Nationwide's Broadcasters

Strahan Hosts Mental Health Roundtable with Black Athletes

Date Posted: 2/21/2024

On the ABC network’s “Good Morning America,” host Michael Strahan spoke with a group of Black athletes about their experiences and struggles with mental health. The conversation highlighted the importance of “being free enough, confident enough, strong enough, supported enough to share how you truly feel to the world,” he said. Only one in three Black Americans with mental health illnesses obtain treatment, GMA reported.

CBS Stations Promote Black History in Communities Across the Country

Date Posted: 2/21/2024

CBS-owned stations across the country are celebrating Black History Month throughout February with daily local news reporting on cultural community events, resources and celebrations in each community. Stories include CBS News Baltimore’s 30-year Black History Month oratory contest, a new 30-minute Black history special as party of CBS News Colorado’s year-round “Elevating Black Voices” series and a look at the Black surfers rewriting the sport’s narratives from CBS Los Angeles. In addition, the CBS-owned stations have collaborated to produce an hour-long special, “Teaching Black History,” launching Friday, Feb. 23. The documentary focuses on what communities across the country are doing to preserve history.

FOX Promotes "Make Camo Your Cause" to End Veteran Homelessness

Date Posted: 1/3/2024

FOX owned-and-operated television stations around the country hosted holiday parties for veterans at U.S. VETS locations, providing veterans with services and holiday meals. The events are part of FOX Corporation’s partnership with U.S. VETS for the “Make Camo Your Cause” campaign to help eradicate veteran homelessness. A portion of proceeds from ”Make Camo Your Cause” merchandise goes to U.S. VETS. "I was a Marine in Vietnam in 1969 and ‘70 and that is obviously a significant experience in anyone’s life," U.S. VETS President and CEO Steve Peck told FOX Television Stations. "I wasn’t ever homeless. But, I certainly feel a lot of compassion for veterans who come back who have difficulty finding their way, and what we do at U.S. VETS is give them one chance, two chances, three chances, however many chances they need."

Sinclair Cares Donates $50,000 for Humanitarian Relief in Israel

Date Posted: 10/23/2023

Sinclair Cares: Humanitarian Relief in Israel is a fundraising partnership with Magen David Adom (MDA), an affiliate of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, to provide humanitarian relief and emergency medical services for all people in Israel, regardless of religious creed or political belief. “The work MDA is doing to provide medical assistance in the region is urgently needed, and we are proud to lend our support to their humanitarian relief efforts to provide emergency aid,” said Rob Weisbord, Sinclair chief operating officer and president of local media.

Telemundo Campaign Encourages "Be the Next Story Told"

Date Posted: 10/18/2023

Telemundo and NBCUniversal are celebrating this Hispanic Heritage Month with a new campaign that recognizes the vibrant and diverse culture of the Hispanic community through activations, special content and programming across the company all month long. Telemundo Enterprises' bilingual campaign "Be the Next Story Told" (El Futuro Lo Escribes Tú) is a multiplatform initiative honoring and recognizing the culture, spirit and achievements of Hispanics in the U.S. The campaign's celebratory anthem spot features an original song delivering an inspiring message in both English and Spanish.

CMG Stations Investigate “Outrageous” Real Estate Contracts

Date Posted: 10/2/2023

In September, Cox Media Group (CMG)-owned WSOC-TV 9 reported on an update to a long-running collaboration by the investigative teams of CMG’s’s TV stations. The story involved MV Realty, a Florida-based company which offered quick cash to unsuspecting homeowners across the country in exchange for a contract ensuring homeowners would use the company as their realtor if they later decided to sell their house. Many failed to realize the contract was secured with a 40-year lien on their home. Now under investigation, the company recently filed for bankruptcy. A new reporting model implemented by CMG earlier this year enabled reporters across the country to work together to uncover the larger scope of the issue, even beyond their own markets.

Nexstar Donates $50,000 to Feeding America

Date Posted: 10/2/2023

The Nexstar Media Charitable Foundation made $50,000 donation to Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization, to assist with Feeding America’s promotion of “Hunger Action Month,” in September. The contribution is part of Nexstar Media Group’s ongoing four-year $2 million partnership with Feeding America. As part of the partnership, during the month of September, Nexstar’s 200 owned and partner broadcast stations and its cable news network, NewsNation, will donate airtime worth more than $600,000 to air a variety of public service announcements on behalf of Feeding America. In addition, with one or more partner food banks in all of Nexstar’s 116 television markets, Nexstar employees are being encouraged to volunteer their time and effort to assist Feeding America in fulfilling its mission.

Campaign Donates One Million Books to Children in Need

Date Posted: 9/29/2023

The Scripps Howard Fund, in partnership with The E.W. Scripps Company and its employees, is now collecting donations for the eighth annual If You Give A Child A Book campaign to provide books to children in need. Last year, the campaign gave away its millionth book. “We know the sky is the limit when it comes to the impact books can have in a child’s life,” says Liz Carter, president and CEO of the Scripps Howard Fund. “We’re thankful for the generosity of people across the country who have given more than one million new books to children in need since 2017. I can’t wait to see the difference we will make together as we work toward the next million. We’re just getting started.”

NBC and Telemundo "Clear the Shelters"

Date Posted: 8/28/2023

NBCUniversal Local partnered with hundreds of shelters across the country to host Clear the Shelters in August 2023. The campaign aims to find loving homes for animals in need by waiving adoption fees or reducing them significantly. A one-hour special on NBC and Telemundo stations nationwide aired on August 27 to raise awareness of the campaign.

Steve Harvey Morning Show Donates 800 Turkeys

Date Posted: 12/9/2022

The Annual Steve Harvey Morning Show Turkey Giveaway has donated nearly 110,000 turkeys across the country since it started in 2009. 96.3 The Block in Greenville, S.C., 97.1 QMG in Greensboro, N.C., 95.7 R&B in Norfolk, Va., and 106.5 The Beat in Richmond, Va., delivered meals to over 800 families during this year’s event.

“It’s an honor and a privilege for all of us at ‘The Steve Harvey Morning Show’ to help those in need,” said Steve Harvey. “Happy Thanksgiving and God bless you all this holiday season.”

Nexstar Stations Support Feeding America

Date Posted: 9/12/2022

The Nexstar Charitable Foundation made a $50,000 donation to Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization, to assist with Feeding America’s promotion of “Hunger Action Month,” this September.

As part of the partnership, during the month of September Nexstar’s television stations and its cable news network, NewsNation, will donate airtime worth approximately $600,000 to broadcast a variety of public service announcements on behalf of Feeding America. In addition, with one or more partner food banks in every Nexstar market, Nexstar employees are being encouraged to volunteer their time and effort to assist Feeding America in fulfilling its mission.

“Raising awareness about the issues of hunger and food insecurity in the United States is vitally important, especially as the pandemic continues to threaten families and communities across the country,” said Perry Sook, Nexstar Media Group, Inc.’s, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Millions of families remain unsure of whether they will have enough to eat on a daily basis and the work done by Feeding America and its local partner food pantries and food banks makes an incredible difference for those in need. We are proud of our partnership with Feeding America and we look forward to using our powerful national and local digital and broadcast platforms during September to raise awareness about these issues and to drive volunteer efforts in the communities we serve.”

TEGNA’s Verify Fact-Checks Election Claims

Date Posted: 7/28/2022

VERIFY, a project from TV station group TEGNA, is dedicated to helping the public distinguish between true and false information. The VERIFY team, with help from questions submitted by the audience, tracks the spread of stories or claims that need clarification or correction. VERIFY fact-checking provide trustworthy, transparent information to prove or disprove them. The program works with 49 newsrooms across the country to cover a wide range of topics that impact diverse communities.

NBC and Telemundo Present Grants to Local Communities

Date Posted: 7/21/2022

The Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation and NBCUniversal Local, including NBC- and Telemundo-owned stations, is giving a total of $3.475 million in Project Innovation grants this year to 90 nonprofit organizations across the country, supporting programs that are uplifting diverse communities. “Our grant program has helped hundreds of non-profit organizations expand and deepen their work in our communities,” said NBCUniversal Local Chairman Valari Staab.

See the organizations receiving grants here.

Cox Media Group Joins Veteran Jobs Mission

Date Posted: 6/10/2022

Cox Media Group (CMG) has joined a coalition of companies supporting the Veteran Jobs Mission to help veterans and military spouses and partners find and keep jobs.

“We are extremely excited about CMG’s new partnership with VJM,” says Paul Curran, executive vice president of TV, Cox Media Group. “Our service members and their families have given so much to their country, and it aligns with CMG values that we do all we can to help this talented and experienced group find the employment they desire. It’s good for business, and most importantly, it’s good for our veterans.”

Beyond its ongoing search for top military talent, CMG will join the coalition in increasing focus on retention and career development for veterans.

Brooke & Jeffrey Raise $18,000 for Humanitarian Efforts in Ukraine

Date Posted: 5/20/2022

Premiere Networks’ Brooke & Jeffrey closed out their first-ever Merch for A Cause event with $18,000 for Heart to Heart International’s humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.

The show sold limited edition t-shirts and sweatshirts to raise funds. “When the Ukraine crisis happened, we knew that we wanted to do something to help,” said show host Brooke Fox.

Audacy Event Celebrates Women in Country

Date Posted: 5/20/2022

Radio group Audacy hosted its inaugural “Leading Ladies,” on Wednesday, May 11. The all-female country music event featured performances from Carly Pearce, Gabby Barrett, Lainey Wilson, Lauren Alaina, Morgan Wade, Tenille Arts and Priscilla Block.

Portions of the event’s proceeds benefitted DoSomething.org, a nonprofit fueling young people to change the world by taking action on the most pressing issues to them.

“We’re thrilled to celebrate this next chapter of our partnership with Hard Rock International and spotlight the talented women in country music at our inaugural ‘Leading Ladies,’” said Michael Martin, senior vice president, Programming and Music Initiatives, Audacy. “We’re equally as proud to stand alongside DoSomething.org and leverage our voice to encourage young people to use theirs for cultural issues important to them.”

Scripps Campaign Raises $800,00 For Childhood Literacy

Date Posted: 10/20/2021

The national If You Give a Child a Book… campaign, led by the Scripps Howard Foundation and supported by employees of The E.W. Scripps Co., members of the Scripps family and communities where Scripps, will distribute more than 200,000 books to kids in low-income households across the country this school year.

This fall, the campaign raised $840,657, equating to 168,131 books for nonprofits and Title I partner schools with high percentages of children from low-income families. A donation of $5 equals one book for a child in need. An additional 35,000 books will be distributed, due a generous donation from a corporate partner.

Univision Commemorates Hispanic Heritage Month

Date Posted: 10/12/2021

Univision Communications Inc. commemorated Hispanic Heritage Month with a multiplatform campaign, “Unidos Somos Uno,” that celebrated the extraordinary values, achievements and contributions of Latinos in America. Univision showcased the beauty of the Hispanic experience with stories, leaders and personalities in original segments, spots and vignettes on its flagship shows, the inaugural Hispanic Heritage Month resource guide on its website, as well as content across its digital, social, sports and music platforms. Univision also hosted various community events and aired special coverage across the country throughout September and October. “As the leading Hispanic network in the country, we are proud to lead with culture and celebrate the richness of our community for Hispanic Heritage Month. Our longstanding commitment to informing, empowering and entertaining Hispanic America is at the heart of everything we do,” said Jessica Rodriguez, chief Brand and Impact officer, Univision Communications.

Telemundo and NBCUniversal Launch Bilingual Campaign

Date Posted: 10/12/2021

Telemundo and NBCUniversal joined forces to commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month and launched their first ever bilingual campaign, “Come With Us.” Developed by Telemundo, the initiative is running across the entire NBCUniversal portfolio. It is accompanied by special programming and digital elements designed to reach audiences across all platforms in English and Spanish, recognize the culture and contributions of generations of Hispanics and highlight individuals who have enriched the United States through their achievements. "With this initiative, Telemundo and NBCUniversal are leading the way with a timely, inclusive and enriching message carrying Hispanics’ legacy and culture across all NBCUniversal networks and inviting all audiences to share in the experiences of our diverse community," said Mónica Gil, chief administrative and marketing officer, NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises.

iHeartMedia Honors Hispanic Heritage Month

Date Posted: 10/12/2021

iHeartMedia honored Hispanic Heritage Month with a hand-picked collection of My Cultura podcast series and shows to educate, inspire and share stories about the impact and importance of Hispanic and Latinx communities. The special episodes featured celebrities and activists like Eva Longoria, Wilmer Valderrama and Amara La Negra as they shared stories spotlighting inclusivity, representation and the beauty of Hispanic and Latinx culture. The month-long celebration will be capped off with the annual iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina on October 16, a celebration of Latin culture and music featuring a performance from artist J Balvin.

ABC Owned Stations Raise Awareness of Mental Health Challenges

Date Posted: 6/30/2021

Throughout May, the eight ABC-owned stations in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston, Raleigh-Durham and Fresno aired special mental health-related programming, held town halls and spotlighted community resources to raise awareness of mental health. The stations also participated in the first “Mental Health Action Day” on May 20. The initiative kicked off on WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham on May 6 with the half-hour special “Eyewitness News Investigates: The Silent Struggle,” which explored how the pandemic, loss, loneliness and racial trauma has led to more people experiencing mental health crises. Other content included a virtual town hall on May 13, “Our Chicago: Voices of the Community,” presented by WLS-TV Chicago that explored mental health issues in children and adolescents, and a virtual town hall on May 20, “Minding Your Mental Health,” presented by WPVI-TV Philadelphia that discussed general mental health awareness, the impact of the pandemic on children and increased suicide rates.

Univision Founding Partner in “Mental Health Action Day”

Date Posted: 6/30/2021

Univision Communications Inc. is a founding partner in the first-ever “Mental Health Action Day” held on May 20 in an effort to empower the Hispanic community to take action on mental health. In partnership with NBCUniversal, MTV and nearly 200 brands, nonprofits and cultural leaders, people were encouraged and empowered to take their first steps towards mental health action for themselves, their loved ones or to advocate for systemic changes. Resources and tools are available on mentalhealthactionday.org for people to seek help.

NBCUniversal Helps Viewers “Plan Your Vaccine”

Date Posted: 4/11/2021

NBCUniversal launched on February 11 the “Plan Your Vaccine” initiative, a nationwide awareness campaign, website and interactive tool that provides the latest news and information about the COVID-19 vaccine.

PlanYourVaccine.com allows users to navigate the vaccine rollout by state, help determine if they are currently eligible to receive the vaccine and find the closest vaccination location. NBC News and Noticias Telemundo are the main partners of “Plan Your Vaccine” and the site is available in English, Spanish and Mandarin. In addition, Comcast NBCUniversal rolled out an advertising and PSA campaign across all its platforms using company talent and resources to support the effort.

Univision Uses Social Media to Educate Viewers

    View Video
Date Posted: 4/10/2021

On March 25, Univision’s “Despierta América” (“Wake Up America”) posted a social media video featuring their in-house doctor, Dr. Juan J. Rivera, to explain the messenger RNA COVID-19 vaccine to viewers and combat misinformation. In the video, Dr. Rivera explained that the vaccine contains fragments of the virus’ genetic material, known as messenger RNA, does not actually contain the virus itself and dispelled the myth that the vaccine will modify a person’s DNA.

iHeartMedia and ABC News Launch Covid Vaccine Podcast

Date Posted: 4/1/2021

iHeartMedia launched a new original limited podcast series, "COVID-19 Immunity in Our Community," on March 31 aimed at sharing timely and accurate information about COVID-19 vaccines from a journalistic perspective. Produced in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the show is hosted by ABC News television broadcaster Robin Roberts and new episodes will be released every two weeks.

The podcast will bring leaders and experts such as Dr. Anthony Fauci and other highly respected voices in the medical and scientific communities to have conversations separating fact from fiction and to arm listeners with the tools they need to make educated decisions about COVID-19 vaccines.

The new podcast will also draw perspectives from Americans across different communities including health care workers, journalists, and skeptics, who each share their unique and personal experience with vaccination.

ABC Stations Launch Race and Culture Content Team

Date Posted: 3/31/2021

ABC owned stations have formed a content team focusing on race and culture, to help publish and highlight news stories from underrepresented and marginalized communities across multiple platforms for both daily news coverage and special projects in its New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston, Raleigh-Durham and Fresno markets.

“Embedding a content team across our stations which ensure intentional inclusion of balanced coverage underscores our commitment to inform and reflect the communities and audiences we serve,” said Wendy McMahon, president of ABC Owned Television Stations. “ABC is committed to featuring the stories and experiences of richly diverse communities that often go untold and yet bring an incredible perspective that must be heard.”

The team includes executive producers and multiskilled journalists from marginalized communities and diverse backgrounds. The journalists are embedded at stations and will develop crucial community relationships that will guide deeper reporting.

CBS Special Tackles Bias Against Asian Americans

Date Posted: 3/31/2021

CBS News’ produced a one-hour special, titled “Asian Americans: Battling Bias — Continuing Crisis” that was presented on March 31. The special, produced by CBS’s news and culture unit, was anchored by Elaine Quijano and produced and reported by a team of Asian American journalists at CBS News.

The special features a roundtable discussion that includes actors Olivia Munn and Daniel Dae Kim, activist Amanda Nguyen, professor Russell Jeung, and chef/TV personality Melissa King discussing the increase of violence against Asian Americans and the ways bias impacts Asian Americans.

CBS News Raises More than $300,000 For Military Families Facing Food Insecurity

Date Posted: 3/2/2021

CBS News’ report on the struggles of military families facing food insecurity led to an out-pouring of support. Since the report aired, viewers have helped raise more than $300,000 to combat the hunger crisis that impact military families.

"We are in awe of the viewers’ responses," Shannon Razsadin, the executive director of the Military Family Advisory Network. said.

With that money, the organization is planning to scale up their food distribution to help more families. Razsadin said the organization now has a goal of providing 1 million meals to military families experiencing food insecurity "over the next several months."

Entercom Celebrates Leading Ladies for Women’s History Month

Date Posted: 3/1/2021

Entercom announced a new series of special programming to commemorate Women’s History Month through March 31. Entercom properties including RADIO.COM will celebrate top women in Country music through the new "Leading Ladies" initiative, a month-long series integrated into national radio shows. The program will help to spotlight and celebrate the impact that women have had in the genre and on Country music radio.

To celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, stations will air "Leading Ladies Limelights" to spotlight up-and-coming artists every day through March 31, and the month-long special culminates with RADIO.COM’s "Leading Ladies Live", a free virtual concert starring Trisha Yearwood, Kelsea Ballerini, Carly Pearce and hosted by Hillary Scott.

ABC Stations Celebrate and Explore Black History Month

Date Posted: 2/4/2021

Eight ABC owned and operated stations across the country committed to premiering and airing a new slate of content for Black History Month in February. Stations in New York, including WABC-TV New York City, the most watched station in the nation, Los Angeles, Houston, Raleigh/Durham, N.C. and more will carry special reports and unique content to educate, explore and celebrate local and national Black history.

Broadcasters Provide Information, Guidance During Insurrection

Date Posted: 1/10/2021

As the unique voice that reaches all people, broadcasters were instrumental at keeping the nation up-to-date with trusted and unbiased information, comfort and guidance during and in the days following the insurrection at United States Capitol on January 6.

As it unfolded, broadcasters sprung to action and connected with their Representatives and Senators to investigate what was happening. On January 6 and in the days following the attack, broadcasters continued to cover and investigate the insurrection by setting up interviews directly with Members of Congress. During these interviews, Members offered a first-hand account of the day’s events, answered questions and provided context on the potential impact of the day.

iHeartRadio Raises $2.25 Million for St. Jude

Date Posted: 12/11/2020

Bobby Bones and iHeartRadio’s "The Bobby Bones Show" raised $2.25 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital during its annual two-day radiothon that took place Dec. 3 and 4. Performances from a star-studded lineup included Chris Stapleton, Dierks Bentley, Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Sam Hunt and more.

The award-winning syndicated radio show has raised more than $16.25 million overall for St. Jude since the radiothon’s inception.

CBS, iHeartMedia Stations Air ’Every Vote Counts’ To Empower Voters

Date Posted: 10/27/2020

CBS and iHeartMedia partnered to air "Every Vote Counts: A Celebration of Democracy on October 29 to empower and encourage citizens to participate in the upcoming election.

The nonpartisan civic engagement event will provide insight and information on participation in the election, and aims to rally Americans to the polls. The event, hosted by Alicia Keys, America Ferrera and Kerry Washington, will include musical performances and celebrity guest appearances alongside dialogue on how to build a voting plan and go to the polls.

Graham Media Group’s Outstanding Public Service

Date Posted: 10/20/2020

Graham Media Group stations, including KPRC Houston, KSAT San Antonio, WJXT Jacksonville, WDIV Detroit, WSLS Roanoke and WKMG Orlando, have recently supported their local communities in a variety of ways during the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, KPRC raised $2 milling for a local food bank through its “Feeding Houston” food drive. WJXT Jacksonville, WDIV Detroit and WSLS Roanoke all provided meals for frontline workers. Read more here.

Entercom Hosts Fourth Annual ’I’m Listening’ Broadcast

Date Posted: 10/10/2020

Entercom broadcast the fourth annual “I’m Listening” program, a live national program that brings together artists, athletes and medical specialists to raise awareness and end the stigma of talking about mental health on September 23. The two-hour special aired nationwide and, for the first time, in primetime across more than 230 Entercom stations and on RADIO.COM livestream.

Univision Launches Multi-Platform Vota Conmigo Campaign

Date Posted: 10/10/2020

Univision Communications Inc., announced the return of "Vota Conmigo" (Vote With Me), the non-partisan multi-platform campaign aimed at motivating every eligible Hispanic citizen to register and cast their vote. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Vota Conmigo will focus on digital voter registration tools and regional vote-by-mail options as the 2020 presidential election draws closer. Univision will emphasize the importance of these options through a series of Vota Conmigo PSAs, virtual phone banks, town halls and special programming on Univision’s networks, local television and radio stations and digital properties dedicated to emphasizing the importance of making every voice count.

Hearst Launches ‘Matter of Fact’ Listening Tour Around Race and Justice

Date Posted: 10/8/2020

Hearst aired a one-hour digital program on October 8, “The Hard Truth About Bias: Images and Reality,” a conversation centered around equality. It featured conversations about the relationship of race and privilege, racial stress, the impact of bias in the images and language in news and information, and the creation of stereotypes. “The Hard Truth About Bias: Images and Reality” is the first installment of Soledad O’Brien’s Matter of Fact Listening Tour, a series of quarterly virtual forums to be presented in 2021. The initiative reaches all of Hearst’s consumer media brands, including its 33 television stations.

“This is a critical conversation for our country, and we are proud to launch this project, expanding the Matter of Fact brand and leveraging journalism resources from across the company,” said Hearst President and CEO Steven R. Swartz. “The talented, diverse team bringing this project to life is taking on important topics with insightful guests to provide viewers with a range of valuable perspectives.”

Listeners Share “Why I’m Voting” in iHeartMedia Campaign

Date Posted: 10/1/2020

iHeartMedia’s "Why I’m Voting" campaign urges listeners to share their reasons for voting in local, state and national elections. Through Election Day, iHeartMedia asks listeners to record their own 20 second or less audio or video message with their answer to the question: "Why am I voting?" iHeartMedia is sharing many of these clips across its 850 broadcast radio stations, podcasts and social media platforms.

Salem Radio Network Covers Presidential Debate Live

Date Posted: 9/16/2020

Salem Radio Network will produce live, over-the-air coverage of the first Presidential debate on September 29, with pre- and post-debate coverage from Salem Radio Network’s Hugh Hewitt. The debate coverage will include special guests and a live wrap-up reacting to the topics covered by each candidate.

Univision Town Hall Discusses Racial Justice with U.S. Senator and Former HUD Secretary

Date Posted: 8/15/2020

Univision hosted a virtual town hall on August 14 about the underlying and historical racial injustice that has lead to nationwide protests, discussions on policing and police reform and how to move the country forward.

“The Time is Now: Understanding and Confronting Racial Injustice” panelists included prominent academics, politicians and leaders, including U.S. Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Julián Castro. Mariela Romero, Regional Community Empowerment Director for Univision, moderated the discussion.

Scripps Howard Foundation to Award $600,000 to Advance Diversity in Journalism

Date Posted: 8/12/2020

As part of its commitment to support equity, diversity and inclusion within the journalism industry, the Scripps Howard Foundation will award a total of $600,000 to institutions of higher education to enhance or create programs that will inspire high school students to embark on journalism careers. Read more here.

iHeartMedia Launches ‘Why I’m Voting’ Campaign

Date Posted: 8/11/2020

iHeartMedia recently launched its “Why I’m Voting” campaign across all platforms and markets through Election Day, November 5. Musicians, athletes and cultural influencers will share their reasons for participating in this year’s election. The campaign will also feature a special podcast series featuring artists and celebrities will feature personal stories behind why voting is so important. Listeners can submit their own 20 second or less audio or video message here.

“With voter turnout expected to hit record numbers on Election Day, ‘Why I’m Voting’ presents a rare opportunity for people of all backgrounds and beliefs to have their voices heard by millions of their fellow Americans before we cast our votes in November,” said John Sykes, President of Entertainment Enterprises for iHeartMedia.

Beasley Media Group Stations Prepare for the Storm

Date Posted: 8/4/2020

Beasley Media Group stations across the East Coast prepared extensively for Hurricane Isaias. They issued an overview by market of how stations were preparing for the storm and ensuring they provided continuous updates to communities in Wilmington, Del.; Fayetteville, N.C.; Augusta, Ga.; New Jersey; Philadelphia; Tampa; Ft. Myers, Fla., and Boston, Mass. All Beasley clusters monitored the storm closely, provided critical updates over the air and created dedicated pages on their digital platforms.

TEGNA Addresses Racial Inequality in Newsrooms

Date Posted: 7/31/2020

TEGNA’s VPA of News Ellen Crooke talked to TVNewsCheck about how the Black Lives Matter movement has promoted greater “intentionality” in the group’s efforts for diversity and inclusion in its newsrooms and corporate leadership. TEGNA has also amplfied it’s Verify fact-checking project and data visualization efforts during the pandemic.

Scripps Businesses Donate Over $2 Million to Combat Food Insecurity Across the Country

Date Posted: 7/21/2020

The E.W. Scripps Company has raised over $2 million for food banks in 40 markets to help communities during the pandemic. Funds are being distributed to food pantries in the markets where Scripps operates TV stations and its national brands Newsy, the Katz networks and the Scripps Washington Bureau.

“The outpouring of generosity we’ve seen from Scripps audiences across the country is an incredible testament to the connection between our brands and their communities. In addition, this effort underscores the role both local TV and our national brands continue to play in creating a sense of togetherness, particularly in times of need,” said Scripps President and CEO Adam Symson. “We are incredibly thankful to the Scripps Family Impact Fund for investing in our communities and to our audiences for answering the call.”

Read more about local efforts here.

Univision Launches Multi-Platform Campaign Vota Conmigo

Date Posted: 7/8/2020

Univision Communications Inc., announced the return of Vota Conmigo (Vote With Me), the non-partisan multi-platform campaign aimed at motivating every eligible Hispanic citizen to register and cast their vote. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Vota Conmigo will focus on digital voter registration tools and regional vote-by-mail options as the 2020 Presidential Election draws closer. Univision will emphasize the importance of these options –through a series of Vota Conmigo PSAs, virtual phone banks, townhalls and special programming on Univision’s networks, local television and radio stations, and digital properties dedicated to emphasizing the importance of making every voice count.

The Vota Conmigo program will also feature a multiplatform roadblock that will air on all Univision platforms in the same format every two weeks until Election Day, with special emphasis in September and October.

