KPRC hosts "Making Houston Stronger: A Town Hall on Rebuilding Our Region"

KPRC hosted "Making Houston Stronger: A Town Hall on Rebuilding Our Region," a special live televised event on January 29, 2018.

KPRC 2 Anchors Bill Balleza and Dominique Sachse were joined by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Harris County Judge Ed Emmett to discuss lessons learned and the progress that's been made in the months since Houston was plagued by several major flood catastrophes, including Hurricane Harvey.

The special was executive produced by Steve Ljuljdjuraj and aired on KPRC Channel 2. It was also streamed live on Click2Houston.com, the KPRC 2 YouTube Channel and the KPRC 2 Facebook Page.

The special can be viewed here:

WATCH: 'Making Houston Stronger: A Town Hall'

WJXT Team Takes Part In Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service

The morning on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the sound of power tools filled the air at Jacksonville's Lake Forest Elementary as volunteers teamed up to build a new playground for the students.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary, the civil rights pioneer's namesake, also received a facelift. That included a fresh coat of paint in the cafeteria, in addition to some new landscaping out front.

The efforts were part of the 2018 Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, an annual event that brings together hundreds of people from across the city to spruce up schools and neighborhoods.

Members of the WJXT's News4Jax team got in on the action, too. The Morning Show crew grabbed some brushes and buckets to help paint a mural downtown.

Not to be outdone, the night shift crew helped stuff backpacks with books and school supplies, then gave them away to children in need in Northwest Jacksonville.

"It makes me feel proud," said Walter Williams, who pitched in at Lake Forest. "Not only seeing the playground come to life, but seeing the community come out and everybody putting their helping hand in together."

Williams wasn't alone. He had help from people of all ages, and from all walks of life, who turned out to lend their help with a variety of community projects.

"When they come to school and see this new playground we built, they're going to be really surprised," said Isaac Fagundes, a 12-year-old who pitched in at Lake Forest.

KSAT12’s “KSAT COMMUNITY” campaign announces 2018 schedule

KSAT12's community-wide initiative, called "KSAT COMMUNITY" uses the power of its media properties to promote local initiatives which will help the greatest number of South Texas residents all year long, it was announced by KSAT12 Vice-President/General Manager Phil Lane.  "We're thrilled to welcome our new partners and are so thankful for our past partners as well", said Lane, "we intend to continue growing our program to help those most in need."

The very first KSAT COMMUNITY project of 2018 will be a city-wide blood drive, with University Health System and the University Hospital Blood Bank. This huge blood drive always draws hundreds of local residents who answer the call. Because blood has a short shelf life, the need is continually on-going as blood banks must supply blood for everyday surgeries and emergencies, as well as for bigger local emergencies. The 2018 KSAT COMMUNITY Blood Drive will be held for 4 consecutive days, January 22nd -25th, at 3 different locations: Texas Diabetes Institute 701 S. Zarzamora on Tuesday, January 23, 10am-2pm, Southwest Clinic at 2121 SW 36th Street, Wednesday, January 24th from 11am-3pm and  UHS at 4502 Medical Drive, Jan 22nd, 23rd ,24th  and 25th.  
Subsequent KSAT COMMUNITY events include a "Healthy Heart" online test, the "San Antonio Book Festival", a school supply drive, a Shred Day, and many others throughout 2018.

All 3 partners, UHS, Energy Transfer Partners, and San Antonio Area Chevy Dealers will also have the ability to spotlight community initiatives that meet with their company goals, and assist the events they support throughout the community.  

ClickOnDetroit Wins Big in 2017 Top News Website in Metro Detroit

ClickOnDetroit.com is Metro Detroit's No. 1 news website for 2017 according to the comScore data (2017 average). The website beat out all other newspaper and television websites in the DMA.
 
"2017 was a huge year for ClickOnDetroit. We had a goal to not just be Detroit's top TV website but to be top choice for news and information for our local community and beyond," said Local 4 Vice President and General Manager Marla Drutz. "We did it."

The station took an ambitious and pragmatic approach to create opportunities for growth and to make WDIV more interactive with digital users.  

"ClickOnDetroit's success literally starts every day with managing editor Dave Bartkowiak and social media producer Ken Haddad planning for and executing breaking news coverage," said Digital Executive Producer Dustin Block. "They work with the WDIV newsroom to expand coverage and take stories and ideas in new directions to engage and inform our audience. They've turned ClickOnDetroit into an indispensable source for local news in Metro Detroit."

