The Ad Council Honors WDAF Kansas City

Tribune-owned Fox affiliate WDAF Kansas City (DMA 33) was recognized today with the Ad Council’s 2016 Crystal Bell award. The award was presented at the TVB Forward conference. Each year, this award is presented to one TV station for its extraordinary support of the Ad Council’s public service campaigns.

The Ad Council, a national nonprofit organization, is the largest U.S. producer of public service campaigns. Through partnerships with non-profit organizations and federal government agencies, along with leading advertising and media companies, the Ad Council works to drive change on public issues through innovative communications programs.

All Ad Council campaigns run in donated media time and space, and the broadcast TV industry ranks among the Ad Council’s top supporters, providing more than $232 million in donated airings in 2015.

This year’s Crystal Bell Award to WDAF was in recognition of its commitment “to driving change around important safety issues and the example they set in their community. Last year, WDAF supported a wide range of Ad Council campaigns including Texting and Driving Prevention, Stroke Awareness, Safe Firearms Storage and Child Passenger Safety, helping Tribune Media earn a place among Ad Council’s top 10 supporters in 2015.”

WDAF also was cited for its contribution to the record-breaking success of the 2015 Project Roadblock, a six-day TV station roadblock aimed at reducing drunk driving fatalities during the holiday season, as part of the Ad Council’s Buzzed Driving Prevention campaign, sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In Project Roadblock’s most successful year yet, Tribune Media, among the top three supporters of the campaign, helped the Ad Council and NHTSA extend their reach during the holiday season, educating more people nationwide about the consequences of impaired driving.

“Our local broadcast TV partners play a huge role in helping our campaigns’ important messages reach the American public, and we’re forever thankful for the work they do,” said Lisa Sherman, president-CEO of the Ad Council, “We’re so pleased to recognize WDAF for going above and beyond. Their tremendous support for a number of Ad Council campaigns demonstrates a sincere commitment to social change, and we’re grateful to have their support.”