“With an estimated 32 million eligible Latino voters ready to cast their ballots in November, we are proud to relaunch our Vota Conmigo campaign to inspire our community and reinforce the importance of voting to make lasting change in our country,” said Ron Estrada, Senior Vice President, Head of Government Relations and Corporate Social Responsibility. “As cities and states across the country continue to follow social distancing guidelines due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Vota Conmigo will emphasize the availability of digital voter registration tools and vote-by-mail options, ensuring that all eligible Latino voters can exercise their right to make their voices heard from the White House to the halls of local governments nationwide.”

Read more about local efforts here.

Westwood One Airs ‘Black Lives Matter: From Protests to Police Reform’

Date Posted: 6/24/2020

Cumulus’ Westwood One News presented the special “Black Lives Matter: From Protests to Police Reform” on July 4 - 5. Correspondent Elliott Francis explored how the killing of George Floyd by a police officer sparked a national conversation on racial and social injustice in the United States. Francis also looked at the impact the movement has across all aspects of society.

Westwood One Distributes Daily Economic Newscast

Date Posted: 6/24/2020

Westwood One and Marketplace launched Marketplace Minute on June 24. Marketplace Minute is a 60-second audio program produced and created by Marketplace and distributed by Westwood One, bringing important economic content and context to a commercial audience three times each weekday. Stories focus on providing up-to-the-moment economic news in a quick, digestible format on radio, podcast and smart speakers.

Alpha Media Airs ‘United for Justice - A Day of Discussion’ Across 65 Stations

Date Posted: 6/12/2020

Alpha Media aired “United for Justice - A Day of Discussion” on June 12 across its 65 radio stations in 40 media markets. The broadcast addressed the racial tensions affecting American communities following the death of George Floyd while in police custody.

Host Nick Cannon spoke with artists Snoop Dogg and T.I., Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43), California Governor Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Carcetti, Arizona State Senator Martin Quezada, and Black Lives Matter Co-Founder Dr. Melina Abdullah. U.S. Senators Kamala Harris (CA) and Cory Booker (NJ) spoke with host Ebro Darden about how the nation is being impacted and the steps that can be taken. Female hip-hop artist Saweetie spoke about her personal involvement with the Black Lives Matter movement.

Along with personalities in Alpha markets, hosts included Skyview Network’s Nick Cannon and Dana Cortez, Ebro Darden, Laura Stylez, Tino Cochino, Big Boy, Jubal Fresh, and Radio Hall of Fame host Tom Joyner.

“The events of the last few weeks are reminding us that this is not a new problem but one that needs to be addressed right now. We are united in that we love the communities we live in,” said President and CEO Bob Proffitt.

Broadcasters Tackle Tough Racial Issues

Date Posted: 6/5/2020

Stations across the country have been airing town hall specials related to protests and issues of police brutality throughout early June.

ABC owned-and-operated WPVI Philadelphia will air a virtual town hall “Race, Rage and Healing: Where Do We Go From Here?” on June 7, moderated by WPVI anchor Sharrie Williams.

Nexstar Media’s CBS affiliate KOIN-TV Portland hosted a virtual town hall to address race and justice issues on June 4.

Capitol Broadcasting Company’s NBC affiliate WRAL-TV Raleigh, N.C. hosted a candid conversation with local police regarding law enforcement, also on June 4.

NBC owned-and-operated KNTV San Francisco aired “Race in America: The Conversation” on June 4 to address issues related to race, especially in the local community.

Urban One Addresses Political and Racial Climate

Date Posted: 6/5/2020

Urban One hosted a virtual town hall, “We Are One: More Than A Hashtag,” on June 4 to address the political and racial climate surrounding George Floyd’s death. The town hall featured panelists include NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson and National Urban League President Marc Morial among others.

“We grieve with the Floyd family over the tragic murder of George Floyd and stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters who demonstrate and cry out for justice, which is long overdue,” said Urban One Founder and Chairwoman Cathy Hughes. “Urban One has always provided a forum for these kinds of discussions, and we will continue in that 40-year old tradition.”

ABC Stations Launch #BeLocalish Campaign

Date Posted: 5/13/2020

ABC Owned Television Stations launched a call-to-action campaign, #BeLocalish, to help support local businesses struggling to survive the economic toll of the COVID-19 pandemic. ABC’s owned stations are helping tell the stories of the small businesses to help them continue to thrive.

Gray Raises $1.2 Million for Relief Efforts

Date Posted: 5/6/2020

Gray Television announced on May 5 that during March and April 2020, its local television stations collectively helped to raise more than $12.6 million to benefit local residents and organizations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The efforts included a wide variety of telethons, on-air and online fundraisers, musical concerts, and other events lasting from one hour to a few weeks. Many of the stations launched their campaigns after learning about the difficulties that local food banks and other non-profits were experiencing as public health concerns resulted in the cancelation or curtailment of their normal fundraising activities, just as they experienced dramatic increases in need for their services. Read about the efforts in local communities across the country here.

iHeart Media Launches Small Business Resource Initiative

Date Posted: 5/4/2020

iHeart Media launched a centralized Small Business Crisis Resource center to provide crucial information on the stimulus package, state-by-state resources and up-to-date news for businesses struggling due to COVID-19. The program, which includes webinars with officials from the U.S. Small Business Administration, podcasts and a weekly newsletter, is focused on helping business owners understand how to apply for federal loans and support during the global pandemic.

"At iHeart, our focus continues to be about serving our local communities, including the small businesses that support many residents,” said Hartley Adkins, chief operating officer for iHeartMedia Markets Group.

CW Stations Say ’Thank You’ To COVID-19 Frontline Workers

Date Posted: 4/22/2020

The CW launched a new public service announcement campaign for local stations, featuring celebrities from network programming, to highlight and honor those working on the frontlines of the global pandemic. The PSA is also available on The CW’s social channels and streaming platform. Watch one version.

iHeart Launches ’First Responder Friday’ Appreciation Series

Date Posted: 4/17/2020

iHeartMedia launched “First Responder Fridays” on April 17 to honor first responders and medical professionals on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. The four-week tribute series, hosted by personality Ryan Seacrest, will be played on 90 radio stations across the country and features a weekly 30-minute concert series to help raise funds for organizations assisting those on the front lines.

Urban One Launches PSA New COVID-19 PSA Campaign

Date Posted: 4/16/2020

Urban One unveiled a new public service campaign on April 16 to encourage the public during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We Are One” features station personalities, Urban One staff and celebrities.

Sinclair Stations Raise $880,000 for Salvation Army

Date Posted: 4/15/2020

Sinclair Broadcast Group raised $880,000 nationally for its “Sinclair Cares and Salvation Army: Your Neighbor Needs You” to support those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, Sinclair matched the first $100,000 of community donations.

Telemundo Expands to 12-Hour News Coverage

Date Posted: 4/13/2020

Telemundo-owned stations began airing 12 hours of consecutive weekday news coverage on April 13 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Changes to accommodate the new schedule include expanding the network’s morning show, “Un Nuevo Dia,” to four hours and 30 minutes, followed by local news at midday and again in the event.

FOX Stations Air Local and National Easter Services to Encourage Staying Home

Date Posted: 4/12/2020

Fox owned stations aired local Easter church services live on April 12 to encourage families and churchgoers to stay at home during COVID-19. In addition to airing two national services, many stations elected to broadcast local services from a variety of area churches, covering many denominations. Broadcasting services encourages families to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by staying home during what is normally a highly attended holiday service for Christian churches.

Gray’s InvestigateTV Creates COVID-19 Tracker

Date Posted: 4/9/2020

InvestigateTV released in early April an interactive, innovative COVID-19 Tracker for monitoring coronavirus cases. It allows users to see cases, hospitalizations, deaths, hospital beds, and other relevant data on a county-by-county basis. For example, the COVID-19 Tracker allowed InvestigateTV to break the news that New Orleans had emerged as a national hotspot for the deadly virus in early March before any national news outlets.

Gray Television Launches COVID-19 Focused Nightly News Program

Date Posted: 4/6/2020

Gray Television launched a new nightly news program on April 6 to address the continually developing coronavirus pandemic. The program, hosted by Greta Van Susteren and Lee Zurik, will be aired on Gray Television stations in 93 markets and will draw on reporting from Gray’s local newsrooms, with a focus on what public officials, private companies and health providers are doing.

Sun Broadcast Group Commits $200,000 to Help Small Businesses

Date Posted: 4/5/2020

Sun Broadcast Group has committed $200,0000 to help small business impacted by COVID-19 through a new “Brand Impossible” campaign, in partnership with a digital brand agency. Each winning small business will receive a marketing makeover, including professional marketing services by the digital agency and free advertising through Sun Broadcast Group.

Beasley Thanks Frontline Troops of Coronavirus Pandemic

Date Posted: 4/5/2020

Beasley Media Group has unveiled a new online social media initiative to recognize and thank those on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic. The social media vignettes, entitled #WeAreGrateful, focus on thanking first responders, healthcare industry workers, retail employees, utility workers, transport drivers and others who are making a difference and helping their communities during these challenging times.

CBS Launches Coronavirus Podcast

Date Posted: 4/3/2020

CBS News chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett launched in early April a podcast called "Debriefing the Briefing." Each episode covers daily White House coronavirus briefings.

Broadcasters Turn to Tech Solutions for News

Date Posted: 4/3/2020

ABC, NBC and CBS are trying to find ways to report the news without the control room staff and multiple camera angles that are normal in the business as the networks pursue social distancing strategies in the wake of the current pandemic. Robotic cameras, videoconferencing software and handheld devices are all valuable tools in the effort.

Stations Offer Free Ad Space to Support Local Advertisers

Date Posted: 4/3/2020

Some television stations are offering free or discounted ad space to local advertisers in an effort to support them financially during the coronavirus outbreak, which has forced many businesses to temporarily close. Meredith Local Media’s Fox affiliate WHNS-TV Greenville, S.C., general manager Charlie Henrich says the decision helps his station show advertisers that their relationship isn’t just a financial one.

ABC Launches COVID-19 Coverage Series

Date Posted: 4/1/2020

ABC-owned stations launched a new coronavirus coverage series in early April entitled “Check In” to keep audiences informed during the pandemic and focus those who serving the community during the crisis.

The series is a part ABC’s “Localish” and is available on ABC stations WLS-TV Chicago, WPVI-TV Philadelphia, KGO-TV San Francisco, KTRK-TV Houston, WABC-TV New York and KABC-TV Los Angeles. It also is available through social media and local stations apps.

Entercom Launches New Initiatives in Response to COVID-19

Date Posted: 4/1/2020

Entercom launched “Stay Connected” to keep listeners informed and connected during COVID-19. Stations are delivering public service announcements, community-specific messages, timely content from local brands and businesses doing their part, and special entertainment programming to help keep listeners healthy, safe and supported.

Initiatives produced by Entercom include:

• I’m Listening: Stay Connected with Dr. Chris, to support mental health amidst a pandemic
• Love Local, a resource to support local businesses
• Difference Makers, to highlight those making an impact in their communities
• Home Schooled, a music program to reiterate what children are learning at home

Read more here.

NBC Releases COVID-19 PSA Series

    View Video
Date Posted: 3/27/2020

NBCUniversal released a series of new public service announcements on March 27 for affiliate station use featuring station personalities and celebrities. The PSAs are aimed to calm nerves amid the COVID-19 pandemic and remind viewers of the steps they can take to prevent the spread of the virus. Watch one PSA focused on caring for your mental health during the pandemic.

Radio Works to Provide the New Normal During Coronavirus

Date Posted: 3/27/2020

Radio stations around the United States are working to determine the new normal amid the novel coronavirus outbreak. In addition to increasing news coverage and keeping people informed about outbreaks in their local communities, stations are working with each other to determine what works best and how to best serve the public. Read more stories about changing conditions at allaccess.com.

Broadcaster Creativity on Display for COVID-19 Coverage

Date Posted: 3/26/2020

Broadcasters have always been creative in figuring out ways to get the word out during challenging times. But the flexibility on display by the nation’s broadcasters during the COVID-19 outbreak has been nothing short of extraordinary. Broadcast engineers and technologists are "MacGyver’ing" solutions to ensure that the public is protected, informed, and in this environment of social distancing, comforted.

Read More

iHeart, Fox Announce Concert for America

Date Posted: 3/25/2020

iHeartMedia and Fox raised $8 million during “The iHeart Living Room Concert For America,” a music event to provide entertainment during the COVID-19 pandemic. The concert aired commercial free on March 29 across all iHeartMedia radio stations and on Fox, during the iHeartRadio Music Awards’ original broadcast timeslot. Hosted by Elton John, the event will feature performances by Alicia Keys, Backstreet Boys, Billie Eilish, Billie Joe Armstrong, Mariah Carey, and Tim McGraw and others. The performances will be filmed with their personal cell phones, cameras and audio equipment. The event will pay tribute to the health professionals and first responders fighting the spread of the virus. It also will encourage viewers to support Feeding America and First Responders Children’s Foundation.

Scripps Supports Local Businesses With PSA Campaign

Date Posted: 3/24/2020

The E.W. Scripps Company launched on March 24 “We’re Open,” a public service campaign to support local businesses and their employees shuttered by coronavirus. Through the multiplatform campaign in Scripps’ 42 local media markets, the campaign celebrates the value local businesses bring to their communities. As part of the campaign, stations are promoting #TakeoutTuesday to encourage delivery and takeout throughout the shutdown.

Radio Broadcasters Spread Optimism, Solidarity in Crisis

Date Posted: 3/24/2020

The number of people turning to local radio stations for information, comfort and distraction is increasing as the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread around the world. Stations are, in turn, responding with messages of optimism and solidarity as they adapt to the crisis and work to keep the public informed. Read stories of radio stations online at Radio Ink and All Access, and additional stories of service on TVNewsCheck.

Entercom Connects Listeners to Mental Health Resources

Date Posted: 3/24/2020

Entercom launched on March 18 a multiplatform, live daily show focused on mental health in the midst of the COVID-19 global health pandemic. “I’m Listening; Stay Connected” is part of Entercom’s yearlong mental health initiative and provides a resource to support those struggling with mental health or feel overwhelmed by outbreak of COVID-19.

"I’m Listening: Stay Connected” will provide our millions of listeners across the country access to information and professionals in the medical field, encouraging healthy dialogue throughout this time of great uncertainty," said Pam Russo, senior vice president and general manager of Entercom’s RADIO.COM.

Pandemic Brings Viewers to Local News

Date Posted: 3/23/2020

People of all ages are turning to local news for information regarding the coronavirus and increasing television watching while staying home.

Nielsen reported that Americans are expected to watch as much as 60 percent more television during periods of restrictive shutdowns. CBS news program "60 Minutes" received the highest viewership on March 22 since December 2019.

Viewership for news in the leading 25 markets saw the largest increase in viewers under the age of 17 during the week starting on March 9, Nielsen reports. Read more.

Local TV Spreads Messages of Hope During COVID-19 Crisis

Date Posted: 3/23/2020

As people turn to local TV news for information they can trust about the global COVID-19 crisis, stations are responding with messages of hope and optimism, togetherness and kindness. TVNewsCheck featured a few messages here from these stations:

• Cox’s ABC affiliate WFTV Orlando
• TEGNA’s NBC affiliate WTHR Indianapolis
• KAKE, Lockwood Broadcasting’s ABC affiliate KAKE Wichita, Kan
• Lilly Broadcasting’s ABC affiliate KITV Honolulu
• Nexstar’s NBC affiliate WCMH Columbus, Ohio
• Circle City Broadcasting’s CW affiliate WISH Indianapolis
• Weigel Broadcasting’s ABC affiliate WBND South Bend, Ind.
• Nexstar’s Fox affiliate WXIN Indianapolis
• TEGNA’s CBS affiliate WTSP Tampa

Univision Creates PSA to Address COVID-19

Date Posted: 3/23/2020

Univision released a COVID-19 PSA featuring the network’s chief medical correspondent and has ramped up coverage in response to the virus. Additional steps to protect the public include airing a network-wide special each day, providing hourly vignettes to keep people informed and offering online resources through email, Univision apps and digital platforms.

Americans Turn to Broadcasters for COVID-19 Coverage

Date Posted: 3/22/2020

The Pew Research Center has found that Americans are turning to, and trusting, broadcasters to keep them informed about the outbreak of COVID-19. The majority of Americans feel news media has covered the outbreak well, and the level coverage provided has helped individuals make informed decisions about their health.

NBC Stations Expand Local Newscasts Due to Coronavirus

Date Posted: 3/20/2020

NBC owned and operated stations in various markets implemented new local newscasts on March 16 to increase coverage of the COVID-19 and the novel coronavirus. WNBC-TV New York, KNBC-TV Los Angeles, KNTV San Francisco, WTVJ-TV Miami and WVIT-TV Hartford, Conn., began airing new, half-hour local newscasts at 7 p.m. on weekdays. WBTS-TV Boston, WCAU-TV Philadelphia, KXAS-TV Dallas and KNSD-TV San Diego also expanded their 11 p.m. programming to a full hour.

ABC Replaces Afternoon Talk Show with COVID-19 News Program

Date Posted: 3/20/2020

ABC began airing a novel coronavirus focused news program on March 18, temporarily replacing a midday talk show. “Pandemic: What You Need to Know” is led by ABC’s 20/20 co-anchor Amy Robach and guided by Jennifer Ashton, chief medical correspondent at ABC News. The program will focus on developing news surrounding the novel coronavirus and adjustments for living during a global pandemic.

Fox Corporation Offers All Viewers Free Access to National and Local News

Date Posted: 3/18/2020

Fox Corporation announced on March 18 that it is offering unlimited access to FOX Television Stations and FOX News Channel to ensure that all Americans can access the latest national and local news regarding the COVID-19 global pandemic. FOX Television Stations and FOX News Media also collaborated to launch a nightly three-minute prime time live report.

Breaking news, live stream updates, and exclusive interviews with health officials are available on CoronavirusNOW.com. Content from FOX’s 29 owned and operated television stations are available for free on FOX.com and the FOX NOW app.

“Our highest duty as a company is to provide the individuals and communities we serve with information and analysis to help educate and protect them during dangerous times,” said Executive Chairman and CEO Lachlan Murdoch.

“In our dedicated mission to inform the public, FOX News Channel and FOX Television Stations are proud to provide Americans with free access to extensive urgent national and local news on the pandemic, serving as a critical resource during this unprecedented crisis,” said FOX News Media Chief Executive Officer Suzanne Scott and FOX Television Stations Chief Executive Officer Jack Abernethy.

CBS Radio Airs Coronavirus Special

Date Posted: 3/16/2020

CBS News Radio offered stations the opportunity to air a one-hour special focused on the current coronavirus outbreak. Allison Keyes, a CBS correspondent, hosted "The CBS News Special Report: The Coronavirus Welcome to the New Normal." The special was released to stations on March 16.

Nexstar Launches Daily COVID-19 Stream

Date Posted: 3/16/2020

Nexstar launched in early March a daily coronavirus stream that is available on the websites for its 115 stations and on social media. Nexstar’s MyNetworkTV affiliate KRON-TV San Francisco organizes the stream, with daily contributions from NBC affiliate WFLA Tampa, Fox affiliate KTVI St. Louis, and its Washington, D.C. bureau. A resource page made available to stations includes CDC data, a timeline, and a video module with the latest clips on international news. Here are examples from stations:

CBS affiliate KELO Sioux Falls, S.D.
NBC affiliate WAVY-TV Norfolk, Va.
NBC affiliate KARK Little Rock
NBC affiliate WFLA Tampa

“We launched the daily stream earlier this week as an additional resource for people to get the latest headlines on the virus from trusted, local news sources,” said Austin Kellerman, Nexstar’s director of digital content. “With all the misinformation out there, this is a way to get trusted information.”

Radio Executives Respond to the Coronavirus Crisis

Date Posted: 3/14/2020

Independent and small radio stations are taking steps to protect their staff during the ongoing coronavirus outbreak while continuing to serve the public, station executives say. Jeff McCarthy, Midwest Communications’ vice president of programming, says keeping listeners informed by presenting accurate, factual information is radio stations’ top priority. Full Story: Radio Ink

TEGNA’s ‘Facts Not Fear’ Approach to Coronavirus

Date Posted: 3/9/2020

TEGNA stations are committed to a “Facts Not Fear” approach to reporting on the coronavirus outbreak, with a focus on providing context and perspective, while not downplaying the severity of the situation. TEGNA is paying close attention to the graphics stations use and encourages reporters to take the time needed to ensure they report accurate information. National and local fact-checking teams at TEGNA’s project Verify are focused on coronavirus misinformation and are creating accurate reports.

NBC affiliate KPNX Phoenix aired a segment addressing rumors about how coronavirus might spread on international flights.

NBC affiliate KUSA Denver produced an 80-second video mission statement promising viewers that it will not “play on our fears and yours” with click-bait headlines. It also pledged not to “guess or speculate or assume,” but instead seek out multiple experts and vetted sources.

NBC affiliate KSDK St. Louis also aired a segment about TEGNA’s “Facts Not Fear” approach. The station offered a phone number so viewers can text questions about the coronavirus and receive answers from medical professionals.

“Our journalists and our news leaders are handling this with such care and such a commitment to help their communities,” said TEGNA VP of News Ellen Crooke. “They have a great sense of this is a duty to our country, to do this well and to do this properly.”

NBC News Launches Coronavirus Effort

Date Posted: 3/4/2020

NBC News launched on February 28 a new network-wide initiative to address the coronavirus as infections hit more than 80,000 cases across six continents. The initiative includes a 24/7 live-blog with extensive video and the latest updates every few minutes. A dedicated morning news takeover — Morning Rundown Special Edition: Coronavirus Crisis — started March 2. Read more here.

ABC Provides Extensive TV and Radio COVID-19 Coverage

Date Posted: 3/2/2020

ABC News is producing extensive, daily coverage of the COVID-19 outbreak (also known as coronavirus) across all platforms. On March 6, ABC News created a daily program called “COVID-19: What You Need To Know” on its streaming channel ABC News Live. The show airs at noon on weekdays and is simulcast on ABC News Radio, with anchor Aaron Katersky providing radio-specific content.

Katersky also hosts ABC Audio’s daily podcast, “COVID-19: What You Need to Know.” ABC Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton answers questions from social media. “Nightline” will also focus exclusively on the coronavirus.

“In times of global crisis, we as journalists have a public service to give our viewers the essential information they need to stay informed and help them make any decisions for their own and their family’s well-being,” said Nightline Executive Producer Steven Baker. “This type of in-depth daily coverage is in the show’s DNA.”

Beasley Addresses COVID-19

Date Posted: 3/1/2020

Beasley Media Group implemented a companywide COVID-19 coverage and prevention policy. All stations are committed to providing timely, accurate updates over the air, while Beasley websites include up-to-the-minute information under the “Community of Caring” campaign umbrella. Beasley has also cancelled and postponed events and implemented telework and no work travel policies.

“The challenges we face are extraordinary, but the moment is not unique,” said Beasley Media Group Chief Executive Officer, Caroline At our core, our company exists to serve our employees, advertisers and our communities and keep them safe and informed during times exactly like this. Broadcasters are at our best during uncertain times.”

Entercom Stations Address COVID-19

Date Posted: 3/1/2020

Entercom stations across the country are dedicating significant over-the-air and digital inventory to covering the COVID-19 global pandemic. On March 16, Entercom launched a podcast called “Coronavirus Daily.” Radio Ink spoke with Entercom’s Senior Vice President of Programming and personnel from WINS-AM New York City, WCBS-AM New York City, KNX-AM Los Angeles, WBBM-AM and WCFS-FM Chicago, and KHTP-FM Seattle about their coverage. KNX-AM is providing around-the-clock coverage on-air. Read more here.

“It comes down to trust and credibility,” said WINS-AM Brand Manager Ben Mevorach. “As millions of people in our area seek to find news that informs and doesn’t hype, they come to 1010 WINS. The same place they have come to during major crises for decades. Our entire staff is focused on bringing information, providing answers, and connecting the community.”

“This is our story. We live and work here,” said WCBS-AM Brand Manager Tim Scheld. “As members of the community ourselves, we at WCBS 880 are committed to covering this story for our neighbors, friend and family.”

Scripps Hosts First National News Literacy Week

Date Posted: 2/1/2020

The E.W. Scripps Company hosted on January 27-31 the first National News Literacy Week with the nonprofit News Literacy Project, designed to raise awareness of news literacy as a fundamental life skill.

Scripps’ 60 television stations and national media brands, including Newsy and Stitcher, published stories and ran a national advertising campaign focused on the critical need for news literacy and the important role of a free press in a healthy democracy.

Scripps Focuses on Local News With High School Journalists

Date Posted: 1/31/2020

Scripps TV stations worked with local high schools through National News Literacy Week, January 27-31, to produce original pieces of student journalism. The stories highlighted the importance of local news and were available on the stations and through Scripps’ multiplatform news brand, Newsy.

Participating Scripps stations included:

• ABC affiliate KMGH-TV Denver;
• ABC affiliate KGTV San Diego;
• ABC affiliate WKBW-TV Buffalo;
• CBS affiliate KMTV Omaha, Neb.;
• CBS affiliate WTKR-TV Norfolk, VA;
• CBS affiliate WTVF-TV Nashville; and
• CBS affiliate WTVR-TV Richmond, VA.

Nexstar Helps Communities Recover and Rebuild

Date Posted: 1/23/2020

The Nexstar Media Charitable Foundation donated $190,000 to help victims and communities recover following mass shootings and devastating tornadoes. The Foundation and Nexstar’s CW affiliate KDAF-TV Dallas donated $100,000 to the Dallas Education Foundation to benefit several area schools severely damaged by tornadoes that occurred in the late fall of 2019.

On behalf of NBC affiliate WDTN-TV Dayton, Ohio, the Foundation donated $60,000 to help those affected by tornadoes in spring of 2019 and the mass shooting that occurred on August 4.

On behalf of NBC affiliate KSTM-TV El Paso, TX., the Nexstar Media Charitable Foundation donated $30,000 to benefit the victims of a mass shooting at a Walmart on August 3.

Local Stations Win duPont-Columbia Awards

Date Posted: 1/22/2020

Columbia Journalism School honored four television stations on January 21 with Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University awards. Stations raised awareness for important issues such as immigration, political corruption, abuse of power and sexual assualt.

Television stations include TEGNA’s NBC affiliate KARE-TV Minneapolis; Scripps ABC affiliate WKWB-TV Buffalo; PBS affiliate WETA-TV Washington, D.C.; and Cox Media Group’s ABC affiliate WSOC-TV Charlotte, N.C.

Univision Radio Raises $4.7 Million For St. Jude

Date Posted: 1/3/2020

Univision radio stations in 15 markets raised $4.7 million during this year’s “Promesa y Esperanza” radio event, held December 5 – 6 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Univision encouraged thousands of listeners to become Angels of Hope by donating during the two-day radiothon.

Radio Raises Over $31 Million

Date Posted: 1/1/2020

Radio stations across the U.S. have raised close to $31.2 million for their local communities, according to Radio Ink’s ongoing tracker. Broadcasters collected tons of food, distributed hundreds of thousands of toys and raised millions to fight childhood cancer. A sample of the stories can be found below. More information about stations’ fundraisers can be found at Radio Ink.

Hearst Television’s Commitment to Public Service

Date Posted: 12/9/2019

Congratulations to Hearst Television for being recognized by Broadcasting & Cable for its outstanding reporting and community service. Hearst stations produce impactful investigative reporting, local news, election coverage and severe weather information. Read the profile here.

‘Breakfast Club’ Morning Show Raises $670,000

Date Posted: 12/6/2019

iHeart Media’s syndicated morning show “The Breakfast Club” raised $670,000 during the #Change4Change radiothon, held November 21 – 22. This year’s proceeds will go towards the newly created “Breakfast Club HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) Scholarship,” which will be awarded through the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. In three years, #Change4Change has raised more than $1.7 million for various organizations.

NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ Focuses on Key Counties for Election

Date Posted: 12/5/2019

NBC News’ “Meet the Press” recently launched “County to County,” a project focusing on five key counties in swing states that moderator Chuck Todd said are “likely to decide this election.” Todd and reporters Vaughn Hillyard and Dasha Burns will provide election coverage from Milwaukee County (Wisconsin), Kent County (Michigan), Beaver County (Pennsylvania), Miami-Dade County (Florida) and Maricopa County (Arizona).