ClickOnDetroit 2017 highlights include:

*    Owning huge multi-day stories like the October 2017 power outage and leading the coverage of White Boy Rick, the teen drug dealer paroled after 30 years in prison.
*    Increased engagement with "Vote 4 the Best," a local user-voted competition that encompasses 173 categories, involves 2,500 local businesses and generated participation through more than 480,000 votes.  
*    Big, live events like "The Ford Fireworks" and "America's Thanksgiving Parade" garnered online viewers from more than 100 countries. Online viewership was up significantly for both shows from the prior year.
*    Multiplatform engagement stories like "Ignore the Snore" dovetailed off of broadcast segments and connected users who have snoring problems with specialists to help.  "Opioid Nation" tackled the issue of the opioid crisis with a help hotline for addicts.
*    Increase in original digital programming with daily shows like "Jason Carr Live" and "Midday Live." Specials and interactive features: Defenders investigative journalism shows; "LITD Extra" Live in the D viewer input segments; live weather updates; Help Me Hank consumer specials; missing children webcasts; and "Car Cast" continuous online weather and traffic updates during severe weather.
*    Through a commitment to community and engagement via "4 Frenzy," more than 60 schools are involved, generating onsite tailgating events, thousands of votes, newsletter signups, student liaison partnerships with the Local 4 and other points of engagement.

ClickOnDetroit, a Graham Media Group website, with 871,439 unique visitors beat its nearest TV and newspaper competition (Freep.com/853,164), (MLive.com/833,456), (WXYZ.com/643,906), (DetNews.com/522,430) on average during 2017. The site continues to increase its share of unique visitors on mobile platforms, desktop and the ClickOnDetroit app.

Local 4's ClickOnDetroit app is an important part of the station's digital commitment, sending push alerts that notify users when breaking news is happening in their communities.

Graham Media Group announces podcast division

Today, Graham Media Group announced the launch of its podcast division, which is uniquely positioned to offer compelling and original audio content.

"We are excited to partner with our seven TV stations and other producers to bring captivating stories to new audiences," said Catherine Badalamente, Graham Media Group’s Vice President of Digital Media. "This allows us to use our community connections to give listeners more of the stories we know they love."

First to launch is “Mismatch,” a series produced in partnership with WDIV-Local 4 in Detroit. “Mismatch” explores stories about the incompatible, the unsuitable and the out-of-step. The series is hosted and written by veteran TV journalist Roger Weber. It was also produced and edited by Zak Rosen, a Detroit-based audio producer who has worked with NPR, the BBC, Michigan Radio, WDET, Gimlet, Panoply and his own wife on their podcast, “Pregnant Pause with Zak and Shira.”

“Roger is one of the all-time great storytellers," Badalamente said. "For more than 40 years, he’s been skillful at telling the big stories with honesty and heart."

“Mismatch” explores things in life that just don’t fit. Square pegs in the round holes of relationships, culture and history. First-season listeners will hear about the unlikely romance of an automotive heir and a telephone operator, and how their honeymoon ended in tragedy; President Richard Nixon and Baseball Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson coming together for a Detroit television program; a commercial jingle songwriter who is asked to write about one of the darkest chapters in history; a successful restaurant forced to change its name after people called it offensive; and how a remote island in Lake Superior faces an ecological mismatch.

“Podcasts flex different creative muscles for broadcasters and I’m thoroughly enjoying the freedom and intimacy of taking an old art form and bringing it to new technology,” Weber said. “Our stories are compelling, comical and, at times, inspiring.”

The first two episodes are released today with weekly release of each of the remaining six episodes. All will be available for download on mismatchpodcast.com, Apple Podcasts, Google Play and wherever podcasts can be downloaded.

“Our stations are the voices of our communities and full of smart and engaging storytellers,” said Emily Barr, President and CEO of Graham Media Group. “Podcasts are a natural extension of what we are really good at doing. Graham Media Group has some great podcasts in the hopper. We are excited to share them.”

Emily Barr, GMG President and CEO, to receive 2018 Golden Mike Award

Graham Media Group is proud to announce that company President and Chief Executive Officer Emily L. Barr will receive the 2018 Golden Mike Award.

