Date Posted: 3/3/2016

Univision El Paso and the El Paso Chamber of Commerce hosted FAFSA fairs at local high schools. Many families are not aware that $150 billion in federal funds is available yearly for higher education, so a lot of money goes unused. FAFSA fairs were attended by 2,370 students and 2,254 parents. More than 3,000 FAFSA applications were submitted.

Univision Houston Promotes Civic Engagement

Date Posted: 3/2/2016

Univision Houston launched the Bilingual Text Messaging Tool to provide tips and timely updates on national and state level elections. Since February, 1,044 people have subscribed to the tool. The initiative is part of Univision Contigo’s voter engagement campaign, “Vote For Your America.”
In addition, Univision Houston partnered with the National Association of Latino of Elected Officials (NALEO), Neighborhood Centers, Inc. and the City of Houston on a Citizenship and Immigration Forum on March 12. Out of the 161 attendees, 43 received assistance with their citizenship applications.

WFAA Raises $400,000 for Tornado Relief

Date Posted: 2/16/2016

Tegna’s ABC affiliate WFAA Dallas raised $400,000 for American Red Cross disaster relief efforts. The Dec. 26 tornado outbreak was deemed the deadliest outbreak to hit Dallas in 65 years, killing 13 people and destroying hundreds of homes. WFAA held a phone bank on Dec. 28, set up online donations and partnered with a local grocery store, Tom Thumb, for in-store donations.

KTAB Raises $1.3 Million for Rehab

Date Posted: 2/16/2016

Nexstar Broadcasting’s CBS affiliate KTAB-TV Abilene, Texas, raised $1.3 million on Jan. 16 during the West Texas Rehabilitation Telethon. Since the event’s inception, KTAB has raised $40 million for the rehab center. This year’s telethon included a silent auction, musical performances and a variety of activities.

Cumulus Dallas Radiothons Net $1.2 Million in 2015

Date Posted: 2/16/2016

Cumulus Media Dallas - KPLX-FM, KSCS-FM, WBAP-AM, KLIF-FM, KTCK-AM and KESN-FM - raised $1.2 million for charities in 2015. They raised $205,449 for Cook Children’s Hospital, $303,157 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and $500,400 for Austin Street Center. Additionally, they provided lifeline tornado coverage on Christmas Day and worked with the Red Cross on disaster relief. Other events supported the National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation, Special Olympics Texas, Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD), Charles E. Nash Elementary School’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Learning Center and the Denton State Supported Living Center.

KYTX Named Station of the Year

Date Posted: 2/16/2016

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 video.

Univision Houston Celebrates Career and Education Day

Date Posted: 2/15/2016

Univision-owned KXLN-TV Houston partnered with the Houston Hispanic Forum on February 13 for the 30th Annual Career and Education Day. Approximately 15,000 students and parents attended the event, which featured information on attending college, careers, financial aid assistance and scholarships.

Houston Stations Co-Host Mayoral Debate

Date Posted: 1/14/2016

Univision’s KXLN and ABC’s KTRK-TV Houston co-hosted a mayoral runoff debate featuring candidates Bill King and Sylvester Turner on December 2. KTRK-TV broadcast the event live, and KXLN aired it at 10 p.m. that evening. It also streamed live. Watch the full debate.

CBS Radio Packs 9,250 Meals

Date Posted: 1/14/2016

Team members at CBS Radio Dallas’ KJKK-FM, KLUV-FM, KMVK-FM, KRLD-FM, KRLD-AM and KVIL-FM donated their time to pack 9,250 meals in the North Texas Food Bank warehouse on December 9.

CBS Dallas Raises $61,000 for Tornado Relief

Date Posted: 1/14/2016

CBS Dallas’ KTVT-TV and CBS-owned radio stations in Dallas raised $61,000 on December 28 to support the Salvation Army’s relief efforts, following tornadoes that devastated the area. During the tornado, CBS stations provided their viewers and listeners with this crucial life-line weather coverage.

WFAA-TV Raises $68,000 for Tornado Relief

Date Posted: 1/14/2016

Tegna’s ABC affiliate WFAA-TV Dallas raised more than $68,000 for the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund in less than three hours in a telethon held December 28. The money supports disaster relief efforts following a string of tornadoes on December 26 that killed 11 people and destroyed hundreds of homes. It was the deadliest tornado outbreak to hit North Texas in more than 65 years.

KPLX Raises $303,000 for St. Jude

Date Posted: 1/14/2016

Cumulus’ KPLX-FM Dallas raised $303,157 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital during a radiothon held December 3-4.

KASE-FM Austin Raises $231,000 for St. Jude

Date Posted: 1/14/2016

iHeartMedia’s KASE-FM Austin raised $231,000 in its "St. Jude Country Cares Radiothon," held on December 3-4.

CBS Dallas Raises $1 Million for Hospital

Date Posted: 1/14/2016

CBS Radio Dallas - KLUV-FM, KMVK-FM and KRLD-AM - raised $1 million for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals in a radiothon held December 10-11. "CBS Radio DFW is one of the strongest supporters in our quest to be by the side of parents across North Texas," said Children’s Health President and CEO Christopher J. Durovich.

WOAI-AM Raises $277,000 for Holiday Gifts

Date Posted: 1/14/2016

iHeartMedia’s WOAI-AM San Antonio raised $277,000 in the "WOAI Elf Louise Radiothon," held December 5-6. The Elf Louise Christmas Project is an all-volunteer organization that gave gifts to more than 19,000 local kids.

KKHH-FM Helps Teachers Buy Supplies

Date Posted: 1/14/2016

CBS Radio’s KKHH-FM Houston and Gulf Coast Educators Federal Credit Union (GCEFCU) surprised elementary school teacher Rafael Carballo with $500 for school supplies on November 19. KKHH morning show host Sarah Pepper launched the "Sarah Pepper Cares" initiative so local students can nominate teachers each month.

Univision Holds Education, Business Forums

Date Posted: 1/14/2016

Univision’s KXLN-TV Houston, the University of Houston-Downtown and the ACT presented "Parent Academy," a free education workshop on November 14 attended by 100 people. Topics included college admission, financial aid and the importance of broadband access to education. KXLN also hosted a financial town hall, "Pequeños Negocios, Grandes Ideas" (Small Business, Big Ideas), on November 5. The forum, attended by 250 people, was designed to foster the growth of Hispanic-owned small businesses.

KOYE-FM Tyler, Tx. Raises $100,000

Date Posted: 1/14/2016

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.

KSCS-FM Dallas Raises $205,000

Date Posted: 1/14/2016

Cumulus Media’s KSCS-FM Dallas raised more than $205,000 for Cook Children’s Hospital in a radiothon on Oct. 7. According to Radio Ink, KSCS raised $121,322 last year. The money will help fund daily operations, including patient care and equipment maintenance. (View photos).

KHOU Houston Investigations Exposes City Housing Troubles

Date Posted: 1/14/2016

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. (Watch video via TVNewsCheck).

Alpha Media Raises $114K for Thanksgiving

Date Posted: 1/14/2016

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.

KCBD Collects Food and Funds for Area Counties

Date Posted: 12/10/2015

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.

Broadcasters Across the Country Host and Air Debates, Critical Election Coverage

Date Posted: 11/5/2015

Tegna’s CBS affiliate KHOU-TV Houston sponsored and aired an hour-long debate on Oct. 17 with seven of the 13 candidates for mayor (watch video).
Tegna’s NBC affiliate KUSA-TV Denver used its Video Call Center system for a post-GOP debate show on Oct. 28. The system allows viewers to be seen on-air as they interact with hosts. KUSA also used the platform when covering the 2015 NFL preseason.

WFAA-TV Raises Funds and Awareness for Communities Foundation of Texas

Date Posted: 10/14/2015

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.