Univision and Poynter Fight Misinformation

Date Posted: 12/5/2019

The Poynter Institute announced on November 21 that its International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) and Univision News will provide Spanish-speaking audiences in the U.S. with information about fact-checking work produced leading up to the presidential election. IFCN Associate Director Cristina Tardáguila has begun publishing a weekly op-ed column in Spanish on Univision Noticias. The English version appears on IFCN’s and Poynter’s social networks.

“For Univision News, this collaboration is an opportunity to continue offering high-quality content and new tools that allow the Hispanic community to distinguish facts from fiction and helps them discern information from disinformation online and on social media,” said Univision News President Daniel Coronell.

Radio Raises 2.2 Million

Date Posted: 12/5/2019

Radio stations across the U.S. have raised more than $2.2 million for their local communities as of November 25, according to Radio Ink. More information about stations’ fundraisers can be found here.

Hearst Stations to Explore Issues in Every State

Date Posted: 10/30/2019

Hearst Television, as part of its “Commitment 2020” initiative, is extending its television and digital coverage of the 2020 election season to provide election news coverage that affects every state. Journalists from around the country and at the recently expanded Washington, D.C., bureau will conduct deep reporting on election security and other issues. Hearst is also collaborating with FactCheck.org, a project of the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public Policy Center, to identify misinformation.

“Study after study shows local television to be the most trusted news source for Americans,” said Hearst President Jordan Wertlieb. “Our teams are well positioned to provide comprehensive coverage of the issues that matter most to voters in their hometowns and regions.”

Broadcast TV: Top Source of Hurricane Dorian News Coverage

Date Posted: 10/3/2019

TVB, a trade association for local television broadcasters, commissioned a proprietary Hurricane Dorian Media Usage Study. The study, performed by market research firm Dynata, showed that people overwhelmingly chose local broadcast TV stations as their preferred news source. Key insights include:

• News Sources: 84 percent used TV station news for Hurricane Dorian information.
• Time Spent: At 3 hours and 24 minutes, respondents spent more time with local broadcast TV than any other source, more than twice than the time spent with social media.
• Information Source for Hurricane preparation: 75 percent of respondents chose broadcast TV for information when preparing to face severe weather.
• Trust: 94 percent of respondents agreed that local TV news was the most trusted, while TV station news websites and apps were the second most trusted source at 88 percent. Social media was the least trusted at 57 percent.

Radio Raises $25 Million for St. Jude

Date Posted: 10/3/2019

About 350 radio stations around the country have raised $25 million in the last year for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, according to this letter from Chris Boysen, senior vice president, field development at St. Jude to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. The money raised funds research and enables St. Jude to care for more than 8,000 young cancer patients each year, without ever sending families a bill.

“[It is] a powerful testament to the power of radio stations to affect positive change in the communities they serve,” said Boysen.

Hearst Television, Inc. – Service to Community Award for Television

Date Posted: 10/1/2019

Hearst Television, Inc. received the Service to Community Award for Television - Ownership Group for their coverage of the 2018 midterm elections at the 2019 Celebration of Service to America Awards in Washington, D.C. Hearst’s commitment to covering issue-oriented stories as they broke and digging deeper into investigative pieces helped viewers make better informed decisions at the polls.

Across ten months, Hearst Television stations hosted 98 debates and aired 5,034 political stories, totaling to nearly 13,200 minutes of coverage. The 2018 midterm elections marked the highest voter turnout for a midterm election in more than a century.

Beasley Media Group – Service to Community Award for Television

Date Posted: 10/1/2019

The National Association of Broadcasters Leadership Foundation (NABLF) honored Beasley Media Group with the Service to Community Award for Television – Ownership Group at the 2019 NABLF Celebration of Service to America Awards in Washington, D.C. The award recognized Beasley for the impact of Beasley Best Community of Caring (BBCC), which creates scripts for 30- and 60- second public service announcements and asks stations to air spots ten times per week.

The campaign is supported by corresponding social media posts, articles and blogs. Each market is also paired with a local group to work on issues that touch the community. In 2018, BBCC donated nearly 33,000 spots across 15 markets, while individual stations worked to serve and support their local communities.

Radio Aids Dorian Victims in the Bahamas

Date Posted: 10/1/2019

Beasley Media Group (BMG) launched a company-wide relief effort across its 65 radio stations asking listeners to donate money to Hurricane Dorian relief efforts and give blood to the American Red Cross.

Cox Media Group’s WEDR-FM, WFEZ-FM, WFLC-FM and WHQT-FM Miami partnered with local Winn-Dixie stores to collect donations for victims of Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas as part of its “Labor of Love Bahamas Relief” event held September 5 – 6. Donations included non-perishable food, battery-powered radios, batteries, sunscreen and infant formula and diapers.

Entercom Miami’s WPOW-FM, WKIS-FM and WQAM-AM have joined forces with “Neighbors 4 Neighbors” to raise money for the families affected by Hurricane Dorian.

Hubbard’s WRMF-FM West Palm Beach raised $200,000 – double their original goal - during a radiothon held September 11 for relief efforts in The Bahamas. Watch video here and here.

iHeartMedia South Florida radio stations held several donation drives in September as part of its #iHeartBahamas Relief Effort. Listener contributions filled more than 21 semi-trucks with water, non-perishable food, generators, building materials, hygiene products, tents, pet food and blankets. iHeartMedia staffers also planned to travel to The Bahamas with local law enforcement agencies and volunteers to deliver donations when the infrastructure allows.

Entercom Addresses Mental Health

Date Posted: 10/1/2019

Entercom produced and aired a two-hour live, commercial-free broadcast special, “I’m Listening,” on September 8 to raise awareness around mental health at the start of National Suicide Prevention Week. The program aired nationwide on more than 235 stations and via each station’s livestream, led by KISW-FM Seattle personality BJ Shea and Dr. Ursula Whiteside, chief executive officer of NowMattersNow.org. In addition, all shows during National Suicide Prevention Week on Entercom’s LGBTQ+ talk radio network Channel Q, available nationwide on Radio.com, featured segments on mental health and suicide prevention and included personal accounts from celebrities and mental health professionals.

iHeart Addresses Opioid Crisis

Date Posted: 10/1/2019

iHeartMedia, the National Opioid Action Coalition (NOAC), and advertising agency WPP launched the initiative #TalkToMe on September 3 at the beginning of National Recovery Month. It focuses on reducing stigma as a barrier to opioid use disorder prevention, treatment and recovery. #TalkToMe urges people to initiate conversations with a friend or loved one about opioid misuses, encourages people in recovery to share their stories, and educates communities on how to talk about opioid use disorder.

iHeartMedia aired a series of #TalkToMe vignettes across its 850+ radio stations during September. They featured on-air personalities and artists including Nikki Sixx, Macklemore, Camila Cabello, Dan + Shay, Papa Roach, The Band Perry, Jason Wahler and Wells Adams. iHeartMedia will launch a #TalkToMe podcast series this fall featuring discussions with diverse celebrity guests and subject matter experts.

Telemundo Answers Citizenship and Voter Registration Questions

Date Posted: 9/30/2019

Telemundo and the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund hosted two phone banks, each open from 7:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. On September 17, they focused on citizenship questions and on September 24 addressed voter registration. The campaign is part of “Hazte Contar” (“Be Counted”), Telemundo’s multi-year initiative encouraging participation in the 2020 census and presidential election.

Leading up to the phone banks, Telemundo stations in 30 markets aired news stories about the U.S. citizenship application process and the importance of registering to vote. Stations hosted local voter registration events and aired multiplatform coverage of local and federal election campaigns. Telemundo Network promoted the phone banks on its morning show “Un Nuevo Día,” news programs “Noticias Telemundo Mediodia,” “Al Rojo Vivo,” and “Noticias Telemundo,” and on digital and social platforms.

Broadcasters Cover Hurricane Dorian

Date Posted: 9/4/2019

Hurricane Dorian slammed the Bahamas as a Category 5 and later Category 4 hurricane on September 1 and 2, killing seven as of press time with the death toll expected to rise. Television networks, local affiliates and radio stations provided extensive, potentially life-saving coverage as Hurricane Dorian approached Florida.

CBS News, NBC News, ABC News and Berkshire Hathaway’s ABC affiliate WPLG-TV Fort Lauderdale sent reporters to the Bahamas to cover the damage, while also keep eyes on Dorian’s approach towards Jacksonville, Fla. Deadline detailed the challenges faced in covering a storm that was so difficult to track. iHeartRadio, Entercom, Cox Media Group, Hubbard and JVC were also among the multitudes of broadcasters prepared to deliver emergency information to their local communities.

The Orlando Sentinel highlighted on September 2 the role local TV stations in Florida have played as Hurricane Dorian approached landfall in the state.

“In Orlando, we have many fine meteorologists who deliver the information clearly and simply. Thanks for doing your jobs effectively — and we’re counting on you,” wrote Orlando Sentinel columnist Hal Boedeker. “It’s vitally important television,” Boedeker continued. “It could keep you alive.”

In addition to coverage, stations quickly planned relief efforts in the Bahamas. WPLG-TV partnered with two South Florida relief efforts that supported the Bahamas. Hubbard Radio’s West Palm Beach, Fla., cluster - WRMF-FM, WIRK-FM, WMBX-FM, WEAT-FM, WFTL-AM, and WMEN-AM - held a supply drive on September 4 - 5. iHeartMedia Miami stations WHYI-FM, WZTU-FM, WMIA-FM, WMIB-FM, WBGG-FM, WIOD-AM and WINZ-AM planned to broadcast live and collect goods on September 5 - 6 for the #iHeartBahamas Relief Effort. Items collected included new generators, plywood, construction materials, tents, gas cans, baby diapers and food, blankets, cots, sleeping bags, air mattresses, tarps and pet food.

NBC Unveils Classes for Diversity Programs

Date Posted: 9/3/2019

NBC recently unveiled the 2019-2020 classes for Female Forward and the Emerging Director Program, two initiatives that aim to increase the representation of female and ethnically diverse directors in scripted television. Participating directors will direct at least one episode in-season.

The new class of Female Forward directors and the NBC series they will direct include Kris Lefcoe (Superstore), Brenna Malloy (Chicago Fire), SJ Main Muñoz (Chicago Med), Kim Nguyen (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) and Sara Zandieh (Good Girls). This is the 10th year for the Emerging Director Program, NBC’s first pipeline program for ethnically diverse male and gender non-binary directors. The new class includes Mahesh Pailoor who will direct an episode of The Blacklist and Dinh Thai who will lead New Amsterdam.

Telemundo Launches #LatinoStrong

Date Posted: 9/3/2019

Telemundo launched on August 8 “#LatinoStrong, Unidos Contra el Odio,” an on-air and digital initiative dedicated to supporting the Hispanic community in the U.S. following mass shootings in El Paso, TX, and Dayton, OH, on August 3. It includes “Profiles of Courage,” which shares stories and contributions of Hispanics across the country. Telemundo has partnered with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and Communities Against Hate (CAH), The Leadership Conference Education Fund and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. CAH is a national initiative that encourages people to share stories of hate and provides access to legal and social services.

“As the Spanish-language network in the U.S. representing 60 million Latinos, it is our responsibility and commitment to U.S. Hispanics to provide support during these difficult times … We stand with all communities in promoting unity and eradicating acts of violence,” said Senior Vice President of Corporate and External Affairs Christina Kolbjornsen.

Univision Airs Special on El Paso Shooting

Date Posted: 9/2/2019

Univision aired on August 5 an hour-long news special, “Univision News Presents: Hispanics in the Crosshairs,” to address the El Paso massacre on August 3. Univision examined the anti-Hispanic manifesto attributed to the man who killed 22 people in a Walmart (reportedly targeting recent immigrants), the victims’ stories, the President’s comments and the gun control debate. Jorge Ramos and Patricia Janoit hosted the special, which also live streamed on Facebook, Periscope and YouTube.

InvestigateTV Debuts ’Measure of Hate’ Documentary

Date Posted: 9/1/2019

Gray’s InvestigateTV launched on August 4 a half-hour documentary, “Measure of Hate,” that focuses on the undercounting of hate crimes throughout the country and issues with laws related to tracking and punishing hate crimes. The program, which aired on all Gray television stations throughout August, showed that dozens of high-profile hate crimes investigated and prosecuted by the FBI and DOJ are not counted in the FBI federal database.

“We’re proud of the work by our investigative team on this project,” said SVP of Local Media Sandy Breland. “Their many months of reporting on this issue not only raised awareness but also sparked real change.”

“We hope this investigation encourages increased transparency to enable our leaders to better monitor hate crimes and highlight the importance of wide-ranging efforts to reduce hate crimes,” said Director of Investigations Lee Zurik.

NBC and Telemundo Find Homes for 135,000 Pets

Date Posted: 8/28/2019

NBC and Telemundo’s Clear the Shelters initiative, held July 27 – August 17, found permanent homes for 135,000 pets. A total of 98 NBC and Telemundo- owned or affiliated stations participated alongside nearly 2,000 animal shelters. The annual event has helped find homes for more than 395,000 animals since 2015 and reduces the stress on animals and staff at overcrowded shelters.

Teddy, a cataholua leopard dog mix at the Morris Animal Refuge in Philadelphia, was adopted during the event. The adopting family knew they found their dog because, like their daughter, Teddy is deaf. Other successful adoptees include Lamb, a five year old pit-bull who had been living in an Austin, Texas shelter since Hurricane Harvey struck in 2017 and two senior cats from Connecticut who were adopted together after the death of their original owner.

RTDNA Winners

Date Posted: 7/2/2019

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.

"These winning pieces from news organizations large and small have educated, uplifted, inspired, uncovered and enlightened,” said Executive Director Dan Shelley. "We’re proud to recognize the most outstanding ways journalists are keeping the public informed, holding the powerful accountable and enhancing the quality of life in their communities."

Hubbard’s WTOP-FM Washington, D.C., won for Overall Excellence in large market radio for the third straight year. Overall Excellence awards also go 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.

“Our news team places a high value on consistency, innovation, and collaboration across all platforms,” said Director of News and Programming Mike McMearty. “To be recognized three years in-a-row by the Murrow judges fills us all with such a great sense of pride… it’s truly a great honor.”

NBC and Telemundo Reporters Moderate First Democratic Debate

Date Posted: 6/27/2019

The first Democratic primary debate, held June 26 and 27, featured ten candidates each night. "NBC Nightly News" anchor Lester Holt moderated both hours on both nights. Four moderators were featured for an hour 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."

Local Stations Recognized for ‘First Informer’ Role in Wake of Disasters

Date Posted: 5/31/2019

Radio Ink published features on the roles of Zimmer Radio in Missouri and Cox Media Group in Ohio in informing their communities as they braced for devastating storms and tornadoes this May. The stories feature interviews with Zimmer Radio Missouri Operations Manager Thom Watts and Cox’s WHIO-AM/FM/TV Program Director Jeremy Ratliff that detail the stations’ preparedness and emergency procedures that allowed them to stay on the air and keep their listeners and viewers informed and safe.

NBC Owned Stations Steps Up Consumer Investigative Units

Date Posted: 5/6/2019

NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations is making a bigger bet on the NBC Responds/Telemundo Responde units that win back cash for viewers who feel they’ve been ripped off. Telemundo station WTMO Orlando launched a Responde consumer investigative unit April 11, and KTDO El Paso will launch one in mid-May.

First Informers Video: Hurricanes Florence, Michael

    View Video
Date Posted: 3/1/2019

NAB and the Broadcast Education Association presented the sixth installment in a powerful video series demonstrating the indispensable role that local radio and television broadcasters serve as “first informers” during times of emergency. The latest film focuses on broadcasters’ heroic response to Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Michael, which devasted the Carolinas, Florida Panhandle and other parts of the southeastern United States in September and October 2018. View the video here.

Univision Expands Local News Apps to Seven Markets

Date Posted: 2/6/2019

Univision Communications launched on January 22 new local news apps in seven markets: Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Houston, Dallas, Chicago and San Francisco. The mobile apps provide breaking news notifications, weather forecasts and local programming.

“We are excited to kick off 2019 by providing our audience with the award-winning, hyper-local content that only Univision delivers in an ultra-accessible mobile format they can bring anywhere,” said Chris Peña, SVP of news for local media.

Scripps Employees Donate 80,000 New Books

Date Posted: 2/5/2019

E.W. Scripps employees presented more than 80,000 new books to children across the country on January 23, National Reading Day, as part of the Scripps Howard Foundation’s annual “If you give a child a book …” childhood literacy campaign. As part of the campaign, ABC affiliate WXYZ and MyNewtworkTV affiliate WMYD Detroit, with a matching donation from the foundation, raised nearly $19,000 which will be used to purchase 7,500 books for local children. The Scripps Howard Foundation has distributed more than 180,000 books in three years.

Broadcasters Produce Award-Winning Investigations

Date Posted: 2/5/2019

Broadcasters honored on January 22 with duPont Awards for excellence in journalism include:

• CBS-owned WFOR-TV Miami documentary “The Everglades: Where Politics, Money and Race Collide” explores environmental, political and social factors leading to contamination in the Everglades.
• CBS News 60 Minutes / The Washington Post’s “The Whistleblower & Too Big to Prosecute” exposes a war within the DEA over the pharmaceutical industry’s role in the opioid epidemic.
• TEGNA’s CBS affiliate WTSP and the Tampa Bay Times for the “Zombie Campaigns” investigation that combined computer-assisted reporting and storytelling to expose loopholes in federal campaign laws. The loopholes allow politicians continue using campaign funds after they leave office or die.
• NBC-owned KNTV San Francisco for “Drivers Under Siege,” a local investigative series showing an increase in violent attacks on Bay Area bus drivers.

TEGNA Raises Money for Wildfire Victims

Date Posted: 12/1/2018

TEGNA recently launched a nationwide #CaliforniaGiving campaign. People can donate on station websites to assist wildfire relief efforts through a variety of nonprofits, including Jake’s Diapers, World Central Kitchen and California Fire Foundation.

In addition to providing extensive coverage of the fires, ABC affiliate KXTV Sacramento reporter Brandon Rittiman and photojournalist Pedro Garcia rescued four stranded dogs while covering the Camp Fire evacuations. Watch the rescue.

InvestigateTV Releases ‘Killing Pavel’ Documentary

Date Posted: 11/2/2018

Raycom Media’s InvestigateTV has released “Killing Pavel,” a documentary on investigative journalist Pavel Sheremet, who was killed in a car bombing two years ago. Sheremet was critical of authoritarian leadership in Belarus, Ukraine and Russia. The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and Ukranian investigative unit Slidstvo.Info explored Sheremet’s death. They used surveillance video and forensic analysis to find new witnesses and uncover additional details, which were included in the award-winning documentary “Killing Pavel.”

Scripps, Dispatch Expand Political Coverage Ahead of Midterms

Date Posted: 10/2/2018

All television stations owned by The E.W. Scripps Company will devote 100 minutes within their newscasts each week to political coverage, ranging from one-on-one candidate interviews to in-depth focus pieces.

Dispatch Broadcast Group’s WBNS-TV Columbus, Ohio and WTHR-TV Indianapolis, Indiana will devote extensive additional resources to enhance their coverage of the midterm elections. "It is our commitment to deliver expanded, multi-platform, political coverage to our communities we serve," said Dispatch Broadcast Group executives Larry Delia and John Cardenas

Radiothons Raise Money for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals

Date Posted: 10/2/2018

Several radiothons supported Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals during the week of September 3:

• Community Broadcasters’ WWKT-FM, WFRK-FM, WSIM-FM and WPDT-FM Florence, S.C., raised $114,000 in three days.
• Cumulus’ KSKS-FM Fresno, Calif., raised $183,000 during its 20th annual radiothon, almost $14,000 more than last year, during its 30-hour event.
• Univision’s KXTN-FM San Antonio raised nearly $60,000 in its 15th annual “Tejanos for Kids” radiothon, featuring local artists who shared their personal experiences.

Entercom Stations Host Mental Health Special

Date Posted: 10/2/2018

Entercom hosted on September 9 “I’m Listening,” a two-hour live, commercial-free broadcast special across all of its stations, to raise awareness around mental health and suicide prevention as part of its multi-platform “I’m Listening” campaign. Listeners could participate through a live call-in option and interactive website. On-air personality BJ Shea of KISW-FM Seattle hosted the special, which included medical experts, musicians and celebrities sharing personal stories.

Broadcasters Step up During Hurricane Florence

Date Posted: 10/2/2018

Broadcasters were well prepared to provide wall-to-wall coverage of Hurricane Florence, which made landfall on the coast of North Carolina on September 14. The storm killed at least 23 people, with some areas receiving up to 30 inches of rain. Radio and television stations in the Carolinas ramped up coverage ahead of the storm, disseminating vital information around the clock.

Nearly one million more residents in the Charlotte, Greensboro and Raleigh areas of North Carolina tuned into local newscasts on broadcast TV stations the week Hurricane Florence approached the East Coast and made landfall in the Carolinas than the previous week, according to data from ratings measurement service Nielsen.

“These Nielsen ratings again highlight the critical ‘first informer’ role of local broadcasting during emergencies,” said NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith. “As we’ve seen time and again, communities across the country rely on their local radio and TV stations for timely and lifesaving information. We applaud broadcasters who were in the path of Hurricane Florence for their continuous efforts to inform listeners and viewers.”

Former FEMA administrator Craig Fugate tweeted: “Tracking #Florence? Keep a radio in your Disaster Kit. Why, you have cell phone right? Until cellular services goes out, happen to me during Hurricane #Irma. No power, no Wifi, no cellular data. Radio was my only source for news and updates.”

Testimonials From Local Residents Amid Florence

Date Posted: 10/1/2018

The Columbia Journalism Review highlighted the indispensable appeal of local weather reporters during the Hurricane Florence weather emergency, including several statements from local residents. Myrtle Beach resident Karen Goodwin evacuated with her eight-year-old granddaughter, who carried with her a WMBF kids’ hurricane tracker.

“We trust our local broadcasters because they’re a part of our community, they’re going through the storm, too,” said Goodwin. “They’re down-to-earth and tell it like it is.”

Coast-To-Coast Radiothons Help Children’s Miracle Network

Date Posted: 9/4/2018

Radio stations that held radiothons in August for the Children’s Miracle Network’s Hospitals include:

- Entercom’s Greenville, S.C., cluster (WYRD-FM, WTPT-FM, WFBC-FM, WFBC-FM, WROQ-FM, WORD-AM WSPA-AM/FM) raised $238,000
- Wheeler Broadcasting’s WSLC-FM Roanoke, Va., raised $136,000
- iHeartMeadia’s KSSK-FM Honolulu raised $289,000

Graham Expands Midterm Election Coverage

Date Posted: 9/4/2018

Graham Media Group announced on July 23 that news teams at five stations will significantly increase coverage leading up to gubernatorial and U.S. Senate and House races in Michigan, Florida, and Texas. Click here to see election coverage plans for NBC affiliates KPRC Houston, WDIV Detroit, CBS affiliate WKMG Orlando, ABC affiliate KSAT San Diego and owned-and-operated WJXT Jacksonville, Fla. “It is our responsibility at the local level to cover local, state and federal elections actively and comprehensively across all platforms,” said CEO Emily Barr.

Raycom Stations in 50 Markets Air Opioid Abuse Documentary

Date Posted: 8/1/2018

Raycom announced on August 1 that all 50 Raycom markets would air "Licensed to Pill," the one-hour documentary exposing doctors who prescribe addictive opioids for their own profit. Raycom’s National Investigative Team, led by Fox affiliate WVUE-TV New Orleans Investigative Reporter Lee Zurik, produced “Licensed to Pill,” a three-part series on high opioid prescribers nationwide. A week after the story aired, federal agents raided the Tennessee office of the nation’s top opioid prescriber.

“One law enforcement officer told us that our data analysis gave him a new roadmap to investigate doctors,” Zurik said.

The series was offered to all Raycom’s stations, with each part available in three different lengths. The creative services department at CBS affiliate WAFB-TV Baton Rouge also created a tool kit for the series that stations could use and customize. Findings include:

• Ten percent of America’s top 1,000 prescribers of opioids to Medicare patients are sanctioned.
• Family physicians, nurse practitioners and doctors whose specialties focus on non-narcotic therapies are some of the most prolific prescribers. Federal guidelines say they should not prescribe opioids.
• Some wrote prescriptions for so many opioids that patient’s daily supply exceeded, on average, the number of days in a year.
• Dozens of doctors sanctioned by a state medical board for excessive prescribing still hold active licenses.
• Non-cancer doctors are prescribing dangerous fentanyl spray intended for cancer patients, while taking hundreds of thousands of dollars from a controversial drug maker.

Rincon Radiothon Nets $96K For Kids’ Health Center

Date Posted: 8/1/2018

Rincon Broadcasting’s KIST-FM and KSPE-FM raised almost $96,000 through their eight annual radiothon, held in mid-July. The event surpassed last year’s total by more than 21 percent. The money raised will help Cottage Children’s Health Center to open their renovated and expanded pediatrics hospital with a state-of-the-art design and equipment.

ABC News Airs ‘20/20′ Special on Thailand Caves Rescue

Date Posted: 8/1/2018

ABC News aired a special edition of “20/20” on July 10 to cover the rescue efforts of 12 boys and a coach who were stranded in caves in Thailand. Anchored by David Muir and Amy Robach, the hour-long program included interviews with classmates of the boys; Carl Henderson, an English teacher at a local school in the boys’ community; Nopparat Kanthawong, the boys’ head soccer coach; and Bill Whitehouse, Vice Chairman of the British Cave Rescue Council. The special also featured on-the-ground reporting from James Longman, Matt Gutman and Adrienne Bankert.

RTDNA Announces Murrow Award Winners

Date Posted: 7/1/2018

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).

Raycom Launches ‘InvestigateTV’

Date Posted: 7/1/2018

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 non-profit ProPublica’s collaboration on InvestigateTV.

“We know viewers are interested in meaningful investigations that dig deeper into issues they face in their everyday lives,” said Raycom President and CEO Pat LaPlatney. “We are thrilled to offer InvestigateTV, a place to highlight the tremendous efforts of our Raycom Media National Investigative Unit and our outstanding content partners. This gives us the ability to aggregate investigative materials, including stories that our local stations generate. Then it is bundled into one, easy, on-demand viewing experience.”

“We hold public officials accountable. Stories from Raycom Media’s award-winning journalists and partners focus on government corruption, corporate greed, and healthcare,” said Raycom Media Chief Investigative Reporter Lee Zurik “Our consumer- focused journalism gives viewers practical tips to save money on everything from cable bills to prescriptions.”

Hearst Launches Investigative Unit in D.C.

Date Posted: 7/1/2018

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.

“Our primary focus has been and will continue to be localism -- but increasingly, in this connected world, our viewers look to their trusted news sources to provide national context. Our efforts in Washington will be designed to provide added resonance to the journalism in our local markets,” said Hearst Television President Jordan Wertlieb. “This latest step represents a firm commitment to coordinate and augment at the national level the award-winning investigative efforts our stations have been undertaking for decades at the local and regional levels.”

Scripps Howard Foundation Announces Journalism Fellows

Date Posted: 6/29/2018

Four journalists have been selected for the initial class of the Scripps Howard Fellowship program, which runs from June 2018 - May 2019. The program is a partnership between the Scripps Washington Bureau; independent, nonprofit newsroom ProPublica; and Newsy, Scripps’ next-generation national news network. “Since our founding, the Scripps Howard Foundation has made it our mission to develop the next generation of leaders in journalism,” said Scripps Howard Foundation President and CEO Liz Carter.

TEGNA Announces Foundation Grant Recipients

Date Posted: 6/29/2018

TEGNA recently announced the first round of 2018 TEGNA Foundation Media Grants, supporting projects ranging from developing diversity in media to funding for immersive newsroom experiences for student journalists. Information on the awardees can be found here.

