New York City Broadcasters Honored for Public Service

WNBC-TV 4 – Consumer Investigative Reports “Better Get Baquero”

NBC 4 New York is proud of its Emmy® Award-winning reporter Lynda Baquero and the station’s consumer investigative franchise Better Get Baquero for the New York State Broadcasters Association’s “Serving New York” Award.

Lynda and her team recently achieved an important public milestone, with Better Get Baquero recovering more than $1 million for local consumers.  A central component of Better Get Baquero’ssuccess is a public commitment to answering every phone call – and returning every email.  This achievement was recently spotlighted in the New York Daily News.  Receiving the award for the station were Emmy® Award-winning reporter Lynda Baquero and John Durso, Jr. VP, Community and Communications, News 4 New York/WNBC, Telemundo 47 New York/WNJU.

CBS 2 and WLNY – Safer City Initiative

CBS 2 and WLNY10/55’s public awareness initiative, “A Safer City”, emphasizes the importance of cyclists, drivers and pedestrians working together to follow all traffic signals, signs and safety regulations. The campaign included a series of PSAs featuring CBS 2 anchor Kristine Johnson and BLUE BLOODS actress Bridget Moynahan.  As an expansion of the campaign, WCBS/WLNY partnered with AAA Northeast to host a series of Bike Rodeos for school groups, grades K-5.

During bike rodeo events, grade school age children are taught pedestrian and bicycle safety skills on mock street-scapes.  Students receive bicycle ID cards that list safe bicycling tips, safe cycling certificates and A Safer City t-shirt. Cbsnewyork.com/ASaferCity provides tips for sharing paths, roads and trails.  The landing page also includes news stories and videos related to traffic safety.  Rachel Ferguson, Director of Communications and Public Affairs for WCBS-TV and WLNY-TV accepted the award from the station.

WFUV FM – “Strike A Chord” Campaign – Healing Power of the Arts

“Strike A Chord” is a public service awareness campaign designed to draw attention to vital community-related issues in the New York metropolitan area every season.  Each quarter, WFUV explores subjects ranging from family caregiving to mental illness stereotypes with on-air public service announcements, news features, and public affairs programming.  Coverage also comes through WFUV’s e-newsletter and quarterly mailer, events and public forums, giving the general public a chance to contribute to the dialogue.  “Strike a Chord” was developed in conjunction with WFUV’s Community Advisory Board.  Listeners and organizations interested in being involved can find more information at www.wfuv.org/strikeachord.

This summer, WFUV’s “Strike a Chord” campaign focused on the healing power of the arts.  The arts can play an important role in the rehabilitation of those who have suffered both mental and physical trauma, from stroke sufferers to survivors of domestic violence.  Our campaign this summer also featured a special television panel discussion in partnership with BronxNet TV (photo attached).  Accepting the award for WFUV were George Bodarky, News Director WFUV; Suzanne McGillicuddy, WFUV Community Advisory Board and Mary Boland, WFUV Community Advisory Board.

iHeart Media’s Power 105.1 – 105 Days of Summer with the Hip-Hop Summit Youth Council in Celebration of the 5th Annual Hip-Hop Against Gun & Gang Violence Week Campaign

Power 105.1 was proud to partner with The Hip-Hop Summit Youth Council in celebration of the 5th Annual Hip-Hop Against Gun & Gang Violence Week campaign; launching the groundbreaking 7 E’s 4 Power Tour with 105 Power Events over the course of 105 Days from May 20th through August 31st, 2016!  Over the 105 days, the station supported Family Day with NYCHA bringing fun and excitement into the New York City communities with DJs and promotional ambassadors.

As a response to the on-going violence in the community, the station partnered to create a Power Call to Action to become a Power Partner for Peace where we have called on citizens to Stand Up & Stomp Out Gun & Gang Violence; Black on Black Crime; and improve Police and Community Relations.  We have addressed these critical issues through our Solutions to End Gun and Gang Violence Summits; Rap 2 Bridge the Gap Sessions; Contests and Entertainment/Sports Events.

Over the air waves, the station ran PSAs and station programming promos to announce our partnership and encouraged people to be a part of the Power Partner for Peace to support healthy and safe communities.  In the digital space, the station had homepage placement on the Power1051fm.com, a landing page with information on the partnership as well as social media support.  Additionally, the station was able to align community focused brands with the community events which extended our ability to give back through contesting and giveaways on-site.  Overall, the station supported five on-site events with our physical presence.  iHeart’s Cara Hahn accepted the award for Power 105.1.

FOX 5 – NATIONAL KIDNEY FOUNDATION

FOX 5 was proud to serve as the Media Sponsor of the National Kidney Foundation, not only by partnering on their walks this past year, but also by continuing to raise awareness about the issue of kidney disease and prevention! What made this past year extremely special for FOX 5 is that 2016 marks the 10th anniversary of this very successful and important collaborative effort!

