ILLINOIS'S BROADCASTERSSERVING EVERY LOCAL COMMUNITY
| Total Generated: | $463,618,191 |
The entire staff of WDBR-FM in Springfield, Ill., went hands-on, scrubbing 100 pooches at the station-organized "Illinois Humane Society Dog Wash." In addition to getting a clean dog, community members also had the opportunity to have their pets microchipped. More than 140 promotional spots and live announcements aired for three weeks prior to the event. A homepage presence on the station Web site and an email blast to its listener club helped make sure everyone with a dirty dog heard about the opportunity. In addition to a two-hour live broadcast, the station conducted dog contests and provided water for people and dogs alike. The event raised $2,500 for the humane society and 80 dogs received microchips. The station also regularly helps the humane society find homes for pets with "Find a Home Friday," a monthly segment during its morning show. A humane society representative brings a pet for adoption to the studio for an interview and the pet’s picture and story are posted on the station’s site. WDBR was a National Association of Broadcasters Crystal Award Finalist in 2008.
More than 3,800 students from 44 schools went bald and beautiful, along with anchor Patrick Elwood and other staff from WFLD-TV in Chicago, Ill., as part of St. Baldrick’s, the world’s largest volunteer-driven fundraising event for childhood cancer research. Thousands of students answered the call when Elwood asked them to take the “Fox Chicago School Challenge,” where students asked for pledges to shave their heads, an act of moral support for all those going through cancer treatment. In its fourth year, the effort generated more than $1.1 million to benefit cancer hospitals across the country, including eight in the Chicago area. Keeping viewers throughout the city involved, Elwood profiled a different participating school each week, allowing students to share stories about how cancer has touched their lives. Many students shaved their heads in honor of a loved one or classmate battling the disease. After the campaign concluded, Elwood, who is shorn each year at his alma mater, Brother Rice High School, said, “I’m so proud of all the students across the city that went bald for this great cause.” Elwood ended each of his “School Challenge” visits with the same message: “Together, we can make a difference.”
Valentine’s Day was a lot sweeter for kids at the Children’s Hospital of Illinois thanks to WFYR-FM in Peoria, Ill., and its third annual teddy bear drive. Morning co-hosts Lisa Franks and Rick Stephenson started the program as a way to extend community giving past the holiday season. The duo reaches out to WFYR listeners each February with a goal of providing every hospitalized child and visiting sibling with a teddy bear. This year, nearly 1,500 teddy bears were collected and personally delivered by station staff. Since the program started, more than 6,500 teddy bears have made their way into the arms of a child. “We will be back to make another delivery next year,” said Stephenson.
The "Hometown Voices Tour," a live on-site series produced by WGN-AM in Chicago, Ill., pays tribute to the people, places and things that make communities throughout Chicagoland unique. Each month, a different local area is selected, and one of four main weekday programs takes its show on the road to broadcast from that location. Programming includes reports about community events, historical information, pressing issues facing residents, interviews with local politicians, and vignettes about interesting people and places. Broadcasts have taken place in public museums, community arts centers, historic buildings and popular neighborhood eateries. During its visit, the station also salutes a "Hometown Hero," who is selected from listener nominations. The "Hometown Photos" section of the station Web site adds an interactive component, allowing community members to share their own pictures of areas the station visits. True to the station’s "The Voice of Chicago" tagline, the tour allows all the communities served by the station to directly be a part of programming. WGN was a National Association of Broadcasters Crystal Award Finalist in 2008.
Thousands gather to support charities from the Windy City while getting an exclusive preview of the vehicles at the annual Auto Show at "First Look for Charity," a black-tie event sponsored by WMAQ-TV in Chicago, Ill. Now in its tenth year, the sold out gala represents one of the largest single-event fundraisers in the city. In 2008, nearly $2.5 million was generated during the evening, which was co-hosted by WMAQ’s Allison Rosati. Funds go to support 18 local charities, including Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago, Autism Speaks, the Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago. In addition to the production of public service announcements to raise viewer awareness, WMAQ runs ample news coverage, including live cut-ins from the gala and news profiles of the beneficiaries and their good work.
It made sense for WCRX-FM in Chicago, Ill., a radio station housed within a local college that teaches students the business from top to bottom, to use the airwaves to help graduating students land jobs. So the station took action and launched "Job Outlook 2007," a month-long public service campaign focused on job search strategies, economic news, career development and employment opportunities. The effort included a variety of on-air programming, such as "Job Tips," three daily reports filled with job hunting advice, "The WCRX Job Line," three daily reports featuring local employment opportunities, and a regular live program that brought job experts into the studio to answer questions from listeners and a studio audience. Discussions during the live show covered everything from pre- and post-interview protocols to making the transition from college to the workplace. WCRX was a National Association of Broadcasters Crystal Radio Award Finalist in 2008.
Knowing the importance music can play in a child’s life, WIXO-FM in Peoria, Ill., teamed with a local music store to provide three area students with musical instruments and free lessons. During the holidays, the station launched its “Music Matters” campaign, asking listeners for nominations of area youth who would like the chance to learn the electric guitar or drums, but whose families could not afford to buy the instruments on their own. Stories about deserving kids flooded in from family and friends. Three lucky recipients were chosen and given an opportunity to follow their passion for music. “These students are very excited and deserve this gift in economic hard times,” said Matt Bahan, morning on-air talent and operations manager for WIXO. “I’m proud of this project, and we will do it again in 2009.”