Barr will be presented with the award at an annual black-tie gala set for March 5 at the Plaza Hotel in New York City, officials with the Broadcasters Foundation of America said this week.

The event serves as a major fundraiser for the Broadcasters Foundation, the only charity devoted exclusively to helping broadcasters in need.

“It is an honor to receive this award from the Broadcasters Foundation of America, and I am grateful to the board for their commitment to our colleagues in need,” Barr said. “This year, the Broadcasters Foundation rose to the challenge of helping so many of our colleagues who were impacted by hurricanes, floods and wildfires. With the generous support of broadcasters across the country, the foundation can continue to make a difference in the lives of those who find themselves in devastating circumstances.”

Barr has sat at the helm of the broadcast TV division of Graham Holdings since 2012. Graham’s seven stations are known as news leaders in Top-70 markets – including Houston, Detroit, San Antonio, Orlando, Jacksonville and Roanoke.

Graham Media Group was named 2016 Station Group of the Year by Broadcasting and Cable Magazine, under Barr’s leadership.

Before coming to Graham, Barr served as president and general manager of ABC-owned stations in Chicago and Raleigh-Durham. She is also on the boards of the Associated Press and the Television Bureau of Advertising.

“Emily is a consummate broadcaster whose leadership and service to the industry and the communities that the Graham stations serve are commendable,” said Dan Mason, chairman of the Broadcasters Foundation, in a statement online. “We are proud to honor her and recognize her accomplishments.”

Barr is also the first vice chair for television for the National Association of Broadcasters and has been the chairman of the board for the Illinois Broadcasters Association. Barr was inducted into the 2016 Silver Circle of the Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. 

She was awarded the 2014 Vincent T. Wasilewski Broadcaster of the Year by the Illinois Broadcasters Association and received the 2010 Westbury Leadership Award from the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago for her involvement in a citywide media effort to raise funds for the Haitian earthquake relief effort, the BFOA statement said.

The Golden Mike Award dinner attracts a who’s-who of media executives and celebrities. For more than 70 years, the Broadcasters Foundation, a 501(c)-3 charity, has distributed millions of dollars to broadcasters who have lost their careers through a catastrophic event, debilitating disease or other unforeseen tragedy.

KPRC Channel 2 Hurricane Harvey Disaster Relief raises more than $4.5 million

KPRC-TV Channel 2 KPRC and Telemundo Houston partnered with the American Red Cross to support the Harvey relief effort.  When KPRC opened the phone lines, viewers delivered, calling in donations of all sizes!  
 
Between August 30 and 31, individuals called in pledges of more than a million dollars ($1,067,358) and donated another $269,530 online at Click2houston.com.  Corporations stepped up to present checks worth nearly $3.2 million ($3,175,000). That's more than $4.5 million ($4,511,888.00) pledged to help our Houston neighbors in need!
 
On top of that, a representative from Walmart dropped in to the KRPC 2 studio to present the Red Cross with $10,000,000 to help the Gulf Coast recover.
 
This relief effort is massive, and viewers can continue to donate by looking for a link on the Click2Houston.com homepage or dropping off change in the special donation boxes at the register of your local Kroger grocery store.  Every bit helps and adds up to a lot of help for victims of Hurricane Harvey.

KSAT Community intiative produces "Week of Giving" for Texas disaster relief

KSAT12 mobilized several forces to help with Hurricane Harvey relief, just as the South Texas coast was trying to recover, and Houston was facing the wrath of the storm. 

"Our 'KSAT Community' project was built to respond to just such relief efforts," said KSAT12 VP/General Manager Phil Lane, "We have the ability to quickly mobilize our community partners to deliver help when and where it is most needed."

As the flooding waters were invading Houston, KSAT12 produced a "week of giving" holding several relief efforts which netted huge responses.  The first effort launched on the Monday after the Texas coast was blasted with very high winds. 

KSAT12 held a Red Cross Donation Line and raised over $80,000 in just a couple of hours.  Then, later in the week, the station held a food drive with the San Antonio Food Bank and collected over 200 thousand pounds of food and other necessities to keep shelters stocked with items for evacuees.

KSAT12 also contacted our Graham Media Group sister station, KPRC 2 in Houston, to help with their needs.   A blood drive with one of our KSAT Community partners was set up to respond to the need for donations throughout the region.  