FOX 5 partnered with the National Kidney Foundation on 3 walks – one last November in New York City, and two this past May on Long Island and in New Jersey.  Fox ran public service announcements in the weeks leading up to all of 3 events.  FOX 5 had on-site presence at the events with FOX 5 Traffic Anchor Ines Rosales and Weather Anchor Mike Woods serving as MC’s of the New York City walk.  In addition, the station provided news coverage on The News at 5 & 10 as well as Good Day New York about various kidney-related stories including the case of a successful kidney donor swap on Long Island, the emotional story of how one woman found a kidney on Tinder, and in-studio guests to discuss the health aspects of kidney transplants.  FOX 5 featured in-studio guests in honor of Kidney Awareness Month this past March on the public affairs program Good Day Street Talk. The station posted all of the media content on its website and social media platforms

And now, as the partnership completes its 10th incredible year, FOX 5 is honored to continue the tradition with the Foundation’s annual walk held on Sunday, November 13th at Foley Square, and by remaining committed to bringing important information to viewers about the fight against kidney disease!  Accepting the award were Fox 5’s Ines Rosales, Traffic Anchor – Good Day New York; Melissa Saul, Executive Director National Kidney Foundation and Denise Andersen, Regional VP, National Kidney Foundation.

WQHT-FM HOT 97, WBLS-FM 107.5 & WLIB-AM 1190 (Emmis Communications) – ONE VOICE SIMULCAST – Discussing the Relationship between the African American Community and the Police

On Thursday, July 14, 2016, at 4 p.m. ET, Emmis New York radio stations WQHT-FM HOT 97, WBLS-FM 107.5 & WLIB-AM 1190 simulcast a special program, “One Voice,” across all three stations and online, discussing the current relationship between the African American community and the police.

“One Voice” was a one-hour program focusing on the recent deaths that have divided the nation and placed racism and police brutality back into the spotlight.  The program hoped to provide perspective, give a voice to the intense emotions caused by these events, and identify potential actions which will produce positive change.

Special guests included HOT 97’s Ebro & Peter Rosenberg from Ebro in the Morning; HOT 97 & FOX 5 reporter Lisa Evers; WBLS’ Bob Slade from Open Line; and WBLS & WLIB’s Bishop Hezekiah Walker and Ann Tripp in a panel discussion concentrating on productive actions that the community, the police, and the government are taking to help bring peace to society and eliminate hate and the unnecessary deaths of both civilians and law enforcement officials.  Listeners were encouraged to ask questions, share their stories, or simply voice their frustrations on the current state of affairs.

“We’re hurting,” stated Ebro Darden. “The listeners are hurting, the police are hurting.  With every death over the past few years, the call for change becomes reignited, but the same cycle keeps going; we can’t let this continue. By coming together, letting the audience be heard, talking with government and police officials, we hope we can have honest conversation and begin the process of seeing real change.  We may not have all of the answers to incite that change, but we’ve got to start asking the questions and having more open dialogue to get there.”

Bishop Hezekiah Walker exclaimed, “Our community is in mourning. In this trying time, we must stand-up and unite, help one another towards the path of righteousness.  Let these deaths not be in vain; let peace and good and harmony fall upon our communities and our country.”  Lisa Evers added, “this issue is of tremendous concern to our communities, and I’m glad we’re giving people a forum where their voices can be heard and we can advance some real solutions.”

The program was streamed on HOT97.com, WBLS.com, and WLIB.com, and continued until 6 p.m. online.  Questions and/or comments were also submitted online via each station’s social media accounts: HOT 97 Facebook, HOT 97 Twitter, WBLS Facebook, WBLS Twitter, WLIB Facebook and WLIB Twitter.  Hot 97’s Lisa Evers accepted the award for all the Emmis Stations.

WLIW – “Veterans Coming Home” with the New York City Veterans Alliance

Veterans Coming Home is a collaborative, cross-platform public media project dedicated to elevating stories from veteran communities across the country. Funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and led by Wisconsin Public Television, Veterans Coming Home builds on public media’s strengths to address the needs of veterans in local communities.

This year, WLIW was one of 14 public television stations conducting local efforts – in New York, Long Island, and New Jersey – to communicate veterans’ stories through a five-episode digital video series, and local community engagement events. The goals of the initiative were three-fold: 1) to document underreported stories about veterans and veterans’ issues, 2) to elevate awareness of the divide between veterans and civilians in our local communities, and 3) to convene key community partners and stakeholders in solutions-oriented discussions about bridging the military-civilian divide.

The station’s primary work was conducted in partnership with the NYC Veterans Alliance, a grassroots community organization whose mission is to achieve a sustainable state of wellness, community, and access to services for all veterans in the New York City Metro area.  NYC Veterans Alliance president, Kristen Rouse, leads the organization in engaging in advocacy and facilitating implementation of education and empowerment initiatives among members and their organizations.

WLIW’s five-episode web series included: conversations with New York City veterans and civilians about the military-civilian divide, an innovative papermaking program for veterans in New Jersey, green construction job training on Long Island, and the history of veterans coming home to New York City.

