NORTH CAROLINA'S BROADCASTERSSERVING EVERY LOCAL COMMUNITY
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When the Guilford Animal Shelter ended up with more animals than space, WTQR-FM in Greensboro, N.C., took to the airwaves with the "12 Strays of Christmas." Each day of the 12-day campaign, the station aired a feature segment on a four-legged friend looking for love, including interviews about the pet with a representative from the shelter. To increase the chances of each pet finding a home in time for the holidays, the station also posted videos of the animals on its Web site. Many families ended up with a new family member, thanks to the effort. Throughout the year, the station regularly supports animal-loving organizations and events, including the Humane Society, with public service announcements and inclusion in its community calendar.
Each year, WDCG-FM in Raleigh, N.C., partners with the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Eastern North Carolina for its biggest fundraiser of the year. During the "Pennies From Heaven Radiothon," all regular programming is suspended as on-air personalities Bob and The Showgram open the phone lines to pledges. Other on-air talent and staff deliver feeds from remote locations. The day-long event features live interviews with wish children and their families, local celebrities and volunteers. Raffle items and an online auction supported by the station’s Web site help to raise additional funds. In 2007, WDCG also organized a "Bob and The Showgram’s Pigs ‘N Punkins" event in support of the foundation. Barbequing, face painting and pumpkin carving made for good family fun and another opportunity to help ill children. The station promoted the event on-air for a month and sent emails to its G105 Insiders Club. Station staff contributed nearly 300 hours between the two events, and donations to Make-A-Wish exceeded $280,000 for the year, a record amount. Many wishes have been granted because of the success of the radiothon’s 14-year run.
On a chilly fall day, Chief Meteorologist Steve Udelson from WSOC-TV in Charlotte, N.C., kicked off his annual campaign to keep kids warm with winter coats. Viewers rallied around the cause, donating more than 7,000 coats to the station’s fifth annual "Steve’s Coats for Kids” event. A true community effort, fire stations participated as drop-off locations, and schoolchildren came by the busload to bring donations to the station. News stories and public service announcements kept the community informed of how to participate and about what sizes of coats were needed most. Coats were distributed by the Crisis Assistance Ministry, where they were given out freely to anyone in need. With a struggling economy, many people who donated to the campaign in previous years were on the receiving end this year. “It’s heartwarming knowing you are making a real difference,” said Udelson. “There are some people that are out there trying to decide whether to pay a utility bill or buy a coat for their child. They can do both now.”
Together, WSMW-FM in Greensboro, N.C., and its listeners have sent more than 80 children intimately affected by illness to camp for a week. The station’s annual "12 Hours of Christmas" radiothon raises money for the Victory Junction Gang Camp, a medically equipped place where children with chronic conditions get to just be kids. Listeners that tune into the station during the radiothon learn about the enriching experiences of camp life from the kids themselves. Leading up to the one-day event, camp directors and campers are featured on the air regularly. During the radiothon, which is hosted by WSMW’s morning show, song requests are filled in exchange for listener donations and additional funds are raised with an on-air auction. During the last three years of "12 Hours of Christmas," listeners have donated more than $200,000, which has allowed many special children an experience they won’t soon forget. Throughout the year, WSMW on-air personalities visit kids at camp, where they conduct interviews and bring back stories of hope and laughter to share with listeners.
When two police officers were fatally shot in the line of duty, WBT-AM in Charlotte, N.C., broke into programming to provide commercial free-coverage of the news. Later that day, hosts Jeff Katz, a former officer himself, and Tara Servatius did special Sunday talk shows. Then, to help the community heal and to pay respect to the fallen, WBT set aside two afternoons to air the funerals and eulogies of CMPD Officers Sean Clark and Jeff Shelton. Still wanting to do more, the station launched the Blue Ribbon Campaign, providing listeners a way to show their support to police officers throughout the city. The station kicked off the effort with a one-day event, where remotes were set up in two locations and blue ribbons were given away. For the next six weeks, ribbons were distributed through multiple stops by the WBT team throughout the community. In tandem with the campaign, Katz asked the community to provide financial support to the families of the slain officers and the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 9. Listeners came through with $50,000 in donations. On the one-year anniversary of the policemen’s deaths, The Jeff Katz Show broadcast a three-hour roadside remote, where the station passed out additional blue ribbons to listeners, and Clark and Shelton were remembered. In total, WBT has given out more than 100,000 blue ribbons.
Granting holiday wishes through its “15 Days of Christmas” campaign, WSFL-FM and WMGV-FM in New Bern, N.C. left one listener speechless. The stations teamed together to provide listener Andy Martin with a prosthetic leg. WSFL-FM organized the program and WMGV-FM secured the $13,000 device from a local business since Martin did not have insurance to cover the cost of the prosthetic leg. I’m crying and believe me, I don’t cry,” Martin stated on air. “You’ve got to understand how much this means – there’s no way words can explain.” WSFL Programming Director Cindy Miller said, “In times like these, I forget about the business side of radio and think about how awesome my job is.” In addition to helping Martin, WSFL-FM continued to grant Christmas wishes throughout the holiday season.
