The NAB’s January License to Serve newsletter has been released. Leading the stories are radio broadcasters’ charitable efforts from December, including holiday food and toy drives along with Sandy relief efforts.
Toy drives were particularly prominent in these endeavors. KLUC(FM), a CBS Radio property in Las Vegas, raised $268,000 in cash and loaded 19 trucks-worth of toys in its 14th annual “Chet Buchanan & The Morning Zoo Toy Drive.” Journal Broadcast’s WTMJ(AM) in Milwaukee collected 19,000 toys for underprivileged children.
In Columbus, Ohio, Clear Channel’s WCOL(FM) joined Dispatch Broadcasting’s WBNS(TV) to collect toys. Also in Ohio, down in Cincinnati, radio personalities from Cumulus stations WGRR(FM) and WRRM(FM) teamed up with Scripps TV station WCPO to collect toys.
Food drives also had prominence. Entercom Boston’s WAAF(FM) placed on-air personalities up in the air in a cherry-picker for 60 hours to raise $76,000 for local food banks. WWTN(FM), a Cumulus station in Nashville, Tenn., more than $120,000 in its “Hunger to Hope Radiothon.”
Radio also saluted the military with troop support efforts. Journal Broadcasting Group’s KFDI(FM) “Christmas in a Box” put together 500 packages for Kansas troops stationed in Afghanistan during the Christmas season. In Michigan, Lenawee Broadcasting’s WLEN(FM) completed its Seventh Annual Thank a Vet Day with $10,000 raised for homeless vets.
KLAC(AM), a Clear Channel station in L.A. notched $135,000 in its fifth annual “Help a Hero” radiothon for paralyzed veterans. In Boston more than $100,000 was collected by WTKK(FM) as part of its Fifth Annual Fisher House Radiothon. Fisher Houses are facilities for housing the families of hospitalized vets near those vets.
In other efforts, WARH(FM), a Hubbard property in St. Louis promoted the local American Cancer Society’s “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer.” And in Allentown, Penn., Clear Channel’s WAEB(FM) hosted an anti-bullying video contest.
