NAB To Honor WDIV, WLKY, WHTM

The NAB Education Foundation announced the winners of the annual Service to America Awards today. Winners will be honored at the Celebration of Service to America Awards dinner on Monday, June 6, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. The celebration recognizes outstanding community service by local broadcasters.

“Public service is the lifeblood of the best local broadcasters, keeping viewers and listeners connected to the community in ways that cannot be replicated by any other communications source,” said NABEF President Marcellus Alexander. “The NAB Education Foundation salutes recipients of this year’s Service to America Awards for their commitment to localism and their positive contributions to society.”

This year’s Service to America Awards will honor the following broadcasters:

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.

WDIV Detroit
Owner: Post-Newsweek Stations

WDIV’s year-round efforts include “Ruth to the Rescue,” led by WDIV award-winning consumer reporter and producer Ruth Spencer. The “Ruth to the Rescue” team worked together to come up with solutions to a variety of challenges impacting their local community. Additionally, WDIV’s Help for Haiti (a project involving several metro Detroit organizations) helped raise two million dollars for Haiti relief donations and medical supplies. Other WDIV initiatives include Bookstock, Arab American International Festival, Gleaners Community Food Bank and Salvation Army/Dundee Tornado Relief Telethon.

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

WHUR-FM Washington
Owner: Howard University

WHUR-FM is rooted in the concept of “It Takes A Village.” Using that theme in 2010, the radio station wrapped numerous service programs around the Washington region’s neediest kids. Partnering with area schools, non-profit organizations and the Prince George’s County Police, these events included fundraisers, benefits, partnerships and town hall meetings to help educate youth about the life and legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Additionally, WHUR-FM collected items for needy children, totaling $165,000 in monetary value for clothing and shoes.

Television

WLKY Louisville, Ky.
Owner: Hearst Television

Established in 1980, WLKY Wednesday’s Child program seeks to find adoptive homes for special needs children awaiting adoption in the State of Kentucky. In 2010, the overall efforts of this program included a weekly news feature every Wednesday, annual adoption fairs, news coverage of special events, PSA campaigns and much more. With 800 children awaiting adoption in Kentucky, and approximately 600 termed as “special needs,” WLKY is the voice for children needing a home in their community.

SERVICE TO COMMUNITY AWARDS
This category honors radio and television broadcasters for individual campaigns, projects or programs that serve the public good or otherwise provide exemplary service to their local communities.

Radio

KPLU-FM Tacoma, Wash.
Owner: Pacific Lutheran University

KPLU-FM created the School of Jazz project to engage jazz professionals with public high school jazz bands in Western Washington in a mentorship program, culminating in the production of a CD. In phase one of the mentoring program, each jazz musician practiced with and coached their jazz band at the school in preparation for phase two, which united the jazz musicians and school bands together into the studio to record songs for a CD. The CD was promoted in local and national press, raising approximately $13,500. In the last two years, the program has benefited approximately 150 students.

Television

WHTM-TV Harrisburg, Pa.
Owner: Allbritton Communications

On October 18, 2010, a devastating fire swept through a downtown Harrisburg home. Immediately following the fire, WHTM-TV joined forces with the City of Harrisburg and the Mayor’s office to establish a plan to prevent another tragedy. “Operation Safe Kids” was launched as a multi-faceted campaign to encourage residents to take proactive steps to protect themselves and loved ones. WHTM-TV also teamed up with Operation Save a Life partner Kidde to distribute more than 50,000 smoke alarms across Central Pennsylvania.

As previously announced, Oscar-winning actor Jeff Bridges will receive the 2011 Service to America Leadership Award, NABEF’s highest honor, for his dedication to ending childhood hunger in America. Target Corp. will receive the Corporate Leadership Award for their extraordinary focus on community service and corporate social responsibility.