The Waldorf Astoria was the setting for the second annual “Serving New York” luncheon in New York City. In addition to broadcasters, community leaders from across New York met and received “Serving New York” Awards.
Congratulations to the following New York City stations for their commitment to serving the people of the Big Apple.
New York City Award Recipients
WABC- TV
WXTV-TV
WCBS-TV & WLNY-TV
WNYW-TV
WQHT
WPIX –TV
WLIB/WBLS
WFUV
WAXQ/WHTZ/WLTV
WCBS FM
WQEW
WADO/WQBU/WXNY
WVOX/WVIP
WABC- TV (Disney) – American Cancer Society: Making Strides against Breast Cancer
One of WABC-TV’s signature community service campaigns and sponsorships is acting as broadcast partner for the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walks in October. This is a total station effort which consists of on-air promotion, vignettes, a half-hour TV special, hosting of events and team involvement in the walks by Channel 7 employees and on-air talent.
October 2012 marked the 18th year of Channel 7’s participation. The campaign begins in late summer with a public service campaign featuring on-air Eyewitness News talent encouraging viewers to participate in the walks in their communities. These spots begin airing in early August and air until the walk date. On-air talent also acts as emcees in the more than 7 breakfast kick-offs around the tri-state during the month of August.
Vignettes promoting breast cancer awareness air between late August and the end of October. Channel 7 also airs an Emmy-award winning half-hour breast cancer awareness special, hosted by Eyewitness News at 5pm co-anchor Diana Williams. This campaign includes online elements, access to the current information about breast cancer awareness and promotion of the walks and ways for viewers to donate as well.
On the day of the walks, five anchors and reporters emcee and report live around the tri-state from locations including Queens, Central Park and the Bronx. There are live shots from three locations and a live weather remote from Central Park during the full three hours of Eyewitness News. More than 200 walkers formed the Disney/ABC team. WABC-TV’s commitment to this campaign and its importance is long-term and without question one of the things we do best!
WXTV-TV (Univision) – The American Diabetes Association
On July 10, 2013, WXTV’s News and Community Relations departments worked together in a diabetes awareness Spanish-language phone bank in partnership with the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Community Relations reached out and worked with the ADA to secure the partnership and the diabetes experts/volunteers. The stations promoted the phone bank in its newscasts, and produced several news packages on the diabetes epidemic in New York’s Latino community with reporter Mariela Salgado. Special segments were broadcast including an ADA expert in the morning newscast to talk about diabetes. .
The phone bank was very successful. It received close to 1,000 phone calls in several hours. According to the American Diabetes Association, more than 1000 individuals with diabetes or at risk of developing diabetes learned about the ADA’s commitment to serve all people with diabetes and all people affected by diabetes. In addition, more than 140 individuals recently diagnosed with diabetes enrolled with the Association’s Living with Type 2 diabetes program. This was the first diabetes awareness and disease prevention Spanish language phone bank in the New York Tri State area. Selma Betancourt from the American Diabetes Association was at the luncheon to thank WXTV for its efforts.
WCBS-TV & WLNY-TV (CBS) – JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes
WCBS and WLNY are the proud sponsors of community events and campaigns that included The AIDS Walk, March of Dimes, Tunnel to Towers Run and especially the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes.
JDRF supports individuals living with type 1 Diabetes and raises funds for research. Each year, more than 15,000 children and 15,000 adults – approximately 80 people per day – are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, or T1D, in the United States.
JDRF’s New York Chapter Walk to Cure Diabetes program was able to reach outstanding fundraising achievements in conjunction with their 2013 Walk to Cure Diabetes. WCBS and WLNY assisted with raising awareness and funds for this serious disease through Public Service Announcements, on-air news coverage, online promotion and public appearances by on-air personalities .
Anchors kicked-off opening ceremonies for individual walks taking place in Queens, Long Island and Manhattan during the months of September and October. Cbsnewyork.com encouraged walkers to connect to an extensive community of families, volunteers, and donors who are committed to finding a cure for Diabetes.
The interviews and inspirational stories throughout newscasts, shine a spotlight on Diabetes and served the tri-state area by keeping viewers informed of available resources. Throughout the year WCBS and WLNY television stations partnered with non-profit organizations to raise awareness and funds for communities facing critical issues in the tri-state area. Kathleen Daley from the JDRF attended the luncheon and thanked CBS for their efforts.