In partnership with the Shedd Aquarium and the Alliance to Save Energy, WDRV-FM in Chicago, Ill., launched a "Get Green" campaign to encourage Chicagoans to take an earth-friendly approach to their everyday life. The effort focused on one simple idea: "Imagine the positive impact if we all pitched in!" The station ran nearly 1,000 30-second announcements about how small changes can collectively have a big impact on the earth. The practical tips ranged from turning town the temperature on water heaters to installing low-flow showers and faucets. In addition, the station created a companion "Green Thoughts" Web site, which featured a listing of e-recycling events, tips on being green at work and at home, and a community board for listeners to share their "green habits." WDRV was awarded the National Association of Broadcasters Crystal Radio Award in 2008.
Team Mix from WTMX-FM in Chicago, Ill., put on walking shoes to raise money for the fight against breast cancer. Listeners were invited to join morning show host Kathy Hart, traffic reporter Melissa McGureen and assistant morning show producer Cynthia Skolak at the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Chicago. The station provided more than $70,000 worth of airtime and Web site support for the walk, airing promotional announcements before, updates during and reports after. In addition, staff gave more than 150 hours of their time to the event. Team MIX covered 39 miles of Chicago streets during the two-day walk and raised more than $50,000 for the Avon Foundation, which awarded more than $8.3 million in grants to seven Chicago area organizations as a result of the walk.
WAND-TV in Decatur, Ill., has jumped on board to help promote WSOY-AM’s annual Community Food Drive. In just the second year of the WSOY and WAND partnership, collections have increased 125 percent, bringing in a record 280,000 pounds of food to help Catholic Charities and the Salvation Army fill their pantries for the winter months. At the most recent drive, WAND’s coverage began with live remotes during its early morning newscast and continued with two live remotes every hour. The coverage wrapped up with news stories in the early evening and 10 p.m. newscast. The remotes were recorded and posted on the station Web site, which also kept a running total of the food collected and information regarding how individuals could donate. "WAND-TV is instrumental in promoting and publicizing this event to ensure its success; and this is important because each year the total in pounds of food that is collected has always surpassed the previous year," said Robin Murray, community services supervisor at Catholic Charities. "We look forward to another successful event this year with the help from our friends at WAND-TV."
To help those in need stay warm through the long winter season, WZPW-FM in Peoria, Ill., hosted its second annual “Blanket Peoria” charity blanket drive. During the month-long campaign, the station broadcast live six times from drop off locations throughout the community and played hundreds of live and recorded promos. In addition, WZPW dedicated a section of its Web site to the cause, posting maps to drop off locations and a running tally of blankets collected. In the end, 250 blankets were collected, a total more than double the original goal. The blankets were distributed to three local charities that care for the needy: the Southside Mission, Crittenton Center and Children’s Home. “I feel so blessed that I have a warm house to live in during the winter months. Not everyone in central Illinois is as lucky” said Jason Parkinson, station program director. "The response from our listeners has been overwhelming. We can’t thank the community enough for helping us provide warmth for so many."
An escalating number of senseless crimes leading to violence and murder among school-age students prompted WLS-TV in Chicago, Ill., to look for solutions. First, the station engaged viewers with an hour-long, commercial-free broadcast of a town hall meeting organized by the Chicago Foundation for Women’s "What Will It Take?" campaign. Next, the station produced a three-part special series, "Stop the Violence." Each 30-minute, commercial-free program explored a different aspect of the problem and possible solutions. Starting two weeks before each broadcast, the station ran a heavy promotional schedule to encourage its viewers to watch. Press releases were sent out to print media, and the station also reached out to local radio. Hosted by key WLS evening anchors, the specials included interviews with the local superintendent of police, the president of the Chicago Board of Education, school counselors, a father whose son was murdered and a local pastor. The specials have helped start a dialogue about how to find resolutions to conflicts before they escalate into violence.
When the Illinois Army National Guard HHD 33rd Military Battalion was deployed to Iraq, WJBC-AM in Bloomington, Ill., and Operation Porchlight cared for the soldiers’ families back home. Providing a proper send-off, WJBC covered the battalion’s deployment on the air, sending broadcast teams along on the highway to make sure the soldiers knew how much the community cared. During the battalion’s deployment, WBJC encouraged more than $10,000 worth of donations for the soldiers’ families by running stories and hosting a donation link from the station Web site. The station also worked with the military to coordinate interviews with the soldiers overseas, which provided listeners with a firsthand account of the emotional strain and sacrifice felt both by the soldiers and their loved ones. When the battalion returned home in the fall of 2007, WBJC helped organize a community-wide "Operation Porchlight Welcome Home Parade." After being escorted through two adjacent communities in convertibles, the soldiers were greeted by their families and dignitaries at the Illinois National Guard Armory. WJBC set up 14 broadcasts on the parade route and provided four hours of continuous coverage. The station also printed up and gave away "Welcome Home 33rd" buttons, conducted more than 30 on-air interviews with soldiers and military, and ran hundreds of promotions for the event. Seven thousand community members waving American flags and holding "Welcome Home" banners greeted the soldiers upon their return. WJBC is winner of the 2008 National Association of Broadcasters Crystal Award.
For more examples of how Illinois’ local radio and TV broadcasters are serving every local community, please contact the Illinois Broadcasters Association .