KENTUCKY'S BROADCASTERSSERVING EVERY LOCAL COMMUNITY
| Total Generated: | $186,986,740 |
With its staff of five dedicated to supporting the community, WAVJ-FM in Princeton, Ky., worked with local high school students on two important campaigns in 2007. First, the station raised awareness about the dangers of smoking by playing anti-smoking public service announcements produced by the students at Caldwell County High School. For the second effort, the station provided key on-air support for the Caldwell County High School Food Drive, an annual month-long competition between schools in the area. WAVJ aired more than 100 promotional announcements and broadcast live from the kick-off event at a neighborhood market, where more than 500 canned items were collected for the needy. The station also opened its doors to the students, inviting them to come to the studio and record announcements in support of their food-donation team.
Through a 22-part series, WUGO-FM in Grayson, Ky., passed down the 170-year history of the county to the 3,800 people who live there. General Manager Francis Nash spent a year researching and writing "Historical Views of Carter County." The segments aired twice each day for a month, and daily promotional spots alerted listeners to the opportunity to tune in. At the conclusion of the broadcasts, the series was published as a 75-page history book, and 2,100 free copies were given out as a gift from the station on the 100th anniversary of the courthouse. The station broadcast live from book distribution sites and aired promotional announcements about where to pick up a free copy. Every book was taken within five days. In a letter of thanks to the station, Linda Low, a board member of Olive Hill Historical Society, wrote, "It will be on the book shelves in many Carter County homes for years to come reminding them of their rich history and heritage, and of a community-minded, hometown radio station that cares about its roots." WUGO was a 2008 National Association of Broadcasters Crystal Award winner.
When a train derailed in January 2007 causing one of the biggest railway fires in the state’s history, WXMA-FM in Louisville, Ky., immediately broke into programming with live reports. The 12 train cars involved in the wreck contained flammable liquid, gases and accelerant compounds, which created a hazardous fire visible from 2 miles away. Authorities shut down an 18-mile stretch of Interstate 65. During the emergency, the station interviewed representatives from the American Red Cross, police and eyewitnesses. On the days following, the morning show conducted five interviews with local Red Cross officials and used live talk to solicit donations to aid the relief effort. Headline articles were posted on the station’s Web site, as well as details on how to help. WXMA’s efforts resulted in more than a hundred people volunteering to help in the first days of the disaster and $70,000 in contributions.
When a snow and ice storm left hundreds of thousands in the dark and caused a statewide emergency declaration, radio stations WBIO-FM, WXCM-FM, WLME-FM, WKCM-AM and WVJS-AM in Owensboro, Ky., and WTJC-AM/FM in Tell City, Ind., powered on. Throughout the day and the night, the sister stations broke from all regular programming to get crucial information out to their listeners, many of whom had no power, no heat and no other means of getting emergency information. Phones at the stations began to ring; callers needing kerosene and generators got word out through the radio. The stations stayed on air continuously with updates until the crisis passed. “People will come up to me and thank us for being a lifeline, because there was no other way to get information," said Mike Chaney, news director for the seven stations. "When the power is out, you have radio."
For a week each year, those behind the microphone at WKDZ-FM in Cadiz, Ky., become auctioneers during the Rotary Radio Auction. Both the station and the local Rotary Club were founded in 1966 and have been partners since the beginning. The 41st annual auction brought in bids from across the country and raised more than $160,000. Fifty percent of this money funds grants and scholarships for students in Trigg County; the other half supports youth and senior programs. The auction takes place over a week with 27 hours of live broadcast. A full series of promotional spots plays for weeks before the event, and on the first night of the auction, the station runs a one-hour program about the work of the Rotary Club. The money raised through the auction has quadrupled in the past eight years. General Manager Beth Mann attributes some of this success to a daily effort by WKDZ to talk on the air about where money raised by the auction has gone and who it has helped. "The money is filling a need every day," said Mann, who also serves on the Rotary committee for student grants.
More than 350 volunteers put on their Santa hats for WBKR-FM in Owensboro, Ky., last year as part of the station’s 31st annual "WBKR Christmas Wish" program. The volunteers read each wish request from a family in need, verified its accuracy and handed it off to an on-air personality who encouraged listeners to "adopt" the family by fulfilling their Christmas wish. Community members were able to apply for the program through WBKR’s Web site. Between online applications and those received by mail, more than 1,400 requests arrived at the station. To grant as many wishes as possible, WBKR conducted an on-air auction to raise additional funds during the last week of the effort. When all was said and done, the community of only 100,000 people had donated nearly $100,000 in cash and another $100,000 worth of donated toys and merchandise. The giving spirit of WBKR listeners made it possible for the wishes of 1,280 families to come true.
People in need of eye care in a rural area of the state have gotten it with the help of a long-time partnership between WXKQ-FM in Whitesburg, Ky. and the local Lions Club. For more than 30 years, the station has donated airtime for the Whitesburg Lions Club’s annual auction. Proceeds go toward eye care for needy children and adults in the area. In 2007, the station donated airtime for a second auction for the Neon Lions Club. The station provided a total of 16 hours of live broadcast between both auctions. In addition to handing over the airwaves and providing all equipment, the station promoted each event with 75 minutes of promotional spots encouraging listeners to bid. The staff put 20 hours into the events, which raised $14,000 to help ensure good sight. "We are a small club with only 24 members," said Kester Halcomb, who serves on the Eyeglass Committee of the Whitesburg Lions Club. "We just couldn’t make it without the radio station."
For more examples of how Kentucky’s local radio and TV broadcasters are serving every local community, please contact the Kentucky Broadcasters Association .