KXAS Awarded for Story on Veterans

Date Posted: 9/3/2015

NBC owned-and-operated KXAS-TV Ft. Worth and The Dallas Morning News won the 2015 Gannett Foundation Al Neuharth Award for Investigative Journalism, recognizing the creative use of digital tools. Their entry, “Injured Heroes, Broken Promises,” investigated the Army’s "Warrior Transition Units.” The units should help service members with physical and psychological wounds adjust to civilian life, but the journalists found allegations of harassment in documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. After seeing the reports, U.S. Senator John Cornyn wrote a letter to the Secretary of the Army, calling the issues raised by the series "highly disturbing." Within nine days, the Army ordered training to address the matter.

Texas Broadcasters Document Public Service

Date Posted: 9/3/2015

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 this video, produced by NBC owned-and-operated KXAS-TV Dallas, highlighting local broadcasters’ role in providing lifeline emergency information.

KRGV Raises $327K for ’Teach the Children’

Date Posted: 9/3/2015

Manship Station’s ABC affiliate KRGV-TV Welasco, Texas raised more than $327,000 during its 32nd annual "Teach the Children" telethon on July 26. "Teach the Children" raises funds for school supplies and clothing for economically disadvantaged children entering the first grade. In KRGV-TV’s neighborhood, more than 85 percent of children qualify for this type of programs.

Houston’s ABC and Univision Stations to Live Stream Mayoral Debate

Date Posted: 9/3/2015

Univision Communication’s owned-and-operated KXLN-TV and ABC owned-and-operated KTRK-TV Houston will co-host the Houston Mayoral Debate on Sept. 10, and will live stream the event exclusively on the KTRK and KXLN websites. Univision will also include a simultaneous Spanish-language translation. ABC-13 will telecast the debate that same night at 10:35 p.m. Viewers are encouraged to submit questions in English or Spanish on Twitter using #HOUSTONVOTE. The mayoral candidates include Chris Bell, Stephen Costello, Adrian Garcia, Ben Hall, Bill King, Marty McVey and Sylvester Turner. KTRK aired this profile of Chris Bell in advance of the debate. “We are thrilled with our partnership with ABC-13. By co-hosting this mayoral forum, we are providing a great service to our community. The top mayoral candidates will have an opportunity to convey their respective visions and plans for the city of Houston,” said David Loving, general manager of Univision Houston Local Media.

RTDNA Announces Winners of the 2015 Personal Finance Reporting Awards

Date Posted: 9/3/2015

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."

Dallas Reporter Wins 2nd Murrow Award

Date Posted: 8/3/2015

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.

KSAT San Antonio Covers Storm, Raises $10K

Date Posted: 7/17/2015

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 here for a sample of KSAT’s coverage.

TV Raises $43,000 for Texas Tornado Relief

Date Posted: 7/17/2015

TEGNA Media’s ABC affiliate WFAA-TV Dallas led TEGNA stations in Texas in raising nearly $43,000 for the American Red Cross and Van Community Ministries for tornado relief in Van, TX. On May 10, 145 miles per hour winds killed two people, injured dozens and damaged 100 homes. WFAA launched the #LetsHelpVan campaign in six hours, distributing promo spots, social media materials and donation information to the participating TEGNA stations: ABC affiliates KVUE-TV Austin, KIII-TV Corpus Christi and KBMT-TV Beaumont; CBS affiliates KHOU-TV Houston, KENS-TV San Antonio, and KYTX-TV Nacogdoches; NBC affiliate KCEN-TV Temple; and Fox affiliate KXVA-TV Abilene.

Radio and TV Aid Texas Tornado Vicitms

Date Posted: 6/4/2015

Gannett Broadcasting’s CBS affiliate KYTX-TV Tyler, TX partnered with Alpha Media’s four-station cluster in Tyler to help the victims of a tornado in Van, TX on May 10 that killed two people and injured dozens more. The stations become a dropoff point for food, clothing and cash donations. During power outages, local residents had relied heavily on radio for news and information about the storm. After the tornado passed, Alpha Media stations aired information about the dropoff points and told listeners: "We are asking you once again to help our fellow neighbors."

KLTV-TV Story Leads to New Law in Texas

Date Posted: 6/4/2015

Raycom Media’s ABC affiliate KLTV-TV Tyler, TX aired investigative stories on the murder of Kari Hunt, a mother of two, who was killed by her estranged husband in a hotel room. Hunt’s children witnessed the crime, while one tried unsuccessfully to dial 9-1-1, not knowing she had to dial 9 first to get an outside line. KLTV-TV’s story helped bring this to the attention of State Senator Kevin Eltife, who sponsored a bill requiring direct access to 9-1-1 from certain telephone systems. Representative Chris Paddie introduced Texas Statehouse SB 788 (aka Kari’s Law) in the House. It is now ready for the Governor’s signature. Other states are now working on passing this law or variations. Read more here.

Houston Station Awards High School Seniors

Date Posted: 6/4/2015

Univision owned-and-operated WLTV-TV Miami honored 10 local high school seniors with its "Orgullo de Nuestra Juventud" (Pride of our Youth) award and college scholarships on May 1. Six students were recognized for academic excellence and community service, while four received awards for academic growth in spite of significant personal setbacks.

Houston Station Awards High School Seniors

Date Posted: 6/4/2015

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.

NAB Education Foundation Announces iHeartMedia San Antonio as NABEF’s Special President Award

Date Posted: 4/7/2015

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.”
The NABEF President’s Special Award recognizes historic and extraordinary achievement by a broadcaster.This year’s recipient was iHeartMedia, San Antonio, Texas.
iHeartMedia Show Your Stripes is a long-term effort to help guide veterans back into civilian life by highlighting their valuable training and experience. Since the program’s launch, iHeartMedia has invested over $150 million in radio, digital and out-of-home resources to highlight the skills brought back by returning service men and women and their value to employers. Show Your Stripes is the largest public service campaign in the company’s history. The campaign spans iHeartMedia’s 858 owned radio stations across 150 markets, with each station addressing unemployment needs that are specific to each individual community. In addition to nationally produced spots, local radio stations produce PSAs that reflect their community. In July 2014, the company launched a 30-minute long form public affairs show. Local stations also explored opportunities to promote and participate in regional veteran-focused career fairs.

Competitors Help Station After Plane Crash

Date Posted: 3/13/2015

Raycom Media’s NBC affiliate KCBD-TV Lubbock, Texas, was knocked off the air after a plane flew into a radio tower, killing the pilot. Nearby radio stations pitched in to ensure that KCBD-TV was back on-air within 12 hours.

Univision Events on Immigration, Education

Date Posted: 3/13/2015

Univision Houston hosted a Citizenship and Immigration Forum on Jan. 24 to provide resources related to pursuing U.S. citizenship. The event, which 300 people attended, featured informational sessions, free attorney consultations and access to service providers. Univision Houston’s Career and Education Day on Feb. 14 provided students and parents informatiosn on college access, careers, financial aid and scholarships. The event complemented a national campaign, ¡Estudia, Hay Dinero! (There’s Money to Study!), that ran on 67 radio stations, 61 television stations and social media. It included PSAs featuring First Lady Michelle Obama, a $1,000 scholarship sweepstakes, a text-message hotline, workshops on the federal student loan program, and digital resources.

KTRH/KPRC Host Recognized by Fisher House

Date Posted: 2/15/2015

iHeartMedia owned KTRH-AM and NBC Affiliate KPRC-TV Houston, Tex. host Matt Patrick was recognized for his efforts in his annual Radiothon for Fisher House. Fisher House Manager Frank Kelley presented the awards for his service to Patrick. The talk show host’s Radiothon held on Veteran’s Day weekend raised $40,000.