Chief meteorologist Lane Pope of WXII-TV in Salem, N.C., provided viewers with lifesaving information prior to tornadoes striking in the heart of the station’s viewing area. Two-and-a-half hours into broadcasting emergency weather warnings, the urgency in her voice was unmistakable. "If you’re in Clemmons, folks, this is headed for you. You need to find a safe place." Throughout the ordeal, WXII stayed on the air with16 hours of live severe weather coverage, which also was streamed online. As the storms passed, the station’s effort shifted from forecasting to damage assessment. Even before sunrise, the WXII news team was in neighborhoods broadcasting witness accounts of what had occurred. By marshaling additional resources from nearby WYFF-TV, the station was able to bring viewers live helicopter coverage of the aftermath. While it is impossible to put a number on the lives that were potentially saved, many people in the community have contacted the station with words of appreciation for providing information that ultimately got them to safety. Both Pope and the WXII news team were recognized by the Forsyth County Commissioners for their work in the face of the crisis. The commissioners praised Pope and other first responders for "their excellent and timely work on the evening of May 8, 2008, and the valuable role they play in protecting the lives of our citizens."
A year-long effort to educate and empower women about breast cancer and the importance of early detection by WRAL-TV in Raleigh, N.C., kicked off at the Triangle Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. The station’s on-air commitment to the event contributed to an unprecedented 20 percent increase in race participation and 10 percent increase in fundraising. WRAL produced public service announcements and invited viewers to join its "Team WRAL," a group of 360 station employees and viewers who raised more than $36,000 for the fight against breast cancer. As the network-affiliate partner for Susan G. Komen for the Cure in North Carolina, the station also provides support for Pinkfest and Breast Cancer Awareness Month. News stories, "webisodes" and public service announcements all help educate women about breast health. The station’s Web site houses a special "Breast Health and Wellness" section, which features resource links, an interactive breast self-exam, and on-demand videos of survivors and leading medical experts. Viewers also can register for "Remind 5 Friends," which provides monthly electronic reminders to conduct a breast self-exam. The in-kind dollar value of the station’s support in airtime and production throughout the year totals more than $250,000; WRAL’s effort have helped the local Susan G. Komen for the Cure affiliate be able to provide grants worth more than $1.3 million to area nonprofits. "On-air and off the air, the WRAL staff have embraced our vision of a world without breast cancer, and the impact has been tremendous," said Pam Blondin, executive director of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, North Carolina Triangle Affiliate.
The sounds of the symphony helped WMAG-FM in Greensboro, N.C., and the Salvation Army collect food for those whose who are less fortunate this past winter. During a weekend in December, three holiday concerts featuring local orchestras required no admission fee for anyone who donated a non-perishable food item on their way in. WMAG’s on-air personality Bill Flynn was guest conductor at all three events. The station promoted the concert one week in advance, airing 30-second announcements and adding a Web page to the station site to provide concert details and raise awareness of the Salvation Army’s work. During the performances the station broadcast six live cut-ins during each concert. When the last violinist put away his instrument, 7,500 pounds of food had been collected.
Afternoon drive host Otis from WNKS-FM in Charlotte, N.C., launched a “Homeless for the Holidays” campaign to raise awareness of the poverty and hunger facing locals. The on-air personality lived on the streets by the Epicenter for five days, where he broadcast his show live and collected food and money with representatives from Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. He also showed his listeners how their donations could make a difference through an online video blog featuring visits to an area soup kitchen and shelter. By the end of the week, listeners had donated more than $7,600 and more than 600 pounds of food. “Second Harvest Food Bank is so appreciative of WNKS and Otis for helping educate the community about the problems of poverty and homelessness in our region,” said Kay Carter, executive director of Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. “In the 19 counties we serve, there are over 370,000 people living in poverty.”
Tens of thousands of pounds of paper have gone into the shredder with the help of WNCN-TV in Raleigh, N.C. To protect its viewers from becoming victims of identity theft, a crime approximately 300,000 North Carolinians are affected by each year, the station became media sponsor and organizer of a community-wide "Shred It" event two years ago. Due to a growing need, "Shred It" has been expanded and now occurs twice each year. At the spring event, 1,500 community members brought more than 55,000 pounds of personal documents to be shredded to three event locations. For a month prior, public service announcements reminded viewers of the opportunity. To arm viewers with additional information on protecting themselves from what has become the fastest growing crime in the country, the station also ran a week-long series of segments about identity theft during newscasts. The station has a page on its Web site that features resources and tips on how to keep personal information safe.
With a mission to send a little sweetness to troops serving overseas from Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base, WKML-FM in Fayetteville, N.C., launched its annual "Operation Cookie Drop" campaign. The station worked with the directors of the Pines of the Carolinas Girl Scouts to make the effort part of the girls’ door-to-door and booth sales. The station supported "Operation Cookie Drop" with months of promotional announcements and several live remotes from locations where Girl Scout cookies were being sold. To encourage the community to get involved, the station built a special Web page and sent an email blast to its "Country Club" member listeners. More than 40,000 boxes of Girl Scout cookies were collected, equaling 2.5 tons. When the cookies were loaded for special delivery, the station broadcasts a final remote, bringing the live broadcast count to 10 hours. The station has been making special cookie deliveries to deployed soldiers from the area for 4 years.
For more examples of how North Carolina’s local radio and TV broadcasters are serving every local community, please contact the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters .