OHIO'S BROADCASTERSSERVING EVERY LOCAL COMMUNITY
| Total Generated: | $311,811,013 |
Devoted to the welfare of local children, WWCD-FM in Columbus, Ohio, created its own nonprofit organization as an avenue to support charities committed to the same causes. CD101 for the Kids receives year-round funding from the station, which covers all overhead costs from letterhead and postage to legal fees. Whether organizing and promoting fundraising events, which have included everything from dodgeball tournaments to concerts, or holding their annual 48-hour "Andyman-a-Thon," a DJ marathon titled after WWCD’s jockey Andy Davis that raised $60,000 in 2007, the station inspires community-wide giving. In what has become a signature act, the station asks bands and recording artists that enter their studios to autograph an item, which is then auctioned off on eBay in support of the kids. Some of the unique objects that inspired high bidding include a muffler signed by Matthew Sweet, a miniature piano autographed by Tori Amos and an R.E.M. guitar. Childhood League, Family and Child Advocacy, Homeless Families Foundation and Ronald McDonald House are among the many beneficiaries of CD101 for the Kids.
WNZR-FM and WMVO-AM in Mount Vernon, Ohio, helped ensure Mount Vernon families could support themselves during the holidays and beyond with their participation in the “Food for the Hungry” drive in December 2008. The need for food was realized when Salvation Army representatives in the area reported tough times for Knox County residents, with budgets stretched to the limit and food reserves disappearing quickly. Local agencies saw a dramatic rise in the request for food and other emergency help from families who had never requested help before. In response to the community’s need, WNZR-FM and WMVO-AM competed with each other to collect the most cash donations and cans of food for the drive. To supplement the competition, local listeners also donated used items to the “Food for the Hungry” auction. Items donated included hats, dresses, cars and even a trailer equipped for tailgating. The community-wide effort paid off: 54 truckloads full of food and $180,000 were collected and put to use within Knox County.
With the support of WUBE-FM in Cincinnati, Ohio, Comedy Jam, a fundraiser for the Center for Chemical Addictions Treatment, packed a full audience. The laughs kept on coming, and so did awareness and money for the treatment center, which supports those with chemical addictions in the greater Cincinnati area. Bill Whyte, WUBE’s morning show co-host, emceed the event and took the stage for his own stand-up routine. The station rallied its listeners to the event with live, on-air announcements and Web banners. After the last comedian took the microphone, over $16,000 had been generated for the center, which provides treatment options, including detoxification and short-term residential care, on a sliding-fee scale based on household income. "As a nonprofit, we rely on media relationships to help deliver our message. WUBE provided publicity we very much needed," said Laurie Zimmerman, development director at the Center for Chemical Addictions Treatment. "The station is an old name in Cincinnati, so it gave our event credibility." WUBE has plans underway to provide support for the center’s next Comedy Jam.
Using "Find Treasures. Read," as the tagline, WCMH-TV in Columbus, Ohio, helped inspire grade schoolers to keep opening books during their 2007 summer vacation. The "Summer Reading Club," a partnership of the Columbus Metropolitan Library, Southwest Public Libraries and Worthington Public Libraries, attracted a record 74,000 young readers last summer. The station has provided media support for the program since 1990. Public service announcements (PSAs) featuring WCMH anchors encouraging children ages 12 and younger to sign up started 10 days prior to the beginning of the program. Station talent participated in the kick-off party, as well, calling bingo and greeting kids. In addition to news coverage, a community page on the station Web site featured the program, as did the station’s special events recorded hotline. Additional on-air support included a live interview guest segment with Columbus Metropolitan Library’s children’s coordinator, additional PSAs and a joint donation with Volunteers of American and Scholastic Inc. of a book to each child reaching a specific incentive level.
To introduce students to the world of broadcast journalism, WCPO-TV in Cincinnati, Ohio, began its "Careers in Media" program, which provides internships in the studio to minority high school students. The program aims to inspire local minority students to consider television and other media as they begin thinking about college and their future careers. Resume writing, correspondence, interviewing, time management and college planning are also part of the program. Each year, the station sends a letter and application form to all high schools within WCPO’s broadcast area, and the station’s community affairs director makes visits to high school career days and school assemblies to talk about the opportunity. Each student who participates is required to complete a project, which is presented to parents, teachers and station management at the end of the summer. WCPO has joined forces with local radio, newspaper, Internet and advertising agencies to expand internship opportunities to all facets of mass communication. Since the program began in 2001, 50 students have participated, and 93 percent of them have chosen a media-related field of study in college.
