Radio and television broadcasters serve local communities every day. Stations air lifeline emergency information; support our military; raise millions for hospitals and cancer research; collect food, clothes and toys; devote air time to election coverage; and promote education. Submit your station's stories to Suzie Raven.
CBS Television’s KYW-TV Philadelphia held its 12th annual "Alex Scott Telethon," a 14-hour on-air benefit for the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, on June 14. The event raised a record $7 million for pediatric cancer research. In 12 years, the event has raised nearly $32 million. The Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation was started by four-year-old terminal cancer patient Alexandra Scott, who held a lemonade stand to raise money to help find a cure for all children with cancer.
Manship Stations’ ABC affiliate WBRZ-TV Baton Rouge raised $1 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital during the “Live St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway Special” on June 10. All 10,000 tickets were sold in record time. WBRZ anchors Sylvia Weatherspoon and John Pastorek hosted the live event, which included interviews with St. Jude patients and their families, who never receive a bill for their care. Grand prize winner Dominique Banks won a brand-new 3,000 square foot home valued at $550,000.
Cox Media Group’s CBS affiliate WJAX-TV Jacksonville, Fla., spent $12,000 to wipe out crushing medical debt for local military families. WJAX also started the #RIPVetDebt campaign, in partnership with the nonprofit RIP Medical Debt, to continue addressing the issue. Viewers and local businesses joined the cause. Efforts by WJAX have paid off more than $3.3 million dollars in medical debt for local veterans.
Raycom Media’s Fox affiliate WXIX-TV Cincinnati raised $875,000 during the “St. Jude Research Hospital Dream Home” giveaway on June 8. WXIX ran a significant amount of on-air and social media promotion during two day-long “Sell-A-Thons” to tell the stories of children at St. Jude’s. In three years, WXIX has raised more than $2.5 million for St. Jude.
Beasley’s WMGK-FM Philadelphia raised $143,000 during its annual “John DeBella Annual Radiothon” on June 15 to benefit the local Veterans Multi-Service Center (VMC). In 10 years, WMGK has raised over $1 million for local veterans. The station also conducted a series of online auctions that included front row tickets to see the Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Jimmy Buffett, Billy Joel, and Ozzy Osbourne.
Hubbard’s WIL-FM St. Louis afternoon team Stacey and Jonah raised $31,000 in the “One Pet, One Vet” campaign to help nonprofit “Got Your Six” purchase service dogs for local veterans suffering from PTSD. The effort far exceeded the goal of raising $20,000.
Sinclair’s Fox affiliate KSAS-TV and MyNetworkTV affiliate KMTW Wichita helped the Child Advocacy Center of Sedgwick County (CACSC) raise over $31,000 in their annual Golf Tournament, held May 7. The event raised almost $10,000 more than last year. The money funds CACSC’s efforts to care for abused children and to increase public awareness about abuse, neglect and trafficking.
The Johnjay and Rich #LoveUp Foundation presented 100 graduating eighth-grade foster kids with new Chromebook laptop computers. They partnered with an Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS) pilot program geared towards closing the technology and education gap that children in foster care face. Nationally, fewer than 70 percent of foster youth graduate from high school. The students will participate in training on how to use the laptops and in the Phoenix Police Department’s Internet Safety program.
“This program is groundbreaking,” said #LoveUp co-founder Rich Berra. “Putting technology and training into the hands of these kids will pave the way for their education and their futures.”
Graham Media Group’s NBC affiliate WDIV-TV Detroit launched citizen engagement project “Your Soapbox” as part of its “Decision 2018” election coverage. Through the “Your Soapbox” roadshow, WDIV will travel across the region to encourage voter participation and hear about issues that are important to viewers. Voter turnout in 2014 in state elections was less than 50 percent in many counties around Detroit. The station also hosted several “4 Minute Debates” at the recent non-partisan Mackinac Policy Conference.
