Radio and television broadcasters serve local communities every day. Stations provide 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.
Cherokee County Sheriff David Groves wrote a letter thanking Morgan Murphy Media’s CBS affiliate KOAM-TV Joplin, Mo., for their “amazing coverage” of tornadoes that struck in late May 2019:
Gray’s Fox affiliate WXIX Cincinnati raised $77,000 in a telethon held May 30 after a record 18 tornadoes touched down near Dayton on May 27. One tornado reached an estimated maximum wind speed of 170 mph making it an EF4, the second strongest on the enhanced Fujita scale.
Zimmer Radio’s nine stations in mid-Missouri provided 10 hours of critical wall-to-wall tornado coverage from late on May 22 through the morning of May 23. Coverage preempted all promotions and included calls from listeners and information from emergency personnel. The stations aired live press conferences with the Jefferson City Police Department and a live call from Governor Parson. A listener shared this message:
The first Democratic primary debate, held June 26 and 27, featured 10 candidates each night. "NBC Nightly News" anchor Lester Holt moderated all four hours on both nights. Four moderators were featured for an hour each per night: "Today" co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, "Meet the Press" moderator Chuck Todd, MSNBC primetime host Rachel Maddow and José Díaz-Balart, anchor of Telemundo's "Noticias Telemundo" and "NBC Nightly News Saturday." The first night of the debate brought in 15 million viewers.
Scripps’ CBS affiliate WTVF Nashville, along with The Tennessean and Belmont University, held a debate for the leading candidates for Nashville mayor on June 25. The debate is part of their commitment to provide voters with critical news and information on the issues impacting Nashville.
The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) announced on June 18 the winners of the 2019 National Murrow Awards, recognizing 100 radio, television and digital news organizations for 122 examples of outstanding journalism. RTDNA received more than 4,600 entries across 16 categories, which include technical aspects of multimedia news, innovation, engagement and investigation.
Hubbard’s WTOP-FM Washington, D.C., won for Overall Excellence in large market radio for the third straight year. Overall Excellence awards also went to Scripps’ ABC affiliate KMGH-TV Denver for large market television and Pikes Peak Television’s ABC affiliate KRDO-TV Colorado Springs for small market.
Cox Media Group Tulsa stations – Fox affiliate KOKI-TV, myNetworkTV affiliate KMYT, KRAV-FM and KWEN-FM – raised a record $1.1 million in this year’s St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway. The stations raffled off a home valued at more than $500,000 in the Stone Canyon community during an hour-long broadcast on June 23. Other prizes included a new car, a trip to see Carrie Underwood at Madison Square Garden, and a $10,000 furniture shopping spree.
Legend Communications’ Big Horn Radio Network in Cody, Wy., hosted a concert by country artists Clint Black, Craig Campbell and Carin Mari on June 27 that honored the 100th Anniversary of the Buffalo Bill Stampede. An auction at the concert raised $45,000 and included an autographed guitar and cowboy hats signed by the three artists, a replica Henry Sharpshooter rifle and some Cody 100th Anniversary Belt buckles. Larry and Susan Patrick, owners of Legend Communications, matched all event and auction proceeds to make a $90,000 total contribution to St. Jude. Over 7,500 people attended the outdoor concert, which was free with donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis.
Hearst’s ABC affiliate WCVB Boston aired on June 4 the special event “Project CommUNITY: Financial Literacy and Guidance.” According to the Federal Reserve Bank, 40 percent of families report not having enough savings to cover an emergency expense. Experts discussed financial literacy topics during live cut-outs. Volunteers from United Way partner agencies manned the phones from WCVB’s studio to answer questions on reducing debt, improving credit and building savings.
WCVB-TV also raised almost $200,000 in its “5 for Ellie Fashion Show,” held June 12. Anchors Maria Stephanos and Emily Riemer co-emceed the fashion show, which featured several anchors and reporters as models. Proceeds support The Ellie Fund, which provides grocery assistance, meal delivery, childcare, transportation to medical appointments, housekeeping and integrative therapies to 1,000 breast cancer patients and their families in Massachusetts.
Scripps’ NBC affiliate WPTV West Palm Beach Chief Meteorologist Steve Weagle took a 120-mile bike to raise awareness about the beginning of hurricane season. The 21st annual “Steve’s Ride,” which lasted from May 27 – 31, raised more than $164,000 for the American Red Cross.
Hearst’s ABC affiliate WISN-TV Milwaukee raised $59,000 during the “Honor Flight 50: A Mission of Thanks” telethon on May 29. The funds will help send 120 local veterans on a “Stars and Stripes Honor Flight” to Washington, D.C., to visit the World War II, Vietnam War, Korean War, Air Force, Marine Corps War and 9-11 memorials.
Seton Hall University’s WSOU-FM South Orange, N.J., set a new record for donations to its annual clothing drive for Our Lady of the Sioux Church on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. The station collected enough clothing to fill 14 large boxes with clothes for all ages and seasons.