WNYW-TV (NewsCorp) – St. Mary’s Hospital for Children
WNYW/ FOX 5 TV was proud to engage in a year-long, all-encompassing media partnership and public affairs campaign with St. Mary’s Hospital for Kids located in Bayside, Queens. Following a multi-million dollar fundraising effort, St. Mary’s, the city’s oldest hospital for children, re-opened its brand new state of the art facility, and FOX 5 was there.
FOX 5 News covered the opening event hosted by Good Day New York’s Rosanna Scotto. FOX 5 ran a series of public service announcements informing and educating the public to the work of the hospital and aiding their fundraising efforts. When Hurricane Sandy setback their fundraising efforts and washed away critical medical equipment for the children, FOX 5 produced on-air spots calling for immediate and urgent financial support. FOX 5 featured St. Mary’s on its public affairs show, Good Day Street Talk, and ran crawls within the PSA’s in response to the post-Sandy needs. The public response was swift and strong.
Guests from St. Mary’s Hospital appeared on Good Day New York and in various news pieces throughout the year. The 360 degree public service campaign culminated with a 30-minute, primetime half-hour public affairs special dedicated to the work and children of St. Mary’s. The special included an on-camera tour of the facility, interviews with staff and children who reside at the hospital and a benefit concert for the kids. The televised special, Hard Rock Rocks Times Square: An Epic Concert to Benefit St. Mary’s Kids, increased awareness and much needed financial support for a leading New York institution. FOX 5 continues its on-air support for St. Mary’s Hospital for Children with PSA’s, news coverage, personal visits and educational public affairs programming. Jay Mittan from St Mary’s Hospital attended the luncheon to thank Fox 5 for its support.
WQHT- Hot 97 (Emmis Communications) – Super Storm Sandy
In the fall of 2012, Superstorm Sandy struck the northeast with full force, causing widespread destruction and massive power outages in the tri-state area. In the aftermath of the storm, WQHT kew it was time to take action and help the community. The team reached out to friends in the Hip Hop world, City councilmen and local fundraising institutions to get much-needed supplies to the worst-hit area in New York City. From handing out hot coffee and hot chocolate to Brooklyn residents waiting for shuttle buses into Manhattan to get to work, to heading out to the streets with The Soup Man food truck to provide hot meals to displaced people and hardworking volunteers, WQHT was on hand to help!
The stations on-air personalities joined the efforts by traveling all over the tri-state area handing out blankets, cleaning supplies, bathroom necessities and donated clothing. WQHT employees and friends came together to help our listeners, our community and our city.
The station broadcast throughout the storm and aftermath, providing assistance locations and giving listeners a voice for their stories to be heard. HOT97.com was continuously updated to provide relevant addresses and phone numbers for insurance claims, shelter and drop-off information for those looking to donate and local as stations where customers could find fuel. In the end WQHT provided 150 gratis 30 second informational announcements (valued at $105,000) and received more than $157,500 in pledges and donated items. However the countless number of lives the station touched during one of the toughest times in New York has faced is absolutely priceless. To see the joy on someone’s face because their station was there to help is what got us all through those dark days.
WPIX –TV (Tribune Broadcasting) – PIX Cares Super Storm Sandy
In the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, residents of the Tri-State area were grappling with the loss of loved ones and an estimated $100 billion in damages to the region. In response, PIX11 News launched PIX11 Cares, an initiative aimed at helping those hit hardest by Sandy. Over a three week period, PIX11 Morning News anchor Sukanya Krishnan anchored portions of the morning news from areas most devastated by the storm, including Staten Island, NY (New Dorp Beach), Queens, NY (Broad Channel), New Jersey (Union Beach), Long Island, NY (Long Beach) and Brooklyn, NY (Gerritsen Beach.)
At the various locations, PIX11 Cares brought in essential supplies, such as cleaning products and clothing. Additionally, the campaign incorporated interviews with community leaders and politicians. The initiative also highlighted people and organizations doing extraordinary things to help their neighbors.
Specifically, on November 9, 2012 in Staten Island PIX11 conducted interviews with John J. Doherty, NYC Department of Sanitation Commissioner; Patrick Hernandez, FEMA Division Supervisor for Staten Island; Tony Ferrari, CEO of Staten island University Hospital, part of the North Shore-LIJ network; and Jason Mundy, a Staten Island resident and organizer of Mission Unstoppable Victims of Sandy Outreach. Through the efforts of PIX11, Rubbermaid Commercial Products generously donated a truckload of essential supplies to the relief efforts on Staten Island.