KRGV-TV’s “Tim’s Coats” Event Celebrates 30th Anniversary

Date Posted: 2/15/2015

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.

KLUV and KRLD’s “Christmas is for Children” raises $1 million

Date Posted: 2/9/2015

CBS Radio’s KLUV-FM and KRLD-FM Dallas raised more than $1 million for the Children’s Medical Center which is, the seventh-largest pediatric hospital in the country. Twenty patients and families shared their stories on air to share their stories. “CBS Radio DFW has become a very strong ally with us in being by the side of parents across North Texas. We are extremely grateful,” said Christopher J. Durovich, president and CEO of Children’s Health.

Univision Houston and the Salvation Army Partner to Help the Community for the Holidays

Date Posted: 1/20/2015

During the holiday season, Univision Communications Inc. (UCI) Houston, Tex. worked with the Salvation Army to help 50 underprivileged children the Greater Houston region through the Salvation Army’s “Operation Angel Tree” program. The program collected and distributed toys during the holiday season.

Univision Houston Promotes Family Health

Date Posted: 1/20/2015

Univision Communications Inc. (UCI) Houston, Tex. hosted Copa Univision, a soccer tournament to promote family health. On Dec. 6-7, 72 teams participated this year in soccer matches at the Houston Sports Park. Over 3,000 people attended the tournament and enjoyed music and entertainment. KXLN-TV news anchors signed autographs. In addition, Univision Radio stations including KLTN-FM, KOVE-FM, KAMA-FM,and KQBU-FM provided free giveaways to participants.

WBAP-AM Aids Supported Living Center

Date Posted: 1/13/2015

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.

Emmis Austin Serves Families and Troops

Date Posted: 1/13/2015

Emmis Communications’ Austin, Texas stations KLBJ-AM/FM, KBPA-FM, KLZT-FM and KGSR-FM participated in Chuy’s Parade, which collected thousands of toys. KLBJ-AM’s "Operation Thank You" raised $19,000 for the Texas National Guard Family Support Foundation, which assists families with a household member deployed during the holidays. KLZT-FM raised $146,000 for Dell Children’s Medical Center during and also helped distribute more than 1,000 Thanksgiving meals through El Buen Samaritano’s "Hands for Hope" mission.

San Antonio Listeners Wrap 5,000 Gifts

Date Posted: 1/13/2015

Alpha Media’s KTSA-AM San Antonio hosted its 16th annual Wrappin With Jack campaign. During the event, 700 volunteers wrapped over 5,000 gifts that had been donated to benefit the Family Service Association of San Antonio. Host Jack Riccardi wanted to ensure that no child was told that Santa couldn’t come this year because the family is going through tough times.

San Antonio Listeners Wrap 5,000 Gifts

Date Posted: 12/4/2014

Alpha Media’s KTSA-AM San Antonio, Texas, and its five sister stations raised $128,000 during the 7th annual Raul Jimenez Thanksgiving Dinner Radiothon to support San Antonio’s A Feast of the Heart. The program started 35 years ago, when late restaurant owner Raul Jimenez served free Thanksgiving dinners to more than 200 needy people. This year, the event served more than 25,000 people. "We associate our stations with so many wonderful organizations, but this one is one of the most genuine," said Operations Manager Greg Martin.

Univision Hosts Its Fourth Annual Education Week

Date Posted: 12/4/2014

Univision’s Education Week 2014, held Oct. 4 - 11 across its 128 radio and TV stations and its multimedia platforms, included on-air segments; phone banks that answered more than 3,000 questions from viewers; and online college fairs. More than 2,000 viewers attended a free education fair in San Antonio on Oct. 4, which included exhibits and sessions on scholarships, financial aid, career planning and bilingual education. WLTV Miami’s Education Week events included "Camino a la Universidad," a workshop that educated 11th grade students and their parents on the steps needed for a college education; its 13th annual "Club de Libros 23," a Parent Academy with sessions on enrollment, financial aid and scholarships; and phone banks for questions on education.

CBS Television Commits Air Time for Political Debates

Date Posted: 11/20/2014

CBS Television owned-and-operated stations produced and aired debates across the country:

Salem Radio Stations Hold Get Out the Vote Rallies

Date Posted: 11/20/2014

Salem Communications hosted listener rallies in Dallas, Los Angeles and Chicago to encourage voters to cast their ballots. The rallies were hosted by KSKY-AM Dallas on Oct. 18; KRLA-AM Glendale, Calif. on Oct. 19 (Townhall 2014); and WIND-AM Elk Grove Village, Ill., on Oct. 24-25.

Radio and Television Stations in Texas Air Debates in English and Spanish

Date Posted: 11/20/2014

On Oct. 24, Univision owned-and-operated KUVN-TV Dallas aired and streamed a debate between U.S. Senate candidates John Cornyn and Democratic challenger David Alameel. The debate broadcast in both English and Spanish. On Sept. 30, North Texas Public Broadcasting’s KERA-FM and PBS affiliate KERA-TV Dallas hosted, aired and streamed a one-hour live debate with candidates for Texas Governor, Attorney General Greg Abbott and state Senator Wendy Davis. Co-producers of this debate, which re-aired on KERA-TV on Oct. 1 and Oct. 5 and on KERA-FM on Oct. 3, include NBC owned-and-operated KXAS-TV Dallas and Telemundo owned-and-operated KXTX-TV. The Texas Association of Broadcasters provided translation and closed-captioning services, and funded satellite distribution to radio and television stations statewide.

Univision Celebrates Get-Out-the-Vote Initiative

Date Posted: 11/20/2014

Univision owned-and-operated KXLN-TV Houston celebrated National Voter Registration Day on Sept. 23 as part of Univision Contigo. Univision Contigo’s voter registration initiative helped register more than 60,000 voters nationwide this election season.

Gannett’s Election Coverage Spans Broadcast, Online Platforms

Date Posted: 11/20/2014

Gannett Broadcasting sponsored, hosted and aired 50 political debates nationwide, in addition to producing special news programs during the 2014 election season.

• Gannett Broadcasting stations produced, aired and streamed over 50 debates across the country. Participating stations included CBS affiliate WMAZ-TV Macon, Ga., which hosted two debates between Georgia’s candidates for U.S. Senate and one debate featuring candidates for Georgia governor.


• Gannett Broadcasting stations that produced exclusive online candidate interviews and aired special programming featuring political analysis and information on key issues included Gannett’s NBC affiliate KARE Minneapolis, NBC affiliate WKYC-TV Cleveland and ABC affiliate WFAA-TV Dallas.


• NBC affiliate KUSA-TV Denver’s "Balance of Power" program featured political analysis on critical issues and information on local and statewide candidates. "Balance of Power" aired monthly beginning in May and twice in October.

Telemundo Hosts Spanish-Language Gubernatorial Debates in Several States

Date Posted: 10/2/2014

Telemundo is hosting a series of Spanish-language debates in September and October leading up to gubernatorial elections in several states. "We believe it is fundamentally important for our Spanish-language viewers and the Hispanic communities we serve across the country to be actively involved in the discussions that are taking place this election season," said Telemundo Station Group President Manuel Martinez. The debate series and other initiatives on Telemundo-owned stations include:

• California, September 4: KVEA Burbank, PBS affiliate KQED San Francisco and the Los Angeles Times hosted a debate between incumbent Gov. Jerry Brown and challenger Neel Kashkari, which also aired on KNSO Fresno, KSTS San Jose and KUNA Palm Springs.


• Texas, September 19: KTLM and CBS affiliate KGBT produced a debate between Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott and state Sen. Wendy Davis, which KTMD Houston and KVDA San Antonio also televised. Dallas stations KXTX, KERA and NBC affiliate KXAS co-hosted an Abbott and Davis debate on September 30.


