Columbus Stations ‘Unite to Fight Poverty’

Media General NBC affiliate WCMH Columbus, Ohio (DMA 32), is one of five television stations in Columbus taking part today in a collaboration of local media and businesses for the United Way to raise awareness about poverty in central Ohio.

“Unite to Fight Poverty” features television, print, radio, outdoor advertising and online communications telling the story of how United Way is helping people build pathways out of poverty.

Dan Bradley, president and general manager of WCMH, chaired the local United Way campaign’s Communication Cabinet and convinced the other GM’s to join with WCMH and create a “roadblock” for a day-long effort to flood the market with United Way messaging and stories in newscasts. 

“Together, we came up with a plan that included using all commercial time from 7 to 7:30 p.m. to present stories that highlight the work United Way agencies are doing to fight poverty in Central Ohio. You will see news anchors from all four stations on camera together and also in print ads donated by Columbus Business First and The Columbus Dispatch,” Bradley said.

Also, from 4:30 a.m. through 11:30 p.m., the four major local television stations will share stories about local families building pathways out of poverty with the help of United Way-supported programs on their newscasts. At 7-7:30 p.m. the stations will broadcast a special half-hour television event — regularly scheduled shows will continue and commercial breaks will present the true stories of our central Ohio neighbors and friends. The stories, produced by the news teams from WCMH, WSYX (ABC)-WTTE (Fox) and WBNS (CBS), highlight the programs United Way supports in the interconnected areas of education, income, health and home.

News anchors Colleen Marshall and Cabot Rea from WCMH; Yolanda Harris and Bob Kendrick from WSYX-WTTE; and Kristen Hartman and Jerry Revish from WBNS came together to create a joint message inviting everyone to join them in Uniting to Fight Poverty that will air on all of the stations to begin and end the event. PBS affiliate WOSU provided the production facilities where the message was produced.    

“The support we are receiving from local media and businesses for the Unite to Fight Poverty effort is phenomenal,” said Bradley. “Television, print, radio, outdoor advertising, online and corporate partners are all coming together to raise awareness about poverty and the work of United Way.”

“We have an incredibly caring community,” said Cheryl Roller, VP, marketing and strategic communications, at United Way of Central Ohio. “Unite to Fight Poverty will help ensure thousands of people are aware of the level of poverty in central Ohio and provide concrete ways they can help.”

Media and corporate partners that are participating in Unite to Fight Poverty include:

Television

• WCMH NBC4,
• WSYX ABC6 / WTTE Fox 28
• WBNS 10TV
• WOSU TV

Radio

• CD 102.5
• Clear Channel Radio
• North American Broadcasting Company
• RadioOhio
• Radio One
• Saga Communications
• Wilks Broadcasting

Print

• alive!
• Business First
• Capital Style
• Columbus CEO
• The Columbus Dispatch
• Columbus Monthly
• Columbus Parent
• The Columbus Post
• Outlook Columbus
• (614) Magazine

Outdoor

• CBS Outdoor
• Clear Channel Outdoor

Corporate/Labor

• AFL-CIO
• Atlas Butler
• Columbia Gas
• Columbus Blue Jackets
• MediaSource
• White Castle