On November 14, 2012 in Queens PIX11 conducted interviews with Michael Byrne, FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer; Bob Hartwig, President, Insurance Information Institute; and the Mormon Relief Society who was amongst the first organizations in Broad Channel helping residents there recover from Sandy. Through efforts of PIX11, Cherished Feet, a not-for-profit organization gave away much needed shoes to residents in Broad Channel and Russo’s on the Bay served a hot breakfast to the residents of Broad Channel.
On November 20, 2012 in Long Island PIX11 conducted interviews with Jack Schnirman, Long Beach City Manager; Tom Kraeutler, host of the syndicated radio program “The Money Pit Home Improvement Show” who offered advice to homeowners who are repairing their storm damaged homes; Chris Musto, Founder of the Long Reach Foundation; and Sean Sullivan, Owner of Swingbellys Beachside BBQ who hosted a free Thanksgiving dinner for residents of Long Beach. Through the efforts of PIX11, Bryan Murphy, Founder of “Sandy Help LB” brought a team of volunteers to gut the home of a 97-year-old Long Beach resident, whose house was devastated by the storm and London Fog generously donated coats, suitcases and duffel bags to families affected by Sandy.
On November 16, 2012 in New Jersey PIX11 conducted interviews with Paul Smith, the Mayor of Union Beach; Mike Harriott, Coordinator of Union Beach Office of Emergency Management; and John K. Haines, Director of Public Works, Union Beach. Through efforts of PIX11, Ames True Temper generously donated a van full of shovels and rakes, items desperately needed in the cleanup effort. PIX11’s Dunkin Donuts Studio on the Run was on hand to offer residents donuts and coffee.
On November 30, 2012 in Brooklyn PIX11 conducted interviews with Marty Markowitz, Brooklyn Borough President; State Senator Martin Golden; Steve Cassidy, President of the Uniformed Firefighters Association; Dennis Vourderis, Chairman of the Alliance for Coney Island; and Pastor Constance Hulla, Coney Island Gospel Academy. Through efforts of PIX11, Nautica generously donated pajamas and robes and Kids for Less donated children’s clothing.
WLIB/WBLS – Breast Cancer Awareness
In July 2013, WBLS ran a series of customized vignettes and PSA’s called “The Daily Dose”. For almost two weeks the stations covered breast cancer awareness with a very special guest, Ms. Bershan Shaw. She is a now a motivational speaker, life coach, author and breast cancer survivor. She had been diagnosed with stage 4-breast cancer at 33 years of age and through perseverance, prayer, meditation, and constant self-discovery, she beat the odds. She is now part of the OWN network and shares her story with thousands to make a difference in their lives.
Through the station’s vignettes we discussed the medical, psychological, spiritual and social ramifications of dealing with breast cancer and also gave helpful insight and resources for our listeners through her personal story.
According to the American Cancer Society, in 2013 over 232,000 cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women in the United States. WBLS and WLIB radio are committed to educating our community and listeners and helping to save lives.
WFUV (Fordham University) – Strike a Chord Campaign Aims to Break Mental Illness Stereotypes
Mental illness is a topic a lot of us are reluctant to talk about. That’s due in large part to the many misconceptions about mental illness, which can lead to a wide variety of problems, from discrimination at work to difficulty finding housing.
This June, WFUV’s Strike a Chord campaign turned its attention to helping to combat the stigma of mental illness. The station aired public service announcements featuring the voices of the mentally ill. They shared their stories in an effort to combat the stigmas associated with mental illness by putting a face on the issue. Actress Glenn Close also lent her voice to one of these public service announcements. In addition to the PSAs, WFUV aired a series of news reports on the topic, beginning the week of June 17th at 7:40 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
The news series culminated with an hour of public affairs programming on the topic of mental illness on Saturday, June 22nd. Fordham Conversations, with host Robin Shannon, featured an interview with lawyer and psychiatric professor Elyn Saks, who lives with schizophrenia. George Bodarky, host of Cityscape, talked with several organizations working to combat the stigma of mental illness and provide opportunities and support for the mentally ill. The show also featured an interview with actress Glenn Close, who is the co-founder of BringChange2Mind, an organization dedicated to eradicating the discrimination surrounding mental illness.
