Community Service Report
Michigan Broadcasters Serve Michigan Communities
For local radio and television stations, community service is more than a passing concern. It is a way of doing business. Everyday in Michigan, from Detroit to Escanaba and everywhere in between, broadcasters are going to bat for community charities, educating residents about important local issues, delivering life-saving information in times of disaster, and continually renewing their commitment to their communities.
One of the main missions of the MAB is to help their members serve their communities better. In doing this we seek out issues of statewide importance which have been identified by individuals and lawmakers to help. MAB members work collectively on a volunteer basis to educate listeners and viewers on the important issues through the airing of on-air messages. No other industry has the impact on local communities like free over-the-air broadcasting. Michigan radio and television stations understand the importance of community service. They live it every day.
Districts 1-2
Gray Television, Inc.
Radio Results Network
WUPT-FM (Marquette)
The Radio Results Network in Marquette hosted a Takeover Tuesday series in October, 2023 as a part of their new partnership program with Radio X (91.5 WUPX), Northern Michigan University’s student-run radio station. The Takeover Tuesday series created opportunities for students to further their experience in the broadcasting industry and further connect with their local community.
WZMQ-TV (Marquette)
WCMU Public Media (Mt. Pleasant)
Packer RadioWION-AM (Ionia)
Barry Broadcasting
WION-AM (Hastings)
WBCH-AM/FM in Hastings partners with Barry County United Way to help ensure area children receive gifts at Christmas. WBCH’s annual S-O-S: Stuff Our Station community service project collected toys and gifts for toddlers through teens and ‘stuffed’ the front windows of the stations’ downtown studios for distribution by United Way volunteers to families in need. This year WBCH listeners and other community partners donated enough gifts to help nearly 600 area children at Christmas. Any leftover presents are given throughout the year by Barry County United Way and local law enforcement to children and families who suffer loss or traumatic events. WBCH has also kicked off a yearlong safety awareness campaign stressing Michigan’s Emergency Vehicle Caution Law after the community was shocked in November 2023 by the death of a local wrecker operator. WBCH is running frequent announcements to remind listeners to “Slow Down and Move Over – It’s the Law.”
Districts 3-4
WGHN, Inc.WGHN-AM/FM (Grand Haven)
Tegna, Inc.
Nexstar Media Group, Inc.
iHeartMedia
E.W. Scripps Company
WXMI-TV (Grand Rapids)
WXMI-TV FOX 17’s A Path Forward brings together law enforcement, the business community, and many non-profits as part of a Community Advisory Board, to build connections and lift up teens for a safer West Michigan by showcasing resources, changing the way the news department shares these stories, and establishing partnerships that offer real opportunity for the young people in our community. One way WXMI-TV is doing that is with the Boys and Girls Club of Grand Rapids, not only in fundraising at the Be Great Tailgate, but in sharing stories about young people who are growing and thriving because of its programming
Mid-West Family Broadcasting
WSJM-FM, WIRX-FM, WCSY-FM, WYTZ-FM, WCXT-FM, WQYQ-AM & WQLQ-HD2 (Benton Harbor)
For the past 27 years, Mid-West Family Southwest Michigan has worked side by side with the Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency to help receive donations in the form of food, personal care items, and cash to support the tremendous need here in our community. The radio stations broadcast live Monday through Friday from 6a-6p at a local grocery store, asking for donations. This year, a significant amount of food and personal care items were donated and the initiative raised just shy of $50,000 cash, enough to cover their need for half the year. Without this initiative the SMCAA would struggle mightily to fill the need in the southwest Michigan community.
Midwest Communications, Inc.
WHTC-AM/FM & WYVN-FM (Holland)
Midwest Communication’s WHTC-AM/FM & WYVN-FM sponsored the Alzheimer’s Walk of Holland which helped to spread awareness about the important cause. WHTC Morning News & WHTC Brand Manager Dan Evans emceed the event.
Sinclair Broadcast Group
WWMT-TV (Kalamazoo)
WWMT News Channel 3, Versiti, and the Heart of Michigan Girl Scouts hosted a blood drive in April with 40 donors, 38 donations were collected, and 114 lives were saved, according to Versiti. Thirty of the 40 donors who participated in the blood drive were brand new donors to Versiti, organizers said.