• Florida, October 10: WSCV Miami is hosting a Spanish-language debate between Gov. Rick Scott and former Gov. Charlie Crist.


• Enfoque, a public affairs program: Airs on stations in Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, Chicago, San Jose, Phoenix and Tucson and provides in-depth analysis of relevant local, regional and statewide topics.

Texas Stations to Hold Gubernatorial Debate September 19

Date Posted: 9/8/2014

Sinclair-owned CBS affiliate KGBT-TV Harlingen, Texas, and Sunbelt Communications’ Telemundo affiliate KTLM-TV McAllen, Texas, announced the stations have partnered with The Monitor to host the first gubernatorial debate for candidates Attorney General Greg Abbott and Senator Wendy Davis who are running in the statewide election. The debate will broadcast live from 6-7 p.m. on Sinclair stations across the state, including NBC affiliate WOAI-TV San Antonio, FOX affiliate KABB-TV San Antonio, CBS affiliate KEYE-TV Austin, CBS affiliate KFDM-TV Beaumont, ABC affiliate KVII-TV Amarillo, FOX affiliate KFOX-TV El Paso and Gray Television’s CBS affiliate KBTX-TV Bryan, Texas.

CBS Radio Dallas Employees Volunteer at Area Food Banks

Date Posted: 9/8/2014

CBS Radio Dallas employees spent the afternoon of August 5 volunteering at area food banks as part of a team-wide day of community service. Eighty-two employees worked together in the warehouses of the North Texas Food Bank and the Tarrant Area Food Bank to help provide nearly 13,000 meals for hungry North Texans.

KMVK-FM Gives Away 3,000 Backpacks to Dallas Kids

Date Posted: 9/8/2014

CBS Radio’s KMVK-FM Dallas gave away 3,000 free backpacks filled with school supplies to Dallas-Fort Worth school children during the station’s "Back to School Fair." The Fair events took place at local supermarkets in El Rio Grande locations from August 13-17. The events drew large crowds of excited, local listeners.

WFAA-TV Encourages Dallas Bookworms to Keep Reading During Summer

Date Posted: 9/8/2014

Gannett’s WFAA-TV Dallas hosted a summer-long campaign to encourage kids to read during summer break. WFAA-TV anchor Shelly Slater led the campaign, called "Shelly’s Summer Bookworms." Every Thursday during the 4 p.m. newscast, Shelly featured a Summer Bookworms segment. She visited recreation centers and camps, donated more than 4,000 books that were collected from WFAA-TV viewers and encouraged students to read. Classes that successfully completed reading assignments were welcomed to tour the station and watch a live newscast.

KAMX-AM Host Walks 100 Miles, Raises $20,000 for Veterans

Date Posted: 8/12/2014

Entercom’s KAMX-AM Austin afternoon host Jay Styles recently completed the "Mix 94.7 and Jay Styles Courage Walk" to raise money for Wounded Warrior Project and veterans who are battling post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Jay walked 20 miles per day for five days straight to raise money for the effort and encourage listeners to support his mission. In total, Jay walked 100 miles and collected more than $20,000 for veterans.

Univision’s KXLN-TV Encourages Dreaming Through Reading

Date Posted: 8/12/2014

Univision’s KXLN-TV Houston partnered with the Houston Public Library to promote its summer reading program during the months of June and July. The program encourages school children to read during their summer vacation, use the library as a place tehy called, "Your Space to Dream," and develop the habit of reading. Children are rewarded for reading a certain amount of books. The program also provides an opportunity for families to spend time together.

KXLN-TV Promotes Bilingual Literacy on Children’s Day

Date Posted: 6/9/2014

Univision’s KXLN-TV Houston participated at the Día de los Niños (Children’s Day) event at the Children’s Museum of Houston in conjunction with the Consulate General of Mexico and other non-profit organizations. The event focused on promoting bilingual literacy. Parents were encouraged to take a pledge, as part of Univision Contigo’s Pequeños y Valiosos early childhood educational program, to commit to engaging with their kids in reading, singing or playing for at least 15 minutes every day. KXLN-TV news talent were present at the event during story time, and engaged with the children, while the Mexican Consulate distributed around 500 bilingual children’s books throughout the event.

WFAA-TV Collects Thousands of Wedding Dresses to Make Angel Gowns for BabieS

Date Posted: 5/14/2014

Gannett’s ABC affiliate WFAA-TV Dallas reporter Janet St. James recently reported on a local nonprofit, NICU Helping Hands, whose mission is to take donated wedding gowns and turn them in to beautiful Angel Gowns. These gowns serve as burial and baptismal gowns for babies who do not make it home from the hospital. After posting the story on WFAA-TV’s Facebook page, the outpouring of viewers who wanted to donate their dresses led to a one-week, wedding dress donation drive at the station. Over 1,000 wedding dresses were donated locally, and since the story went viral, over 3,000 wedding dresses have been donated from across the country. Each donated dress will make approximately 12 Angel Gowns. NICU Helping Hands volunteers estimate their warehouse now holds enough wedding dresses to make over 40,000 Angel Gowns. Click here to watch video of the dress drive.

KXLN-TV and KTRK-TV Host Affordable Care Act Phone Bank

Date Posted: 4/13/2014

Univision’s KXLN-TV and ABC-owned KTRK-TV Houston partnered to host an Affordable Care Act (ACA) phone bank on March 5 at the Univision Houston studios in Texas. The general public was invited to call in to get their ACA questions answered by qualified, bilingual volunteers from the Texas Organizing Project. The goal of the phone bank was to provide the general public with information about the benefits and implications of the health reforms and to explain the registration process. The phone bank receieved 704 calls. Both KXLN-TV and KTRK-TV covered the event live on their evening newscasts.

WRBL-TV Schedules Debates for Georgia Candidates

Date Posted: 3/17/2014

Univision’s KXLN-TV, KFTH-TV and Univision Radio’s KAMA-FM Houston partnered as media sponsors at the Houston Hispanic Forum’s Annual Career and Education Day. Various universities, colleges, nonprofit organizations and companies joined more than 10,000 students, teachers and parents to share valuable information about different career paths and financial aid. On-air talent participated as panelists in the Broadcasting and Media seminars. They spoke about Univision Scholarships and handed out Univision school supplies to students from booths in the exhibitor area. Students also heard personal accounts about life experiences in the broadcasting industry from news anchors and reporters.

WACO-FM Travels to Afghanistan to Support the Troops

Date Posted: 3/17/2014

Clear Channel’s WACO-FM Waco, Texas, morning program, The Zack and Jim Morning Show, broadcast live from Afghanistan for a week in February to show support for members of the military who are stationed overseas. The show featured exclusive interviews with servicemen and women and listeners’ shout-outs of appreciation. This trip marked the fourth time WACO-FM’s hosts have traveled to a war zone to show appreciation for American men and women in uniform.

KUVN-TV and Univision Radio Help to Save 465 Lives in Dallas

Date Posted: 2/11/2014

Univision KUVN-TV Dallas and Univision Radio Dallas/Fort Worth partnered with Carter BloodCare to educate and encourage people to become blood donors. The stations used PSAs, news stories and social media to drive participation during a three-day blood drive in Mesquite, Tex. Univision staff participated as donors and more than 200 individuals were screened with 155 donating blood. The blood drive helped to save 465 lives, according to the Red Cross.

KRGV-TV Hosts Several Drives to Support South Texans

Date Posted: 2/11/2014

Manship Stations’ ABC affiliate KRGV-TV Weslaco, Texas, hosted several events to make the holidays brighter for those less fortunate. For two weeks, KRGV-TV held the "Sharing Basket" food drive which collected enough meals for 2,700 families. The KRGV-TV Toy Drive also collected more than $10,000 to buy toys that were distributed to children in foster care, local hospitals and in low income communities along the Texas-Mexico border. In addition to these drives, the station is currently holding its "Tim’s Coats" drive to collect new and slightly worn coats. The project began in October and runs until March. So far, KRGV-TV has collected 4,000 coats and 400 hats.

