| Licensed to Serve – November 2013 |
Share this story with your network:
   |
NAB's Licensed to Serve newsletter provides a sample of noteworthy stories that illustrate the many public service activities broadcasters organize on any given day across the country. From arranging record-breaking toy and food drives to providing free air time for political campaign coverage, broadcasters' continual commitment to their communities is showcased in Licensed to Serve. |
Learn More Send Us Your Stories |
| Broadcasters Recognize Breast Cancer Awareness Month | |
KYW-TV Turns Philadelphia Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness
 CBS-owned KYW-TV Philadelphia partnered with the local Susan G. Komen chapter to host "Lights for a Cure," turning the Philadelphia skyline pink to raise awareness to National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. On the first of the month, nearly 100 buildings and landmarks went pink and remained lit each night throughout the month. KYW-TV also encouraged women to schedule a mammogram during hundreds of newscasts. This is the 12th consecutive year KYW-TV has sponsored the event.
|
WUSA-TV in DC Helps Raise $60,000 for Breast Cancer Awareness  Gannett Broadcasting's CBS affiliate WUSA-TV Washington, D.C., partnered with FORCE (Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered) for its 20th "Buddy Check 9" breast cancer awareness program. WUSA-TV aired stories about local men and women who are at risk for the cancer and hosted an advanced film screening of Decoding Annie Parker, a true story about a woman who battled breast cancer, and her doctor, whose research lead to the discovery of the BRCA1 breast cancer gene. The sold-out screening netted $60,000 for FORCE. |
KOBI-TV Hosts TV Special for Breast Cancer Survivors  California Oregon Broadcaster’s NBC affiliate KOBI-TV Medford, Ore., aired a special on October 23 called "Night of Healing: Life after Breast Cancer." Throughout KOBI-TV’s 6 p.m. newscast, a panel of caregivers, specializing in various aspects of breast cancer related to mind and body, took viewers' calls and answered questions for one hour. |
WXTU-FM Philadelphia Raises $800,000 to Fight Breast Cancer  Beasley Broadcasting Group’s WXTU-FM participated in the Philadelphia 3-Day, an event that raised money and awareness for breast cancer. The station’s “XTra Mile” team completed the 60-mile route and raised nearly $800,000. In addition to the walking team, the WXTU-FM’s "XTU Crew" provided encouragement and lunches at various cheering stations. |
| Stations Raise Awareness of Hunger, Poverty and Violence in Their Communities | |
Belo’s KTVK-TV Raises $66,000 to Fight Childhood Hunger  Belo’s KTVK-TV Phoenix teamed up with three local grocery store chains to battle childhood hunger in Arizona. Throughout the month of September, all Bashas, Food City and Safeway stores in Arizona collected donations at their registers. The goal of the campaign was to raise enough funds to provide 1 million meals for Arizona’s hungry children. In total, KTVK-TV's childhood hunger campaign collected more than $66,000. All the proceeds were donated to five local food banks. |
Central Ohio Broadcasters Unite to Fight Poverty Columbus, Ohio, broadcasters including Media General’s NBC affiliate WCMH-TV, Sinclair’s ABC affiliate WSYX-TV, Cunningham Broadcasting's Fox affiliate WTTE-TV and Dispatch Broadcasting’s WBNS-TV partnered with the United Way to raise awareness of poverty in central Ohio and to inspire the community to unite to fight it. On October 10, broadcasters created a day-long roadblock to flood the market with United Way messaging and stories during newscasts. Anchors from all four stations were also featured together in TV and print ads. |
Scripps' WFTS-TV Tampa Takes Action to Fight Domestic Violence  Scripps Television’s ABC affiliate WFTS-TV Tampa partnered with the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence on its 2013 Taking Action Against Domestic Violence Campaign. The six-week campaign featured weekly news stories, PSAs, interviews with local advocates, a free community event and an hour-long, commercial-free, primetime special. All campaign elements displayed the statewide domestic violence hotline phone number. |
|
| Univision Holds Annual Education Week Across Several Markets | |
KMEX-TV Reaches 30,000 at Its Fifth Annual Feria de Educación  Univision’s KMEX-TV Los Angeles kicked off the fifth annual Univision Education Week 2013 with "Feria de Educación." More than 30,000 people took part in the 40 educational workshops and seminars on topics including planning for college, financial aid opportunities and money-saving tips for college. In addition, KMEX-TV hosted two town halls on the Affordable Care Act and Immigration Reform. |
