Stations Still Helping Haiti

Stations around the U.S.–and their viewers–continue to donate their time and money to the cause in Haiti. In addition to the station efforts we noted late last week, KTVI-KPLR St. Louis held a telethon a week ago, with some help from members of the St. Louis Rams working the phones. The stations bagged over $95,000 in pledges for the Salvation Army.

The duopoly’s GM, Spencer Koch, said local TV is obligated to use its considerable reach during disasters such as the one in Haiti last week. “As broadcasters it’s our obligation to inform our neighborhoods of tragedies such as these, to illustrate the great need and to help in these types of situations. The most powerful way to get that message across is through local television,” he said. “KTVI and KPLR provided the sight and sound to deliver the urgent message, and the viewers and The Salvation Army came through with the real help in this crisis.”

Over in Hartford, Connecticut, WFSB held a “Help For Haiti” fundraising drive at the station (pictured above), with staffers collecting donations from local residents for hours in the rain as people drove up. Some $85,000 was raised for the local AmeriCares charity. VP/General Manager Klarn DePalma called it “one of our finest moments as a television station.”

Of course, there are countless other examples out there of stations doing some good for people in extreme need. Good stuff.