Throughout this initiative, WLIW has partnered with members several grassroots organizations committed to serving veterans and their families in our region, including the Military Resilience Project; Service Together, a program of Intersections International; United Way of Long Island, and more.  Accepting the award was Marissa Wong from WLIW and Kristen Rouse, Founding Director NYC Veterans Alliance

WABC-TV 7 – National Puerto Rican Day Parade

This year for the first time, WABC-TV was the broadcast partner for the National Puerto Rican Day Parade (NPRDP), the largest ethnic parade in NYC with 100,000 participants and more than a million spectators.  Eyewitness News anchors Joe Torres, David Novarro, and reporter Carolina Leid hosted and political leaders were on hand to celebrate Puerto Rican pride and highlight issues like the island’s current debt crisis.

WABC-TV’s partnership included supporting and promoting the events leading up to the parade, which raises scholarship funds for Hispanic college students in our community.  The 4-hour broadcast also aired in Puerto Rico and included heavy digital activation.  This was a full-station campaign and sponsorship involving the news team, public affairs programs and community affairs department.  The stations partner was the National Puerto Rican Day Parade Committee led by Lorraine Cortes-Vazquez. Attending the luncheon were Dave Davis, President and General Manager or WABC-TV; Saundra Thomas Vice-President of Community Affairs, WABC-TV; and Louis Maldonado, Board Member NPRDP.

WNET TV – “Community Outreach” with The Apollo Theater, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, the New-York Historical Society, and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts

WNET THIRTEEN’s community relations expands the footprint of WNET by forming strategic partnerships, developing free public events, and creating cross-promotional marketing opportunities with allied institutions.  Through connecting with local communities we can explore their concerns and extend programming and online content to amplify these specific needs. In the past year, we have partnered with The Apollo Theater, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, the New-York Historical Society, and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, among others.

“Community Outreach” focused around topics relevant to the community and programs broadcast on WNET, including: the rise of gun violence (The Armor of Light screening and panel discussion at Schomburg Center), veterans affairs (Debt of Honor screening and panel discussion at N-YHS), and the political/cultural impact of race relations in America (The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution screening and panel discussion at the Apollo Theater). The initiatives raise awareness around issues of concern in the local region – reaching cumulative audiences of over 316 million – and, through continued conversations with the public, contributes to WNET’s efforts to bring Media with Impact to viewers across the New York metropolitan area.  Hilary S. Vlachos, Executive Director, Community Relations for WNET THIRTEEN accepted the award for the station.

Sunrise Broadcasting of New York – “Outreach Orange” Serving Orange County
In July of 2003, Sunrise Broadcasting of New York decided to take its commitment to community up a notch and formed a non-profit charity called “Outreach Orange”.  Outreach Orange has served as a fundraising vehicle fueled by the promotional efforts of their radio stations for disadvantaged families in our community.  “Outreach Orange” conducts a series of fund raising events throughout the year – including for the past ten (10) years – seven (7) Hudson River Cruises annually.  These Cruises and other events allow “Outreach Orange” to award up to $10,000 annually to families during the Holiday Season – through our annual Holiday Giving program.  In addition, Outreach Orange awards conducts other fundraising events throughout the year to benefit local not-for-profit organizations such as the Anderson Center for Autism.  Their most recent fundraising event was titled – “Just for Her” – and was specifically designed to raise money for the benefit of “Safe Homes of Orange County” – a private not-for-profit agency dedicated to assisting survivors of domestic violence, teen-dating violence, and human trafficking.  Sunrise is proud to serve New York and proud to continue a legacy of outstanding service to our radio community since 1933.  Mr. Joerg Klebe, President of Fox Radio and Robert DeFelice, Market Manager – CRMC, MRM, Radio Host – Let’s Talk Hudson Valley, Sunrise Broadcasting (WGNY-AM/WGNY-FM/WJGK-FM) accepted the award for the stations.

Univision 41 – “Contigo en la Comunidad”

“Contigo en la Comunidad” is a community affairs show that provides valuable information to our Latino audience.  It focuses on different aspects that can be beneficial to our community, like health, finance, education, recreation, participation, culture and many more.  The program opens a window of opportunities for many people in need, and gives a chance for our guests to express their knowledge and explain what their organization has to offer. Most of the organizations that visit our program are non-profit.

“Contigo en la Comunidad” serves as a platform for Latinos to develop their educational activities and professional goals in order to improve their lives.  Lawrence Linares producer for Univision, Jose Arturo Lopez, Executive Director of Noticias Univision 41, and Miriam Coletta from Univision were on hand to accept the award.

WMCA and WNYM – Food for the Poor – Haitian Relief

Haiti experienced an extreme crisis during hurricane Matthew in late September and early October.  During this time, WMCA and WNYM partnered with Food for the Poor for a 3rd campaign in 2016. Our listeners donated over $38,000 to feed and care for the people in Haiti who have been victim to some of the worst natural disasters on earth.  This equates to providing meals for 633,700 Haitians.  Salem Broadcasting is extremely proud of the impact WMCA and WNYM are having not only locally, but globally as well.