TV stations across the country spend a considerable amount of time, money and resources helping nonprofits in their communities. The stations often provide the platforms to create awareness about the events and organizations for free. But sometimes, stations can bog down their resources by promising too much, over-taxing the marketing production and editing staffs and […]
TV stations across the country spend a considerable amount of time, money and resources helping nonprofits in their communities. The stations often provide the platforms to create awareness about the events and organizations for free.
But sometimes, stations can bog down their resources by promising too much, over-taxing the marketing production and editing staffs and overwhelming scarce on-air inventory.
Often, the spots get limited play, delegated to the middle of the night, which doesn’t serve any purposes for either the station or the nonprofit.
The key to doing meaningful community involvement that creates real awareness about the event and organization and reaps credit for the TV station as a presence in the community is to be selective in what you commit to, and when you do, go big.
Next weekend, WBZ, the CBS O&O in Boston, is partnering with the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) to raise $45 million for patient care and cancer research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
The PMC is the single largest athletic fundraising event in the country. Over the last 35 years, PMC cyclists have raised more than $450 million.
The event draws 5,500 cyclists from 36 states and eight countries to ride the full 192-mile course from Sturbridge to Provincetown.
In addition to the main course, which takes riders through 46 towns, there are 11 other routes of varying distances.
“When we commit to events like these,” says Peter Masucci, WBZ’s creative services director, “it’s not about putting a logo on an end page. We get involved and are a part of the cause.
“We have multiple talent who ride each year, employees who volunteer and we help riders raise the money they need to be a part of the event.
“While this commitment takes an incredible amount of resources, it is one of the most rewarding projects we work on every year.”
To help raise both awareness about the event and donations, WBZ opens its doors to the riders who want to come in and share their story, their inspiration for why they ride.
“Their stories are heartbreaking, inspiring and a reminder of the power of the human spirit,” says Masucci. “This is what local news can still provide better than any other outlet: a platform for the community, a local connection that brings people closer.”
To find out more information about the Pan-Mass Challenge, click here.
To get more information about what WBZ is doing to cover the event, click here.
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