“Developing the next generation of journalists and leveling the playing field to strengthen our industry for the future are key priorities for us,” said TEGNA President and CEO Dave Lougee.

NBC Stations Awarded for Investigative Reporting

Date Posted: 5/29/2018

NBC-owned WNBC-TV New York City earned 15 regional Emmy Awards, including top Investigative Report for “The Rape Table: Extreme Hazing at Newark Airport.” “They follow the story wherever it leads, ask the questions our viewers want answered and generate change in our local communities,” said News Director Amy Morris.

Also, NBC-owned KXAS-TV Dallas won a Peabody Award for “Big Buses, Bigger Problems: Taxpayers Taken for a Ride.” KXAS exposed questionable real estate deals by the Dallas County Schools involving a school bus camera-system investment. The Texas government subsequently took action to address the extensive corruption and financial mismanagement that KXAS uncovered.

RTDNA Announces Regional Award Winners

Date Posted: 4/30/2018

The Radio and Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) has announced the 2018 Regional Award winners. The 54 investigative reporting winners include submissions for uncovering water contamination, holding local and federal agencies accountable for spending, and exposing sexual assault in statehouses and schools. Stations were also honored for their innovative use of video and fact-checking projects.

TEGNA Awarded Service to Community Award for Television – Ownership Group

Date Posted: 4/1/2018

Upon asking viewers in all 38 of its television markets what they thought was the most underreported story, TEGNA created a six-part series that highlights the complex problem of child sex trafficking. Stories included crime data analysis, court records and scrutinization of the sometimes-inconsistent sentencing guidelines carried out by lawmakers. All TEGNA news operations across the country produced investigations on how child sex trafficking was affecting their local community. The series is now being used for education and training by organizations such as the U.S. State Department, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, The United Way, the Jimmy Carter Center, and the South Carolina Air National Guard, as well as several schools and individual professors.

Univision Radio Raises $4.3 Million for St. Jude

Date Posted: 3/31/2018

Univision Radio raised $4.3 million in 14 markets for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital during the “Promesa y Esperanza” (Promise and Hope) event, held February 1-2. Thanks to events such as this one, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Univision’s national event has raised more than $65 million for St. Jude over the years. The on-air push coincided with a social media campaign, #ThisShirtSavesLives, encouraging Univision listeners and staff share photos while wearing their “This Shirt Saves Lives” shirt from St. Jude.

Raycom Stations Broadcast ‘Trail of Hope - The Journey to Equality’

Date Posted: 3/31/2018

All Raycom Media stations aired in February the documentary “Trail of Hope - The Journey to Equality.” The hour-long program follows the path of the civil rights movement through churches, courthouses, jails and other historic sites in the South. It was inspired by the United States Civil Rights Trail, a historic initiative of 14 state tourism departments to link pivotal landmarks and share the stories of civil rights activists. Producer Dave McNamara created the program with help from many Raycom stations.

“Many of the communities served by Raycom Media television stations were at the forefront of our nation’s civil rights movement,” said Raycom Media President and CEO Pat LaPlatney. “These are important stories to tell and we are honored to be part of this effort to share and preserve them.”

NBC, Telemundo Recover $20 Million for Consumers

Date Posted: 3/31/2018

Consumer investigative teams at local NBC and Telemundo stations have recovered more than $20 million for consumers since 2014. The NBC Responds and Telemundo Responde units have answered more than 250,000 consumer inquiries. For example, Telemundo Arizona helped a woman recover unpaid wages from her former employer so she could pay for medical care. NBC Chicago’s recovered more than $190,000 after discovering that certain couches contain “bonded leather,” an imitation material. “As many communities continue to recover from recent natural disasters, our consumer teams are helping viewers navigate through the rebuilding processes by providing them with direct help or delivering vital information through their reporting,” said NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations President Valari Staab.

NBC and Telemundo Help to Relieve Millions in Medical Debt

Date Posted: 3/12/2018

NBC and Telemundo Owned Television Stations Group have donated $150,000 to RIP Medical Debt, a nonprofit working to eliminate the medical debt crisis in the country. RIP will use the station group’s donation to locate, buy and forgive $15 million of medical debt owed by individuals in 11 markets: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas/Fort Worth, Bay Area, Washington D.C., Boston, Miami-Fort-Lauderdale, San Diego and Hartford. Additionally, NBC and Telemundo-owned stations’ consumer investigative units will report about medical debt, its effects and what people may be able to do to alleviate their situation through localized, multi-platform awareness campaigns.

"NBC and Telemundo owned stations’ commitment to helping the most vulnerable in our communities is an inspiration," said RIP co-founders Craig Antico & Jerry Ashton. "Our goal is to abolish $1 billion of medical debt in 2018, and we’re incredibly proud to have NBC and Telemundo owned stations as partners in helping us make this happen."

Beasley Unveils ‘See Something- Say Something’ PSA

Date Posted: 3/1/2018

Beasley Media Group unveiled on February 18 the “See Something- Say Something” company-wide initiative following the tragic shooting of 17 people in Parkland, Fla. On-air personalities are creating PSAs for radio, sharing videos on social media and providing resources to help families discuss gun violence. Stations aim to encourage listeners to speak up if they see something suspicious on social media, at school or elsewhere in the community.

NBCU Stations Launch Project Innovation

Date Posted: 2/1/2018

The NBCUniversal Foundation and NBC-owned stations launched Project Innovation, a grant challenge that will award $5 million in two years. Grants of up to $225,000 each will be awarded to nonprofit organizations that use technology to promote civic engagement, digital skills and STEM education. The 11 participating markets are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, San Francisco, Washington, Miami, San Diego, Boston and Hartford, Conn. “Project Innovation weds our identity as an innovative global media company with our stations’ deeply rooted commitment to the communities they serve,” said Vice President of Community Impact Jessica Clancy. Project innovation winners can be found here.

Hearst Television Expands Political Coverage for 2018 Elections

Date Posted: 2/1/2018

Hearst Television is significantly expanding and updating its pledge to devote extensive television and digital news coverage of election discourse throughout 26 television markets.

Under the group-wide “Commitment 2018” banner, Hearst Television stations have pledged to provide analysis on all their media platforms of a defined major issue each month leading up to Election Day. Hearst stations are addressing topics such as health care, immigration, infrastructure and gun rights. Hearst will also add investigative resources at its Washington, D.C., bureau as part of its efforts to track the positions and truth-checking the messages of politicians and candidates.

“Commitment 2018” includes more than 50 multiplatform events, including debates, issues-focused specials, and town halls. Hearst will also extend digital coverage of the issues to its recently launched Stitch platform.

“As local journalists, it’s our responsibility to drill down on issues of specific importance to local viewers in a relatable manner,” said Barbara Maushard, Hearst Television senior vice president, news.

Meredith’s Local Stations Give Back

Date Posted: 2/1/2018

Local television stations owned by Meredith Communications performed outstanding community service in 2017. Stations raised money for disaster relief efforts, scholarship initiatives, cancer research, mentoring programs and more. Details are available in this annual report.

Univision Announces Corporate Social Responsibility Advisory Board

Date Posted: 2/1/2018

Univision Communications announced the creation of a Corporate Social Responsibility External Advisory Board on January 10. The External Advisory Board (EAB) will provide strategic advice, thought-leadership and best practices to inform Univision’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Internal Council. The EAB will advance community empowerment platforms to build strong minds, promote healthy habits and celebrate diversity.

NBC Donates $500,000 to High School Theater

Date Posted: 2/1/2018

NBC has committed $500,000 to support high school theater ahead of the upcoming drama series “Rise,” which follows a teacher who takes over a school’s theater program. The R.I.S.E. (Recognizing and Inspiring Student Expression) America initiative will award 50 high schools a $10,000 grant to revitalize their theater programs. NBC partnered with the Educational Theatre Foundation (ETF), an organization dedicated to shaping lives through theater education. Winning schools will be announced in March.

“This program is incredibly personal to me as someone whose own life was changed by a high school theatre program,” said NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt. “I wholeheartedly support the work of the ETF and have seen the effect of their initiatives on thousands of students. I’m proud that ‘Rise’ will be more than just an uplifting show about a high school drama program, but, through this initiative, will also have an impact on the lives of real students in 50 high schools.”

Telemundo Expands Local and National Midday Newscasts

Date Posted: 1/1/2018

Telemundo-owned television stations KVEA Los Angeles, WNJU New York, WSCV Miami, KTMD Houston, KXTX-TV Dallas-Fort Worth, WSNS-TV Chicago, KVDA San Antonio, KTAZ Phoenix, KHRR Tucson and KTLM Rio Grande Valley, increased their news output, adding daily local newscasts at noon Monday-Friday. Telemundo also launched a new weekday national newscast, “Noticias Telemundo, Mediodia” to air at 12:30 p.m.

“The need for local news has never been greater,” said Telemundo Station Group President Manuel Martinez. “Ours are the only local Spanish-language stations in their markets that can deliver their audiences hyper-local news, weather forecasts, consumer and investigative reports, sports and entertainment information across all platforms. We are proud to dedicate more resources to our stations to help them boost their already strong local news programming to help them better serve their viewers with the news and information they need and deserve.”

RTDNF Announces 2018 First Amendment Award Honorees

Date Posted: 1/1/2018

The Radio Television Digital News Foundation (RTDNF) announced on January 16 its First Amendment Awards winners, who will be honored on March 8. “Through our First Amendment Awards, we shine a light on individuals and news organizations who seek and report the truth ethically and responsibly,” said RTDNF Executive Director Dan Shelley. The 2018 honorees include NBC’s Meet the Press, CBS News’ David Rhodes, ABC News’ Robin Roberts and industry leader Gretchen Carlson.

First Amendment Award – NBC’s Meet the Press
"Meet the Press," moderated by NBC News political director Chuck Todd, is the longest-running show in television history, with 70 years on the air. The show spotlights how Washington decision-making impacts Americans across the country. It was the number one most-watched Sunday public affairs show for the 2016-2017 season, reaching more than three million viewers weekly and millions more through social, digital and on-demand platforms.

First Amendment Service Award – David Rhodes, CBS News
This award honors professionals in local or network news who work in a management or largely behind-the-scenes capacity. Rhodes oversaw the creation of “CBS This Morning" in 2012, which has more than a million daily viewers. In 2014, Rhodes launched the streaming video news channel CBSN. He has twice been named to Fortune magazine’s “40 Under 40” list and to GQ’s “50 Most Powerful People in Washington.”

Lifetime Achievement Award – Robin Roberts, ABC News
Robin Roberts is co-anchor of ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Under her leadership, the show has won five Emmy Awards for Outstanding Morning Program and the 2017 People’s Choice Award for Favorite Daytime TV Hosting Team. Her numerous awards include the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism. She was voted the “Most Trusted Person on Television” by a Reader’s Digest poll in 2013.

First Amendment Leadership Award – Gretchen Carlson
This award is presented to a business or government leader or other individual who has made a significant contribution to the protection of the First Amendment and freedom of the press. Gretchen Carlson is one of the nation’s most successful and recognized news anchors and a tireless advocate for workplace equality and the empowerment of women.

2018 Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Award Winners Announced

Date Posted: 1/1/2018

ABC News will receive an award for the documentary “Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992,” produced in partnership with Hollywood luminary, John Ridley. CBS News will be awarded for the Syrian war coverage of veteran correspondent Elizabeth Palmer, as well as for their two-part “60 Minutes” report from inside the U.S. nuclear arsenal. Scripps’ ABC affiliate KNXV-TV Phoenix will receive an award for their investigative reporting into the abuse of the Americans with Disabilities Act. TEGNA’s NBC affiliate KARE-TV Minneapolis will receive awards for three separate investigative stories. NBC-owned KNTV-TV San Jose will receive an award for an investigative series that chronicled the misuse of school police officers to discipline students. Tribune Broadcasting Company’s FOX affiliate WITI-TV Milwaukee will be awarded for challenging public opinion about laws intended to safeguard children that paradoxically may put them at greater risk. TEGNA Media’s CBS affiliate KHOU-TV Houston will be awarded for revealing Houston’s wasteful police body camera program.

‘Country Cares for St. Jude Kids’ Radiothons Raise Thousands

Date Posted: 12/14/2017

Beasley Media Group’s WQYK-FM Tampa, Entercom’s WUSN-FM Chicago and Cumulus Media Inc.’s WIVK-FM Knoxville all partnered with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to host “Country Cares for St. Jude Kids” radiothons, raising funds for the treatment and elimination of childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. WQYK-FM raised $300,620; WUSN-FM raised $723,106; and WIVK-FM raised $307,319.

TEGNA to Award 270 Community Grants

Date Posted: 11/1/2017

The TEGNA Foundation announced that its second round of community grants for 2017 will provide funding to 270 nonprofit organizations across Tegna’s 38 markets. Most grants are between $4,000 - $7,000. The grants foster education, economic development, youth programs, environmental conservation and cultural enrichment. They also support programs that promote and celebrate the diversity. “These grants empower and help well-deserving nonprofit organizations address critical hardships in our local communities, assist those in need and help make a difference in many people’s lives,” said President and CEO Dave Lougee. “We are proud to support these organizations and, alongside our stations, look forward to working with them to serve the greater good of our communities.”

Rascal Flatts Surprise Attendees at ’Vegas Strong: A Night of Healing’

Date Posted: 10/19/2017

Beasley Media Group hosted “Vegas Strong: A Night of Healing” concert on October 19. Country Music Superstars Rascal Flatts surprised attendees with a special live performance. Nashville Recording Artists Big & Rich performed “God Bless America” in honor of the victims, survivors and first responders. The concert, which 7,000 people attended, was streamed live nationwide. One hundred percent of donations received benefit the Steve Sisolak Las Vegas Victims’ Fund, which has collected $11.3 million to date.

Beasley Supports Las Vegas After Shooting

Date Posted: 10/1/2017

Beasley Media Group set up a GoFundMe page to provide financial support to the victims and families of the shooting at the Route 91Harvest Festival on October 1 in Las Vegas. During the shooting, 58 were killed and more than 500 injured. Beasley’s “Community of Caring” donated $5,000 and set the goal for the page at $1 million. KCYE-FM Las Vegas Morning Personality Mike West took this video at the event.

Broadcasters Raise $45 Million for Hurricane Relief

Date Posted: 9/29/2017

Television broadcasters have raised $45 million through on-air campaigns and direct donations for relief efforts supporting victims of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. This amount is based on publicly available fundraising totals, social media and information provided to NAB. In addition to fundraisers, broadcasters have collected food, bottles of water, clothing, hygiene products and other supplies. The estimate does not include fundraising totals for Hurricane Maria relief efforts, as many efforts are on-going.

The estimate includes $6 million from CBS owned-and-operated stations; $5.5 million from NBC; $4.4 million raised by Nexstar; $4.1 million from Hearst stations; $3.6 million from TEGNA, $2 million from Tribune. Millions more were raised by local radio stations, including $2.2 million from Cox-owned stations and $1 million from ICA radio.

"Local broadcasters served as ’first informers’ and saved countless lives as Harvey and Irma tore through Texas, Louisiana, Florida, and the Southeast," said NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith. "Now, our attention turns to the long recovery ahead. I’m so proud of the generosity and compassion shown by broadcasters who are helping rebuild and restore hurricane-ravaged communities."

WKAQ-FM Provides Lifeline Coverage During Hurricane Maria

Date Posted: 9/27/2017

NAB recently received Facebook message applauding Univision’s WKAQ-AM San Juan, P.R. for its lifesaving reporting and service to its community during Hurricane Maria. Jose M. Moret wrote, “Dear NAB, the island of Puerto Rico, my homeland, is currently surviving the horrific impact of hurricane Maria. As a Puertorrican residing in NJ, I feel powerless not knowing about my parents, siblings and extended family members. Through this difficult time, the live Facebook news streams from Jay Fonseca (@jayfonsecapr) and the WKAQ580 AM team are providing a truly significant contribution to the relief and coordination efforts in the island as well as distributing the latest news from the island to its population in and out of Puerto Rico. Please allow me via this note to send my public appreciation to the NAB and Jay Fonseca, an extraordinary broadcaster and humanitarian.”

Univision Helps Raise to $6.8 Million for Disaster Relief

Date Posted: 9/26/2017

Univision’s awareness campaign “Unidos por los Nuestros” raised $6.8 million to help those impacted by the recent natural disasters in Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, Florida and Texas. Funds support efforts by the American Red Cross and other non-profit organizations. The two-day joint telecast of Liga MX soccer action across several networks raised $1.3 million out of the $6.8 million total.

Telemundo Raises $12.9 Million for Disaster Relief in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Texas, Florida

Date Posted: 9/24/2017

Telemundo has raised more than $12.9 million for American Red Cross relief efforts following natural disasters in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Texas, Florida and the Caribbean islands. Under the banner of “Todos Unidos” (All Together) the Telemundo Networks, plus Telemundo and NBC owned stations, raised $7.5 million through a telethon held September 24. The live broadcast produced from Miami, Mexico, New York, Puerto Rico, Houston and Los Angeles aired simultaneously across Telemundo stations. The group had already raised $5.5 million through multiple fundraising efforts following Hurricane Harvey. “Our stations are committed to helping communities have the news, information and resources they need to recover from the natural disasters that have affected so many, including our very own employees,” said Telemundo Station Group President Manuel Martinez.

Hurricane Telethon Raises $14 Million

Date Posted: 9/21/2017

The star-studded “Hand in Hand” telethon, held September 12 in New York, Los Angeles, Nashville and San Antonio, raised $14 million for Hurricanes Harvey and Irma relief through organizations such as the United Way and Save the Children. ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and Univision carried the program, which was also streamed online. Cumulus/Westwood One broadcast a full simulcast of the audio. Network morning personalities Matt Lauer, Norah O’Donnell and Michael Strahan stood before a satellite image of Irma to describe the devastation. An additional $30 million was donated during the hours that followed, bringing the total to $55 million.

Participating celebrities included Stevie Wonder, Usher, Blake Shelton, Justin Bieber, George Clooney, Barbra Streisand, Al Pacino, Dave Matthews, George Strait, Robert Earl Keen, Chris Stapleton, Miranda Lambert and Lyle Lovett. Darius Rucker, Brad Paisley, Demi Lovato and Cece Winans sang the Beatles’ "With a Little Help From My Friends." Jay Leno, Beyoncé, Will Smith and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson sent in taped pleas for support during the event.

Stations Host Supply Drives and Promote Donations

Date Posted: 9/20/2017

The United Media of Indianapolis Network held a “Hoosiers Helping Houston” supply drive from September 7 – 9. The group includes Radio One Indianapolis, Entercom, Cumulus, Emmis, iHeartMedia, WFYI Public Media, Tribune Broadcasting, ABC, NBC, Gannett, Sarkes Tarzian, Lesea Broadcasting Network, Nextstar, Continental Broadcast Group, and The Indianapolis Business Journal.

Beasley Media Group’s six Charlotte stations - WSOC-FM, WNKS-FM, WKQC-FM, WPEG-FM, WBAV-FM, WBCN-FM - broadcast live on September 6 at a local Circle K to collect supplies for Hurricane Harvey relief. Supplies collected during "Truckloads for Texas" included bottled water, batteries, first aid supplies, formula, mosquito repellent, towels and toiletries.

Cox-owned Atlanta stations - WSB-AM/FM, WSRV-FM, WALR-FM, ABC affiliate WSB-TV - and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution filled 10 semi-trucks with 500,000 of bottles of water during the “Convoy of Care” initiative.

Over 30 Chicago stations simultaneously aired a :60 second spot in English and Spanish to promote the American Red Cross on August 30 at 4:29 p.m. “The Radio Broadcasters of Chicagoland are proud to unite as a group to help the people of Houston impacted by the devastating floods,” said Matt Scarano of the Illinois Broadcasters Association.

The Alabama Broadcasters Association (ABA) promoted a united effort for stations across the state to encourage donations on September 1. The ABA sent radio and television stations a list of suggested organizations to promote to their audience, along with a graphic for websites and for television stations to use on air.

Stations Respond Nationwide to Hurricane Harvey

Date Posted: 9/20/2017

Hurricane Harvey landed on the southeast coast of Texas on August 26, dumping more than 50 inches of rain in four days. Harvey dropped 19 trillion gallons of water, killing dozens and sending 30,000 people to emergency shelters. Radio and television stations across the country provided life-saving wall-to-wall emergency information and storm updates, with reporters risking their own safety to provide coverage. Broadcasters provided wall-to-wall coverage, with staff staying at flooded stations, sleeping in hotels and overcoming technical difficulties to stay on air and keep listeners informed. The FCC reported that as of mid-day on August 27, no TV station had been knocked off the air. Broadcasters also went to great lengths to raise millions of dollars for hurricane relief efforts.

"NAB salutes Texas and Gulf Coast broadcasters in the path of Hurricane Harvey who are devoting enormous resources to keeping people safe this weekend,” said NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith. ”Local radio and TV stations play a unique role as first informers during emergency weather situations."

“Broadcasters and other news outlets have also played a critical role in conveying emergency information, and in some cases, even coordinating live, on-air rescues,” said FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai. “Everyone who is pitching in deserves our gratitude and support. We’re all in this together.”

In an interview with TEGNA’s CBS affiliate KHOU-TV Houston, Vice President Mike Pence said, “Well, first, let me thank you, and let me thank this station, and all the great local media that has been working, I know, around the clock, to get real time information to those that are struggling in the aftermath of landfall for Hurricane Harvey and now dealing with the historic flooding.”

“Radio is the ultimate connector,” Sarah Frazier of CBS Radio Houston told Radio Ink. “We’re connecting people to information and we’re connecting people to the relief efforts and, most importantly, to each other.”

Less than a week later, Hurricane Irma wreaked havoc on the Carribean Islands before hitting Florida’s west coast. The storm battered Fort Myers and Tampa, and also affected Miami and the Florida Keys. Hurricane Irma’s two landfalls on September 10 triggered evacuation orders for 5.6 million people, left more than 5.7 million people without power and caused flooding, plus scores of downed trees and power lines. Florida broadcasters took extensive precautions, including securing reserves of fuel and food, and provided wall-to-wall-coverage.

TEGNA Hosts Supply Drive for Hurricane Relief

Date Posted: 9/14/2017

TEGNA announced on September 14 an expansive hurricane relief initiative to support those in need of assistance following Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Hurricane Irma in Florida. Between September 15 – 30, 13 TEGNA stations across the U.S. are organizing supply collection events in their communities.

Hearst Hosts Live Special on Opioid Crisis

Date Posted: 9/13/2017

Hearst Television stations aired and streamed a live primetime one-hour special, “Matter of Fact: State of Addiction,” on September 13 to address America’s opioid epidemic as part of Hearst’s year-long multi-platform news and investigative series that launched in January 2017. Award-winning journalist Soledad O’Brien hosted the program, which featured live inserts from local stations addressing the crisis in their markets and field reports from around the country. Viewers used the hashtag #stateofaddiction to post pictures, videos and stories, creating a virtual “wall of remembrance” for victims of the epidemic. The special included segments with physicians, U.S. DEA Director Chuck Rosenberg; U.S. Sens. Ron Johnson and Rob Portman and Rep. Greg Walden.

Radio Stations Support Irma Relief

Date Posted: 9/10/2017

Radio stations across the country supported Hurricane Irma and Harvey relief efforts. iHeartMedia’s KODA-FM Houston morning host Dana Tyson hosted displaced families in her home. Cox Media Group, iHeartMedia San Diego and Spanish Broadcasting System all collected supplies. Beasley’s WRBQ-FM Tampa boosted morale by sending an ice cream truck with supplies and treats. Fundraisers include Entercom’s "Neighbors 4 Neighbors," Beasley’s "Community Of Caring." The "iHeartRadio Presents: Support for Victims of the Hurricanes" aired on stations in 150 markets, featured interviews with flood victims and first responders, and encouraged listeners to donate to the American Red Cross.

Radio Coverage of Hurricane Irma

Date Posted: 9/10/2017

Beasley Media Group’s WRBQ-FM, WQYK-FM, WPBB-FM, WYUU-FM and WHFS-AM Tampa provided wall-to-wall coverage, including live cut-ins from Scripps’ ABC affiliate WFTS-TV. WYUU partnered with Telemundo’s WRMD-TV to air critical news in Spanish. Beasley’s WXKB-FM, WRXK-FM, WJPT-FM, WRXK-FM, WWCN-FM and WJBX-AM Fort Myers began providing hourly updates days before Irma landed. Coverage increased to every 20 minutes in the 10 hours before Irma landed, and included information on landfall, public shelters, preparedness and advisories from the National Weather Service and Emergency Management. Fort Myers stations partnered with Montclair Communications’ ABC affiliate WZVN-TV and Waterman Broadcasting’s NBC affiliate WBBH-TV.

CBS Radio’s Miami stations, WKIS-FM, WPOW-FM and WQAM-AM, aired live coverage from CBS owned-and-operated WFOR-TV. A CBS spokesperson told Inside Radio that the radio group helped secure an exclusive interview with Vice President Mike Pence.

Entercom’s four Miami stations, including WLYF-FM, Spanish Broadcasting Systems in Miami and Key West, and Cox Media Group’s Florida stations provided wall-to-wall coverage. WLYF Miami morning host Julie Guy inspired a listener to hand out gift cards at an apartment complex without power and food. iHeartMedia’s nationally-syndicated morning hosts Kane and Elvis Duran pre-empted regular programs. Duran joined WHYI-FM hosts in the Miami studio for the hurricane.

Television Coverage of Hurricane Irma

Date Posted: 9/10/2017

Television stations providing extensive coverage include Raycom’s Fox affiliate WFLX-TV West Palm Beach and ABC affiliate WTVM-TV Columbus, Ga. WTVM encouraged viewers to tune in onair, online and on mobile for coverage, or to listen to the simulcast on iHeartMedia’s six stations in the market: WHAL-FM, WDAK-AM, WBFA-FM, WAGH-FM, WVRK-FM and WSTH-FM.

Other stations include Nexstar’s NBC affiliate WFLA-TV and MyNetworkTV affiliate WTTA-TV Tampa, NBC affiliate WSAV-TV Savannah, Ga., NBC affiliate WCBD-TV Charleston, CBS affiliate WBTW-TV Myrtle Beach, S.C., and CBS affiliate WSPA-TV and CW affiliate WYCW-TV Greenville, S.C. Sinclair stations include CBS affiliate WPEC-TV West Palm Beach, Fox affiliate WTGS-TV Savannah, Ga., MyNetworkTV affiliate WCIV Charleston, and ABC affiliate WPDE and CW affiliate WWMB Myrtle Beach, S.C.

“This is who we are,” Blake Russell, senior vice president of station operations at Nexstar, told TVTechnology. “We are supposed to be the voice of local communities. Like emergency responders we are running into the danger. We have to stay in the mix.”

Cox Media Group Keeps Listeners Safe

Date Posted: 9/6/2017

Cox Media Group’s (CMG) stations in Houston, Miami, Tampa, Orlando and Jacksonville provided extensive original programming as Hurricane Harvey and Irma ravished Houston and parts of Florida. The stations aired critical updates on air and engaged listeners via social media. CMG stations also held supply drives, delivered ice in the sweltering heat, set up mobile charging stations and provided a variety of relief efforts. One listener tuned in to the radio at 2:23 a.m. after receiving a tornado alert on her phone. The roof blew off their house, but thanks the station for providing information that kept the family safe. “You guys saved our bacon,” said Orlando Segura & Annie Mimlitz, Fernandina Beach. Click here for more.

Sinclair Broadcast Group Raises $1.4 Million for Hurricane Relief

Date Posted: 9/1/2017

Sinclair Broadcast Group and its 173 television stations partnered with the Salvation Army to raise money for relief efforts. Sinclair stations launched a “Standing Strong for Texas” relief effort on September 1, raising $1.4 million. “In a time of crisis, the most important role of local television news is the communication of critical information to an audience in real time,” said President and CEO Chris Ripley. “We recognize how much people rely on their local television stations and that coverage doesn’t end once the storm is over. We are committed to helping these communities rebuild and to living our mission to alert, protect and empower our viewers.”