Graham Media Group Launches “Opioid Nation: An American Epidemic”

Graham Media Group, Inc., a Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC) subsidiary, announced today that it will launch a comprehensive initiative examining the opioid crisis in America, focusing on the local communities the station group serves.  Graham Media Group’s “Opioid Nation: An American Epidemic” is a multi-platform commitment addressing the epidemic that is unraveling communities and destroying American lives.  Each of the seven Graham Media Group (GMG) stations will air investigative reports, produce original programming, facilitate digital engagement, broadcast public service announcements and work with community partners on effective outreach. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of overdose deaths involving opioids has quadrupled with more than 500,000 deaths between 2000 and 2015.  Today, 91 Americans die every day as a result of opioid abuse.

GMG stations will investigate the genesis of the crisis, the lives of those faced with addiction, and the historic and current governmental policies that address the ongoing abuse epidemic.

“Opioid addiction is ravaging our communities big and small and local broadcasters are uniquely positioned to tell these stories. The diversity of issues affecting our Detroit community differs from those in Houston and Orlando,” said Emily Barr, president and chief executive officer of Graham Media Group. “For instance, Martinsville, Virginia is first in the nation in per-capita opioid prescriptions and WSLS, our nearby Roanoke station, is faced with stories every week about a drug problem that is only getting worse. We can tell that story and engage our community partners who are skilled and ready to offer help and hope.”

GMG stations will air locally produced, televised and streamed specials during the week of September 5. Along with original programming, stations will staff phone banks and Facebook Live sessions designed to connect viewers, users and families with substance abuse counselors. Town hall meetings and monthly in-depth reports will drill down on the specific issues that contribute to this public health crisis.

“We’re pooling resources and exchanging stories amongst our newsrooms to give depth and perspective to the many facets of the problem,” continued Barr.

Car crashes of those who tested positive from prescription drugs have increased 700% over the last 20 years according to a 2017 study by Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. The over prescription of opioids from doctors has steadily risen and fatalities due to heroin continue to tear apart families across all demographics. Graham Media Group joins the National Association of Broadcasters in their dedicated efforts to shed light on the severity of the opioid epidemic.

“It is our responsibility to inform viewers and we hope that ‘Opioid Nation: An American Epidemic’ will not only educate the communities we serve, but help those who are effected find a path forward through this unprecedented crisis,” said Barr.

WDIV-TV Receives NAB’s Service to America Award

WDIV-Local 4 has been honored, above all local broadcast stations in the country, with the National Association of Broadcasters Service to America Award.  The prestigious award presented by the NAB Education Foundation acclaims WDIV's ongoing commitment to outstanding community service.  

The NAB Service to America Award recognizes the efforts of the entire station as a leader in serving the public with significant contributions from every department.  
Hallmarks of this station-wide commitment:

*    Year-long coverage of the Flint Water Crisis which included an unwavering news focus, a primetime special and travel to Washington, D.C. to cover developments on Capitol Hill. Using the power of local television and the support of a strong and caring community, the station organized the Flint Water Crisis 4 Our Families statewide telethon and raised $1.13 million.
*    Help Me Hank: The School Project is a commitment to improve the physical environment of Thurgood Marshall Elementary-Middle School in Detroit.  The station's consumer unit, Help Me Hank, partnered with the Detroit Public School Community District to identify a school that was in crucial need of building renovations.
*    Arab in America with Sandra Ali is a series of news reports showcasing the personal stories of Arab Americans in Metro Detroit.  
*    True Blue is a series of stories dedicated to showing life as a police officer and putting a face with the badge. The Local 4 Defenders are trying to bridge the gap between police and the community to stop future violence.
*    Support of The Heat and Warmth Fund, Komen's Race for the Cure, Red Cross, JDRF, Bookstock and other community organizations.
*    Strong locally produced long and short-form programming that showcases the heart of our community. Highlights include the North American International Auto Show, America's Thanksgiving Parade, Live in the D, The Ford Fireworks, Flashpoint and the Local 4 Film Challenge.

"This award reflects the hard work and contribution of every single member of our WDIV/ClickOn Detroit team.  I couldn't be more happy and proud of what we do here at this station," said Vice-President and General Manager Marla Drutz.

In the NABEF's press release announcing the award recipients it was stated, "Through news coverage, philanthropy, and community service, WDIV puts the needs of viewers first."

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