Stations' Rx
By Allison Romano -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/21/2005
Baltimore hospitals are upping their media campaigns. Several have forged marketing pacts with TV stations.
Greater Baltimore Medical Center is partnered with WJZ and the Baltimore Sun and marketing firm the Zizzo Agency. The multi-year deal, starting in April, involves on-air spots and marketing support.
“This is a way to grow station revenue and get involved with public-health campaigns.” says WJZ VP/GM Jay Newman. WJZ also has a pact with Lifebridge Health, a collection of health centers. Every month or so, Lifebridge buys airtime on the station to showcase an issue. It uses the WJZ studio, and the station sets up a phone bank for call-ins.
WBAL is aligned with the University of Maryland Medical Center on sports safety and St. Joseph Medical Center on cardiac health. The station produces the ads and assists with the campaigns.
Such marketing deals can run in the low-six figures.
“Baltimore is a world-renowned health center,” says WBAL President Bill Fine, “which lets us explore new ad opportunities.”
