WRAL Raises Over $809,000 in Disaster Relief

An outpouring of support flowed during WRAL’s Here to Help Disaster Relief effort. Capitol Broadcasting’s CBS affiliate in Raleigh, N.C. (DMA 25), organized the relief effort just days after deadly tornadoes ripped through the state. Multiple divisions of Capitol Broadcasting and public TV broadcaster UNC-TV distributed the program statewide.  It was a multimedia, multiple station effort that will deliver more than $809,000 in aid to families affected by the devastating tornadoes.

“The phones in the studio started ringing at 6 a.m. and were still ringing after we went off the air at 8 p.m.” said VP-GM Steven D. Hammel. “In 14 hours, the people of North Carolina showed the world what real community is.”

The monies will be distributed to four local and regional charities — American Red Cross, the Salvation Army of Wake County, Samaritan’s Purse and North Carolina Baptist Men.

The effort kicked off Wednesday, April 20 at 6 a.m. WRAL newscasts and live cut-ins throughout the day highlighted “Here to Help” efforts throughout the affected areas. The station aired a live, one-hour special called “Here to Help Disaster Relief,” which was simulcast throughout the state on WRAZ Durham, WJZY and WMYT Charlotte, WILM Wilmington and statewide on UNC-TV.

Capital Broadcasting’s radio stations promoted the telethon throughout the day. WRAL-FM broadcast live from the WRAL-TV studios from 5:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. and offered telethon coverage throughout the day. WCMC-FM broadcast live from the WRAL-TV studios from 3 to 7 p.m. and offered telethon coverage throughout the day. The effort was also promoted at American Tobacco Campus and Microspace, both divisions of Capitol Broadcasting.

WRAL Mobile offered ad banners with the phone number for easy donation from the station’s iPhone, Blackberry and Droid apps.

WRAL.com set up an online donation page that will stay live until further notice:  http://www.wral.com/wral-tv/page/9465239/.

Significant corporate donations were made during the program from Progress Energy, SAS, Wal-Mart and Sampson-Bladen Oil Company & Handy Hugo.  The total dollars raised will be updated next week when the results of the online contributions are available.