What is Clear Channel's corporate
strategy as it pertains to public service
advertising?
Clear Channel is deeply committed to
improving the lives of people in the local
communities we serve across the country
and around the world. In fact, local
public service and meaningful community
engagement are central to Clear Channel's
business model. In addition to serving as
the largest single contributor of donated media to the Ad Council, Clear
Channel donates media to hundreds of charitable organizations locally,
regionally and nationally, including the American Red Cross, Habitat for
Humanity, Salvation Army, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, St. Jude
Children's Research Center, City of Hope Hospital, USO, Boy Scouts of
America, Feeding America, CARE, and the March of Dimes. Clear Channel
has been a supporter of the Ad Council since the company's founding in
1972. In 2003, Clear Channel made an unprecedented commitment to
the Ad Council by doubling the number of Ad Council PSAs running on its
radio and television stations, websites, and outdoor advertising displays.
In 2005, Clear Channel quantified the value of its annual charitable contributions,
which totaled over $1 billion. In April 2009, Clear Channel
Radio announced an unparalleled commitment to support local communities
through charitable partnerships, public service announcements, local
public affairs programming, local community advisory boards, and round-the-clock
access to station management for local officials.
How does the Ad Council help augment Clear Channel Radio –
Detroit' community efforts?
The Ad Council's diverse range of public service campaigns effectively
communicates important messages relevant to people in our community,
spanning public safety, health and wellness, among others. The ability to
localize these messages to benefit local charitable organizations is particularly
attractive to us, and we believe allows us to have the greatest positive
impact on our community. As we all know, Detroit has been affected by
high foreclosure rates. It is for this reason that we strongly supported the
Ad Council Foreclosure Prevention campaign. Based on local needs, we
have also run the High School Dropout Prevention campaign.
What issues do you think deserve national focus?
Shockingly, one in eight Americans lives with hunger today, including
children and seniors. As part of Clear Channel Radio's enhanced community
engagement initiative this year, we launched a special initiative
with the Ad Council and its Hunger Prevention campaign, sponsored by
Feeding America, the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief organization.
We partnered with the Ad Council and Feeding America to produce
a PSA campaign that raises awareness about the prevalence of hunger
in America. This summer, Clear Channel is promoting the Ad Council's
Hunger Prevention campaign to drive donations and volunteerism at local
food banks across the country and fulfill the critical need to engage Americans
in the fight against hunger. A component of the campaign is targeted
PSAs in 22 Clear Channel markets, dedicated to letting families in need
know about free summer lunches for children at local schools.
Other issues that are particularly relevant across the U.S. today include
emergency preparedness, healthy lifestyle choices and disease prevention,
youth mentoring, financial literacy, civic engagement, and local community
volunteerism.
Is Clear Channel Radio-Detroit involved in any unique public
service projects?
Clear Channel Detroit /WKQI Channel 955 & Mojo in the Morning have
also implemented a new and proactive way to motivate our listeners to
donate their time to the community. By going to www.timeteamdetroit.com
listeners can sign up to volunteer along side Mojo in the Morning. Time
Team Detroit has been an effective and innovative initiative that actually
allows our staff and listeners to work side by side in the community. The
success of Time Team Detroit has raised the bar and surpassed our highest
expectations. Listeners and people around the city have opened their
hearts and devoted their time. Helping others is the focus…"Less Me.
More We".
Clear Channel Detroit has also launched Radio Resumes, a program that
encourages listeners to go to our websites as well as come into the radio
station to record a :15 second spot that allows them to showcase their
individual skills and work experience. These Radio Résumés are then
rotated on air for employers all over Metro Detroit to hear. Employers can
also go to the various station websites to see these resumes and hopefully
hire some of the applicants that they've heard on air.
This project is important to us, as it allows the unemployed to speak
directly to those who may possibly be able to give them work. With the
high rate of unemployment and joblessness, career fair lines are long and
the stacks of resumes seem endless. Clear Channel Detroit has become a
new voice and resource for our listeners and potential employers to utilize.
Clear Channel Detroit has also become a utility in the music community.
Breaking into the music business can be difficult and seem almost impossible.
Clear Channel Detroit has stepped into the streets of local talent
by hosting a weekly 1 hour show for unsigned artist. "What's Next on the
Menu" showcases local artists and singers around metro Detroit. This type
of exposure is most important and the most direct way for a local artist to
get noticed nationally. After weeks of exposure, 10-12 of the most voted
artist perform in the "What's Next on the Menu" annual show. Appearances
and Performances by local artist such as Trick Trick, K-Doe and
Tone-Tone have lead to national deals.
We have also created a "Local Advisory Board" to specifically address
challenges in Detroit and the surrounding communities. This program is
designed to provide community representatives with a forum to encourage
idea sharing with local Clear Channel management so that together we
can come up with solutions to the problems and issues that our local communities
are faced with. The "Local Advisory Board" provides a golden
opportunity to educate key members of the community on initiatives, community
service, business changes and any other topic of local concern.
What would you like to share with others in the media about the
value of making a strong and continuing commitment to public
service?
Those of us in the media are deeply privileged to be able to serve others
every day in ways that improve the quality of life in our communities. We
are uniquely positioned through the intimate connection we have with
our listeners to make a real and lasting impact. It is our responsibility as
stewards of the public airwaves to employ them in a way that builds on
the strengths of the community, while addressing the community's unique
needs, challenges, and opportunities to grow. No medium is more closely
in touch with local communities than radio, and there can be no greater or
more exciting opportunity than leveraging that connection and relationship
to make our community a better place.