Quincy Stations Fundraise for Hurricane Relief

Date Posted: 8/28/2017

Quincy Media’s NBC affiliates KTIV-TV Sioux City, IA and KXLT-TV Rochester, Minn. raised over $150,000 in telethons for the American Red Cross. NBC affiliates WREX-TV Rockford, Ill., KWWL Waterloo, IA and stations in Peoria, Ill. partnered with the Salvation Army for on-going phone-a-thons to support relief efforts. Several Quincy stations worked with local grocers to drive Red Cross donations. ABC affiliate WKOW-TV Madison, Wis. raised $120,000 in a telethon for the American Red Cross.

“At every turn, multiple times in every newscast, live on the street, at every promotional avail, Quincy Media is leading literally millions to give what they can, and do what they can, for our neighbors in Texas who remain so desperately in need,” said Quincy Media CEO Ralph Oakley.

Raycom Stations Host Successful Fundraisers

Date Posted: 8/28/2017

Several Raycom stations held successful telethons for local Red Cross chapters. NBC affiliate WAVE-TV Louisville raised a total of $186,000 for hurricane relief through a variety of efforts, including on-air promotions, a web banner, PSAs and a telethon. Fox affiliate WXIX-TV Cincinnati raised $110,000 on August 28-29. CBS affiliate WCSC-TV Charleston raised $100,000 on August 31. NBC affiliate KCBD-TV Lubbock, Tx., raised $60,000 in the #WestTexasCares telethon. CBS affiliate KSLA-TV Shreveport, La., collected six truckloads of cleaning supplies and $17,000 on September 6. The Warrior Network, a group of airmen from Barksdale Air Force Base, joined the effort. CBS affiliate KOLD-TV Tucson raised $22,000 on August 28.

Bobby Bones Show Raises $150,000 for Hurricane Relief

Date Posted: 8/28/2017

The Bobby Bones Show raised over $150,000 for Hurricane Harvey relief efforts through the sale of #PimpinJoy apparel and more than $50,000 for St. Jude’s during its fourth annual "Joy Week," which began August 28.

Meredith Stations Raise Over $1 Million

Date Posted: 8/26/2017

Meredith’s CBS affiliate KPHO-TV and Meredith-owned KTVK-TV Phoenix raised $1 million in a donation drive for the American Red Cross and Salvation Army.

Meredith’s CBS affiliate WFSB-TV Hartford, Conn., raised $53,000. The company’s CBS affiliate KMOV-TV St. Louis raised more than $100,000 in its fundraising efforts.

Tribune Raises $400,000 for Hurricane Relief

Date Posted: 8/26/2017

The Tribune Media Company Charitable Foundation donated $100,000 to the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund, administered by the Greater Houston Community Foundation. Tribune stations collectively raised nearly $400,000 through grassroots fundraising in local markets, with many stations hosting phone banks and donation drives.

Hearst Donates $1 Million for Hurricane Relief

Date Posted: 8/26/2017

Hearst donated $1 million to the Greater Houston Red Cross and pledged to match employee donations up to an additional $1 million.

TEGNA Raises $2 Million for Hurricane Relief

Date Posted: 8/26/2017

TEGNA raised $2 million in the first four days of its “Texas Cares” campaign for the American Red Cross Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund. The TEGNA Foundation donated $100,000. All 46 stations participated. “Our stations in Texas are providing important, life-saving information and aid during this catastrophic storm,” said President and CEO Dave Lougee. “I am incredibly proud of the work our stations are doing to keep their communities informed and safe while providing help and relief to those who need it most.”

Sinclair Covers Hurricane

Date Posted: 8/26/2017

“Our local newsrooms are equipped to respond for our viewers at a moment’s notice, providing images, sounds and most importantly emergency information to bring the story to our viewers, to help keep them aware and safe,” said Sinclair Vice President of News Scott Livingston. Sinclair dispatched crews from Amarillo, El Paso, Harlingen, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Pensacola, Mobile, Birmingham, Little Rock, West Palm Beach and Las Vegas.

Graham Media Group launches ’Opioid Nation: An American Epidemic’

Date Posted: 8/23/2017

Graham Media Group (GMG) announced on August 23 the launch of “Opioid Nation: An American Epidemic,” a multi-platform commitment addressing the prescription drug abuse epidemic. During the week of Sept. 5, all seven GMG stations will air and stream locally-produced specials, plus staff phone banks and Facebook Live sessions with substance abuse counselors. The initiative also includes monthly investigative reports, original programming, town hall meetings, digital engagement, PSAs and community partnerships. GMG will highlight people who are impacted and explore government policies. “Opioid addiction is ravaging our communities big and small and local broadcasters are uniquely positioned to tell these stories. The diversity of issues affecting our Detroit community differs from those in Houston and Orlando,” said GMG President and CEO Emily Barr. “It is our responsibility to inform viewers and we hope that ‘Opioid Nation: An American Epidemic’ will not only educate the communities we serve, but help those who are affected find a path forward through this unprecedented crisis.”

Entravision Raises $3.2 Million for CMN

Date Posted: 8/17/2017

Entravision raised a record $3.2 million for the Children’s Miracle Network in their 10th annual network-wide radiothon, “Un Million Para Los Niños” (One Million for the Children), held August 17. “Entravision continuously looks for ways to support and give back to our local communities and we are grateful for this partnership and pleased to have surpassed last year’s donation, in turn, benefiting even more families,” said Entravision President and COO Jeffery Liberman.

Beasley Media Group Launches ‘Community of Caring’ Initiative

Date Posted: 8/14/2017

Beasley Media Group launched a “Community of Caring” initiative across its 63 radio stations. A rotating public service announcement (PSA) series and social media campaigns address opioid abuse, bullying, racism and mental health. Beasley will also host “Day of Caring” events, allowing employees to volunteer at non-profits during work hours. “As a company, we take all of these issues very seriously,” said CEO Caroline Beasley. “The rotating PSA and social media campaigns, combined with our Day of Caring events across all of our markets, underscores our company’s strong commitment to making a difference in the communities we serve.”

St. Jude Praises Radio to FCC

Date Posted: 7/26/2017

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital recently sent this letter to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai to let him know how appreciative they are for all the work that radio does for them. The letter states that radio stations across the country generated more than $20 million over the past year to help fight childhood cancer.

CBS Radio Launches ConnectingVets.com

Date Posted: 6/29/2017

CBS Radio recently launched connectingvets.com, with content produced by vets who understand the complexity of transitioning from the military back into civilian life. Content falls into five categories: News, Transition, Wellness, Get Help and Lifestyle. Specific topics include health and fitness, employment and entrepreneurialism, education, finance, veterans’ families and issues impacting female veterans. Programming will be available onair on WJFK-AM Washington, D.C., and on demand online. “We have created a streamlined, solutions-based product that will provide our vets with immediate and easy access to all of their available resources, and to their fellow veterans,” said Market Manager Steve Swenson.

Raycom Adds Journalists to Investigative Unit

Date Posted: 6/22/2017

Raycom Media on June 22 announced that journalists Andy Miller, Jill Riepenhoff and Megan Luther will join the national investigative unit led by Lee Zurik. Viewers can access long-form documentary style investigations or shorter segments on a variety of platforms. “Andy, Jill and Megan bring a diverse skillset with a clear understanding of how to produce impactful, interesting, and important investigative journalism online and on television,” said Zurik. “Each has done award winning work, and I’m confident our new team will produce stories that make a difference in all of our Raycom Media communities.”

The Society of Professional Journalists Announces 2016 Sigma Delta Chi Awards

Date Posted: 5/3/2017

The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) recently announced the recipients of the 2016 Sigma Delta Chi Awards for excellence in journalism. Judges chose the winners from entries in categories covering print, radio, television and online. Winning radio and television stations provided reports of national events, including the Pulse night club shooting and protests at Standing Rock, in addition to topics such as cases of black lung in Appalachia, voting rights of felons and domestic violence. View all the winners here.

RTDNA Announces 2017 Regional Edward R. Murrow Award Winners

Date Posted: 4/25/2017

The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) announced winners of the 2017 Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards on April 25. The awards recognize the best electronic journalism produced by radio, television and digital news organizations around the world. This year, RTDNA awarded 751 regional Edward R. Murrow Awards in 16 categories and received nearly 4,300 entries. Examples of the winners include:

Univision Launches New Midday Newscast

Date Posted: 4/17/2017

On April 17, Univision Communications Inc. launched local versions of “Edición Digital” (Digital Edition), the first newscast conceived, designed and produced for simulcast on digital platforms and live broadcast television. The new 30-minute midday newscasts take a hyper-localized approach to covering a wide range of topics, such as current events, lifestyle and trending stories on social media. “Edición Digital” is currently available in California, Dallas, Miami, and New York on local Univision stations and websites.

Univision Helps Raise $4.2 Million for Children Battling Cancer

Date Posted: 4/6/2017

Univision joined St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to host the annual “Promesa y Esperanza” (Promise and Hope) radio event April 6-7 that raised $4.2 million. Coverage of the initiative extended across several Univision platforms to reach Hispanic consumers from coast to coast via its radio network, television affiliates, network programs, websites and social media. St. Jude content included more than 30 hours of radio programming and featured several patient family stories.

Radio One Raises $1.5 Million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Date Posted: 4/4/2017

Radio One’s national network raised $1.5 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital during the Radio Cares for St. Jude Kids radiothon held March 9. Radio One’s top fundraisers were WPZE-FM Atlanta, WPRS-FM Washington, D.C. and the Detroit cluster, WCHB-AM, WPRZ-FM, WDMK-FM and WGPR-FM. Programs like this ensure that families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food. Since 2008, the event has raised nearly $12 million.

Local Broadcasters Win Cronkite Awards

Date Posted: 3/31/2017

Local broadcast stations owned by Hearst, Scripps, TEGNA and Nexstar won 2017 Walter Cronkite Awards for Excellence in Television for their political coverage.

Brooks Jackson Prize for Fact-Checking Political Messages

• TEGNA’s NBC affiliate KUSA-TV Denver won its third consecutive local fact-checking award.
• The E.W. Scripps Company won the national fact-checking award for its local stations’ national impact.

• Nexstar’s NBC affiliate KXAN-TV Austin covered the government’s effort to stop drug smugglers coming from Mexico. KXAN-TV held elected officials accountable and featured people directly impacted by federal and state policies.
• TEGNA’s ABC affiliate WXIA Atlanta won for its five-part investigation of a military policy stripping benefits and veteran status from service members suffering from PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury. The story demonstrated the issue’s human impact prompted legislative action.

• KUSA-TV political reporter Brandon Rittiman earned his second Cronkite award for his reporting on local judicial elections that judges said gives voice to “real people.”
• Nexstar’s ABC affiliate WOI-TV Des Moines reporter Sabrina Ahmed won for her reporting on medical cannabis, "combining emotion with policy and medicine."

• Hearst Television and The E.W. Scripps Company were honored for "top-down commitment" to political coverage across all their stations. Special Commendation for Local Investigative Journalism
• Marshall Zelinger with Scripps’ ABC affiliate KMGH-TV Denver won for the story of a signature forgery scandal in a U.S. Senate race, triggering an official investigation and policy change.

• Independently owned KCET-TV Los Angeles was recognized for its online and on-air initiative, "Props in a Minute." The 60-second videos explain 17 propositions on California’s ballot, including school bonds, criminal sentencing and prescription drug prices.

ABC News Radio Investigates Fentanyl Crisis

Date Posted: 2/23/2017

ABC News Radio launched a new five-part series “America’s Fentanyl Crisis.” Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic pain killer and popular street drug. CDC data shows that deaths caused by Fentanyl have nearly doubled in the last year. During the series, Senior Justice Correspondent Pierre Thomas visits a Drug Enforcement Administration drug lab, participates in law enforcement ride-alongs and meets with survivors trying to stay clean. Listen to part one here .

“Univision Contigo” Community Empowerment Program Relaunched

Date Posted: 2/8/2017

The next evolution of Univision Contigo, the award-winning corporate social responsibility, will focus on empowering communities to build strong minds, promote healthy habits and celebrate diversity. Univision Contigo will promote science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) opportunities. The platform will provide content about diabetes, obesity, fitness and the outdoors. In addition, Univision will embark on a year-long campaign highlighting positive role models that embrace our diverse communities.

Scripps’ Delivers 40,000 Children’s Books

Date Posted: 1/23/2017

E.W. Scripps employees around the country delivered 40,000 children’s books to local markets and read with kids to celebrate National Reading Day on January 23, through the Scripps Howard Foundation’s “If You Give a Child a Book…” campaign. Monetary donations reached $143,000. “This campaign is helping to make the Scripps vision of creating a better informed world accessible to even the most disadvantaged children in our communities” said Scripps Howard Foundation President and CEO Liz Carter. Participating ABC affiliates include:

• KERO-TV Bakersfield, Calif., employees participated in story time at Frank West Elementary School. Kids got their own book and played with a live Clifford the Big Red Dog.
• WRTV Indianapolis worked with School on Wheels. Volunteers tutor children experiencing homelessness.
• ABC affiliate WFTS Tampa partnered with the Junior League of Tampa to give books to local schools.
• KNXV Phoenix partnered with the Arizona’s Children Association to give books to kids as they enter foster care.
• WMAR-TV Baltimore helped the Maryland Book Bank, a mobile library through which children can select up to five books to keep.

Univision Expands “En Boca de León” Radio Program to National Audience

Date Posted: 1/18/2017

Univision announced the nationwide expansion of the radio magazine show, “En Boca de León” (In León’s Mouth) hosted by Emmy Award-winning journalist León Krauze. The one-hour program airs live weekdays at 7 p.m. and features conversations with callers on politics, current events, pop culture and sports. “En Boca de León” will air on KTNQ-AM Los Angeles, WADO-AM New York, WQBA-AM Miami, WRTO-AM Chicago, KFLC-AM Dallas, KLAT-AM Houston, KCOR-AM San Antonio, KLSQ-AM Las Vegas and KGBT-AM McAllen, Tx.

ABC Radio Launches Podcast

Date Posted: 1/18/2017

ABC Radio recently launched a weekly podcast called “No Limits with Rebecca Jarvis.” Jarvis speaks with women in Hollywood, business, technology, fashion, comedy, food, sports and startups about their accomplishments. The first three episodes feature Arianna Huffington; co-founder and former editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post; Wende Zomnir, founding partner of Urban Decay Cosmetics; and actress Danielle Brooks. “Rebecca Jarvis’ No Limits podcast lets listeners learn how success is achieved, whether in business or life, by focusing on a remarkable group of women who inspire and inform with humor and candor,” said ABC Radio Vice President Steve Jones.

Univision’s ‘TeletónUSA’ Raises $15.7 Million

Date Posted: 1/11/2017

Univision Nework’s fifth annual “TeletónUSA,” airing December 2 – 3, raised $15.7 million to improve the lives of children with neuromusculoskeletal disabilities, cancer and autism. “TeletónUSA” featured the theme “Nuestra Causa” (Our Cause) and included a variety of Latin music stars and some of the network’s best-known on-air personalities. The telethon took place in Los Angeles and featured live feeds throughout the show from Miami and San Antonio. It also streamed live online.

Four Local Stations Among DuPont Winners

Date Posted: 12/1/2016

Four local television stations won 2017 Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Awards for investigative reporting: Media General’s NBC affiliate KXAN-TV Austin for documenting racial profiling; NBC-owned WVIT-TV West Hartford, Conn., for uncovering widespread faulty home construction; Dispatch’s NBC affiliate WTHR Indianapolis for exposing a corrupt charity; and TEGNA’s NBC affiliate WXIA-TV Atlanta for spotlighting problems with the 911 emergency system. Also, NBC News’ "Dateline" won for "The Cosby Accusers Speak" and CBS News was honored for breaking coverage of the migrant crisis.

Westwood One News Provides Extensive Election Coverage

Date Posted: 11/3/2016

Westwood One will air continuous, live coverage and special reports every 15 minutes from 7:00 p.m. ET through at least 1:00 a.m. on Election Night. Westwood One plans to air special reports four times per hour throughout the morning drive on November 9.

ABC News Radio Publishes Daily Political Podcast

Date Posted: 11/3/2016

ABC News Radio’s ’Powerhouse Politics" podcast, which launched in February, was published daily from November 1 through Election Day. Hosts Chief White House Correspondent Jonathan Karl and Political Director Rick Klein discussed the latest poll numbers and developments on the campaign trail.

Hurricane Matthew

Date Posted: 10/24/2016

Hurricane Matthew swept through the southeast United States October 6-8 with winds topping 100 mph, affecting more than 20 million Americans and causing billions of dollars’ worth of damage. Two million residents of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina lost power and thousands were trapped in homes and cars. Local broadcast television and radio stations provided lifeline coverage during and after the storm, tracking Matthew’s path and providing information on outages, closures and shelters.

Graham Media Group’s WJXT Jacksonville, Fla. provides a great example of how local stations prepared viewers and listeners, issuing for residents in evacuation zones to leave. “We are committed to providing our viewers with information to keep them safe,” said WJXT’s Tracy Gaffney. KLOVE radio provided a dedicated feed to stations in dozens of towns and provided newscasts in Spanish.

Broadcasters in the Southeast received praise from listeners and viewers for their coverage of Hurricane Matthew. These e-mails were forwarded to Hearst’s NBC affiliate WESH-TV in Orlando. Georgia Governor Nathan Deal publicly thanked a Savannah broadcaster for their around the clock, informative updates. Florida Governor Rick Scott also commended local stations for their coverage.

“Thanks to the work of first responders in partnership with “first informers” -- local television and radio broadcasters -- millions were safely evacuated,” said Jordan Wertleib, President, Hearst Television.

“Broadcasters have been heavily involved before in preparing people for a storm,” Florida Association of Broadcasters President Pat Roberts told Radio World. “They’ve been involved in the response during the storm and hopefully have saved lives by telling people what to do…Their job during disasters is to be there and speak to their community. Florida broadcasters take that very seriously.”

"The nonstop live coverage highlights the enduring importance of local media," said Brian Stelter of CNN.

View more great examples of broadcasters’ lifeline coverage of Hurricane Matthew.

TEGNA Stations Deliver for ‘Make A Difference Day’

Date Posted: 10/22/2016

TEGNA stations across the country participated in the company’s 25th annual Make a Difference Day, one of the largest annual single-days of service nationwide, held October 22. Here are a few examples:

• ABC affiliate KVUE-TV Austin helped flood-proof the Katherine Anne Porter School, which educates underserved kids from seven counties. The school flooded four times in two years.
• ABC affiliate WFAA-TV Dallas: staff worked with CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), with the aim of providing a volunteer to each abused and neglected child in foster care.
• ABC affiliate WZZM-TV Grand Rapids: volunteers packed healthy snacks in kid-friendly decorated bags for Kids’ Food Basket. The nonprofit organization feeds 7,500 children.
• NBC affiliate WKYC-TV Cleveland: organized volunteers who helped spruce up a farm that works with children with learning needs.
• CBS affiliate KHOU-TV Houston: dozens of employees and their families gathered at The Sheltering Arms Adult Day Center for adults who have Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. Volunteers striped the parking lot, painted interiors, made holiday cards, prepared emergency kits, refinished specialty made chairs and did gardening.
• NBC affiliate KUSA-TV Denver: volunteers boxed food for more than 100 food banks in Colorado.
• ABC affiliate KBMT Beaumont, Tx.: helped raise money to build a new adoption center to replace one that was destroyed in a fire.
• CBS affiliate WUSA Washington, D.C. filled its studios with volunteers to assemble bikes and toys for a local Boy’s and Girl’s Club.
• ABC affiliate KXTV Sacramento: volunteers participated in the Run for a Safe Haven 5K to raise funds for funds for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking.
• NBC affiliate KGW-TV Portland, Ore.: collected new unwrapped toys that more than 130 nonprofits in Oregon and Southwest Washington will distribute during the holiday season.

Broadcasters Cover Hurricane Matthew

Date Posted: 10/21/2016

• E.W. Scripps’ NBC affiliate WPTV West Palm Beach: “Hurricane Matthew damage revealed as sun rises over South Florida”
• Hearst’s ABC affiliate WPBF-TV West Palm Beach: “WPBF 25’s Sanika Dange braves brutal wind, rain in Jupiter”
• Berkshire Hathaway’s ABC affiliate WPLG-TV Miami: “Hurricane Matthew moves closer toward Florida coast, downgraded to Category 3.” plus “Florida stations unfurl the red flags for Hurricane Matthew coverage”
• Sinclair’s ABC affiliate WLOS-TV: “’I might have made a mistake’: SC residents stay behind despite many warnings to evacuate”
• ABC-owned WABC NYC: “Hurricane Matthew Batters Florida Coast; 4 Dead as Over 1 Million Lose Power”
• NBC-owned WRC-TV Washington, DC: “People Stranded in Hurricane: ’We Wish We Hadn’t Stayed’”
• CBS-owned WCBS NYC: “Matthew gone but N.C. flooding, already bad, could get much worse”
• Florida TV Stations Brace for Hurricane Matthew’s Impact
• Florida stations unfurl the red flags for Hurricane Matthew coverage
• Keep Calm and Broadcast On: Broadcasters as Hurricane First Responders
• Watch video of several other local television stations’ live coverage, shared by TVNewsCheck.

Univision Attracts Big Audiences for 2016 Presidential Debates

Date Posted: 10/19/2016

Univision News provided all-platform coverage of the three presidential debates between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump on September 26, October 4 and October 19. Jorge Ramos and María Elena Salinas hosted the broadcasts, which included post-debate commentary and analysis. The first debate reached 6.3 million viewers and the final reached 6.4 million total viewers. In addition to a live stream in English, all three debates aired live with simultaneous Spanish translation on Univision Network, Univision.com, the Univision and Univision Noticias apps, Facebook.com/UnivisionPolítica, UnivisionNOW, YouTube, Periscope and Snapchat Live.

Broadcasters Commit to Fight the Opioid Abuse Epidemic

Date Posted: 10/3/2016

Nearly 78 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose. To address the epidemic and support local radio and TV broadcasters’ ongoing efforts, NAB has teamed with the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids (Partnership) on a multi-faceted campaign through the end of 2017. NAB has developed a digital toolkit with resources such as PSAs, digital messaging and suggested town hall meetings for broadcasters to educate their communities. NAB and the Partnership announced the initiative September 13 at a press conference on Capitol Hill featuring prominent broadcasters and members of Congress who are invested in the issue. The Senators and Congressmen praised broadcasters for their outstanding, ongoing efforts to fight the epidemic.

Univision Encourages Voter Registration

Date Posted: 9/27/2016

Univision Communications (UCI) leveraged all of its 126 local television and radio stations, plus digital assets, to guide Hispanics and diverse communities through the voter registration process on National Voter Registration Day. UCI collaborated with national organizations to activate voters across the country as part of its nonpartisan, multiplatform “Vote for Your America” initiative. UCI also set up in-office voter registration drives across its offices.

Telemundo’s Multi-Platform Presidential Debate Coverage

Date Posted: 9/26/2016

Telemundo’s September 26 presidential debate coverage included a pre-debate show, a simultaneous Spanish translation of the debate and post-event analysis. It also aired live online and on the network’s mobile app, Facebook and YouTube pages. Telemundo has devoted 275 hours of airtime to the election and hosted registration drives in 15 markets under its #YODECIDO initiative. “Telemundo has been in hyper-drive during this election cycle,” José Díaz-Balart told S&P Global Market Intelligence. “It’s our job to present the news with passion and compassion... Latinos have a hunger for information.”

Telemundo’s Multiplatform Presidential Debate Coverage

Date Posted: 9/26/2016

Telemundo’s September 26 presidential debate coverage included a pre-debate show, a simultaneous Spanish translation of the debate and post-event analysis. It also aired live online and on the network’s mobile app, Facebook and YouTube pages. Telemundo has devoted 275 hours of airtime to the election and hosted registration drives in 15 markets under its #YODECIDO initiative. “Telemundo has been in hyper-drive during this election cycle,” José Díaz-Balart told &P Global Market Intelligence. “It’s our job to present the news with passion and compassion... Latinos have a hunger for information.”

Univision Attracts Big Audiences for the First 2016 Presidential Debate

Date Posted: 9/26/2016

Univision News provided all-platform coverage of the first presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump on September 26. Jorge Ramos and María Elena Salinas hosted the Univision News broadcast, which included post-debate commentary and analysis. The debate reached 6.3 million viewers. In addition to a live stream in English on Univision.com, the debate broadcast live with simultaneous Spanish translation on Univision Network, Univision.com, the Univision and Univision Noticias apps, Facebook.com/UnivisionPolítica, UnivisionNOW, YouTube, Periscope and Snapchat Live.

Raycom Gets Stars For Louisiana Flood Relief Concert

Date Posted: 9/5/2016

Raycom Media’s Louisiana Rising: A Benefit Concert for Flood Relief on September 5 aired live across all Raycom stations, Sinclair stations in 26 markets and nationally on Bounce TV. Randy Jackson and Harry Connick Jr. headlined the event, which included performances from Hunter Hayes, New Orleans-based Better Than Ezra, Aaron Neville, Sonny Landreth, Chris Thomas King, MacKenzie Bourg, Luther Kent and Rockin’ Dopsie. “Our goal is to raise awareness, and more importantly, money, for the tens of thousands of people who need help to get back on their feet,” said Raycom President Pat LaPlatney.

Univision Promotes Oral Health

Date Posted: 9/1/2016

Univision Communications Inc. is partnering with the New York University College of Dentistry to provide oral health content for Univision’s healthcare website, Univision Salud (Univision Health). Topics include: “Everyday Habits That Harm Teeth,” “Orthodontic Care for a Beautiful Smile,” “Bad Breath – Causes and Cures” and “Overcoming Dental Fears.” NYU Dentistry’s experts will also be featured in Univision website videos and Univision TV stories on oral health topics. Personal stories will introduce Univision’s younger viewers to the field of dentistry.

Raycom Stations Assist with Flood Relief and Recovery

Date Posted: 8/17/2016

Raycom stations across the country held a variety of fundraisers after historic flooding devastated parts of southern Louisiana in August. CBS affiliate WAFB raised $55,000 for the Salvation Army and Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank on August 24. ABC affiliate WLOX-TV in Biloxi-Gulfport aired American Red Cross PSAs that encouraged viewers to donate $10 via text. In total, the PSAs aired more than 80 times and the effort collected $112,498. NBC affiliate WSFA-TV in Montgomery-Selma partnered with the American Red Cross to hold a flood relief drive on August 17. The drive ran from 10:30 a.m.-7:00 p.m. and raised $50,000. NBC affiliate WAVE-TV Louisville held a 14-hour long telethon for the American Red Cross on August 16. In total, the station raised $43,066.60 for relief efforts.

Bobby Bones Show Donates $85,000 to Flood Relief

Date Posted: 8/16/2016

The Bobby Bones Show donated $85,000 to the American Red Cross Louisiana flood relief effort after the show announced on August 16 that all proceeds from #PimpinJoy online merchandise sales would be donated. “The immensity of their support this past week has only served to prove that point, as friends rally around friends in a time of need, and that’s what our listeners have done,” said Bones.

Cumulus Cares for Louisiana

Date Posted: 8/16/2016

All Cumulus Stations across the country partnered with the United Way of Acadiana and United Way of Baton Rogue to raise funds for the flood victims. Every station website has a “Cumulus Cares” banner under the masthead to encourage donations. They aired PSA nationwide, for driving people to donate online. Here is an example from WGNI-FM Wilmington, N.C.