Districts 5-6
Plymouth-Canton Community Schools
WSDP-FM (Plymouth-Canton)
WSDP-FM 88.1 The Park, Plymouth-Canton’s student-run radio station positively impacted the local community throughout the year via partnerships with community leaders. The Penn Theatre Movie Series sponsorship allowed an excellent opportunity to support one of Plymouth’s local treasures as they work to continue serving the community. The station served as the soundtrack for a day-long Mental Health and Wellness Fair and demonstrated their service to the community through airing public service announcements and news stories leading up to the event. WSDP-FM 88.1 The Park was also proud to use their airwaves to help a student-led SJ5K Charity Run pass the million-dollar mark, benefiting families facing medical hardships.
Michigan Public
WUOM-FM (Ann Arbor)
Michigan Public partnered with several community organizations on June 17, 2023 to present Navigating a Mental Health Crisis. This free event helped provide Detroit residents with tools and resources to identify and respond to a mental health crisis. The event helped Detroiters become better equipped to handle crisis situations, informed residents when and when to not call the police, gave guidelines on who to call in a crisis, and shared what long-term support is available. Partners for this event included Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network and Wayne State University.
Lenawee Broadcasting Company & Southeast Michigan Media, Inc.
WLEN-FM & WQTE-FM (Adrian)
On November 10, 2023, Lenawee Broadcasting Company and Southeast Michigan Media held their annual Thank-A-Vet fundraising event outside their studios in downtown Adrian. The event, held live on-air from 6a-6p, raised $47,401.49 for local veterans. This closely matches the record $48,000 raised the previous year. WLEN staff, local veterans’ organizations, and area business people stood curbside outside the station studios and collected funds to support local veterans. These funds are distributed throughout the year to local veterans for assistance with rent, mortgage payments to avoid foreclosure, utility bills, rental facilities to store possessions when they are displaced, transportation stipends, and for things as simple as a pair of boots to secure employment. Since 2006, the stations have raised over $400,000 to help local veterans.
McKibbin Media Group
WCSR-FM (Hillsdale)
On December 15, McKibbin Media Group WCSR-FM afternoon host, Bob Flynn raised $12,904.85 in just five hours of his Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign bell ringing. The station broadcasts the yearly event from the Hillsdale Market House and partners with several corporate sponsors who match a percentage of the kettle funds collected. Money raised stays in the community, benefitting local programs and services of the Hillsdale County Salvation Army. Community partners, Reading Emergency Unit, and Southern Michigan Bank & Trust are also a part of the campaign by hosting Stuff the Ambulance, where community members can donate non-perishable food and toiletry items for local food banks. Between food and monetary donations, Stuff the Ambulance was able to donate 5,000 items to local pantries.
District 7
Gray Television, Inc.
WILX-TV (Lansing)
WILX-TV News 10’s Make an Impact initiative is designed to raise awareness, raise funds, and collect supplies for community organizations across Mid-Michigan using the full power of the television station and digital properties to make a real difference. Each campaign ends with an extensive one-day blitz including a telethon from the News 10 Call Center. This initiative has supported causes by collecting boots, blood, diapers, books, defibrillators, bunkbeds, turkeys, backpacks, toys, food, and pets supplies - to just name a few! To date, Make an Impact has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars that have gone back into the community, plus countless physical donations.
Nexstar Media Group, Inc.
WLNS-TV (Lansing)
WLNS-TV 6 News features in-depth local content throughout the year focused on issues affecting the community in an effort to provide information that will be helpful, and sometimes lifesaving, to viewers. One example in 2023 is a month-long multi-media initiative called Fighting Addiction: Heartbreak and Hope that focused on substance use disorder. The station worked with local organizations to provide educational information and to provide local resources for those who need help. This initiative featured extensive local content, a dedicated web page that included links to local resources, social media posts, and an hour-long special airing after the evening news.
E.W. Scripps Company
WSYM-TV (Lansing)
With the goal of bringing the mid-Michigan community together as one, WSYM FOX 47 proudly broadcast the live two-hour Silver Bells in the City Electric Light Parade from the plaza of Lansing City Hall, directly across from the State Capitol. In partnering with Lansing Public Media, the parade telecast was watched in more than 40,000 homes, with another 45,000 in attendance in downtown Lansing, making it the largest in-person event in the City of Lansing.
Midwest Communications, Inc.
WJXQ-FM (Holt)
Midwest Communications’ WJXQ-FM partnered with the Lansing Food Bank to help needy families over the holiday season. Listeners were invited to donate 50 pounds of food, or $50 in cash in exchange for picking any song to be played on the station that day. Cash donations totaled $3,500 and multiple tons of food
were collected.