KIII-TV Collects Hundreds of Baby Items for Military Families

Date Posted: 2/11/2014

London Broadcasting’s KIII-TV Corpus Christi partnered with the USO and the Black Chamber of Commerce to host the third annual Diaper Drive to support military families with small children. Hundreds of items including diapers, wipes and other infant hygiene products were collected during the 13-hour drive. Video from the event is available here.

KWTX-TV Collects 1.9 Million Lbs. of Food for Local Pantries

Date Posted: 2/11/2014

Gray Television’s CBS affiliate KWTX-TV Waco, Texas, partnered with the Boy Scouts of America, the Texas Army National Guard and the H.E.B. Grocery Company to host the 24th annual Food for Families drive to collect non-perishable items for local food banks and pantries. The event gathered 1.4 million pounds of food. Over the past 24 years, KWTX-TV and its partners have collected more than 19 million pounds of donations.

CBS Radio Dallas Packs 23,000 Meals for Local Families

Date Posted: 1/10/2014

On “Giving Tuesday,” December 3, employees of CBS Radio Dallas-Fort Worth volunteered their time at the North Texas Food Bank. Team members sorted and packed dozens of pallets of food items, producing more than 23,000 meals for local families in need.

CBS Radio Raises $1 Million for Children’s Medical Center

Date Posted: 1/10/2014

CBS Radio partnered with Children’s Medical Center for the "2013 Christmas is for Children Radio." The eighth annual four-day event was supported by CBS Radio and broadcast live on KLUV-FM and KMVK-FM Dallas. The radiothon raised more than $1 million, and all of the funds raised will go to support patient care and hospital programs and services.

Univision Radio & KXLN-TV Help with Health Care Enrollment

Date Posted: 12/6/2013

On November 16, Univision Radio and Univision’s KXLN-TV Houston hosted an Affordable Care Act town hall and an enrollment and health fair. The event featured remarks from U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez, Houston Mayor Annise Parker and a panel discussion with Reps. Gene Green, All Green and Sheila Jackson Lee. KXLN-TV’s news anchor Lizzet Lopez and Univision Radio’s on-air host Renzo Heredia moderated the discussion. The event had nearly 2,000 people in attendance, approximately 207 people enrolled on-site and 494 attendees scheduled appointments for future enrollment.

KUHT-TV Houston Airs a Two-Hour Debate Before Mayoral Election

Date Posted: 11/22/2013

The University of Houston’s PBS station KUHT-TV broadcast a two-hour forum-style debate with candidates in Houston’s mayoral race. Incumbent Annise Parker faced her five challengers: Ben Hall, Don Cook, Eric Dick, Keryl Burgess Douglas and Michael Fitzsimmons in the event hosted by the League of Women Voters.

Univision Radio Dallas Raises $762,000 with St. Jude Radiothon

Date Posted: 10/4/2013

Univision Radio’s KLNO-FM Dallas won the coveted St. Jude’s Radio Partner of the Year, Promesa y Esperanza Award for raising $762,000 for the 2013 campaign during the station’s annual radiothon. Over the past 15 years, KLNO-FM has raised more than $6 million for the local hospital. All proceeds go directly to research, patient treatments and hospital costs.

Belo’s WFAA-TV Helps Local Organizations Raise $25 Million

Date Posted: 10/4/2013

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.

KAMX-FM Launches 17th Drive to Collect Bikes for Austin Kids

Date Posted: 8/8/2013

ESPN Radio hosted the 9th annual "Don’t Give Up ESPYS V Foundation Auction," which raises money and awareness for The V Foundation for Cancer Research. The on-air and online auction included autographed apparel, footballs, baseballs, basketballs and other sporting "experiences," such as a tour of an ESPN radio station with a radio personality. This year the auction raised more than $781,000. ESPN Radio has raised more than $6.5 million to fund cancer research since the first event.

Sinclair’s KFOX-TV El Paso Hosts Debate

Date Posted: 7/8/2013

Sinclair Broadcasting’s KFOX-TV El Paso, TX broadcast a one-hour debate on June 3rd with six candidates vying for three city representative seats. Topics included job creation, the military, open space, education, technology and urban development. The discussion also covered controversial decisions such as building a new ballpark, demolishing the City Hall building and providing benefits to gay and unmarried partners of city employees.

KRGV-TV Raises Funds for Playground

Date Posted: 7/8/2013

Texas Station Builds New Playgrounds in Moore, OK Manship Stations’ KRGV-TV Weslaco, TX’s Project Playground raised $80,000 to replace two elementary school playgrounds in Moore, OK that were destroyed by the tornado. KRGV will also replace trees and include a memorial made by kids in Weslaco. "It is great the way our broadcaster community, radio and television, come together to help those in need," said General Manager John Kittleman.

CBS Dallas / Fort Worth Continues to Raise Money

Date Posted: 6/7/2013

CBS-owned KTVT-TV Fort Worth and KLUV-FM Dallas partnered with the Dallas Cowboys and Albertsons Markets to raise money for tornado victims. The initial phone bank on May 16 raised more than $19,000 and a follow-up effort the next week added $45,000. Additional funds will be collected via online donations, mailed checks and the in-store donations through June 6.

Texas Stations Support Firefighters Hurt in Fertilizer Blast

Date Posted: 5/10/2013

Clear Channel Media and Entertainment’s WACO-FM Waco, TX organized an online auction of artist memorabilia to benefit the West, TX fire department, whose members were among the first responders to the explosion at the fertilizer plant that killed 12 and injured 200. CBS Radio’s Houston stations, including KILT-FM, held a relief effort at a grocery store that aimed to fill an 18-wheeler with bottled water, blankets, toiletries and non-perishable food.

KLBJ-AM Collects Supplies for Troops

Since the beginning of the war in Iraq, KLBJ-AM in Austin, Texas, has held an annual one-day drive each November to make sure troops from nearby Fort Hood have the means to call home during the holidays. Starting three weeks before "Operation Call Home," the campaign becomes the station’s main focus. Recorded and live promotional announcements play every hour around the clock, raising awareness of soldiers’ needs and directing listeners how to help. The campaign also has a large presence on the KLBJ Web site. On the day of the drive, the station sets up donation points throughout the area, and the morning and afternoon shows broadcast live from the location designated as "Operation Call Home" headquarters. In the past five years, KLBJ listeners have donated more than $250,000 to the effort, providing thousands of soldiers with one-hour calling cards. Each year, after the donations have been totaled, officers from Fort Hood come to the station for a live broadcast during which they share what it means to be able to call home from a war zone and what it means to families to hear their loved one’s voice.

KDHT-FM Collects Toys for Children

Every holiday season, Boogie and Mimi, two marquee personalities from KDHT-FM in Austin, Texas, can be found at various locations throughout the city encouraging listeners to help stuff a 26-foot truck completely full with Christmas toys for the less fortunate. This 50-hour live broadcast is the single largest toy drive event for the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots campaign benefiting Central Texas. Hundreds of live and recorded promotions support the “Stuff-A-Truck” event, which is now entering its third year. During each of Boogie and Mimi’s day-long live broadcasts from toy drop-off locations, listeners get to hear the personal stories of people who provide their families with Christmas gifts from Toys for Tots during financially uncertain times. The station also interviews Marines who carry out the program and community members who stop by to give. Each year, listeners fill the truck with more than 2,000 toys, making it possible for many children in the area to have a very special holiday.