Univision Contigo Kicks-Off Back-to-School Season with Expanded Education Initiatives

Date Posted: 8/13/2016

Univision’s Houston and Los Angeles stations helped more than 30,000 students prepare for the new school year. Events on August 13 included Houston’s “6th Annual Mayor’s Back to School Fest,” an onsite Ronald McDonald Care Mobile. Partnerships with Children’s Institute and El Salvador Foundation in Los Angeles provided backpacks, clothes, health screenings and immunizations for students, plus social service resources for parents. Also, Univision expanded its multi-platform education campaign “Regresa a Clases con Univision” (Back to School with Univision) on August 15. The campaign provides parents, students, mentors and educators with more than 10 weeks of programming on education topics, including early-childhood enrichment, college prep, STEM skills and applying for financial aid.

Broadcasters Cover Racial Tensions

Date Posted: 8/1/2016

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 hosted a town hall and 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.

CBS News Presents Live Coverage of Republican, Democratic Conventions

Date Posted: 7/14/2016

Twitter teamed up with CBS News to present the network’s live stream of both the Republican and Democratic national conventions on the social sharing sites and apps. The stream, run by CBS News with their correspondents, ran "gavel-to-gavel" coverage on Twitter each day, in similar fashion to how NFL games and Wimbledon matches were streamed. The footage was "enhanced" with a running thread of live convention-related tweets.

ABC Holds Town Hall with President Obama

Date Posted: 7/7/2016

ABC News arranged a town hall with President Obama to discuss "race relations, justice, policing and equality." ABC’s David Muir moderated the discussion, joined by ESPN’s Jemele Hill. It was broadcast on ABC, ESPN and Disney’s other channels without commercial interruption.

Bobby Bones Raises $20,000 for Equipment for Wounded Marine

Date Posted: 7/7/2016

The Bobby Bones Show raised $20,000 through “America Strong” t-shirts sales, in order to purchase an all-terrain tracked wheel chair for former U.S. Marine Sgt. Kirstie Ennis. On the morning show, Ennis had shared the story of how she lost her leg serving as a helicopter door gunner in the military.

Univision News Offers Naturalization Exam Tool

Date Posted: 7/7/2016

Univision News has launched an interactive digital tool to help U.S. residents prepare for the official citizenship examination required by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The free, user-friendly Citizenship Exam Tool provides a practice test featuring the 100 questions that appear on the test. Users can take the test as many times as they want, in English or Spanish, and can review their answers to learn the correct responses. The tool can be accessed on computers and mobile devices via the “Examen de Ciudadanía” (Citizenship Exam) button on UnivisionNoticias.com and Univision.com.

Univision Presents its Fourth Annual “Mi Salud” Health Week

Date Posted: 6/17/2016

Univision Communications Inc. (UCI) launched its fourth annual “Health Week 2016 – Mi Salud” on June 17 as part of the Univision Contigo empowerment platform across its television, radio and digital platforms. The initiative’s cornerstone is “Reto28,” a free digital tool with a 28-day nutritional diet plan and fitness challenge. The revamped version provides users with additional options, including recipes for families and those with diabetes. Univision’s fourth annual Health Tour hit 12 markets in ten days in June, offering free health screenings to thousands of people. More than 377,000 people have signed up for Reto28. Since its introduction in 2015, challenge participants have lost 238,840 pound.

Television Station Groups Unite to Cover Orlando Tragedy

Date Posted: 6/15/2016

TVSpy reported on television station groups collaborative efforts. Cox Media Group’s CBS affiliate WJAX-TV Jacksonville, ABC affiliate WSB-TV Atlanta, Fox affiliate WFXT Boston, CBS affiliate WHIO Dayton, and its Washington, D.C. bureau sent reporters, photographers and producers to support ABC affiliate WFTV Orlando.

Hearst’s NBC affiliate WESH Orlando was joined by team members from its Washington, D.C. bureau, ABC affiliate WPBF-TV West Palm Beach, plus NBC affiliates WBAL-TV Baltimore, WXII Winston-Salem, N.C., WYFF-TV Greenville, S.C., and WGAL Lancaster, Pa.

Fox-owned WOFL received support from stations in Tampa, Philadelphia and Chicago during wall-to-wall coverage from 6 a.m. to 11:40 p.m. on June 12. On June 13, WOFL focused on the police investigation and the effect on the community from 5 – 10 a.m. and in special hour-long newscasts at noon and 4 p.m.

It does give you pause for what this business is all about, which is providing a service and information to the public,” WOFL Vice President of News Jeff Zeller told Broadcasting & Cable.

Graham Media Group’s (GMC) NBC affiliate WDIV Detroit told TVSpy that all GMG stations made an effort to assist CBS affiliate WKMG Orlando, as the station provided wall-to-wall coverage. "Our hearts go out to the people of Orlando. WKMG is part of the Graham Media family and we all support each other," said WDIV General Manager Marla Drutz. "I can’t imagine what they and their viewers are going through."

Broadcasters Support Orlando Community Following Massacre

Date Posted: 6/15/2016

Radio Ink also reported on CBS Radio and Cox Media Group’s efforts in the week following the attack. CBS Radio’s WQMP-FM Orlando hosted a blood drive on June 13, also collecting donations of water, sports drinks and orange juice for blood donors. CBS Radio also worked with the city to plan and promote a candlelight vigil. Stations promoted and provided complete live coverage of local vigils across the country.

Cox Media Group’s Orlando stations broadcast and streamed on June 13 a two-hour roundtable discussion "Orlando Terror Attacks. Our City Reacts," during which on air hosts discussed the massacre and took calls from listeners. WWKA-FM and WRDQ-TV will host abenefit concert on June 21 for the City of Orlando’s OneOrlando Fund.

OTA Broadcasting’s MyNetworkTV affiliate KMIR-TV Palm Springs, Calif. invited the public to attend a special live event "Standing United," held June 17. The Palm Springs mayor, LGBT and Islamic officials, and other local faith and community leaders will participate in the event. "Standing United" will air with no commercial interruptions and stream live on KMIR.com and Facebook LIVE. "We heard the community loud and clear at Sunday night’s vigil in Palm Springs," said KMIR News Director David Reese. "They want to come together after this tragedy and KMIR News is committed to doing our part to make that happen."

Radio Provides Extensive Coverage of Unthinkable Terror Attack

Date Posted: 6/15/2016

Radio Ink and Inside Radio provided details on broadcast radio stations’ response to the tragedy. CBS Radio brought personnel from all of its morning shows to help WQMP-FM and WOMX-FM Orlando. As listeners asked how they could help, CBS provided information on where to donate blood.

Westwood One sent two reporters, Alan Scaia and Scott Kimbler, to Orlando on June 12 to cover the massacre. The station group quickly committed to keeping Scaia and Kimbler in Orlando all week to cover the aftermath and President Obama’s planned trip to Orlando on June 16.

iHeartMedia Orlando’s WFLA-FM, WXXL-FM, WJFF-FM and WYGM-AM preempted programming to air extensive news coverage produced by WFLA-FM and partners WOFL-TV and WESH-TV. "The LBGT community is well represented within our on-air talent and so there was poignancy to many of the talent exchanges," iHeartMedia’s Chris Kampmeier said. He added that radio has a unique ability to "allow and embrace listeners calling in to share their feelings and any direct knowledge of the situation they may have... They want to feel like they are part of the community and being on the radio and/or hearing those who are helps everyone feel connected and involved."

"Watching radio doing just that with its audience during such heartbreak these past few days was another reminder of the value of our storied industry and why radio talent matter," Cumulus and Westwood One Vice President Lori Lewis told All Access. "The Orlando radio market, along with cities across the country, shined in the darkest times."

"Where radio distinguishes itself and what truly spotlights its niche among all media is/was and will continue to be, its distinct ability to reach out, dig in and be part ’of’ the community," said Radio Ink Publisher Deborah Parenti.

Cox Media Group (CMG)’s Orlando stations WPYO-FM, WCFB-FM, WMMO-FM, WWKA-FM and WDBO-FM worked with CMG’s ABC affiliate WFTV to simulcast live coverage and provide reports to stations nationwide. Morning show hosts from all stations gathered at WDBO for an on-air roundtable discussion, allowing listeners to react while the news team gathered and distributed information. CMG Orlando staff members worked around the clock, providing 12 hours of wall-to-wall coverage on June 12.

"We knew that this story would capture the community, the state, and the nation and we wanted to provide a way for listeners to learn, share, and connect with each other and with our on-air team," said Operations Manager Drew Anderssen. "[We were] getting very diverse calls, most from concerned listeners who want to be able to contribute in some way to the needs of the community. Many are sharing their stories from loved ones and their families/friends."

“We are an extension of the community and we are here for our listeners to vent, cry and share their feelings,” WQMP-FM and WOMX-FM Program Director Dennis Martinez told Inside Radio.

RTDNA Announces Winners of the 2016 National Edward R. Murrow Awards

Date Posted: 6/1/2016

The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) has announced the winners of the 2016 National Edward R. Murrow Awards, which recognize outstanding work produced by radio, television and online news organizations around the world.

"Our judges tell us the work they reviewed this year is some of the best ever," said RTDNA Chair Kathy Walker. "Our winners have clearly demonstrated how their commitment to outstanding journalism serves their communities, states and the nation."

This year, the 45th anniversary of the awards, RTDNA is presenting 103 national Edward R. Murrow Awards in 13 categories including Newscast, Investigative Reporting, Overall Excellence and more. RTDNA received more than 4,300 entries during the 2016 awards season, setting an all-time record for the fourth year in a row.

For the third year in a row, ABC News Radio and ABC News (television) both won the Edward R. Murrow Award for Overall Excellence at the network level. ABC’s radio team also won awards for Breaking News and Hard News. ABC’s television team won for Breaking News, Series, Use of Video and Website.

In the network television division, HBO won a Murrow in the Documentary category for its Oscar-winning feature Citizenfour. ESPN took home three Murrow Awards for Investigative Reporting, Feature Reporting and Sports Reporting. CBS News won for Hard News and Writing, and NBC News won for Newscast and Continuing Coverage.

In the network radio division, National Public Radio took home awards for Investigative Reporting, Series and Writing. This American Life won for Continuing Coverage (with WBEZ) and Documentary. CBS Radio News won for Newscast. ESPN won for Feature Reporting, and KQED and the Food & Environment Reporting Network won for Use of Sound.

The Washington Post won the Overall Excellence Award in the large online news organization division as well as awards for Writing and Continuing Coverage. The New York Times won for Breaking News, Series (Video) and Use of Video. Yahoo News won in the Documentary category, The Seattle Times won for Hard News, The Guardian (US) won a Murrow for Investigative Reporting, The Denver Post was a winner for Sports Reporting, The Detroit Free Press won for Feature Reporting, The Star Tribune from Minnesota won for Website (Video), The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel won for Website (Audio) and National Public Radio and ProPublica won for Series (Audio).

In the Small Online News Organization division, Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting took home a remarkable quintuple win by taking awards for Overall Excellence, Continuing Coverage, Feature Reporting, Documentary, and Website. In Large Market Television, WXIA-WATL-TV in Atlanta scored a triple win for Continuing Coverage, Investigative Reporting and Writing. In Small Market Television, WVUE-TV in New Orleans had a double win for Series and Use of Video. In Small Market Radio, WITF-FM in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania had a double win for for Hard News and Use of Sound. And in the Large Market Radio division, three stations had double wins: WLRN-FM in Miami, WBUR-FM in Boston and WAMU-FM in Washington, DC.

"We present the Murrow Awards not only to recognize outstanding journalism, but to inspire radio, television and digital newsrooms across the country," said RTDNA Executive Director Mike Cavender. "Journalists can learn from each other and push each other to find new and better ways to serve their communities."

To receive an Overall Excellence award, a news organization must exemplify the highest standards in serving its audience through quality electronic journalism.

Overall Excellence award winners in 2016 are:
• ABC News, New York (Network Television)
• ABC News Radio, New York (Network Radio)
• The Washington Post, Washington, DC (Large Online News Organization)
• Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting (Small Online News Organization)
• CTV Vancouver, Vancouver, AB (Large Market Television)
• WISC-TV, Madison, WI (Small Market Television)
• Minnesota Public Radio, St. Paul, MN (Large Market Radio)
• WDEL-AM/FM, Wilmington, DE (Small Market Radio)

The winners will be recognized at the RTDNA Edward R. Murrow Awards Gala at Gotham Hall in New York City on October 10.

Nexstar Launches Company-Wide Community Service

Date Posted: 6/1/2016

Nexstar Broadcasting Group launched Nexstar Founder’s Day of Caring, a new community project, on June 17. The company aims to generate 20,000 hours of community service across 104 stations in 54 markets by offering employees paid hours of service to support local causes and intends to match every hour of community service with a corresponding dollar donation.

“Nexstar was founded two decades ago with one television station in Scranton, Pa., based on a commitment to deliver exceptional service to the local communities where we operate,” said Perry Sook, Nexstar’s founder and president.

“To this day, our employees’ unwavering dedication to the people and communities we serve across the United States has been fundamental to our success as we now own or provide services to 104 television stations in 54 markets.”

Local TV News Output Hits All-Time High

Date Posted: 6/1/2016

TV stations are producing more news than ever this year, with the median output of 5.5 hours a day breaking the record set in 2012 by a half hour, the latest RTDNA/Hofstra University annual survey of newsrooms found. The number of TV stations adding a newscast jumped more than 7% from last year, the survey found. Additionally, there is likely more to come, as roughly 33% of news directors said they plan to add newscasts in the coming year.

Univision Draws 100,000 to Voter Registration Drives

Date Posted: 5/26/2016

Univision has drawn 100,000 people to 145 citizenship workshops, forums and voter registration drives across the U.S. as it aims to register three million new Latino voters this election season. Univision launched a PSA campaign in English and Spanish on its 126 television and radio stations. Its new election-based texting tool has 130,000 subscribers from all 50 states.

CBS Evening News Debuts New Series on Heroin Addiction

Date Posted: 5/16/2016

CBS Evening News debuted a new series on heroin addiction on May 16. “In The Shadow of Death: Jason’s Journey” follows 30 year-old heroin addict Jason Amaral, who has been addicted for 10 years, has overdosed eight times and done countless detox programs. In part one, correspondent DeMarco Morgan shows Amaral doing heroin the day before he enters rehab. Amaral talks about his daily usage and how he procures drugs. Correspondent Dean Reynolds also provides an overall look at the heroin epidemic in America. “This series aims to allow people to see, in real time, what heroin addiction really looks like,” Executive Producer Steve Campus told TV Spy. “It may also help someone in the throes of addiction to get help, as our main character seeks life-saving assistance.”

Univision Highlights Community in Rebranding Efforts

Date Posted: 5/11/2016

On May 11, Univision announced that all its local TV news operations will rebrand with the tagline “Tu Gente. Tu Voz” (“Your people. Your voice”). “The campaign shows our local news anchors for who they truly are—renowned, award-winning journalists who not only report the news but who are also part of the communities they report on,” said Univision Communications’ Chief Marketing Officer Jessica Rodriguez.

ABC’s David Muir Examines the Heroin Epidemic

Date Posted: 5/5/2016

ABC’s David Muir anchored a one-hour special, “Breaking Point: Heroin in America,” that aired March 11. More than 100 Americans die every day from a drug overdose, which more than gunshot wounds or car accidents. “For more than a year, a very small team of producers armed with cameras embedded with very brave families battling heroin in their own home,” Muir told TVNewser. “This is an epidemic that knows no boundaries.”

NBC News: ’Downhill Spiral’: America’s Heroin Epidemic

Date Posted: 5/5/2016

NBC News launched a series of investigative reports, “ ’Downhill Spiral’: America’s Heroin Epidemic.” The series launched April 7, 2014.

CBS Television Network Airs Drug Epidemic Special

Date Posted: 5/5/2016

CBS Television Network aired “Faith, Hope & The Burden of Addiction,” a special that explores the nation’s prescription drug and heroin epidemic and how it affects communities across America. The April 12 broadcast featured numerous officials who work to combat drug addiction, including Director of White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Michael Boticelli, in addition to individuals personally affected by the epidemic. More information is available here.

CBS Produces PSA to Raise Awareness of Opioid Epidemic

Date Posted: 5/5/2016

CBS, Warner Bros. Television and the comedy series MOM partnered with the U.S. Surgeon General to raise awareness of the addiction epidemic through a new public service announcement. The 30-second PSA, featuring U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy and MOM stars Anna Faris and Allison Janney, debuted on February 18 after MOM aired. "We are proud to have worked with the U.S. Surgeon General on this PSA, and hope it provides help to all those suffering from addiction," said MOM executive producer Chuck Lorre.

Univision Local Media Raises $4 Million for St. Jude

Date Posted: 5/4/2016

Univision Local Media’s annual "Promesa y Esperanza" (Promise and Hope) radio event, held April 7 – 8, raised $4 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Millions of Hispanic listeners tuned in as Univision Radio raised awareness for St. Jude’s life-saving childhood cancer research and treatment. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food.

Limbaugh’s Cure-A-Thon Raises $3.3 Million

Date Posted: 5/2/2016

Syndicated radio host Rush Limbaugh’s 26th annual EIB Network Leukemia & Lymphoma Society "Cure-A-Thon," held April 8, raised more than $3.3 million. This represents an increase of 15 percent over 2015. Limbaugh and his wife, Kathryn, personally donated $650,000. Limbaugh and his staff also paid tribute to the show’s long-time Chief of Staff Christopher "Kit" Carson, who succumbed to cancer a little more than a year ago.

Telemundo Expands Consumer Investigations

Date Posted: 4/18/2016

Telemundo launched "Telemundo Responde" (Telemundo Responds) on KTAZ Phoenix and KHRR Tucson on April 18. The initiative’s consumer advocacy team answers inquiries from local residents who are victims of identity fraud or theft, received fraudulent charges or whose employers refused to pay for their work. "Telemundo Responde will give a voice to the voiceless," said investigative reporter Victor Hugo. "With the expansion of Telemundo Responde to Arizona, our communities will now have an opportunity to get real answers to the consumer problems they face every day."

Townsquare Media Raises $1.4 Million for St. Jude

Date Posted: 4/14/2016

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.

Univision’s “Pequeños y Valiosos” (Young and Valuable) Education Campaign Enters Third Year

Date Posted: 4/12/2016

Univision’s Pequeños y Valiosos (Young and Valuable) encourages Hispanic parents to engage in specific actions that boost early cognitive and social-emotional development among young children ages 0-5. A new “Padres de Univision” (Univision Parents) public community group on Facebook encourages parents to share their experiences with each other. A new early childhood section on Univision Contigo’s “Clave Al Exito” online parent portal and a text message service are free tools that provide information, tips and videos to help parents and caregivers.

Norah O’Donnell Wins Award for Joe Biden Story

Date Posted: 4/9/2016

CBS This Morning co-anchor Norah O’Donnell accepted an White House Correspondents Association award on April 30. O’Donnell won for excellence in presidential news coverage for her 60 Minutes interview with Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, on his decision not to run for president.

Radio Has Raised $600 Million for St. Jude in 25 years

Date Posted: 4/5/2016

Radio World recently highlighted radio’s 25-year partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which is one of America’s most successful fundraising programs. More than 300 stations have raised over $600 million for the hospital’s lifesaving work in childhood cancer. iHeartMedia has generated more than $80 million in ten years, with $8.8 million coming from radiothons held at 56 stations in 2015.

Univision Launches First U.S. Fact-Checking Project en Español LieDetector

Date Posted: 3/7/2016

Univision’s newly launched Detector de Mentiras (Lie Detector) during the March 9 Democratic debate to fact-check presidential candidates this election season. During that event, Detector de Menitras focused on the candidates’ statements on drivers’ licenses for undocumented residents, Hillary Clinton’s famous speeches to Wall Street and the auto industry bailout. In general, the fact-checking team will focus on issues that are important to the Hispanic community, such as immigration, education and health care. "Univision has been asserting itself as a significant player in investigative work over the past few years," said Al Tompkins of Poynter, who cited Univision’s Rape in the Fields and Rape on the Night Shift.

CBS Evening News Anchor Scott Pelley to Receive 2016 Cronkite Award

Date Posted: 3/5/2016

Multiple award-winning “CBS Evening News” anchor Scott Pelley will receive Arizona State University’s 2016 Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism. Pelley is also a correspondent on “60 Minutes,” where he recently reported from Iraq on the front lines in the battle against ISIS; covered the Paris terrorist attacks; and uncovered critical lapses in the U.S. security clearance process. He has interviewed world leaders, including Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and Afghan President Hamid Karzai. He also conducted the only interview with one of the U.S. Navy SEALs who helped kill Osama bin Laden. Pelley’s prestigious awards include the George Foster Peabody Award, an Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Award, five Emmys and five Edward R. Murrow Awards. “No one today better represents the legacy of Walter Cronkite – and his values of accuracy, objectivity and integrity – than Scott Pelley,” said Cronkite School Dean and University Vice Provost Christopher Callahan.

CBS News Investigation Shakes up Wounded Warrior Project

Date Posted: 3/5/2016

A CBS News investigation led by Chip Reid led to the board of the Wounded Warrior Project firing its CEO and the COO. CBS’s Scott Pelley broke the news on March 10. Reid’s investigation revealed that Wounded Warrior Project spent 54 - 60 percent of the donations it received on veterans’ services. Other organizations spend more than 90 percent on veterans.

Entravision Radio Raises $2.9 Million for Kids

Date Posted: 3/2/2016

Alex Lucas of Entravision’s syndicated morning show, "El Show de Alex ‘El Genio’ Lucas," was awarded Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Hospitals’ Hispanic Radio Person of the Year on February 24 for his extraordinary support of CMN. Entravision’s eighth annual network-wide radiothon raised $2.9 million in 2015, benefiting 95 communities. Of that, KALC-FM Denver raised $1.3 million on February 11-12, bringing its 15-year total to $20.7 million.

Univision Launches Web Series Based on 2016 Election

Date Posted: 3/1/2016

Univision premiered "Heads of Space," a satirical, animated web series based on the 2016 election, on February 16. The weekly episodes, available in English with Spanish subtitles, follow the adventures of candidates Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush, who are sent to Mars by President Obama on a mission to ensure the survival of the human race before an asteroid destroys Earth. A robot named ROTUS pilots the spaceship and mediates conflicts between the candidates. HeadsOfSpace.com also features daily election news and infographics.

Univision Launches ’Vote For Your America’

Date Posted: 3/1/2016

Univision Communications Inc. (UCI) launched "Vote for Your America," a multi-platform campaign encouraging voter participation among Hispanic millennials. UCI is leveraging its broadcast and digital platforms, including Univision Network, UniMás, Galavisión, Univision Deportes Network and Local Media. The campaign includes local nonpartisan events, a bilingual text messaging tool, a digital election guide and PSAs. It is part of UCI’s in-depth election coverage campaign, "Destino 2016" (Destiny 2016).

Univision’s Corporate Social Responsibility Report

Date Posted: 2/17/2016

Univision released its first corporate social responsibility report. Titled “Access for All,” it showcases how Univision’s corporate values of integrity, collaboration, innovation, diversity, service and excellence help the company deliver on its responsibility to Hispanic and multicultural communities.

East Coast Broadcasters: A Lifeline During Blizzard

Date Posted: 2/16/2016

On January 22-23, Winter Storm Jonas brought record snowfall to the East Coast, with parts of New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C. receiving more than two feet of snow.

Local radio and television broadcasters provided wall-to-wall coverage of the storm, delivering critical updates on weather patterns, road closures and emergency information to local residents. News crews and station staff members braved the elements during heavy snow falls and winds gusting at up to 40 miles per hour. They stayed at nearby hotels or set up cots at work to make sure their stations stayed on air.

The Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB)’s analysis of Nielsen data "reveals that local broadcast TV news was overwhelmingly preferred as the source for storm coverage over cable news during the blizzard on January 23, 2016."

TVNewsCheck shared a video from Sinclair’s ABC affiliate WJLA’s 56 hours of live coverage, captured by 24 crews.

Hearst’s NBC affiliate WBAL viewers thanked the station for providing critical updates. One viewer said: "I just want to give you and your news casters a HUGE SHOUT OUT!!! We can always count on you to be out there in the thick of things whether winter conditions or other news worthy conditions keeping us up to date and informed. Especially now. My heart goes out for all you guys out in this nasty night letting us know what to expect. Everyone forgets that without the news we would be in trouble. SO A BIG THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU!!"

Entravision Launches Hispanic 360 Political Awareness

Date Posted: 2/16/2016

Entravision is encouraging Latinos to participate in the 2016 presidential election through its multi-platform campaign, "Tú Decides." The multi-platform campaign, which launched on Dec. 3 with a voter registration drive, encompasses Entravision’s television, radio, social and online assets. It includes Spanish-language news and political content on PoliticaParaMi.com and is customized for each market.

Broadcasters Increase Local News Coverage

Date Posted: 2/16/2016

Television broadcasters that recently increased their local news programing include:

•Hearst’s NBC affiliate KCRA-TV Sacramento added a one-hour weekday newscast at 4 p.m. on Jan. 25. It features live HD traffic updates and breaking news coverage from the air.
•Sinclair’s NBC affiliate WOAI San Antonio added a half-hour noon newscast on Jan. 25 that features developing local stories, breaking news and a weather forecast. "We continue to look for opportunities to serve our community," said News Director Blaise Labbe.
•Hearst’s NBC affiliate WLWT-TV Cincinnati added a half-hour 10 p.m. newscast on Jan. 11 that airs in addition to the station’s existing 11 p.m. news.
• Tribune’s Fox affiliate KTVI St. Louis launched a half-hour weeknight 11 p.m. newscast on Jan. 18. It is anchored by award-winning journalists Shirley Washington and Jasmine Huda.
• Hearst’s ABC affiliate WCVB-TV Boston launched two new half-hour weeknight newscasts at 4:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Jan. 11.
• Cox Media Group’s Fox affiliate WFOX Jacksonville, Fla., added an additional hour of weekday local news on Jan. 11.
• The News Press & Gazette’s ABC affiliate KMIZ Columbia, Mo., added six hours of local news programming to its weekend lineup on Jan. 9, with newscasts at 6 and 8 a.m.
•Sinclair’s CBS affiliate WPEC West Palm Beach, Fla., added an hour-long 9 a.m. newscast on Jan. 11, bringing its weekly total to 42 hours of news. In addition to breaking news, weather and live event coverage, the newscast includes a strong interactive component.
• Hearst’s NBC affiliate WBAL-TV Baltimore expanded its "11 News Tonight" to one hour on Jan. 31. They now offer 38 hours of original, locally-produced news every week.

Univision Programs Promote Education

Date Posted: 2/4/2016

Univision Communications Inc. (UCI) launched its annual multi-platform campaign, "¡Estudia, Hay Dinero!" (There’s Money to Study!), on Jan. 11 on its radio and television stations to raise awareness about the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) program. The campaign features more than 100 workshops and phone banks, a digital FAFSA hub and a digital parent academy. In 2015, 42,000 people attended the workshops.

On Jan. 23, Univision News aired "Puente al Futuro" (Bridge to the Future), a program exploring how the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in place in 42 states affect Hispanic students. It is now available online, along with an extensive report in Spanish and English, and was produced with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

KMOV, WBAL, WRAL Are duPont Award Winners

Date Posted: 1/14/2016

Several stations were recently honored with Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Awards.

•Meredith’s CBS affiliate KMOV St. Louis was honored for the hour-long, commercial-free documentary "The Injustice System," on the fatal shooting of Michael Brown.
• Hearst’s NBC affiliate WBAL-TV Baltimore’s Jayne Miller was honored for her investigative work on the death of Freddie Gray. "Her exemplary reports raised important questions about probable cause, police policy, and accountability," the judges found. "Miller asked probing, smart questions and followed up with clear analysis of a fast-changing story."
•Capitol Broadcasting’s CBS affiliate WRAL-TV Raleigh reporter Leyla Santiago and photographer Zac Gooch won for "Journey Alone," on illegal immigration and unaccompanied minors in North Carolina.

NBC Teams With PolitiFact

Date Posted: 1/14/2016

NBC will partner with PolitiFact for this campaign season. PolitiFact will monitor statements candidates make on Meet the Press and other programs, giving selected comments a score on its Truth-O-Meter. PolitiFact is also partnering with E.W. Scripps to air fact-checks in Scripps’ 24 local television markets.

