WPTV, the Scripps NBC affiliate in West Palm Beach, Fla., aired a two-week series that explored the skyrocketing cost of putting a roof over your head in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast.
WPTV, the Scripps NBC affiliate in West Palm Beach, Fla., aired a two-week series that explored the skyrocketing cost of putting a roof over your head in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast.
From Feb. 7 to 18, WPTV rolled out a “Priced Out of Paradise” story each weeknight during its 6 p.m. newscast.
These original stories about South Florida’s housing crisis impacted renters, owners, buyers and sellers.
The residents affected the most are those who can afford it least. Monthly rent and the cost of living have gone up hundreds of dollars a month or more, forcing some to move or take on roommates.
Some have been reduced to living out of their cars or relying on friends to take them in temporarily.
Each of the impactful, relevant stories highlighted a particular area of the crisis.
Topics included climbing rent, a heartbreaking walk-through of the eviction process, the workforce dilemma, buyers being outbid, the new home scramble, the skyrocketing cost of homeowners insurance, affordable housing, solutions from the state capitol, and more.
Beyond linear TV, each story included multiple components tailored to each platform including social, digital and streaming.
In addition to the 14 stories, multiple Facebooks posts, Facebook Lives, a virtual townhall, tweets and Instagram posts, a full hour streaming special was created, giving viewers a “one-stop-shop” for all this important content.
A QR code offered easy access to the stories on WPTV.com.
Daily topical promotion kept viewers informed of which topic was next to be explored.
“It’s clear from the enormous response that this topic has struck a nerve in our area,” says Nicole Hogensen, WPTV’s news director. “This extensive series explained in detail what’s happening, why it’s happening, how the consumer is impacted, and what is being done about it. This a great example of how dynamic coverage, coupled with a dedication to journalism that truly touches the lives of the people can truly help the customers we serve.”
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