Gray Television Stations Win Large Market and Small Market Service to America Awards

Rhea-AI Summary

Gray Television's stations, WANF and WJHG, win prestigious Service to America Awards for outstanding community service. WANF in Atlanta exposed racial profiling at airports, leading to potential new legislation. WJHG in Panama City closed the reading gap among children post-Hurricane Michael and pandemic, boosting library visitation and cardholders.

ATLANTA, April 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Association of Broadcasters Leadership Foundation (“NABLF”) selected two television stations owned by Gray Television, Inc. (NYSE: GTN) for this year’s coveted Service to America Awards. The NABLF’s Service to America Awards recognize outstanding community service by local broadcasters each year for their exemplary service to their communities. The NABLF recognizes the winners in each category at an in-person gala in Washington, DC, on June 4, 2024.

WANF (CBS) in Atlanta, Georgia, won the Large Market category for its investigative series “In Plane Sight: an investigation into racial profiling at airports by TSA and DEA.” Atlanta News First Investigates exposed plainclothes drug agents seizing money from innocent passengers at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, the busiest airport in the world. By employing special investigative techniques to uncover the drug agents and their methods -- and using a 360-degree camera, WANF Chief Investigator Brendan Keefe was able to hold local police and the federal government accountable for taking millions in cash from people who were never arrested or charged with crimes, most of whom were people of color. Congress is now poised to pass The FAIR Act, a proposed new law that would no longer force airline passengers to prove themselves innocent just to keep their own money.

WJHG (NBC) in Panama City, Florida, won the Small Market category for its community service program “Chapter Chat,” a campaign to close the reading gap among children that was further widened after Hurricane Michael and the pandemic. This effort began after the WJHG news team reported less than half of third graders in Bay County, Florida could read on grade level, and over 900 children were considered homeless. While the news team asked tough questions to school officials, they also sought solutions. They created the Chapter Chat book club to promote reading and encourage using the public library, they held a book drive that collected over 1000 books for F.L.O.W., a free library on wheels that distributes books to children, and they read to children at local schools. Library officials credit the Chapter Chat campaign with helping improve visitation by almost 20 percent, and they report a 14 percent increase in library card holders since the campaign started. The station’s campaign also helped them secure a grant to get more books in circulation.  WJHG-TV previously won the Service to Community Award for Small Market Television in 2020 for its enterprise series “Remembering the Forgotten” about the lack of federal aid following Hurricane Michael in 2018. 

“We are very proud of the great journalism across our company and industry that leads to actual results that improve local communities,” said Gray Executive Chairman and CEO Hilton H. Howell Jr. “We salute all of our honorees and especially Gray television stations WANF and WJHG for their continued commitment to quality journalism.”

About Gray:

Gray Television, Inc. is a multimedia company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Gray is the nation’s largest owner of top-rated local television stations and digital assets. Its television stations serve 114 television markets that collectively reach approximately 36 percent of US television households. This portfolio includes 79 markets with the top-rated television station and 102 markets with the first and/or second highest rated television station. Gray also owns video program companies Raycom Sports, Tupelo Media Group, and PowerNation Studios, as well as the studio production facilities Assembly Atlanta and Third Rail Studios.   Gray owns a majority interest in Swirl Films. For more information, please visit www.gray.tv.

Gray Contact:

Kevin P. Latek, Executive Vice President, Chief Legal and Development Officer, 404-266-8333

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FAQ

Which television stations owned by Gray Television won the Service to America Awards?

WANF (CBS) in Atlanta, Georgia and WJHG (NBC) in Panama City, Florida.

What was the investigative series that won WANF the award?

"In Plane Sight: an investigation into racial profiling at airports by TSA and DEA."

What was the community service program that won WJHG the award?

"Chapter Chat."

What was the focus of the Chapter Chat campaign by WJHG?

Closing the reading gap among children.

What new law is Congress considering as a result of WANF's investigative series?

The FAIR Act, which would no longer force airline passengers to prove themselves innocent to keep their money.

What impact did the Chapter Chat campaign have on library visitation and cardholders?

Almost 20% increase in visitation and a 14% increase in library card holders.

What award did WJHG-TV previously win in 2020?

Service to Community Award for Small Market Television for "Remembering the Forgotten."