San Antonio’s KAJA-FM Collects More Than $407,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Clear Channel-owned KAJA-FM San Antonio, Texas helped raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital during a two-day radiothon. The station successfully raised $407,236 during the 28-hour event, which represents an increase of almost $100,000 from KAJA-FM’s total last year. Over the past two years, the San Antonio station has raised more than $714,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases.

KNDE-FM’s Kittypalooza Provides Care to 60 Rescued Cats in Brazos County, Texas

Bryan Broadcasting-owned KNDE-FM College Station, Texas, held a "Kittypalooza" drive to raise money for the medical care of 60 cats seized from an animal-hoarding situation in Brazos County. Due to their cramped and filthy living conditions, some of the cats were sick and struggling to survive. The four-hour broadcast, organized by morning show hosts Frito and Alli, raised more than $11,000 for the Brazos Animal Shelter’s Tahoka Rescue Fund. Monies in the fund are used specifically for emergency medical treatments of shelter animals and to subsidize Half-Price Adoption events.

KPYN-AM Helps Victims of Texas Wild Fires

Freed AM Corp.’s KPYN-AM Atlanta, Texas hosted a five-hour radiothon in September to raise money for victims of the Bear Creek, Texas fire that destroyed over 40,000 acres and 100 area homes. Donations were given to the Community Services of Northeast Texas and distributed to families through the American Red Cross.

News Gets Personal for KXAS Reporter

NBC affiliate KXAS-TV Dallas anchor and reporter Kristi Nelson recently shared a touching, personal story of donating a kidney to her mother during a multi-part series titled "Kristi’s Gift." "I’m doing this because she’s my mother and I love her and I think she has a wonderful spirit," said Nelson. "I also think it’s an especially important message to send to minority communities, including African Americans and Hispanics. The message is that we need to take care of ourselves and that if we do have contributing factors to kidney disease we can control them."
The series examined kidney disease, organ donation and transplantation from the emotional perspective of a daughter who witnessed her mother taking dialysis three times per week. In addition to the on-air series, Kristi’s Gift has its own page on the NBC 5 website with kidney disease resources and the stories of others who are awaiting transplants. Kristi’s Gift aired on KXAS newscasts in three parts and was produced by NBC 5’s Emmy Award winning team.

Cumulus Media’s Michael Baisden Helps Return Missing Girls

The partnership between the Cumulus Media Networks-syndicated Michael Baisden Show and The Black and Missing Foundation has been directly responsible for finding three missing children in one month. In one recent case, Jhada Clark had been missing for more than a month after her father took her out of state. After the father’s co-workers heard Jhada’s story during the show, they convinced him to turn the missing girl over to local authorities. Jhada was reunited with her mother, Rose Walker.
Baisden’s show highlights a child who is currently missing every day during the show. Details about missing children are also profiled on the show’s website and social media outlets. Listeners learn how to provide information to local law enforcement agencies.

Houston Morning Man Runs for Kids With Cancer

Cox Radio’s KKBQ-FM (93Q) morning show host Kevin Kline ran 62 miles a day for a week to help raise awareness and money for the Texas Children’s Cancer Center. Kline, who doubles as president of the Snowdrop Foundation, which raises money for the hospital, ran on a .75 mile loop around the center. Why 62 miles? There are 62 beds being occupied by kids at the center.
Kline invited listeners and other supporters to join him and run any distance they choose. The Snowdrop Foundation supports the center’s cutting edge work in pediatric cancer research, provides twice annual weekend excursions for patients, and awards college scholarships to pediatric cancer patients and childhood cancer survivors.

"This is to symbolically show what the children have to go through, through their chemotherapy," Kline said. "There is nothing comfortable about this; they actually experience pain. I just experience degrees of discomfort."

WFAA-TV Dallas Supports North Texas Giving Day

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.

TAB, Univision and Others Host Dewhurst and Cruz Debate

TAB, Univision and Others Host Dewhurst and Cruz Debate The Texas Association of Broadcasters, in partnership with Univision, North Texas Public Broadcasting’s KERA-TV, KERA-FM Dallas and other partners, hosted a debate between Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst and challenger Ted Cruz in preparation for a senate runoff election on July 31. The first debate aired live on Univision, the KERA stations, as well as London Broadcasting Company’s KCEN-TV’s multicast channel, Me TV, on June 22.

Belo’s Dallas Stations Cover Texas Senate Race

Belo Broadcasting’s Texas television stations, WFAA-TV Dallas/Fort Worth, KVUE-TV Austin, KHOU-TV Houston and KENS-TV San Antonio, produced and aired the Texas Senatorial debate featuring candidates, Ted Cruz, David Dewhurst, Craig James and Tom Leppert. WFAA-TV’s John McCaa moderated a panel of journalists who questioned the candidates. The debate streamed live on station websites and the website for The Dallas Morning News. Belo offered all television stations the Spanish language broadcast and allowed all Texas radio stations to air the event.

Cumulus Dallas Cluster Hosts Event to Help Texans Find Jobs

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.

DonorsChoose.org Chosen for Clear Channel Push

Clear Channel Communications named DonorsChoose.org as its quarter one 2012 non-profit partner. DonorsChoose.org raises funds for teachers’ classroom projects. "Tools for Classrooms," a collaboration between Clear Channel Communities, DonorsChoose.org and Chase, will spotlight the lack of educational resources in U.S. classrooms. A three-month radio campaign will air 300,000 radio spots nationally on 850 stations. Personalities and artists such as Ryan Seacrest, Kelly Clarkson, LMFAO and Kris Allen encourage listeners to contribute to DonorsChoose.org. Chase and other partners will match donations for a total commitment of $250,000.
"I am really excited to partner with other great musicians in an effort to help teachers like my wife in communities all around the country," said Kris Allen, platinum recording artist and 2009 American Idol winner.
Approximately 40 percent of U.S. classrooms use DonorsChoose.org. Teachers use the website to post specific requests for their classrooms, such as pencils for a poetry writing unit, violins for a recital or microscope slides for biology. Visitors to the website decide which project to support and DonorsChoose.org delivers the materials once the funding goal is reached. Contributors receive photos of their selected project, a thank-you letter from the teacher and a cost report showing how each dollar was spent; those who donate $50 or more receive hand-written thank you letters from students.
Each quarter, Clear Channel Communities will spotlight a leading national non-profit organization that addresses critical issues in one of four focus areas: family and social impact; health and wellness; education and literacy; and music and arts.

Kidd Kraddick Raises $415K For Children’s Trip to Disney

Clear Channel’s Kidd Kraddick Morning Show, in partnership with Southwest Airlines, raised more than $415K in a four hour period. Kidd’s Kids 2011 will take 51 terminally/chronically ill or physically challenged children and their intermediate families to Orlando for five amazing days at Walt Disney World. Donations will cover all expenses: hotel, park passes, meals, transportation, spending money and souvenirs for the 184 children and family members.
Donations came through the Southwest Airlines call center, texting, online and Kidd Kraddick in the Morning’s national affiliate markets. Kraddick will broadcast from Walt Disney World November 17-21 during his annual Kidd’s Kids trip.
Southwest Airlines provides Kidd’s Kids a complimentary aircraft equipped with WiFi and a unique Kidd’s Kids decal, as well as private hangars in Dallas and Orlando. Southwest employees volunteer their time before, during and after the trip. Additional Kidd’s Kids major partners include WDW and Disney Events Group, TeleTouch/Hawk Electronics, Imlach Group/Atlas Van Lines, Swan and Dolphin Hotel, The Orlando Magic, Consolidated Restaurant Operations and Mears Transportation/Hello-Florida.
The Kraddick Foundation was founded in 1991 by Kraddick. The first Kidd’s Kids trip was to Sea World in San Antonio and benefited five families. Due to the generosity of Kidd’s listeners and corporate donations, the program now takes between 40 and 50 families to Walt Disney World each year. Over the years, almost 800 children and their families have attended the Kidd’s Kids trip.