Kermit the Frog may have sung the lyrics "It’s not easy being green," but
WTOV-TV in Steubenville, Ohio, is helping its viewers prove just the opposite. Each month, two new station-produced public service announcements air, sharing tips on how to go green. The station honors a "Green School of the Month" and a "Green Business of the Month" with news coverage and a presence on the station Web site. The extensive "Going Green" section of the site lists community resources, a Living Green Lecture Series, green news and interactive tools, including a water consumption calculator. The station also organizes planet-friendly community events. Currently, a tire recycling day and responsible disposal of electronics event are on the calendar. "We are trying to give people an easy way to do the right thing," said General Manager Tim McCoy. He added, "Before we could tell our community to go green, we had to go green ourselves." And green the station went. All new station vehicles are hybrids. All scripts, cans and plastic bottles are recycled. All paper products are sold to a recycling company and proceeds are donated to school systems in the area. All studio lighting uses low energy light bulbs, and the station has gone tapeless, since videotapes are a cause of plastic waste in landfills. WTOV is part of Cox Broadcasting, whose entire enterprise has gone green.
The 13th annual All American Blood Drive, sponsored by WTVG-TV in Toledo, Ohio, offered viewers an untraditional way to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday. The 13-hour kick-off event marked the beginning of a nine-day campaign to increase blood donations during summer, a time when blood needs are often greater than the supply. WTVG broadcast live from the event both in the morning and at noon, and then held an afternoon employee blood drive at the station. Public service announcements featuring on-air personalities and news coverage added to the support. "WTVG’s sponsorship has been huge and amazing for us over these past 13 years. They are always willing and ready to jump in," said Annie Marckel from the American Red Cross Blood Services, Western Lake Erie Region. Each of the 168 people who gave blood on the day of the kick-off event saved up to three lives with their donation.
The owner of WBLL-AM in Bellefontaine, Ohio, wanted to create a community event from scratch that would benefit a local cause not often in the spotlight. Enter "Rail Jam," a snowboarding contest at Mad River Mountain that is both a fundraiser for the Society of St. Vincent DePaul of St. Patrick Church and a family event rolled into one. For the past three years the station has organized, sponsored and promoted the event. Admission requires only a donation of a non-perishable food or household item to St. Vincent, which provides for the poor. The 2007 "Rail Jam" collected enough food to feed 11 families for three months. The station brought in local snowboarding celebrity and X Games finalist Louie Vito to host the event. On-air coverage included interviews beforehand, live cut-ins during the event and news stories after the competition. All of the prizes for the winning snowboarders were donated or solicited by the station. "It was a huge success," said Judy Heck from St. Patrick Church. "It meant so much to St. Vincent because of the amount of support it provided, and it also gave hundreds of kids the option to participate in a day of fun without having to pay."
After the tristate area lost several teens in car crashes, the news team at WXIX-TV in Cincinnati, Ohio decided to take action to help reduce deaths and injuries among young drivers. Their "Street Safe Teens" campaign involved a monthly news package highlighting different aspects of driving safety. Topics have covered everything from parent-teen driving contracts to car care for new drivers. Twice, the news crew have headed to a local high school and broadcast live seat belt checks as student drivers pulled into the parking lot. Those who were wearing seat belts won prizes; those who weren’t received a brochure with potentially life-saving information. Public service safety announcements aired in addition to the news features, and the station Web site hosted an entire section on teen driving safety, including a downloadable contract, driver education resources and news video clips.
Every Monday, during the 11 p.m. news, WKYC-TV in Cleveland, Ohio, profiles a "Fugitive of the Week" and points viewers to a call-in tip line. U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott approached the station five years ago after a local police officer was killed in the line of duty. Elliott was creating a task force to track down the most violent fugitives and he needed the station to let viewers know how they could assist. Together, the task force and the station have helped arrest 15,000 fugitives. In addition to weekly newscasts, a section of the station Web site is dedicated to information about the fugitives, including photos and regular updates on arrests. The station and task force have expanded the campaign with "Fugitive Safe Surrender" and "Operation Second Chance," two programs aimed at helping clear the courts of minor warrants so law enforcement can concentrate on the more violent criminals. Neutral ground for people with outstanding warrants to turn themselves in has been established with several inner city churches, and the station runs stories and promotional spots to get the word out. The station also runs longer news stories about both fugitives and the task force itself. "The Marshals’ partnership with WKYC has been absolutely tremendous," said Elliott. "Countless fugitives including murderers, rapists and robbers are off the streets as a direct result of our teamwork together."
To provide troops stationed overseas with necessities and comforts from home, WKRQ-FM in Cincinnati, Ohio, sponsored a drive with the Yellow Ribbon Support Center. For six days over a two-week period, on-air personalities broadcast live from collection sites, where listeners donated toiletries, bug spray, suntan lotion, CDs, DVDs and pre-paid phone cards. The station got word to its listeners with 140 minutes of promotional time, which also played as a streaming broadcast. In addition, two email blasts went out to the station’s 15,000 member listeners. Nearly 200 staff hours went into organizing and conducting the drive, which resulted in several tons of items being sent overseas. The station concluded the event with a week of on-air thank yous to the community for helping our troops know they have support back home. WKRQ was a National Association of Broadcaster’s Crystal Award finalist in 2008.
For more examples of how Ohio’s local radio and TV broadcasters are serving every local community, please contact the Ohio Association of Broadcasters .