WASHINGTON—The winners of the 2017 Celebration of Service to America Awards have been announced by the National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation (NABEF). The honorees, recognized for their community service efforts, will be presented their awards at the Celebration of Service to America dinner.
Here is the full list of winners:
The President’s Special Award honors historic and extraordinary achievement by an individual broadcast station or group. This year’s winner is WXIA-TV in Atlanta for its “Charlie Foxtrot” piece on the Fairness for Veterans Act and a subsequent online petition in support of the act, which was signed into law on Dec. 23, 2016.
Recognizing a TV station for its efforts and commitment to serving its community, the Service to America Television Award will be presented to WDIV-TV from Detroit. Recent efforts included a telethon to raise money for Flint, Mich. Other finalists in the category included WAFB-TV from Baton Rouge, La.; WCVB-TV in Boston; WKMG-TV in Orlando, Fla.; and WSB-TV from Atlanta.
The Service to Children award honors radio and TV stations that conduct programs aimed at children. Winners in the radio category were WEDR-FM in Hollywood, Fla., for its efforts to provide students backpacks and school supplies and its “Fore-Life” program that teaches golf, disciplinary and math skills. KTAR/KMVP of Phoenix was the other finalist. On the TV side, WMUR-TV from Manchester, N.H., was recognized for its “Home at Last” series benefiting foster children. KWTX in Waco, Texas, and WNYT-TV in Albany, N.Y., were also recognized as finalists.
Radio and TV winners were also selected for the Service to Community Award. San Antonio’s KZLV-FM was the radio honoree for its “Share the Love” campaign that promotes local volunteers. WRAL-TV in Raleigh, N.C., was the recognized TV station for its “Black and Blue” documentary on the relationship between police and the African American community. Other finalists included the Illinois Broadcast Association; KGBX-FM in Springfield, Mo.; St. Louis’ KSHE-FM; Las Vegas’ KSOS-FM; WFEZ-FM from Hollywood, Fla.; and WTAM-AM in Cleveland for radio. TV finalists included KGMB of Honolulu; KTUU from Anchorage, Alaska; WAFB-TV; Baltimore’s WBAL; and WXIA.
The Celebration of Service to America dinner will take place on June 20 at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington.