WAXQ/WHTZ/WLTV (Clear Channel Communications and Entertainment) – Summer Streets Campaign
Summer Streets is an annual celebration of New York City’s most valuable public space—our streets. On three consecutive Saturdays in the summer, nearly seven miles of NYC’s streets are opened for people to play, walk, bike, and breathe. Summer Streets provides space for healthy recreation and encourages New Yorkers to use more sustainable forms of transportation. In 2012, more than 250,000 people took advantage of the open streets.
Running from 7:00 am to 1:00 pm, Summer Streets extends from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park, along Park Avenue and connecting streets, with easy access from all points in New York City, allowing participants to plan a trip as long or short as they wish. All activities at Summer Streets are free of charge, and designed for people of all ages and ability levels to share the streets respectfully.
Clear Channel Communications and Entertainment partnered with The Department of Transportation to promote Summer Streets 2013. Clear Channel was a featured media partner throughout the two month-long fully integrated marketing campaign and along the Summer Streets route. Clear Channel provided (140) :30 on-air Summer Streets Spots. Prior to the event it assisted with and electronic event guide, Summer Streets website, social media posts, subway interior car ads, bike shelter ads. On site, the stations held with barricade banners, activation tent and a rest stop at 52nd and Park.
Clear Channel’s goal was to drive awareness about the campaign and engage Summer Street participants. With the stations help, the “Summer Streets” event was a tremendous success.
WCBS FM (CBS) – Coalition Against Hunger
WCBS radio spotlighted the issue of Hunger in New York City. The station conducted a series of interviews including Joel Berg, Executive Director of The New York Coalition Against Hunger, Jennifer McLean, Vice President of City Harvest, and Mark Dunlea, Executive Director of the Hunger Action Network. The goal was to create awareness about the increasing disparities between wealthier New Yorkers and those below the poverty line, many of whom who work. The programs also dispelled the myths about the majority of homeless and hungry being bums on the street. In fact, the majority of hungry New Yorkers are children. The stations focused on a survey conducted among New York Mayoral candidates prior to the primaries about offering free school meals to children. Surprisingly that the majority of respondents were either not for it or not decided. The station also focused on the ways the community could get involved and support the hungry and try to change the current trend of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer.
WQEW (Radio Disney) – Internet Rules of Engagement
Radio Disney New York partnered with Underwriters Laboratories to teach children “The Rules of Engagement” on the internet. The station’s campaign wanted families to be safety smart when navigating the Internet. It supplied vignettes – which taught safety smarts. The station encouraged children to come out to the Third Avenue Street Festival in September and take the pledge to be safety smart. The Third Avenue event was dedicated to preparing families for the school year. Because children were likely to depend on the internet for homework, the campaign equipped them with all of the information they needed to be safe. Safety tips were disseminated at the event and reached out to a number of children and families.
WADO/WQBU/WXNY (Univision Radio) – St Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital
Univision radio sponsors a very strong campaign to help St. Judes Children’s Research Hospital. Every year the stations broadcast a two day radio-thon to benefit the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital on our three stations.The mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Consistent with the vision of its founder Danny Thomas, no child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family’s ability to pay. Even though this hospital is based in Memphis, TN, children of New York have been and are treated at their facilities at absolutely no cost.
Univision Radio’s involvement has allowed that the Hispanic community know about the existence of this hospital and that families with little or no financial support may receive top medical treatment, with a high success rate. Every aspect of their visit is taken care of by St. Jude’s, with no out of pocket expense to the patient or family member accompanying them during the treatment.
WVOX/WVIP (Whitney Communications) – Election Commentary and Editorials
Contributing to political debate is an essential part of broadcasting. Moreover, serving the public interest necessarily involves not only covering national and statewide elections, but focusing on local elections. Meeting these needs is the essence of localism. Most stations provide significant and important election coverage. Nonetheless, WVOX and WVIP continue the time-honored traditions of commenting on, and endorsing specific candidates. The exercise of a broadcaster’s First Amendment right to recognize specific candidates is a critical part of this nation’s political debate. NYSBA is proud to recognize WVOX and WVIP for taking a stand, not only during elections, but throughout the year.