ARIZONA'S BROADCASTERSSERVING EVERY LOCAL COMMUNITY
| Total Generated: | $216,934,800 |
Nearly 50,000 children whose families live below the federal poverty level had a gift to unwrap last Christmas morning thanks to the work of KTVK-TV in Phoenix, Ariz., and The Salvation Army. The two organizations began their annual Christmas Angel program 23 years ago. Now more than two decades later, the program places Christmas trees with the wishes of needy children in 11 malls, mobilizes more than 5,000 volunteers, and serves tens of thousands of children. To sustain the five-week campaign, which is considered the largest of its kind in the country, KTVK commits more than $1.25 million in station resources. This past winter, when angel tags were still unclaimed toward the end of the campaign, KTVK put together a one-day broadcast, “The Forgotten Angel Toy Drive,” bringing in an additional 350 toys and $27,000. “The community support for this program is truly amazing,” said Nick Nicholson, president and general manager. “It is one of those programs that is a holiday tradition for many valley families. Our employees even get in on the action by volunteering, sorting toys in the Christmas Angel warehouse and taking tags from an Angel Tree located in our lobby.” Since the program’s inception, KTVK viewers have donated more than 1 million toys.
There are nearly 100,000 children without health insurance in Southern Arizona. In hopes of changing this reality, KOHT-FM and KXEW-AM in Tucson, Ariz., banded together with four sister stations to host a 12-hour broadcast and phone bank about KidsCare, a state-funded low-cost health insurance program. During the KidsCare Phone-a-thon, listeners heard interviews with experts about the program, as well as stories from families whose children have benefited. Ninety volunteers staffed a phone bank, where listeners could sign up for the program or receive additional information. By the end of the day, more than 1,500 families in need of health coverage had called in, setting a KidsCare Phone-a-thon record. “We have children in our community that need health insurance, but their families may not know where to turn,” said Tom Zlaket, market manager for Clear Channel Radio in Tucson. The KidsCare Phone-a-thon helped change that.
The incredible courage of friends, family and neighbors was on full display at the 9th Annual American Red Cross "Real Heroes" program, sponsored in part by KRQQ-FM in Tucson, Ariz. The program recognizes men, women and children who may be as "ordinary" as your next door neighbor, but whose acts were extraordinary and saved lives. Heroes recognized by the station and the Red Cross included a person who pulled a fishermen from a lake, someone who lifted up the front end of a car to free a bicyclist and a bystander who stepped in to perform CPR on a child trapped in the wreckage of a car crash. To highlight the heroes, KRQQ aired 50 minutes of public service announcements promoting the call for nominations as well as the award ceremony. The station created a custom Web page encouraging listeners to nominate deserving people, and it contributed 40 staff hours to help make the event a community-wide success. Overall, KRQQ’s support brought more than 700 people to the awards ceremony, which raised $110,000 for the Red Cross.
Addressing an increased need for supplies to feed Phoenix’s hungry, KNIX-FM in Phoenix, Ariz., crusaded to collect one million cans of non-perishable food items for St. Vincent de Paul. During the holiday season, St. Vincent de Paul reported an unprecedented need for food, with more calls than ever coming in from families needing emergency food boxes. KNIX conducted a series of radio remotes to collect cans during December 2008 and provided a link to an online donation site to benefit those in need. By the end of the month, the morning team at KNIX delivered more than 1 million cans of food to St. Vincent de Paul.
Ever since the area was rated as having the highest methamphetamine-related crime problem in the state, KSNX-FM in Show Low, Ariz., and its five sister stations, KDJI-AM, KZUA-FM, KRIM-FM, KVWM-AM and KVSL-AM, have been working to improve the situation. The station produced anti-drug public service announcements featuring local high school students, which ran three times a day on all six stations for half a year. When all the television stations in the state aired "Crystal Darkness," an Emmy-Award winning documentary about the dangers of meth use, KSNX and KZUA simulcast the program and provided a call center staffed with addiction counselors as a resource for those in the area needing help. To raise money for the Arizona Meth Coalition, the stations created a "Drive Away Drugs" fundraiser, where a golf cart signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks was raffled. Together with other station-supported fundraising, the effort resulted in more than $16,000 for the coalition. The stations plan on continuing to fight meth use by partnering with the coalition on future efforts.
Television stations across Arizona inspired statewide action, including town hall meetings and discussion groups, when they simultaneously aired a commercial-free broadcast of "Crystal Darkness," a 30-minute Emmy-Award winning documentary about the growing problem of methamphetamine addiction, which has ties to 60 percent of non-violent crime in the state. Together, the television stations reached an audience of 1.5 million with the documentary, which was aired in both English and Spanish. The reach of this unprecedented effort was augmented by the many Arizona radio stations that ran audio versions of the documentary. KPNX-TV in Phoenix, Ariz., served as the satellite television center, and all participating stations ran promotional spots and local news stories about both the program and the problem of meth in the area. The broadcasters reached out to a local health care system to set up a central phone bank where viewers and listeners of all stations could call to get help. "There is no way in any community that you can have impact on crime without broadcasters’ support," said Sgt. Paul Penzone of the Phoenix Police Department. "Broadcasters went well above the bar with ‘Crystal Darkness’ to make a contribution that was significant."
KWMT-FM in Tucson, Ariz., created "Green Tuesdays" to empower listeners to make small changes in their every day lives that could positively impact their community and help protect the planet. Now in its fourth year, the segment continues to feature local leaders and educators in all areas of sustainability. Alternative fuels, eating locally, green building, endangered wildlife and global warming have been explored on the program, which has provided inspiration for a wide variety of green events, including the station’s annual "Green October and the Green Tour." Every Friday during the tour, the station’s morning show broadcasts on solar power from a local restaurant, where an area artist performs live. Listeners are invited to the restaurant for free breakfast and a small Green Expo featuring many of the organizations and guests from "Green Tuesdays." Adding to the effort, KWMT released two "Live in Studio C" compilation CDs from artists recorded in its studio and donated the proceeds to support Tucson Clean and Beautiful. On-air personality Jennie Grabel was named "Extraordinary Citizen" by the mayor and council of Tucson for her role in "Green Tuesdays."
KGUN-TV in Tucson, Ariz., helped make the seventh annual “10K Catwalk for the Bobbi Olson Fund for Cancer Research” the most successful Catwalk to date. By the time all participants had crossed the finish line at the University of Arizona campus, $130,000 had been raised for the Arizona Cancer Center. Hall of Fame Coach Lute Olson started the race in the name of his late wife Bobbi, who died of ovarian cancer in 2001. KGUN inspired viewers to participate in the race by producing and airing public service announcements featuring Olson and former University of Arizona basketball stars Steve Kerr and Sean Elliott. The station also produced an exclusive half-hour special featuring Olson and former players talking about what Bobbi meant to them and the importance of raising money for cancer research. In the history of the Catwalk, more than $1 million dollars has been raised for cancer research in Arizona.
Organ and blood donations save lives, and KTAZ-TV in Phoenix, Ariz., uses its time and resources to share this message with viewers. The station produced two 30-minute specials about organ donation, which included testimonials from those waiting for an organ and from families who have donated organs from a loved one. Church representatives and doctors appeared in the programs to talk specifically about donation within the Hispanic community. KTAZ also organized two blood drives at the station. Leading by example, on-air talent donated blood live on the air. Public service announcements and news stories helped to bring in others willing to roll up their sleeves. "Your drive helps to assure that blood is available for patients in need," Keila Estrada of United Blood Services wrote in a letter to the station. "On behalf of United Blood Services’ staff and the many patients who will benefit, thank you for being part of this important community service."
Highlighting the true meaning of neighbors, KMXZ-FM in Tucson, Ariz., set out to replenish the shelves at the Tucson Food Bank with its annual “Thanksgiving on the Mayflower” campaign. The station broadcast live from the event, where listeners brought nonperishable food items and donations with a goal of filling a Mayflower moving truck. When the sunset approached, the community had given more than $16,000 in donations and 4,500 pounds of food in 13 hours, a new campaign record. “Our listeners were simply wonderful,” said morning show host Bobby Rich. “I can’t put it into words, but greeting folks who came all the way over just to make their donation gave me a good community feeling.”
Each Sunday, KPKX-FM in Phoenix Ariz., helps its community fight crime. Its weekly "5-0 Info" show is hosted by the director of the Phoenix Police Department’s Silent Witness Program, which offers monetary awards to community members who provide information about unsolved cases. In addition to updating listeners about crimes, the show brings in expert guests to give information on how to improve both personal and public safety. Topics have included how to avoid auto theft, how to become involved in Neighborhood Watch and what to know before making a 911 call. The station also made its first annual Peak Festivus Concert, at which Don Henley, Stray Cats and The Pretenders took the stage, an opportunity to fundraise for the Silent Witness Program. All money rewarded by the program comes from donations. Prior to the show, the station provided more than $30,000 worth of airtime to sell raffle tickets for a new Harley Sportster. The winner was announced at the concert, and $11,000 was raised for the Silent Witness Program. KPKX was a National Association of Broadcasters Crystal Award finalist in 2008.
For more examples of how Arizona’s local radio and TV broadcasters are serving every local community, please contact the Arizona Broadcasters Association .