WLTV-TV Miami Celebrates Univision’s Education Week 2013 Univision’s WLTV-TV Miami organized many events during Univision’s Education Week 2013 to inform parents and prepare students for higher education. WLTV-TV held an education town hall moderated by reporter Sandra Peebles to discuss the college application process. The station also kicked off its 12th annual "Club de Libros 23" in which WLTV-TV’s education reporter, Maria Fernandez Lopez, visits schools every week and reads with students. |
| Radio Stations Support Local Nonprofit Organizations | |
iHeartRadio Festival Raised More Than $1 Million  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. |
WEBQ-FM Saves a Local Homeless Shelter from Closing Withers Broadcasting-owned WEBQ-FM, Harrisburg, Ill. saved the 4Cs Homeless Shelter, from shutting down on October 31. The $40,000 in donations and pledges that were raised during WEBQ-FM’s eight-hour radiothon was enough to keep the shelter open for almost a year. "The airwaves have power, and [we have] the proof [through events like this],” said Sonny Dotson, WEBQ-FM sales manager in a story that aired on Harrisburg’s WPSD-TV. " |
| Broadcasters Help Local Kids in Need | |
| Radio Broadcast in Lincoln Helps an Abducted Child Three Eagles Communications Group’s KFOR-AM Lincoln, Neb., helped return an abducted child to safety. After a woman heard KFOR-AM’s broadcast about a child's abduction, she saw a car matching the veichle's description and called the police. Officers found the kidnapper inside a department store, and brought the child home safely. Lincoln News Director Dale Johnson said this shows how much “we do make a difference.” | |
WBT-AM Makes Wishes Come True  Greater Media’s WBT-AM Charlotte host Keith Larson’s has written a book, "That Season of Hope," to help raise money for the Make-a-Wish Foundation, the Carolina Panthers' Keep Pounding Cancer Fund and the March Forth with Hope Foundation. In 2003, a 12-year-old cancer patient, Hope, told the Make-a-Wish Foundation, "I am lucky…I have been to Disney World, swam with the dolphins in Cancun and go to the beach all the time. You say there are 155 kids on the waiting list? Well, my wish is to grant all their wishes, all 155 of them. And to do it just as soon as possible." Larson interviewed Hope on WBT-AM, and his book will continue her legacy of support Make-A-Wish.
|
WKSE-FM Buffalo Turns a Trick Into a Treat  Entercom’s WKSE-FM Buffalo treated four-year-old Cassidy, a little girl who is undergoing chemotherapy for kidney cancer, to a sweet Halloween. After Cassidy's pumpkins were stolen from her front porch while she was in the hospital for treatment, Cassidy's mom called WKSE-FM to ask if any advertisers delivered pumpkins. After personality Jud Heussler posted the story online, listeners donated pumpkins. Listen to Heussler talk to Radio Ink about why he loves radio, his connection with the Buffalo community and details on saving Cassidy's Halloween. |
| New York Broadcasters Give Back to Their Communities | |
WPIX-TV New York Honors Hurricane Sandy with Specials
 Tribune Broadcasting's CW affiliate WPIX-TV New York aired several Hurricane Sandy specials in October and republished coverage online. In "The First 36 Hours," WPIX-TV’s news crew discussed their experience being trapped by rising flood waters in Queens. WPIX-TV went on location in the hardest-hit areas on October 29, the one-year anniversary of Sandy, for "Still Standing: After Sandy." General Manager GM Eric Meyrowitz noted, "PIX11’s top priority is to serve our community, and we feel it is vital to provide continued support and highlight the issues and events that deeply affect the lives of our viewers."
|
NY State Broadcast Association Recognizes Stations That Serve  The New York State Broadcasters Association hosted the "Serving New York" Awards, recognizing broadcasters that have served communities throughout the state. Representatives from the United Way of Boone County and the local American Cancer Society thanked broadcasters for their public service efforts. In all, eight "Serving New York" Awards were presented to stations in the Binghamton area region: Granite Broadcasting’s WBNG-TV, Clear Channel’s WMXW-FM, Northwest Broadcasting’s WICZ-TV, Nexstar Broadcasting’s WIVT-TV and WETM-TV, independently-owned WPIE-AM and WATS Broadcasting’s WAVR-FM. |