Districts 8-9
Alpha Media Licensee LLC
WSGW-AM/FM, WCEN-FM, WTLZ-FM, & WGER-FM (Saginaw)
For the third-year all of the Alpha Media radio stations combined to present the Lights Before Christmas promotion for Covenant Hospital in Saginaw. For five nights in a row, the Alpha Media stations hosted local choirs to sing Christmas songs and Impact Saginaw supplied lights and flashlights for listeners to shine along with police and fire truck lights for the kids in the hospital. A toy drive was included with the area credit unions and the Saginaw Spirit hockey team to brighten the lives of the children.
Krol Communications Inc.
WRSR-FM (Flint)
Krol Communication’s WRSR-FM held its annual Fox Feeding Frenzy on March 3, 2023, and raised $61,912 for The Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, enough money to provide 371,472 meals. The 12-hour broadcast aired 7a-7p from the station studios. The Food Bank of Eastern Michigan provides food and water for 415 partner agencies in 22 counties across Michigan. Over $250,000 have been raised for the food bank since the first Fox Feeding Frenzy in 2016.
Townsquare Media
WCRZ-FM (Flint)
Townsquare Media’s WCRZ-FM raised $94,000 for Whaley Children’s Center (WCC) during the station’s 8th annual Roof Sit, held July 12-14, 2023, atop the downtown Grand Blanc McDonald’s. The goal of the annual three-day fundraiser was to raise awareness and donations for the needs of the 42 foster children currently living at WCC. The WCC is an independent, 501(c)3 nonprofit, nearly 100 years old, which works to provide every child with a comfortable and living home. They provide residential childcare for children five to 17 years old who have suffered chronic abuse and neglect, provide counseling, aftercare services, and more.
Liggett Communications, LLC
WSAQ-FM (Port Huron)
Liggett Communication’s WSAQ-FM held their annual Community Roof Sit to benefit the Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN) Council from September 10-15, 2023. Station staff lived on top of the MiMutual Building in downtown Port Huron to raise funds and awareness for child abuse prevention and advocacy. The station, with help from listeners and other community organizations, helped raise $162,000 to support the work of the CAN Council.
Sinclair Broadcast Group
WEYI-TV, WSMH-TV & WBSF-TV (Flint)
Mid-Michigan NOW, Dort Financial Credit Union, and Catholic Charities of Shiawassee and Genesee Counties teamed up to help those in need for the 13th annual 25 Days of Giving. Through the month of December, donations for non-perishable food items, personal care items, and winter coats, hats, gloves, and mittens were accepted at Dort Financial Credit Union branches throughout the region. Catholic Charities relies heavily on donations, which are distributed to those in need.
Gray Television, Inc.
WNEM-TV (Saginaw)
In March 2014, the Saginaw Spirit hockey team was devastated to learn player Terry Trafford had taken his own life. Since then, it has been the mission of the Saginaw Spirit to prevent suicide through education, connection to resources, and support for those impacted by suicide. WNEM TV5, along with the Barb Smith Suicide Resource & Response Network, hosts a live phone bank encouraging viewers who may be struggling to make that call that could save their life. During the 5p, 5:30p, and 6p News, the station airs a :90 interview with a resource member and a running crawl with an 800 number directing viewers to call. On February 9, 2023, the station hosted the Talk Today, Hope for Tomorrow Mental Health phone bank. The Saginaw Spirit, the Trafford Family, and the Barb Smith Suicide Resource & Response Network came together to turn this tragedy into a legacy that will help so many. The professionals who were at WNEM TV5 answering the calls were able to help several critical people and even had staff from the Saginaw Spirit assisting in looking up phone numbers and resources while the experts were on the phone.
Districts 10-13
E.W. Scripps Company
WXYZ-TV (Southfield)
WXYZ-TV, with the help of the Detroit community, stepped up to help improve childhood literacy by providing new, age-appropriate books to kids across metro Detroit. The community, WXYZ-TV employees, and the Scripps Howard Fund came together for the If You Give a Child a Book... campaign. Generous donations provided 20,000 new books for kids. On July 26, the station raised more than $90,000 in a one-day telethon for metro Detroit’s largest food rescue organization, Forgotten Harvest. The money raised by the telethon provided 360,00 meals for families in need in Southeastern Michigan. WXYZ-TV broadcast the 60th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Walk to Freedom on June 24th. WXYZ-TV had four hours of live coverage of the historic event as thousands retraced the steps of Dr. King. The walk ended at Hart Plaza for a rally. Metro Detroiters could witness history by watching WXYZ-TV and its streaming platforms.