Salem Media’s KRLA-AM Los Angeles hosted a crowd of 650 people at its “Ask the Candidate” forum on May 24 at the Nixon Presidential Library. Each of the 32 political candidates in attendance was given a table, where they distributed campaign information to attendees on the various races in which they were participating. Morning show hosts Jennifer Horn and Brian Whitman directed the on-stage program, giving candidates an additional platform. Salem aims to “directly connect listeners with local politicians, giving them a voice in the process!”
Scripps’ ABC affiliate WMAR-TV Baltimore aired and streamed the “Your Voice, Your Vote” Maryland Democratic gubernatorial debate in primetime on June 13. All Democratic candidates were invited to participate in the 90-minute program. Candidates discussed local law enforcement, health care and national politics.
“This program is yet another example of WMAR’s daily mission to provide Maryland with essential journalism, meaningful storytelling and authentic connections with our coverage and with new specials like this debate,” said Vice President and General Manager Bill Hooper.
The foundations of the Nebraska Association of Broadcasters and the Nebraska Press Association split the cost of the campaign creative and social media elements for the “Think F1rst” campaign, which will run July 4 – September 30 on radio and television stations throughout the state. The “Think F1rst” campaign is designed to encourage all Nebraskans to think about the First Amendment and will help educate citizens about the five freedoms it guarantees.
Scripps’ NBC affiliate WTMJ-TV Milwaukee exposed a local pharmacy for selling fake pills, following a phone call received by WTMJ’s nonprofit partner Call for Action. Volunteers at Call For Action learned that the online pharmacy would close in mid-July as a result of a DOJ action for selling counterfeit drugs. The pharmacy promised consumers they could purchase up to a year’s worth of prescriptions before the close, but the WTMJ story warned viewers to be wary.
Hearst Television added a national investigative unit at the station group’s Washington, D.C., bureau on June 19. Investigative and political reporter Mark Albert leads the unit as Chief National Investigative Correspondent and is joined by Multimedia journalist and anchor Matt Prichard. They produce long-form investigative reports and contribute investigative insights to breaking news stories. Read More
Raycom Media recently launched an OTT app, InvestigateTV, that is currently available on Roku and will be released to other digital streaming services soon. The app showcases longer-form reporting from Raycom Media and partners, including ProPublica, News21 at Arizona State University’s Cronkite School of Journalism, and NerdWallet. The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation invested $188,000 into Pulitzer Prize-winning nonprofit ProPublica’s collaboration on InvestigateTV. Read More
The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) recently announced the winners of the 2018 Edward R. Murrow Awards, recognizing the best journalism produced by radio, television and digital news organizations. “Winning an RTDNA National Edward R. Murrow Award means that a news organization has provided exemplary public service to its viewers, listeners and readers. These honorees truly represent the very best in broadcast and digital journalism around the world,” said RTDNA Executive Director Dan Shelley.
CBS News received Overall Excellence awards in both the network radio and network television categories. Hubbard Radio’s WTOP-FM, Washington D.C. won its second consecutive Murrow for Overall Excellence in large market radio. Overall Excellence awards also went to Hearst’s NBC affiliate KCRA-TV Sacramento (large market) and Quincy’s NBC affiliate WREX-TV Rockford, Ill. (small market).
Maricopa Community College’s KJZZ-FM Phoenix acknowledges those who serve in our community by taking its mobile production unit Soundbite to fire and police stations across the area and providing coffee and doughnuts. KJZZ-FM also gives first responders the opportunity to share how they serve the community by recording interviews in the studio.
Hearst’s ABC affiliate WCVB-TV Boston hosted the annual “5 for Ellie Fashion Show” on June 6. The event raised more than $230,000 to benefit the Ellie Fund’s mission to offer critical support services to breast cancer patients and their families. Read More
In addition, as part of its "5 On: State of Addiction" program, WCVB led a makeover of the Dimock Center’s Askia House residence for men in recovery. "5 On: State of Addiction" is the station’s three-year initiative to provide intense coverage of the opioid epidemic in Massachusetts. Read More