CBS Radio Brings in $2.4 Million for St. Jude

Date Posted: 1/14/2016

CBS Radio’s WUSN-FM Chicago, WYCD-FM Detroit, WDSY-FM Pittsburgh, KMLE-FM Phoenix and KNCI-FM Sacramento raised $2.4 million in the "Country Cares for St. Jude Kids Radiothon," held the first two weeks of December. Of that, WUSN-FM raised $1.3 million, bringing its 25-year total to $25 million.

TeletónUSA Raises $15.7 Million for Children with Disabilities

Date Posted: 1/14/2016

Univision’s TeletonUSA raised $15.7 million during a live event held in Los Angeles December 4-6 to benefit children with neuromusculoskeletal disabilities, cancer and autism. More than 100 artists participated. Live broadcasts aired in Chicago, Miami, New York and San Antonio and streamed online.

Community Service Awards for Radio and Television Broadcasters

Date Posted: 1/14/2016

NAB offers two awards programs that provide an opportunity for radio and television stations to receive national recognition for their year-round service to local communities.

The 10 winners are announced at the annual NAB Show, held April 16-21, 2016 in Las Vegas. Enter your station here.

The NAB Education Foundation (NABEF) hosts the Celebration of Service to America Awards to honor the outstanding public service commitment of local television and radio broadcasters. Join broadcast industry leaders, philanthropists, government officials and members of the press at this annual black tie gala, June 21, 2016 in Washington, D.C. Enter your station here.

’Alison & Adam Memorial Fund’ Nears $90K

Date Posted: 1/14/2016

The “Alison & Adam Memorial Fund” has raised $88,175 for the families of the victims of the Aug. 26 Roanoke TV shooting. NAB and the Radio Television Digital News Association launched the fund on behalf of Alison Parker and Adam Ward of Schurz-owned CBS affiliate WDBJ-TV Roanoke, who were killed on-air. Proceeds will be distributed evenly between the families of Parker and Ward, Vicki Gardner, who suffered gunshot wounds, and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Donations will be accepted until Nov. 30.

NewsON Launches Local TV News App

Date Posted: 1/14/2016

Local news provider NewsON launched an app on Nov. 4 to provide consumers with live and on-demand local newscasts and news clips. The app’s video content from 118 stations in 90 markets covers 75 percent of the United States and is available on Apple, Android and Roku devices. Viewers can find stations via an interactive map. At launch, participating stations include those in NewsON’s owner group - ABC Owned Television Station Group, Cox Media Group, Hearst Television, Media General and Raycom Media - plus Graham Media Group and Tegna stations. Hubbard Broadcasting joined NewsON as an investor.

As Elections Near, Telemundo Debuts App

Date Posted: 1/14/2016

Telemundo’s "Noticias Telemundo" Spanish-language app launched on Nov. 8. It is the first news app for U.S. Hispanics available for Apple Watch. It includes content from “Un Nuevo Día,” “Al Rojo Vivo con María Celeste” and “Noticiero Telemundo,” and will offer real-time election results. Also, Telemundo is airing #Yodecido (I Decide) PSAs encouraging voter participation. “Telemundo is committed to empower [Hispanics] with information that is reliable and balanced, distributed across the platforms they use,” said Telemundo’s Luis Carlos Velez.

Univision’s Education Week 2015

Date Posted: 1/14/2016

Univision’s Education Week 2015, held Oct. 3-10 on 126 radio and television stations, reached hundreds of thousands of families. Resources, tools and programs covered issues related to early childhood development to college readiness. Local phone banks answered more than 2,000 viewer questions. The “Academias para Padres” (Parent Academies) connected 1,300 people in three cities with education experts. Univision’s KMEX-TV Los Angeles kicked off Education Week on Oct. 3, when 15,000 people attended the "Feria de Educación" (Education Fair). One hundred non-profit organizations and 50 workshops addressed financial aid, scholarships and parent engagement. More than 45,000 books were distributed.

Tribune Stations Air Vietnam Documentary

Date Posted: 1/14/2016

Tribune Broadcasting produced an hour-long documentary, "Untold Stories: Saluting Our Vietnam Veterans," for stations to air from Nov. 7-15. It features POW Colonel Murphy Neal Jones, war correspondent Joe Galloway, and information on PTSD. Stations also aired segments on local veterans. “We asked our award-winning journalists across the country to help give voice to the stories of our Vietnam Vets and the result is a compelling and poignant [hour-long documentary] and special series in every one of our markets,” said Tribune’s Senior Vice President of News Bart Feder.

Westwood One Airs Veterans Day Series

Date Posted: 1/14/2016

Westwood One News produced an 11-part original series for Veterans Day. Features included: an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran, now in college, discussing differences between military and student life; a West Point graduate sharing what he learned from leading soldiers during two tours in Iraq; a website encouraging people to volunteer on Veterans Day; a female Marine addressing women-specific military issues; Rep. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.), a retired Air Force attack pilot and squadron commander, talking about challenges with dealing with the Department of Veterans Affairs; a former Army officer providing examples of how World War II veterans re-entered civilian life; an American Legion post manager explaining the benefits of joining veterans’ groups; and a consultant who helps companies hire servicemen and women addressing the veteran employment picture.

Armstrong & Getty Raise $544,000

Date Posted: 1/14/2016

Syndicated radio hosts Armstrong & Getty raised $544,000 for Fisher House in a drive held Nov. 9-13, bringing the drive’s four-year total to $2.2 million. The Fisher House Foundation provides a free "home away from home" for families while their loved ones receive medical care at a military or VA medical center.

2-Year-Old Found Via Amber Alert on Radio

Date Posted: 1/14/2016

A nationwide Amber Alert issued by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and broadcast on radio stations across the country resulted in the safe recovery of a missing two-year-old Knoxville girl on Oct. 29. Investigators believed that Tyler Enix kidnapped two-year-old Brooklynne Enix after killing his ex-wife, the girl’s mother. In northwest Ohio, resident Steve Adams followed the black Chevy Impala described in the alert, confirmed the license plate number and called police. This story from Tegna’s NBC affiliate WBIR-TV Knoxville. includes audio from the 911 call.

Local Stations Launch Additional Newscasts

Date Posted: 11/5/2015

Broadcasters that recently increased local news coverage, or announced plans to do so, include:

• Tegna’s NBC affiliate KARE-TV Minneapolis added a 6:30 p.m. newscast on Sept. 14, which expands the evening newscast to one hour.
• Hearst’s ABC affiliate WCVB-TV Boston will add a 5 p.m. weekend newscast on Nov. 8. On Jan. 11, the station will add two newscasts each weekday, at 4:30 and 7 p.m.

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

Date Posted: 11/5/2015

Tegna’s NBC affiliate KUSA-TV Denver has gained recognition for quality content and high-profile interviews on its political show "Balance of Power." An interview with Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton aired Oct. 18. Long-form news shows such as this "make a difference in the policy debate and in elections," said the Huffington Post’s Jason Salzman.

Hearst’s NBC affiliate WDSU-TV New Orleans hosted and aired an Oct. 1 debate featuring six candidates for Louisiana Governor (watch video).

An Oct. 6 debate between Kentucky gubernatorial candidates Jack Conway and Matt Bevin aired on Cordillera Communication’s NBC affiliate WLEX-TV Lexington, Ky.; Gray’s WSAZ-TV Huntington, W.V.; iHeartMedia’s WHAS-AM Louisville; Raycom Media’s NBC affiliate WAVE-TV Louisville; Fox affiliate WXIX-TV Newport, Ky.; and NBC affiliate WFIE-TV Owensboro, Ky. (watch video).

Tegna’s NBC affiliate WCSH-TV Portland, ME broadcast live a debate between incumbent Mayor Michael Brennan and challenger Ethan Strimling on Oct. 13 (watch video).

KTBS Inc.’s ABC affiliate KTBS Shreveport, La. broadcast live and streamed a debate on Oct. 15 featuring the top four candidates for Louisiana governor (watch video).

Media General’s CBS affiliate WISH-TV Indianapolis hosted and broadcast live the city’s only mayoral debate, held Oct. 16 (watch video).

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).

ABC owned WPVI-TV Philadelphia aired an Oct. 25 debate with five mayoral candidates (election coverage).

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.

CBS News is partnering with Twitter on an enhanced viewer experience for the Nov. 14 Democratic debate. Twitter will provide CBS News with live reactions and voter questions, some of which may be used in the debate.

Sinclair Connects Local Communities to Congress

Date Posted: 11/5/2015

Sinclair Broadcast Group recently launched "Connect to Congress," a multimedia initiative that creates a regular dialogue between constituents and members of Congress. Sinclair established a Capitol Hill bureau so local anchors can conduct interviews about issues constituents and lawmakers are passionate about. Nielsen data shows that these local newscasts often draw audiences that are four times that of the top cable news channels for comparable time periods. "Everyone has a right to know what their elected officials are doing in Washington," said Scott Livingston, Sinclair’s vice president of news. "Connect to Congress is just one example of the investments we are making in our D.C. news operations."

Sinclair Broadcast Promotes Fire Prevention

Date Posted: 11/5/2015

Sinclair Broadcast Group promoted the American Red Cross Home Fire Campaign as part of Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 9 – 15. Through the campaign, the Red Cross has installed more than 125,000 smoke alarms in nearly 2,400 communities.

"Local broadcasting is one of the most important ways we share life-saving information with the communities we serve. Our campaigns are local, our volunteers are local, our supporting partners are local, and broadcast TV just connects all those dots," said Red Cross Executive Director of Community Preparedness Russ Paulsen. "Being able to speak to over 43 million homes at once through Sinclair’s media network allows us to scale our effort to educate families about preventing home fires and keeping loved ones safe."

Television Stations Across the Country Expand Local News

Date Posted: 10/19/2015

The following stations are among those that have recently expanded local news coverage:

Radio Syndicators Carry GOP Debates

Date Posted: 10/19/2015

Salem Radio Network (SRN) provided exclusive radio coverage of the September 16 GOP presidential debate. SRN’s 31 stations carried the debate, plus the pre- and post-event coverage. Westwood One will provide exclusive radio coverage of the third GOP presidential debate, to be held October 28. Westwood One News is also the exclusive radio broadcaster for the first Democratic Party presidential debate, to be held October 13.

Networks Raise Money for Education

Date Posted: 9/14/2015

ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC aired The Entertainment Industry Foundation’s (EIC) one-hour Think It Up program on Sept. 11. The Think It Up initiative aims to build excitement for learning in classrooms around the country through celebrity endorsements and by showcasing positive stories from students and teachers. Kristen Bell, Matthew McConaughey, Ryan Seacrest, Jessica Williams, Jeremy Renner, Stephen Colbert, Scarlett Johansson and Gwyneth Paltrow participated in the show, which included sketches and musical performances.

Watch Justin Bieber’s telethon performance here.

PBS to Air Women’s Health Special Through September

Date Posted: 9/14/2015

Throughout the month of September, PBS stations across the country will air “Vibrant for Life,” a health documentary focusing on hormone changes in aging women. The special brings together leading doctors and authors to share new methods on how women can maintain hormone balance through fitness, lifestyle and diet.

First Lady Joins “We Day” Broadcast

Date Posted: 9/3/2015

ABC stations aired the “We Day” program commercial-free on August 21. “We Day” aimed to encourage families to discuss issues such as bullying, body image, the environment, violence and literacy. First Lady Michelle Obama encourages American youth to make a difference in their communities this school year.The cast also included Selena Gomez, Jennifer Hudson, Common, Tyrese Gibson, Nick Jonas, Demi Lovato, Jennifer Aniston, The Band Perry, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Paul Rudd, Colbie Caillat, Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, Macklemore and Lupe Fiasco.

Univision Hosts Local, National Education Campaigns

Date Posted: 9/3/2015

Univision Communications launched "¡Avanzamos, Conectados!" (Connected, We Advance!) on August 10 to help supply Hispanic students with access to broadband technology. More than 24,000 families have accessed information about affordable broadband, Internet training and guidelines for supervising Internet usage at home via the website Clave al Éxito. In Houston, Univision participated in the mayor’s "5th Annual Back 2 School Fest" on August 15. Roughly 20,000 people attended the event, which provided school supplies, backpacks, clothes, health screenings, immunizations and social service resources.

Univision VP Honored for Work With St. Jude

Date Posted: 9/3/2015

Univision Radio’s Vice President of Marketing, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Monica Rabassa was honored for her work with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital by MegaFest on Aug. 23. Rabassa is instrumental to Univision’s partnership with St. Jude. Univision has raised $52 million for St. Jude since 2006. Rassa is also founder and chairperson of the St. Jude Hispanic Advisory Council, which includes Spanish-language radio stations and other Latin entertainment industry groups.

Katrina 10-Year Anniversary is Reminder of Broadcasting’s Vital Role

Date Posted: 9/3/2015

The 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina on Aug. 29 served as a reminder of the unique and vital role broadcasters play in times of emergencies. Many stations commemorated the anniversary with special programs. The Houston Chronicle and Britain’s BBC praised WWL-AM for staying on-air throughout the storm. Radio World provided technical details on how WWL-AM accomplished this. In reflecting on Katrina, iHeartMedia’s Bob Murphy told Inside Radio, “At that point, music, ratings and dollars are out the window. You realize how important your role is in the community. There is one focus: to serve the people that are depending on you.”

Roanoke, Broadcast Community Shaken After Journalists Killed On-Air

Date Posted: 9/3/2015

The fatal on-air shootings of Alison Parker, 24, and cameraman Adam Ward, 27, of Schurz Communications’ CBS affiliate WDBJ-TV Roanoke, Va. caused shock, anxiety and sadness throughout the industry. The Roanoke community and fellow broadcasters across the country expressed their grief and support. "Every morning we watch these people on TV, it’s like they’re part of your family," WDBJ viewer Donna Toliver told USA Today.

WDBJ, a station known for its commitment to local news, did not miss a newscast due to the tragedy. “We watched them be absolutely stalwarts on camera, and bawl their eyes out after,” said Schurz Communications Senior Vice President of Broadcasting Marci Burdick. “The resilience of the team remains visible and amazing.”

Parker and Ward’s deaths also brought national attention to the vulnerability of local reporters who deliver essential news every day. Atlanta-based reporter Jaye Watson’s eloquent essay describes why journalists are willing to take risks. “I didn’t know Alison Parker or Adam Ward, but I would bet they entered this business with an idealized, deep desire to make the world a better, more informed place. They wanted to tell good stories. They wanted to be part of the change.”

Following the tragedy, NAB, the Radio Television Digital News Association and the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences launched the “Alison & Adam Memorial Fund” for the victims’ families, for which $40,000 has already been committed. “Our hearts are heavy with grief over this horrifying act of violence against two individuals with a zest for life and a love of broadcasting," said NAB President Gordon Smith. NAB also flew its flags at halfmast at the association’s headquarters to honor the victims.

Salem Radio Network Spotlights Crisis In Haiti

Date Posted: 8/3/2015

Salem Radio Network Vice President News and Talk Tom Tradup recently traveled to Haiti to spearhead the network’s coverage of the country’s major humanitarian crisis and to work with the charity Food For The Poor. Salem Radio Network personalities who broadcast live reports from the refugee situation in Haiti included syndicated hosts Bill Bennett, Mike Gallagher and Hugh Hewitt, plus local hosts Joe Piscopo of WNYM-AM New York, and Mark Davis and Jon-David Wells of KSKY-AM Dallas.

NBC Stations Aim to Clear the Animal Shelters

Date Posted: 8/3/2015

Twenty-eight NBC-owned stations will host a pet adoption drive on Aug. 15, to try to find homes for animals from 300 animal shelters across the U.S. Before the pet adoption drive, eleven NBC-owned stations and 17 Telemundo-owned stations will air Clear The Shelters, which features local programming on issues faced by animals in shelters. In the following week, Natalie Morales of NBC’s Today Show will host another 30-minute adoption drive that will air on more than 100 NBC stations and affiliates.

RTDNA Announces Winners of the 2015 National Edward R. Murrow Awards

Date Posted: 7/17/2015

The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) announced the 2015 National Edward R. Murrow Award winners, recognizing outstanding radio, television and online news organizations. RTDNA selected 104 winners from 4,200 entries.

CBS News earned seven Murrow Awards: Breaking News, Continuing Coverage, News Series, Newscast, Use of Video, Writing and Best Website. CBS Radio News won for Continuing Coverage, Feature Reporting and Newscast. Overall Excellence award winners are:

• ABC News, New York (Network Television)
• ABC News Radio, New York (Network Radio)
• TEGNA Media’s NBC affiliate KING-TV Seattle (Large Market Television)
• Hearst Television’s ABC affiliate KETV-TV, Omaha, NE (Small Market Television)
• CBS Radio’s WCBS-AM/FM New York (Large Market Radio)
• New Hampshire Public Radio, Concord, NH (Small Market Radio)

Charleston Broadcasters Cover Shooting Spree

Date Posted: 7/17/2015

On June 17, a gunman opened fire on the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C., shooting 10 and killing nine in what the shooter admitted was racially-motivated.

Broadcasters across America aired breaking news and provided listeners with an outlet for emotional expression following the tragedy. They altered programming, changed playlists and took calls from listeners, allowing them to express shock and anger.

Cumulus Charleston Vice President and Market Manager Sherry Dollar told Radio Ink that after the shooter was caught, stations made a conscious effort to promote the "Charleston Strong" message. Dollar praised program directors for connecting with listeners, by expressing genuine, raw emotion and cutting into syndicated shows to add a local element. All five stations WMGL-FM, WWWZ-FM, WNSH-FM, WTMA-AM and WSM-FM highlighted the Mother Emanuel Hope Fund, which supports the victims’ families.

Other stations, including Apex Broadcasting’s WMXZ-FM Isle of Palms and WXST-FM Hollywood; CBS Radio’s WVEE-FM Atlanta; WHUR-FM Washington, D.C. and Cumulus Media’s WWWQ-FM Atlanta, interrupted nationally syndicated programs in favor of local programming, interviewed local political and religious leaders and aired President Obama’s news conference live.

Broadcasters Air Public Service Messages

Date Posted: 7/17/2015

At the 2015 NAB Show in April, NAB Public Service provided non-profit partners with the opportunity to share their PSAs with radio and television stations. Local broadcasters are an invaluable resource to non-profit organizations, as they communicate critical public service messages to communities across America. NAB recently released this video of public service partners thanking broadcasters.

Univision’s Month-Long Health Initiative

Date Posted: 7/17/2015

Univision Communications Inc., as part of its Univision "Contigo" platform, held a month-long multi-platform health and wellness campaign in June, with participation spanning its 67 radio and 60 television stations nationwide. More than 300,000 people signed up to receive weekly diet and fitness tips during the campaign. Univision’s third annual "Semana de la Salud" (Health Week), held June 6-13, provided more than 9,000 free health screenings to more than 32,000 people.

Univision News to Host GOP Candidate Forum

Date Posted: 7/17/2015

Univision News and The Washington Post will collaborate on a Republican presidential candidates’ forum ahead of primaries in March 2016. The collaboration will explore key players and issues through polling, joint reporting projects, video interviews, interactive graphics and digital storytelling to enhance coverage of the issues that are important to Hispanic voters.

iHeartMedia Raises $6.5 Million for Children’s Miracle Network

Date Posted: 6/4/2015

iHeartMedia and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals received a Silver Cause Marketing Halo Award in the Best Message-focused Campaign category at the 2015 Cause Marketing Forum Conference. In 2014, 35 iHeartMedia stations raised almost $6.5 million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. "No medium is more local than radio, and the radiothon program capitalizes on iHeartMedia’s unique and natural role as a community medium to drive both awareness and donations," said iHeartMedia Director of Community Engagement Jessica King.

Sinclair, iHeartMedia Support the United Negro College Fund

Date Posted: 6/4/2015

Sinclair Broadcast Group and iHeartMedia are supporting the UNCF’s (United Negro College Fund) annual show, "An Evening of Stars," which highlights 20 students and presents $500,000 in scholarships to historically black college or universities (HBCUs). In the past 36 years, UNCF’s "An Evening of Stars" has raised more than $200 million and provided hundreds of thousands of scholarships. Sinclair will air the show in all of its 78 television markets beginning on June 6th and will produce a news feature on a local HBCU when applicable. iHeartMedia is promoting Sinclair’s broadcast of "An Evening of Stars" on 156 radio stations.

"We are proud to broadcast this important fundraiser to almost half the country, including markets where this show has never aired before," said Sinclair VP of Programming Bill Butler. "By offering our footprint to extend UNCF’s message of educational opportunity almost nationwide, we hope to open new doors for the scholarship fund, as well as future UNCF beneficiaries."

Central Texas and Oklahoma City Resdidents Rely on Broadcasters During Flood

Date Posted: 6/4/2015

After years of drought, parts of Texas and Oklahoma experienced historic rainfall that caused flooding, property destruction and power outages. More than 20 people died, as thousands of others evacuated their homes, were stranded in cars or slept in the Toyota Center after a Houston Rockets game. Local radio and television station staff braved the storm to provide lifeline news and weather to the community, raised money for flood relief and encouraged listeners and viewers to support the Red Cross.

iHeartMedia’s KASE-FM Austin, TX hosted a concert on June 3 featuring nationally syndicated radio talent Bobby Bones and his Raging Idiots band to raise money for the Central Texas Chapter of the Red Cross. "Bobby’s heart has always been in Austin, where The Bobby Bones Show got its start," said KASE-FM Program Director JT Bosch. "He wants to do anything and everything possible to help his friends and family here in the area rebuild their lives." Sinclair Broadcasting’s CBS affiliate KEYE-TV Austin raised more than $14,000 on May 27 for the American Red Cross of Central Texas.

Stations that aired wall-to-wall coverage included Gannett Broadcasting’s CBS affiliate KHOU-TV, CBS Radio’s KILT-AM/FM, iHeartMedia’s KTBZ-FM and KASE-FM Austin, Tyler Media Group’s KJKE-FM Oklahoma City, Cumulus Media’s WBAP-AM Houston and KLIF-AM Dallas, Graham Media’s NBC affiliate KPRC-TV Houston, Tribune Media’s CW affiliate KIAH-TV Houston, and Fox owned-and-operated KRIV-TV Houston. Click here to view video from KHOU-TV.

"Radio people get it," KTBZ-FM Program Director Elliot Wood told All Access. "In times like these, they shine. It is a great reminder that radio is an important part of the community."

Justice Network Locates First Missing Child

Date Posted: 5/6/2015

Justice Network airs 90 seconds of original content each hour that features wanted criminals or missing children. After one of these segments, a viewer identified a missing girl and contacted the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The girl, who had been missing since 2013, was returned safely to her family. The network launched January 20.

NAB Education Foundation Announces Service to America Award Winners

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.” This year’s Service to America Awards will honor the following broadcasters:

SERVICE TO AMERICA TELEVISION AWARD

This award recognizes a television station for the totality of its efforts and its commitment to excellence in serving its community.

KING-TV Seattle, Wash.
Owner: Gannett Broadcasting

Through a combination of programming, fundraising and hands-on support, KING-TV met the challenges of 2014 head-on. In addition to supporting more than 100 non-profit organizations, raising more than $1 million for the American Red Cross and attending 170 community events, they also forged new paths with their coverage and response to local disasters. When the Oso Landslide occurred, KING helped fundraise for relief, got the word out about specific needs and mobilized local businesses to help. When wildfires hit, KING responded, raising money and awareness. After a student shooting at a local high school, KING aired a one-hour prime time special, pausing only for local PSAs. Finally, for their annual Home Team Harvest, KING raised 4.6 million meals. Personally invested and fierce in their involvement, KING exemplifies unwavering commitment to community service.

Category Finalists:
KVUE-TV Austin, Texas, Gannett Broadcasting
KVVU-TV Las Vegas, Nev., Meredith Corporation – Local Media Group
WMC-TV Memphis, Tenn., Raycom Media, Inc.
WRAZ Raleigh, N.C., Capitol Broadcasting Co., Inc.

SERVICE TO CHILDREN AWARDS
These awards spotlight television and radio stations for outstanding programs, campaigns and public service announcements produced for the benefit of children.

Radio

KEX-AM Tigard, Ore.
Owner: iHeartMedia

Since 1987, the KEX Kids Fund has provided eye glasses and hearing aids to children whose families cannot afford them in 16 counties of Oregon and Southwest Washington. The program is funded primarily by donations from KEX listeners who contribute through a four-day pledge drive that begins each year on Thanksgiving morning. The annual radio-thon raises approximately $100,000, allowing the Kids Fund to meet the needs of approximately 1,000 children each year. Teachers report that students who are served by the KEX Kids Fund, given proper hearing and vision, invariably move from the bottom to the top of their classes. Since the program’s inception, thousands of children have been helped and millions of dollars have been raised.

Category Finalists:

KIRO-FM Seattle, Wash., Bonneville International Corp.
WARR-FM Warrenton, N.C. Darensburg Broadcasting
WROQ/WTPT/WFBC/WSPA/WYRD-FM/WORD-AM Greenville, S.C., Entercom Communications Corporation

Television
WVIZ Cleveland, Ohio
Owner: Ideastream

Cleveland area schools have the second worst dropout rate in the country. To address the educational challenges in the community, WVIZ, WCPN and WCLV partnered to create a nonprofit organization with a mission to address this issue. Throughout 2014, the group expanded its early childhood literacy efforts and partnered with other organizations to help older students stay in school. Through televised programming, they brought attention to community resources and raised awareness for the types of dangers youths face during after school hours. The group also hosted a drop-out prevention day, gathering more than one-hundred 8th graders who received advice from and interacted with experts and recent graduates. WVIZ produced content from this event for local television, radio, web and social media, and followed up with the students at their schools. In addition to assisting students, the group also provides resources for parents and educators.

Category Finalists:
WHAS-TV Louisville, Ky., Gannett Broadcasting
WISN-TV Milwaukee, Wisc., Hearst Television
WJLA-TV Washington, D.C., Sinclair Broadcasting Group

SERVICE TO COMMUNITY AWARDS

This category honors radio and television broadcasters for individual campaigns, projects or programs that serve the public good or otherwise provide exemplary service to their local communities.

Radio WCCO-AM Minneapolis, Minn.
Owner: CBS Radio

Through PSAs, events and fundraisers, WCCO helped the hungry through year-round outreach. With “Let’s Kick Hunger Day,” WCCO engaged listeners, celebrities and charity groups to replenish food shelves across 59 counties. Teaming up with local congregations, civic groups, corporations and listeners, WCCO helped power the month-long Food Share campaign, the largest food drive in the country. In partnership with the National Association of Letter Carriers, WCCO supported the “Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive,” which collected 1.73 million pounds of food. Finally, the 11th Annual Union Gospel Mission radio-thon featured stories of those whose lives had been touched by such efforts and broke a new record, providing help for the homeless, poor and addicted.

Category Finalists:
WGFB/WRTB/WXRX/WNTA Rockford, Ill., Mid-West Family Broadcasting
WRJC Mauston, Wisc., Murphy’s Law Media Group LLC
WSOY-AM Decatur, Ill., Neuhoff Communications

Television

Capitol Broadcasting Co., Inc., Raleigh, N.C. Capitol Broadcasting Co. (CBC) has been working for almost a year on a domestic violence initiative called eNOugh NC. The effort included a domestic violence task force charged with building local and national awareness of this issue that impacts one in four women. Through a collaboration with local government partners and agencies, CBC-owned WRAL and WRAZ held a televised panel discussion with survivors and thought leaders, created a website for abuse victims, ran more than 2,000 PSAs, posted TV and internet ads, conducted a social media campaign, aired a half hour documentary and held a three hour phone bank, taking 400 calls from across eight states. In addition, within 36 hours of the Ray Rice story breaking, WRAL devoted 2.5 minutes of advertising inventory to CBC produced PSAs during the national premier of Thursday night NFL. These 60- and 90-second PSAs featured the men of CBC, speaking out against domestic violence.