KENS-TV Honors Businesses Conserving Water

Together with the San Antonio Water Systems, KENS-TV in San Antonio, Texas, honors local businesses and community organizations that are taking action to conserve water. Each year, the Water Saver Awards go to organizations and businesses that have used innovative technology, education and new practices to make a difference. For a two-week period, Chief Meteorologist Bill Taylor pays tribute to the "Water Saver" winners during newscasts, talking about how the honoree has made a difference. Taylor also hosts the awards banquet, which the station covers in a news package. Since the program’s inception, 1.5 billion gallons of water have been saved. KENS has been a sponsor of the awards since 2001. Throughout the year, the station also airs water conservation stories with tips and information to help viewers do their part to save water.

Clear Channel’s WOAI-AM Collected $152,686 for San Antonio’s Children

Clear Channel’s WOAI-AM San Antonio hosted the station’s 16th annual radiothon and silent auction to raise money for San Antonio’s Elf Louise Christmas Project, which provides holiday presents to 20,000 local children. On December 4 and 5, WOAI-AM broadcast live from the North Star Mall and featured appearances from Clear Channel-San Antonio radio personalities, along with District Attorney Susan Reed and Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller. The station successfully raised $152,686. Since 2007, the event has collected more than $700,000. Click here to watch a YouTube video of the radiothon.

Emmis Stations Raised Over $25K for Fire Victims

Following the central Texas wildfires, Emmis Austin Radio raised over $25,000 for the Red Cross of Central Texas and collected three truckloads of much-needed supplies for the Catholic Diocese Charities of Central Texas. These donations added to a large delivery truck full of supplies collected earlier in the week from listeners of the Dudley and Bob Show on Emmis’ KLBJ-FM 93.7 to benefit the first responders and fire victims. Participating stations included: KLBJ-FM, KLBJ-AM, KGSR-FM, KBPA-FM and KGSR-FM.
News Radio KLBJ-FM also provided live continuous media coverage of the wildfires that tore through central Texas. KLBJ’s listeners called in throughout the night with firsthand accounts, which provided local residents with invaluable information regarding the fire’s path, damage, and relief efforts.

Post-Newsweek Stations Offer Free Airtime

Candidates for the 2012 elections will be eligible for free airtime and free Web-time in the 30 days preceding the general elections. Post-Newsweek stations will offer free airtime on its television stations in the battleground states of Texas, Florida and Michigan: WDIV-TV Detroit; KPRC-TV Houston; WPLG-TV Miami; WKMG-TV Orlando; WJXT-TV Jacksonville; and KSAT-TV San Antonio. In addition to the presidential race, each state has important senatorial and congressional races.
"The 2012 elections are of critical importance, both locally and nationally. Our responsibility as news and public affairs leaders is to ensure that candidates and voters have a platform for rigorous public discussion and debate,” said a station representative.
In addition to free airtime and Web-time, Post-Newsweek stations will offer at least 10 minutes per weekday to locally produced political news during the political season, featuring on-air debates, town hall meetings and public service announcements to encourage voter participation.

Cumulus Sends Santa to Dallas Schools

Cumulus Media’s KLIF-FM Dallas delivered over 800 toys to elementary schools kids in disadvantaged neighborhoods around Dallas and Ft. Worth. “Seeing the looks on the faces of those kids through the eyes of Santa Claus is something I’ll never forget,” said News Director Dave Williams, according to NTS Media. “Especially on this particular week in which the news is all about the unimaginable tragedy of Newtown.”

Belo Corp. Offers Candidates Free Airtime

Belo Corporation’s "It’s Your Time" will provide congressional and gubernatorial candidates free air time for the ninth consecutive election cycle. In each of the six weeks before the general election, news stations will air at least one hour of political coverage. The debates with local, state and federal candidates will also run on multicast channels. Station websites will host archives of debates and interviews, candidate issue statements, e-town meetings and voter registration information. Belo will promote its smartphone and iPad apps and Facebook and Twitter conversations. Candidates get five minutes of free airtime: four to address voters and one to answer questions. In 2010, Belo’s "It’s Your Time" provided 151 candidates with more than 18 hours of free airtime. "Belo has a long-standing commitment to providing robust election coverage that helps create an informed electorate in the local communities we serve," said Peter L. Diaz, Belo’s president, media operations.

Salem Radio Raises Funds for America’s Hungry

Talk hosts from Salem Radio Network in Irving, Texas, teamed with Feed the Children to raise money to for America’s hungry. Even amid a weak economy, listeners of Bill Bennett’s “Morning in America,” “The Mike Gallagher Show,” “The Dennis Prager Show,” “The Michael Medved Show,” “The Hugh Hewitt Show” and Janet Parshall’s “America” donated more than $200,000 during the week-long campaign. The sum is enough to feed more than 40,000 families of four for an entire week. “We are doing double, even triple, the donations generated last year,” said Tom Tradup, vice president of news and programming at Salem Radio Network. “This is proof of the one-on-one bond that Salem Radio Network talk hosts have with their audience and the inherent generosity of the American people.”

KXPS-AM Supports Classic Rock Summer Blood Drive

Each year, KXPS-FM in Dallas, Texas, inspires thousands of volunteers to roll up their sleeves and donate blood at the station’s week-long Classic Rock Summer Blood Drive. The most recent drive, which took place at three locations across Dallas and Fort Worth, inspired 3,500 listeners to give blood. Live entertainment, celebrity visitors and giveaways, including autographed guitars from ZZ Top and The Eagles, were all arranged by the station. In addition, KXPS ran on-air announcements starting three weeks prior to the drive, built a dedicated Web page and broadcast live on-site. The station has been part of the Summer Blood Drive since its beginning. In its 34-year history, 40,000 donors have participated, saving countless lives. KZPS was recognized nationally by America’s Blood Centers with its Media of the Year Award of Excellence for the significant role it has played in supporting community blood programs.

Stations Provide Coverage of Hurricane Ike

Television and radio stations joined together to provide timely and lifesaving information as Hurricane Ike ravaged the Texas coast. KPRC-TV, KHOU-TV, KTRK-TV, KRIV-TV, KRBE-FM and KUHF-FM in Houston, Texas, provided crucial wall-to-wall storm coverage leading up to Ike and in the recovery phase following the devastation. Stations broadcast continuously throughout the week, with some staff working 12-hour shifts or more. In addition to working overtime, stations implemented new technology to report on location from the Galveston seawall during serious power outages. Storm coverage took precedent over stations’ regularly scheduled programming as the stations worked to keep Houstonians informed and safe. As people lost power, local radio stations picked up KHOU’s signal and continued its broadcast. KHOU reporters described the broadcast picture to listeners to make sure they knew what to expect as the hurricane picked up speed and made landfall. The stations’ Web sites also proved critical in keeping the community informed and provided a global audience with live streams of hurricane coverage.

KYKX-FM Raises Funds for Area Women’s Shelter

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The Women’s Center of East Texas was almost without a home when KYKX-FM of Longview, Texas, stepped in to lend a helping hand. The center, which provides a safe haven, crisis intervention and comprehensive support services for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence, was getting ready to move to a larger facility but lacked the funds needed to secure temporary housing while the new facility was being finished. That’s when KYKX came in with a plan for a "Request-A-Thon." During the 12-hour event, the station accepted song requests from listeners in exchange for pledge donations, and on-air interviews with the center’s director gave the community a chance to learn more about the center’s important work. The station ran announcements prior to the event and promoted it on its online community calendar. In addition, the station provided 720 minutes of Web streaming and 72 hours of hard work by staff. he result: $12,000, enough money to provide the center with a year’s worth of temporary housing. "The response from KYKX listeners was above and beyond. You can tell what an impact the station has on this community by the amazing response we got," said Shannon Trest, executive director of The Women’s Center of East Texas.