CBS Television Stations
WWJ-TV (Southfield)
CBS Detroit staff volunteered at Camp Care in Macomb County which is a camp for children with parents suffering from addiction. Staff were able to see a typical day at camp for the children, ranging from five to 18, and talk to them about camera operations and storytelling. CBS Detroit’s Amyre Makupson was the keynote speaker for the Empowerment Plan’s 10-year anniversary gala. The empowerment plan creates coats that turn into sleeping bags for the homeless. In 2023, the nonprofit made over 11,000 coats. The station also created a Michigan Made tree to solicit votes for the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Michigan Chapter through Gardner White. Anchor Amyre Makupson spoke to local businesses and artisans to collect locally created ornaments and spoke to the community about Alzheimer’s at the Twinkletown Gala.
FOX Television Stations
WJBK-TV (Southfield)
Over the course of the year, FOX 2 supports more than 100 community causes that impact their viewing audience. The station’s biggest project of the year is fighting food insecurity. No child should go to bed hungry, but the reality is that one in five children in the community faces hunger. That’s why FOX 2 teams up with Gleaners Community Food Bank all year long. In 2023, the station produced four one-day telethon events to help inspire viewers to support the food bank. In total, the four events raised almost $1.3 million. All those donations were matched by sponsors for a grand total of more than $2.5 million. Every dollar goes to feeding hungry families, seniors, and children in the community. FOX 2 also partnered with Gleaners for a Hunger Free Summer Campaign because when school is out many children go hungry. More than 30 employees gave time on a Saturday morning to pack food boxes for Gleaners Mobile Pantries. Those mobile distributions go into the community bringing food directly to hungry neighbors. In the end, more than 21,000 pounds of food were packed which will provide 17,034 meals to those in need.
Audacy
WWJ-AM & WOMC-FM (Southfield)
On February 3, 2023, WWJ-AM held its 20th annual Winter Survival Radiothon to benefit THAW, The Heat and Warmth Fund. This year, the effort raised $347,660 to bring warmth for Michigan families in need. THAW assists families in need by preventing utility shut-offs, providing fuel, or restoring services. They also help seniors on a fixed income and others who are struggling to replace broken furnace or other essential appliances. The 14-hour event featured an online auction, hourly incentives, and generous listeners calling in to make donations. On November 16, 2023, Audacy’s WOMC-FM held its 6th annual Turn Up the Miracles Radiothon and raised (at last report) $488,617 for Beaumont Children’s, a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. Radiothon listeners had fun with the on-air talent and enjoyed incentives for donations. They also learned more about Beaumont Children’s pediatric programs and those at Beaumont’s Center for Exceptional Families as local patients and families treated at Beaumont Children’s shared their experiences.
Beasley Media Group
WDMK-FM (Ferndale)
Beasley Media Group’s Detroit Praise Network hosted the 2023 National Urban Radio Cares for St. Jude Kid’s Radiothon to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The daylong event took place from 6a-11p on March 2, 2023, at the PRAISE Network Studio in the Motor City. Donation requests were also encouraged on-air over the weekend to help raise additional funds for the organization. Thanks to the support of generous donors, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing, or food. The final total raised through the Detroit Praise Network Radiothon was $68,727.
iHeartMedia
WJLB-FM (Detroit)
iHeartMedia’s WJLB-FM held its annual Coats for Kids fundraiser on November 4, 2023, supporting the Salvation Army of Metro Detroit’s mission to provide essentials for those in need. The charitable event included a live broadcast, artist appearances, and performances from Tee Grizzley, Skilla Baby, and Sada Baby. Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield also participated along with the Detroit Pistons Dancers and mascot Hooper. The event raised more than $23,000.
Graham Media Group
WDIV-TV (Detroit)
On November 14, 2023, Graham Media’s WDIV-TV hosted their annual Help Me Hank drive for Toys for Tots. This year, the station filled two trucks with donations from viewers, all of which went to benefit children over the holiday season. The effort was deemed the most successful yet.
Local Michigan Radio & Television Broadcasters
$1.67 billion
9,809 jobs
$4.19 billion
24,322 jobs
$31.15 billion
44,322 jobs
The commercial local broadcast industry, terrestrial radio and television stations, is critically important to the United States economy as a whole and to local economies in particular. Local radio and television’s key role in the dissemination of entertainment and local programming is well established. Its important value to the national economy is often overlooked, and in many ways taken for granted. This analysis quantifies some of the core ways commercial local radio and television stations enhance economic productivity, efficiency, and growth. Only local commercial broadcast radio and television is included in this analysis.
All data ©2023 Woods & Poole Economics, Inc. Used with permission from the National Association of Broadcasters