Category Finalists:

KVVU-TV Las Vegas, Nev., Meredith Corporation – Local Media Group
WCHS/WVAH Charleston, W.V., Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
WHAM-TV Rochester, N.Y., Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
WLTV Miami, Fla., Univision Communications Inc.
WTAE-TV Pittsburgh, Penn., Hearst Television Inc.

President’s Special Award

The NABEF President’s Special Award recognizes historic and extraordinary achievement by a broadcaster.

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.

The Celebration of Service to America Awards are sponsored and produced by NABEF with major support from Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc., Bonneville International Corporation, and the National Association of Broadcasters. In recent years, singer, songwriter, musician and producer, Stevie Wonder; multiple award-winning actress Glenn Close; Oscar-winning actor Jeff Bridges; entertainment industry icon Quincy Jones; legendary rock star Sir Elton John; former President Bill Clinton; First Lady Laura Bush; Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan; former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani; boxing legend Muhammad Ali; former President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalyn Carter; former First Lady Nancy Reagan; among others have been presented with the Celebration of Service to America Leadership Award at the event. Details about the Celebration of Service to America Awards are available here.

iHeartMedia National Event Raises $3.7 Million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Date Posted: 3/13/2015

iHeartMedia raised $3.7 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital during the annual "Country Cares" Radiothon, Feb. 19-20. Stations in 34 cities participated, including WACO-FM Waco, TX; WUSY-FM Chattanooga, Tenn; WHLW-FM Montgomery, Ala.; and KWNR-FM Las Vegas. The award-winning Bobby Bones Show, syndicated on 19 participating radio stations, supported the event. Hundreds of iHeartMedia stations fundraise for St. Jude throughout the year, in addition to participating in the "Country Cares" Radiothon. In 2014, iHeartMedia raised $7.5 million for St. Jude and is on track to match that amount in 2015.

Treatments discovered at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to more than 80 percent in the past 50 years. St. Jude aims to drive the childhood cancer survival rate to 90 percent in the next decade.

Univision Local Media Nets $3.5 Million for St. Jude

Date Posted: 3/13/2015

Univision Local Media’s "Promesa y Esperanza" (Promise and Hope) Radiothon, held Feb. 5-6, raised $3.5 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The event featured musical artists and popular on-air personalities. Fundraisers are critical to St. Jude, as families never receive a bill for treatment, travel, housing or food while their children battle life threatening illnesses.

"The dedication and support we receive from Univision and its staff allow us to reach Hispanic radio listeners across the country and create awareness about our lifesaving research and treatments," said St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital President and CEO Richard Shadyac, Jr. "The financial support and the commitment of the Univision family and their listeners will help us reach the day when every child can be saved."

Raycom Media Airs Selma Anniversary Special

Date Posted: 3/13/2015

Forty-two Raycom Media stations aired the documentary "SELMA: A March to Remember" on Feb. 2 to honor events of Bloody Sunday and the historic Selma-to-Montgomery March that followed in 1965. Leaders, participants and witnesses who discussed their experiences in "SELMA: A March to Remember" included former United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young, who worked with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; and U.S. Representative John Lewis, a leader in the Students for Non-violent Coordinating Committee. "As an Alabama based company, we are proud to be able to document the stories and history of our state, especially an event of this magnitude that has helped change our nation," said Raycom Media President and CEO Paul McTear.

Members of Congress Support Local Broadcasters

Date Posted: 3/13/2015

Several members of Congress praised broadcasters in speeches given on the House floor and submitted comments for the record on Feb. 25. The Representatives commended local broadcasters for their charitable work and their vital role as first informers during times of emergency.

Click to watch C-SPAN’s video of comments from Rep. Kevin Cramer (ND-At Large), Rep. David Cicilline (RI-1), Rep. Rick Crawford (AR-1), Rep. Ted Poe (TX-2) and Rep. Blake Farenthold (TX-27).

Rep. Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (GA) submitted comments into the Congressional Record stating, "Every community is impacted by broadcasters, the individuals who have dedicated their lives to disseminating important information by radio and television."

In other comments submitted into the Congressional Record, Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA) said, "Broadcasters play an important role in our country. I want to applaud the work of broadcasters, particularly those in Sacramento, for working diligently to cover and provide local news programing to our communities, and for being strong community partners."

NBC Stations Launch Successful ’Responde’ Programs Nationwide

Date Posted: 2/9/2015

NBC launched “Responde” consumer investigation units at seven Telemundo affiliates: KVEA-TV Los Angeles, WNJU-TV New York, WSCV-TV Miami, KTMD-TV Houston, KXTX-TV Fort Worth, Tex., KVDA-TV San Antonio, Tex. and KSTS-TV San Francisco. Responde has followed up on 700 stories from 13,000 tips and recovered more than $1 million for viewers. The program has helped a Los Angeles woman who was owed nearly $1,000 after participating in a medical research project; a New York victim of identity theft whose bank would not credit him for an unauthorized charge; and a Dallas family living in the dark when their electric company refused to turn on their power for three weeks.

Univision Raised $15.5 Million for Children with Disabilities

Date Posted: 2/9/2015

Univision’s “TeletonUSA” raised $15.5 million as more than 100 artists and the Hispanic community to come together for children with neuromusculoskeletal disabilities, cancer and autism. The telethon, held Dec. 12-13 with the theme “Corazones con Gente,” or Hearts for People, started in Miami but included live feeds in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and San Antonio. Funds will help more than 600 children from 38 states.

Local Stations Win Investigative Reporting Awards

Date Posted: 1/13/2015

Four stations received Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Awards for investigative reporting.

• The E.W. Scripps Company’s ABC affiliate WFTS Tampa program "Incapacitated: Florida’s Guardianship Program," exposed fraud by court appointed guardians and led to legislative changes.
• Gannett Broadcasting’s CBS affiliate WTSP Tampa’s year-long investigation, "Short Yellows and the Red Light Fight," showed that local governments manipulate technology to make yellow lights shorter, increasing the number of tickets given to safe drivers.
• Gannett’s CBS Affiliate WLTX Columbia, S.C. was honored for "DDS: When the System Fails," an investigation into failures in South Carolina’s Department of Social Services.
• Gannett’s NBC affiliate KPNX-TV Phoenix, Ariz. was honored for "Raked Over the Coals," which examined the Phoenix Fire Department’s arson squad.

Country Radio Raises Millions for St. Jude

Date Posted: 1/13/2015

• CBS Radio’s WUSN-FM Chicago ($1.2 million)
• iHeartMedia’s KEEY-FM Minneapolis ($1,009,452)
• iHeartMedia’s WPOC-FM Baltimore ($330,355)
• Beasley’s WQYK-FM Tampa ($252,828)
• Lincoln Financial Media’s KSON-FM San Diego ($251,050)
• iHeartMedia’s WAMZ-FM Louisville, Ky. ($245,000)
• Max Media’s WGH-FM Norfolk, Va ($202,945)
• iHeartMedia’s WGAR-FM Cleveland, Ohio ($200,331)
• iHeartMedia’s WTQR-FM Greensboro, N.C. ($189,870)
• CBS Radio’s KNCI-FM Sacramento, Calif. ($113,542)
• CBS Radio’s WDSY-FM Pittsburgh, Pa. ($102,870)
• iHeartMedia’s WUSY-FM Chattanooga, Tenn. ($143,000)

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.

The Bobby Bones Show Supports St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Date Posted: 12/4/2014

Premiere Networks’ The Bobby Bones Show helped raised more than $150,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in honor of cast member Amy Brown’s mother Judy, who inspired the program’s Pimpin Joy campaign. The Pimpin Joy campaign encouraged listeners to perform random acts of kindness. After Judy lost her battle with cancer in October, her family asked that donations be made in her name to St. Jude. Initially, the Bobby Jones Show set a fundraising goal of $20,000. The final tally of $150,000 far surpassed this goal. The Bobby Bones Show raised an additional $60,000 for St. Jude during a benefit concert held on Nov. 18, bringing the November 2014 total raised for St. Jude to $210,000.

iHeartMedia Stations Broadcast Veterans Day Concert for Valor

Date Posted: 12/4/2014

Seventy iHeartMedia radio stations broadcast The Concert for Valor, held on Veterans Day at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. More than 100,000 people attended the free concert to honor the courage and sacrifice of veterans and their families. Performers included Jack Black, The Black Keys, Bryan Cranston, Eminem, Jamie Foxx, Dave Grohl, Jennifer Hudson, Jessie J., George Lopez, Metallica, John Oliver, Rihanna, Bruce Springsteen and Carrie Underwood.

Banner Year for Election Coverage

Date Posted: 11/20/2014

During the 2014 election season, radio and television broadcast stations across the country donated thousands of hours in free airtime to provide voters with critical information about the candidates and issues on the ballot on Election Day. In addition to providing news coverage of races for local, state and federal offices, local broadcasters also produced, aired and streamed scores of debates to help viewers and listeners make informed decisions at the polls. On Election Night, television and radio stations and networks including ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, ABC News Radio, CBS Radio News, FOX News Radio and Salem Radio Network News replaced regular programming with wall-to-wall coverage of all the national, local and state-wide races.

"Our responsibility is to inform and educate the electorate and our stations have done a great job of cutting through the noise and providing viewers with the important information they need to know."In referring to Gannett Broadcasting’s commitment to election coverage," said Gannett Broadcasting President Dave Lougee.

"Broadcasters did a tremendous job this year in stepping up to the plate and providing voters with the valuable tools necessary to make informed choices about their elected representatives," said NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith. "Local radio and televisions’ stations exemplified broadcasters’ deeply held commitment to localism with this banner year for election coverage."

Gannett’s Election Coverage Spans Broadcast, Online Platforms

Date Posted: 10/2/2014

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.

Entravision Raises $2.1 Million for Children’s Miracle Network

Date Posted: 9/8/2014

Entravision Communications Corporation hosted its seventh annual three-day radiothon for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. This year’s event, themed "Un Million Para Los Niños" (One Million for the Children), kicked off on August 21, broadcasting live from the lobby of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles to more than 69 cities across the country via Entravision’s syndicated radio programming, online and mobile platforms. Through its radiothon, Entravision helped raise $2.1 million for 24 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

Univision Contigo Promotes Healthy Communities Across America 

Date Posted: 9/1/2014

Univision Communications Inc. (UCI) launched its nationwide Semana de la Salud, or Health Week, August 23-30. Under its Univision Contigo health platform, the “Camino a la Salud” health tour had an overwhelming response. More than 8,000 people attended the health fairs and screenings in 10 markets. Univision’s local TV and Radio stations worked with organizations including the American Diabetes Association, Communicare Health Centers and the American Heart Association to inform communities about a variety of health issues related to lifestyle choices. The programs administered more than 6,000 free health assessments.

ESPN Radio Auction Raises $1.2 Million for Cancer Research

Date Posted: 8/12/2014

ESPN Radio hosted the 10th annual ESPN Radio ESPY Day Auction to benefit The V Foundation for Cancer Research. ESPN Radio stations across the country encouraged listeners to visit eBay, the host auction site, to view the special auction items, including one-of-a-kind sporting experiences and all access tickets to several games. The event raised $1.2 million for cancer research.

CBS Cares and National Stroke Association Create Campaign

Date Posted: 6/9/2014

CBS Television Network’s "CBS Cares" campaign and National Stroke Association partnered to raise awareness of the risk factors commonly associated with strokes and to highlight the groups that are most susceptible to strokes overall. Together they created three PSAs, which were broadcast on CBS Radio’s 126 major market stations. The campaign ran throughout May in support of National Stroke Awareness Month, and encouraged the public to fill out a Stroke Risk Scorecard and talk with their healthcare professional. To hear the radio PSAs and to learn more, click here.

President Calls on Broadcasters to Spread Climate Message

Date Posted: 6/9/2014

President Barack Obama recently invited eight weather broadcasters to the White House to help raise awareness of the National Climate Assessment, a new report that explains how the warming climate is causing dramatic changes across the United States. The New York Times reports, "Polls show that local television weathercasters are among the most trusted media figures." Broadcasters who were invited included NBC’s Al Roker, and meteorologists from Gannett Broadcasting’s CBS affiliate WLTX-TV Columbia, S.C., and NBC-owned WTVJ-TV Miami.

Senator Pryor Applauds Broadcasters’ Lifeline Coverage

Date Posted: 5/14/2014

Senator Mark Pryor of Arkansas noted in a recent floor speech, "One of the underappreciated groups I want to mention--they probably don’t get enough notoriety, even though this may sound kind of silly--is the TV weather people. As soon as the storms were in the area, they broke from their normal broadcasting and they went with wall-to-wall coverage. I talked to so many folks in Mayflower, Vilonia, and other areas [of Arkansas] who said, ’Hey, we watched on TV, and we could see exactly where that storm was, and that is what saved us because we knew it was coming.’"

Broadcasters’ Commitment to ’First Informer’ Role

Date Posted: 5/14/2014

In response to comments from Senator Pryor and other officials, NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith stated, "I join with public safety officials, elected representatives and countless Americans in thanking local radio and television broadcasters in the South for their remarkable efforts to keep citizens informed and safe during the killer tornadoes and devastating rains this [past] week. As we’ve seen time and again, broadcasters take seriously our role as ’first informers’ during emergency situations and are committed to using all our resources at our fingertips to keep people safe from harm."

Entravision Launches Website for Moms and Moms-to-Be

Date Posted: 5/14/2014

Entravision Launches Website for Moms and Moms-to-Be Entravision recently launched Todobebé, a website focused on motherhood issues for Latinos in the U.S. and Latin America. Todobebé informs, educates and entertains Latino moms and moms-to-be as they celebrate and explore the joys and challenges of pregnancy through early childhood. Additionally, Vanessa Bernal, a reporter at Univision’s KCEC-TV Denver, will be the brand ambassador of Todobebé. Bernal will host special segments during Univision’s morning television show, "Despierta America," which will be featured on Entravision’s local television and radio newscasts.

Radio One Helps Raise $1.3 Million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Date Posted: 5/14/2014

Radio One’s network of stations partnered with other inspirational music stations to raise more than $1.3 million for kids fighting cancer, sickle cell and other deadly diseases at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital during the seventh annual Radio Cares for St. Jude Kids radiothon. "Gospel music’s message of faith and inspiration go hand-in-hand with the lifesaving work of St. Jude in providing help and hope to some of the world’s sickest children fighting for their lives," said Richard Shadyac Jr., CEO of St. Jude. "Thank you to Radio One, all of the volunteers, celebrity supporters and loyal listeners across the country for their continued support. Because of them, we are truly making a difference in the lives of kids everywhere."

Hearst Announces Expanded Campaign Coverage in 2014 Election

Date Posted: 4/13/2014

Hearst Television recently announced it is renewing and expanding its biennial "Commitment 2014" pledge to devote extensive coverage of election discourse throughout 25 TV markets across the US this election year. Hearst Television will continue to provide a minimum of 12 minute of airtime in the 30 days leading up to the 2014 general election, at each of its 28 news stations. This year, the company is introducing an “In Their Own Words” feature inviting candidates to complete questionnaires and to record video statements on the issues, to be made available online and for mobile devices. These statements will be posted to the Hearst TV stations’ web and mobile sites serving the candidates’ regions in the 60 days prior to the election.

Rick & Bubba Show Encourages Kids to Read

Date Posted: 4/13/2014

Syndicated Solutions’ "Rick & Bubba Show" created what they named the "World’s Largest Classroom" on March 4 to encourage children to read. The morning hosts read "Green Eggs and Ham" to more than 50,000 students as they broadcast live into 800 schools in at least 13 states. The event was created as part of the National Education Association’s Read Across America program, which challenges children to read a book on March 4 in recognition of the birthday of Dr. Seuss. Click here to watch video from the event.

Townsquare Media Collects Over $1 Million for St. Jude

Date Posted: 4/13/2014

Townsquare Media Group raised more than $1 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital during the group’s first national Country Cares radiothon on March 6 and 7. Radio listeners from cities across the country, including Atlantic City, N.J; Owensboro, Ky.; Rockford, Ill.; and Tyler, Texas, tuned in to pledge their support to St. Jude by making a donation of $20 per month. During more than 26 hours of radio programming over two days, St. Jude patients shared their stories. Thanks to donations from Townsquare’s loyal listeners, patients’ families will never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food.

Clear Channel Raises $3 Million for St. Jude

Date Posted: 4/13/2014

Clear Channel Media and Entertainment helped raise $3 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital during the group’s annual Country Cares radio event on February 27 and 28. Stations in 31 cities hosted the two-day radiothon. "For the past 25 years, Clear Channel’s country stations have rallied together to raise hundreds of millions of dollars for St. Jude through the Country Cares program. Our local programming, promotions, and on-air staff work together to effectively convey to listeners the impact the hospital has in communities around the globe," said Clay Hunnicutt, EVP/GM national programming platforms for Clear Channel.

Clear Channel Donates $1 Million in Airtime for Healthy Hearts

Date Posted: 3/17/2014

Clear Channel committed $1 million in air time for a campaign on heart disease throughout February, American Heart Month. Clear Channel partnered with the American Heart Association to highlight the Go Red for Women campaign, which included a fashion show featuring numerous celebrities. On Valentine’s Day, Clear Channel launched a PSA campaign to educate listeners on the symptoms of heart disease and stroke.

YMF Media Donates $50,000 to the Youth Development Foundation

Date Posted: 3/17/2014

YMF Media announced it has donated $50,000 to the Youth Development Foundation that Hal Jackson started over 40 years ago. The Foundation awards scholarships and prizes to young women from around the world with performing talents. YMF media President Deon Levingston noted, "Since its inception, the foundation has changed the lives of many talented young women in our community, and donating to something so special to Hal keeps his legacy alive." Past scholarship recipients include Vanessa Williams, Jada Pinkett Smith and Cece Peniston.

Broadcasters Foundation of America Raises $200,000 for Retired Industry Colleagues

Date Posted: 3/17/2014

The Broadcasters Foundation of America hosted the 2014 Golden Mike Award Dinner to support retired broadcasters in need. The annual fundraiser honored BMI President Del Bryant, who has spent 42 years at BMI. The dinner raised more than $200,000 for the Foundation.

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.

Entravision Raises $1.4 Million for Children’s Miracle Network

Date Posted: 1/10/2014

Entravision raised $1.4 million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals during its 6th annual "Un Million Para Los Niños (One Million for the Children) Radiothon" in December. The three-day radiothon broadcast live from the lobby of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and was aired on numerous stations across the country, from Honolulu to New York City.

The Bert Show Sends 250,000 Letters to the Troops

Date Posted: 12/6/2013

Syndicated radio program "The Bert Show" held the Big Thank You campaign to collect cards for military men and women serving in the armed forces, to ensure they received a thank you note from an American this Thanksgiving. This year the initiative collected 250,000 letters. Over the past four years, the syndicated radio show has collected and distributed more than 1.1 million letters.

Univision Educación Designates a Day of "Action for Education"

Date Posted: 12/6/2013

Univision Communications Inc., in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and numerous national and local organizations, announced "Acción por la Educación!," an effort to create awareness of the Common Core State Standards and its impact on the Hispanic student population. Students and parents were encouraged to take a pledge to access information, create awareness with friends, speak with their child’s teacher about the new standards and learn how they can provide support at home. This effort is part of the company’s comprehensive, multiplatform education initiative, Univision Educación.

iHeartRadio Raised $1 Million

Date Posted: 11/12/2013

Clear Channel Media and Entertainment’s iHeartRadio Music Festival has raised $1 million for several nonprofits over the past three years. Benefiting organizations include the American Association of Cancer Research, the Alliance for Lupus Research, Muscular Dystrophy Association and Shriner’s Children’s Hospital. The event has also created many memories for critically ill children and their families through its partnership with Make-a-Wish Foundation.

NAB Congressional PSA Campaign

Date Posted: 10/4/2013

Only 10 weeks remain to run NAB’s 2013 Congressional Public Service Announcements featuring your member of Congress. This year, a record 244 member of Congress and their families from 46 states are featured in NAB’s 2013 campaign. Click here to see if your member participated and to download the spots. The PSAs are available to air through the end of the year. This program is a great opportunity to provide valuable information to your viewers and listeners, while fostering relationships with Congress and reminding legislators of the enduring power of free and local broadcasting.

Broadcasters Foundation of America (BFOA) Raises $235,000 During Annual Celebrity Golf Tournament

Date Posted: 10/4/2013

The Broadcasters Foundation of America (BFOA) raised $235,000 at its annual Celebrity Golf Tournament. This year, the tournament raised 18 percent more than last year. BFOA expects to provide more than $850,000 to broadcasters in need over the next year.

CBS Radio Contributes $170,000 to Blessings in a Backpack

Date Posted: 10/4/2013

CBS Radio has teamed with the CBS EcoMedia program to provide more than $170,000 in financial support to children through Blessings in a Backpack, an organization that works to ensure elementary school children are fed during the weekend while they are away from school. Blessings in a Backpack collects and packages backpacks full of food and distributes them on Fridays to children who qualify for the National School Lunch Program. Participating CBS stations include those in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston and Philadelphia.

TeletónUSA Foundation and Univision Communications

Date Posted: 9/10/2013

Univision Communications, Inc. and TeletónUSA Foundation wrapped their seven-city "Tour of Giving" in San Antonio, joined by Texas Governor Rick Perry and Mayor Julian Castro, with the laying of a cornerstone at a $17 million new children’s rehabilitation center. The "Tour of Giving" continued as $15.2 million in donor gifts were put into action to develop and renovate some of the most modern and necessary medical programs and facilities in the nation. The "Tour" aimed to shed light on the importance of medical programs and facilities that will provide a better future for U.S. children with disabilities, cancer and autism. Other stops on the "Tour of Giving" included Miami, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Memphis and Boston. Click here to read more.

ABC’s 48th Annual MDA Telethon Broadcast Raises $59.6 Million

Date Posted: 9/10/2013

The ABC Network broadcast the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s 48th annual "Show of Strength Telethon" on September 1 and raised more than $59.6 million in pledges. All contributions will support the treatment of muscular dystrophy and related diseases, and provide funding for research to find a cure. The two-hour event featured stories of those who are battling muscular dystrophy and appearances by numerous celebrities and entertainers including Ryan Seacrest, Florence Henderson, the Backstreet Boys and Paula Abdul.

ESPN Radio Auction Raises $780,000 for Cancer Research

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.

NBC Sports Hosts Celebrity Golf Tournament for Charities

Date Posted: 8/8/2013

NBC Sports Radio hosted the 24th annual American Century Championship, a golf tournament that raises money for several local and national charities. This year featured several sports and entertainment celebrities, including several NBC Sports Radio personalities. Proceeds from this year’s tournament benefit the Expect Miracles Foundation and the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. To date, the charity golf tournament has raised more than $4 million.

Clear Channel Shows its Stripes

Date Posted: 7/8/2013

Clear Channel Media and Entertainment plans to spend $75 million on iHeartRadio’s ShowYourStripes.org, which connects businesses and job-seeking veterans. Elton John, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, Ryan Seacrest, Trace Adkins and LL Cool J recorded PSAs featuring stories from veterans who successfully found jobs. Clarkson highlights Jeff Marshall, a 10-year member of the U.S. Air Force special operations command who now works in online operations at Facebook.

Bobby Bones Show Holds Online Auction for Tornado Victims

Date Posted: 7/8/2013

Clear Channel Media and Entertainment’s "Bobby Bones Show" raised $135,060 for the American Red Cross tornado relief effort. The show held an online auction that sold personal items, concert tickets and signed memorabilia donated by 60 country music stars. Country music labels Broken Bow/Stoney Creek Records, Black River Entertainment and Big Machine Label Group donated $5,000 each.

NBC and Blake Shelton Help in the Heartland, Raising $6 Million for the United Way

Date Posted: 6/7/2013

NBC hosted the Healing in the Heartland benefit concert featuring Blake Shelton and special guests Miranda Lambert, Usher, Reba, Darius Ruker and others. The program also aired on Clear Channel and Cumulus stations across the country. The concert raised more than $6 million in pledges and ticket sales to help Oklahomans affected by the May 20 tornado. All proceeds went to the United Way of Central Oklahoma.

Cox Enterprises Donates $1 Million to Tornado Victims

Date Posted: 6/7/2013

Cox Enterprises donated $1 million to relief efforts in Oklahoma, including a $500,000 donation to the American Red Cross and $500,000 of public service announcements and other in-kind support. "In this difficult time of recovery and rebuilding, our hearts go out to the families affected by the tornadoes," said Cox Oklahoma’s Percy Kirk. Cox’s local media properties in Tulsa are also hosting a series of fundraisers.

Hearst Stations Raise $1 Million for Relief Efforts

Date Posted: 6/7/2013

Hearst’s TV stations across the country have followed KOCO-TV Oklahoma City’s lead in raising money for relief efforts in Oklahoma. Since the storms, Hearst stations in Omaha, Kansas City, Sacramento, Baltimore and many other cities have raised $1 million and collected tons of emergency supplies. "The tragic tornado of Moore, Oklahoma is another reminder of the critical public service role of local broadcast television stations," said Hearst Television Inc. President Jordan Wertlieb.

Cumulus Raises Nearly $4 Million with Group-Wide Fundraising Campaign

Date Posted: 6/7/2013

Cumulus radio’s 525 stations have donated at least $3.7 million for the victims of the Oklahoma tornado. The Cumulus fundraising efforts included a one-hour fundraising special on all 84 Cumulus country stations and support for the Healing in the Heartland benefit concert to aid victims through The United Way of Central Oklahoma.

Local Broadcasters as First Informers During Oklahoma Tornadoes

Date Posted: 6/7/2013

Local broadcasters saved countless lives with continuous coverage and safety information as tornadoes ravaged Oklahoma. Oklahoma Broadcasters Association President Vance Harrison told Inside Radio that he is "proud to be a broadcaster," as "the experience of the weather forecasters saved countless lives in what will be the single largest tornado in our history." Griffin Communication’s KWTV captured images of the damage via helicopter 15 minutes after the tornado passed, beating rescuers to some areas and spurring the disaster to the top of the national news. "The live pictures and information, almost universally praised by viewers from afar who saw it online and on cable news channels, reminded some of the enduring value of local broadcasters at a time when apps and social networks tend to get more attention," Brian Stelter wrote in the New York Times. Oklahoma governor Mary Fallin thanked broadcasters in her post-storm press conference, saying, "the media has done a superb job over the last couple of days of keeping people informed about the current weather conditions, especially our weathermen and those that have been on the ground driving and calling and tracking the storm itself." Broadcasting & Cable’s John Eggerton wrote that she "essentially echoed a point that is made periodically whenever informing the public becomes not just a matter of FCC public interest obligations, but one of life and death."

Nation Tunes in to Local Coverage of Boston Marathon Tragedy

Date Posted: 5/10/2013

On Monday, April 15, two bombs exploded near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing three and injuring more than 200 people. Local television and radio broadcasters provided outstanding wall-to-wall coverage. Politico reported that President Obama got his news from local Boston stations Sunbeam’s WHDH-TV and Hearst Television’s WCVB-TV. Rob Owen of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said coverage on Boston’s local stations was "largely professional, measured and superior to what the cable and [broadcast] networks had to offer... [T]he best coverage could be found on local TV in Boston, which was available online via Web streams." The Boston Herald praised broadcasters, noting that WHDH-TV’s Adam Williams reported on the air while the two suspects and police exchanged 200 rounds of gunfire.

LIN Media to Award Two Media Scholarships This April

Date Posted: 3/1/2013

LIN Media has established the Minority Scholarship and Training Program and will award one broadcast television scholarship/internship and one digital media scholarship/internship in April 2013, to commence in summer 2013. Each student will receive a two-year scholarship for up to $10,000 per year, which can be used toward school expenses. In addition, LIN Media will provide each student with hands-on training through a paid internship program at one of its television stations around the country. The Minority Scholarship recipients will be assigned full-time positions at LIN Media upon graduation and successful completion of the training program. LIN Media has been awarding these two-year scholarships to ambitious students since 1998.