KSAT-TV Holds Telethon for Army Fisher House

Upon the return of several injured soldiers from the Iraq war, KSAT-TV in San Antonio, Texas, held a day-long telethon for the Army Fisher House, a place where service men and women are taken care of until better healed to return to their lives before the war. The Fisher House also supports the families of our soldiers, helping them learn how to endure the stresses associated with a loved one’s serious medical condition, such as blindness or amputation. The entire KSAT news team was behind the effort, broadcasting 20 live updates and asking for pledges. Viewers’ donations totaled more than $130,000, enough money to fund the Army Fisher House for a year. KSAT’s telethon was particularly noteworthy because the station approached the Fisher House to offer its services; the organization is restricted from asking for any donations or charity work directly. Funds generated by the telethon will be used to improve the facility, provide amenities and enhance the range of services provided. Given the need within the community and the success of the effort, KSAT vowed to hold similar events in the future for both community and military organizations.

KRGV-TV Focuses on Education

From promoting the benefits of education to creating academic challenges, KRGV-TV in Welasco, Texas, is doing its part to help improve lives in the Rio Grande Valley, where many families live in poverty near the Texas-Mexico border. For the past six years, the station has actively supported "Gear Up," which encourages parents and students to consider post-secondary education. The program, which serves 21 school districts, provides mentoring opportunities and information regarding college options and financial aid. The station produces a weekly "Gear Up" feature story that airs during the 10 p.m. newscast, and station talent volunteer as mentors. Anchorwoman Letty Garza is spokesperson for the project and spends countless hours speaking to students about education. "I am certain that without the partnership we share with KRGV, communicating the Gear Up message to the entire Rio Grande Valley population would have been nearly impossible," said Tina Atkins, director of Gear Up. "This truly represents an investment in the future of the Rio Grande Valley." The commitment to education also comes through with "Masterminds," an effort in which the station produces an academic quiz for high school students. Teams face off on subjects including history, math, English, current events, art and music. The station donates production time, air time and even makes a $100 library donation to each school. KRGV was honored with a 2008 Service to America Award for its commitment to children.

KDAF-TV Features Children Looking for Homes

Helping children find "forever homes" is one of the many ways KDAF-TV in Dallas, Texas, puts its community first. The station’s "A Child to Love" program, which involves the Gladney Center for Adoption and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, is now in its third year. Each week, a child in need of a permanent home is featured during the Monday "News at Nine" broadcast. The station promotes the segment with public service announcements profiling the child and through the station’s Web site. Since its inception, the station has shared the stories of 167 children, 74 of whom have found permanent homes. Last year, the station celebrated the airing of its 100th child profile with its Dolls & Balls Toy Drive, Easter Egg Hunt and Adoption Expo. At the event, viewers donated toys for children in foster care, 100 foster children participated in an egg hunt and information about adoption was distributed to prospective families. The station’s efforts to produce, promote and air "A Child to Love" total more than $160,000 in donated airtime annually. KDAF was the recipient of the 2007 Bonner McLane Public Service Award presented by the Texas Association of Broadcasters.

KGSR-FM Hosts ’Fan Fare Friday’

Providing great music while raising funds to protect the elderly from the heat of a Texas summer was the goal behind "Fan Fare Friday," an event organized by KGSR-FM in Austin, Texas, to benefit Family Eldercare. The station organized a concert featuring local musicians and required the donation of a box fan or the monetary equivalent for admission. Seventy-five minutes of live and recorded announcements on the air and streamed on the station’s Web site rallied listeners to attend. The value of donations exceeded $50,000. KGSR broadcast live from the event for 12 hours and thanked the crowd with t-shirts and CDs giveaways. In January 2008, KGSR was honored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals in the Greater Austin Area as Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation for its fan drive efforts.

KVUE-TV Raises Funds for Area Humane Society

When the air-conditioning system in the local humane society unexpectedly broke in the heat of the Texas summer, KVUE-TV in Austin, Texas, stepped in and organized a drive to raise money for the purchase of a new unit. Even with a temporary cooling system buying time, the Austin Humane Society was in need of $200,000 for the purchase of a permanent replacement, and the funds were needed quickly. The KVUE newscasts covered the ongoing story each day. During the weathercast, viewers were asked to donate and an update was given on where the fundraising efforts were in relation to the goal. More than 120 public service announcements reminded viewers to donate. In less than three weeks, the drive had exceeded its goal. Not only was a new unit ordered and paid for in full, excess funds were given to help maintain it. The more than a hundred residents of the shelter spent the rest of the summer cool and healthy. During the fall, KVUE was honored with the 2007 Austin Humane Society’s Guardian Award for its assistance in solving the air conditioning crisis.

KLOL-FM Helps Clean Up Texas Coastline

Even the beaches are bigger in the Lone Star State, which is why Spanish station KLOL-FM in Houston, Texas, along with 37 other television and radio stations from across the state solicited the help of thousands of volunteers to help clean up the Texas coastline. The "21st Annual Texas General Land Office Adopt-A-Beach Spring Cleanup" brought out 6,782 volunteers to rake, gather, pick up and bag more than 140 tons of trash from more than 160 miles of Texas beaches. Each year, volunteers are given data cards to record information about the marine debris, which is then used to further research on how to mitigate pollution along the coast. KLOL focused its efforts on nine different beach locations, airing public service announcements and placing the event on the station Web site homepage to inspire listeners to join in. Adopt-A-Beach cleanups are held twice each year, and with the statewide commitment of radio and television stations, more than 365,000 volunteers have participated since its inception. "Adopt-A-Beach volunteers are remarkable," said Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson. "Their dedication to Texas beaches is an inspiration."

KODA-FM and KRIV-TV Host Annual ’Operation School Supplies’

The 17th annual "Operation School Supplies," supported on the air by KODA-FM and KRIV-TV in Houston, Texas, worked to ensure children were able to head into the classroom with the necessities. Pens, pencils, markers, notebooks, crayons and construction paper were all collected for elementary school children in the greater Houston area, where, in some counties, nearly 20 percent of school-age children are living in poverty. Media sponsorship has helped the campaign gain significant momentum since the program’s inception. News segments, live broadcasts, interviews with staff from "Operation School Supplies," Web site exposure, public service announcements and KRIV reporter Lanny Griffith’s determination to stuff a bus full of supplies at one collection site has resulted in an outpouring of community support. The most recent "Operation School Supplies" collected $150,000 worth of materials and benefited more than 32,000 students in 330 schools and 31 districts.

KKBQ-FM Launches

The "New Q Morning Zoo" from KKBQ-FM in Houston, Texas, takes its show on the road every Thursday to visit a town on the outskirts of its listening area. The "In Your Backyard" broadcast gives locals an opportunity to be part of something to which they normally wouldn’t have access, and promotes tourism and community involvement. Promotional mentions about the five-hour broadcast run during the first half of the week. The community being paid a visit receives a homepage presence on the station’s Web site. Each year, the effort requires more than 250 staff hours. The result: Staff get to meet listeners from the entire broadcast area, and local businesses in less trafficked areas enjoy increased exposure.

KASE-FM Supports March of Dimes Walk America

Participants in the March of Dimes Walk America were treated to three country music stops along the course, compliments of KASE-FM in Austin, Texas. A big supporter of the organization and its local chapter, the station also provided more than 300 minutes of promotional announcements about the walk and conducted a live interview with the March of Dimes executive director and a mother who experienced the tragic loss of a child due to premature birth. Online, the station created a designated Web page for the event, including the ability to join the KASE staff and listener team, streamed 300 minutes of promotion for the event, and sent out an email blast to its "VIP Club" members. Taking the title as the largest event in the walk’s history, the event raised $857,000 in a single day.