WASHINGTON, DC - The NAB Education Foundation (NABEF) announced today the winners of its seventh annual Service to America Awards. Winners will be honored at the Service to America Summit on Monday, June 13 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC. The celebration recognizes outstanding community service by local broadcasters.
"Day in and day out, local broadcasters all over America are serving the public with timely news, information and public interest programming," said NAB President and CEO Edward O. Fritts. "This year's award winners have gone above and beyond the call of duty, and deserve special recognition for their outstanding service to community."
Service to America Television Award
This award recognizes a television station for the totality of its efforts and its commitment to excellence in serving its community.
WXYZ-TV Detroit, Michigan
Owner: Scripps Howard Broadcasting Company
WXYZ demonstrates its commitment to the community by supporting a multitude of civic and charitable causes.
Service to Children Awards
These awards spotlight television and radio stations for outstanding programs, campaigns and public service announcements produced for the benefit of children.
Radio
WBAL-AM Baltimore, Maryland
Owner: Hearst-Argyle Television, Inc.
For 22 years, WBAL's "Radio Kids Campaign" has been a year-round effort to raise money for needy children.
Radio - Special Recognition
WLTL-FM LaGrange, Illinois
Owner: Lyons Township High Schools
WLTL-FM's RADIO ECHO (Every Child Has Opportunities) provides an in-house radio station devoted to the idea that sick kids get well faster when stimulated with music and alternative stress-reducing therapies.
Television - Small Market
WMAZ-TV Macon, Georgia
Owner: Gannett Broadcasting
WMAZ-TV Macon, Georgia trains broadcasters of the future with its Junior Journalist Program.
Television - Medium/Large Market
WAWS-TV Jacksonville, Florida
Owner: Clear Channel Television
WAWS has committed a major portion of its community service efforts toward literacy issues in a city where 47 percent of adults are functionally illiterate.
Partnership Awards
Given to one television and one radio station, this shared award recognizes broadcasters and their corporate or community partners for exemplary public service.
Television
WBNS-TV Columbus, Ohio
Owner: Dispatch Broadcast Group
Partner: Huntington National Bank
WBNS 10 TV's "10TV Show You Care" has helped the community by running programs like Project Safe Child; The Food Parade the largest one-day food drive in Columbus; Tools for Schools; the 10TV Family Fund; and Show You Care and Vote, which registered 1,600 new voters in 2004.
Radio
KLOS-FM Los Angeles, California
Owner: ABC, Inc.
Partner: American Red Cross
In 2004, the 23rd annual KLOS Blood Drive set a new record for a multi-day, multi-site blood drive collecting 6,250 units for the American Red Cross.
Friend in Need Awards
These awards, given to one television and one radio station, honor broadcasters for outstanding service in the face of natural disasters and other potentially life-threatening situations.
Television
WPEC-TV West Palm Beach, Florida
Owner: Freedom Broadcasting
WPEC-TV responded in extraordinary ways to a pair of disasters in 2004 - Hurricane Frances - which struck Florida in September, followed by Hurricane Jeanne just 20 days later.
Radio
WQCS-FM Fort Pierce, Florida
Owner: Indian River Community College
More than 15 years ago, WQCS put together a hurricane plan that proved crucial in providing wall-to-wall coverage and citizen outreach during the spate of hurricanes which hit Florida last year.
Crystal Radio Awards
The 2005 Crystal Radio Award winners, previously announced at NAB2005 in Las Vegas April 19, will be recognized for their community service as part of this year's Service to America Summit.
The Service to America Summit is sponsored and produced by the NABEF with major support from Bonneville International Corporation and the National Association of Broadcasters. In recent years, the summit has recognized former President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalyn Carter, former First Lady Nancy Reagan, boxing legend Muhammad Ali and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani for their contributions and service to communities nationwide.
Founded in 1964, Bonneville operates 20 radio stations in the Chicago, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., St. Louis, and Salt Lake City markets, as well as KSL-TV in Salt Lake City. Bonneville's motto is "do good, do well, make a difference, and have fun." In addition to competing aggressively in major market broadcasting, Bonneville has a tradition of commitment to community.
The National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation (NABEF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the public interest in supporting and advocating: education and training programs, strategies to increase diversity, initiatives stressing the importance of the First Amendment, community service, philanthropy, and other timely broadcasting issues.
The National Association of Broadcasters is a full-service trade association that promotes and protects free, over-the-air local radio and television stations' interests in Washington and around the world. NAB is the broadcaster's voice before Congress, federal agencies and the courts. NAB also serves a growing number of associate and international broadcaster members. Information about NAB can be found at www.nab.org.
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