Cox Radio’s Cox Marketing Services has partnered with the City of Orlando for a new public safety campaign designed to decrease juvenile crime throughout the City during the summer months. Entitled “Choose Peace,” the program is directed primarily at the city’s youth using radio, social networking, posters, and billboards to encourage and persuade Orlando’s youth to denounce crime and make the right choice to live peacefully.
Statistics from the City of Orlando Police Department, as reported by the Orlando Sentinel, show that over the past three years, the number of crimes and homicides committed by juveniles in the City has increased during the summer months.
“Our goal with “Choose Peace” is to unite and start a community-wide conversation about the importance of reversing this alarming trend before it impacts more of our young people and neighbors,” said City of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer “We must send the message that our young people have a choice. A choice of what kind of person they want to be. A choice about the consequences of their actions. A choice that won’t lead them to a life behind bars.”
“It takes a special City to come together and confront a deadly situation like this, and we’re eager to lend our support with our talent and marketing services expertise to help the City of Orlando and our community wherever we can,” said Kelly Wortmann, Senior Marketing Specialist of Cox Marketing Services.
Cox Radio’s DJ ProStyle (WPYO-FM) and Monica May (WCFB-FM), along with City of Orlando Police Chief Val Demings are the voices supporting this campaign. DJ ProStyle, host of the most listened to Orlando radio show with teens and young adults, has the credibility that resonates with local teens. WCFB’s Community Affairs Director, Monica May, will help in delivering the message to Orlando parents.
In addition to using the media, the “Choose Peace” effort will be reinforced through added days of on-the-street patrol for every officer in the City of Orlando Police department, including plain clothes officers, to help minimize juvenile crime this summer.
RBR/TVBR observation: Remember when only big cities had street gangs? Here’s hoping the Orlando program has an impact. If so, maybe other broadcasters will be able to duplicate the benefits in other markets. This is needed even in lots of communities much, much smaller than Orlando.
