McClatchey Broadcasting’s WRBZ Sports 850 Raleigh NC, otherwise known as The Buzz, is keeping alive its tradition of school spirit, and has a willing partner and backer in Coastal Federal Credit Union. The duo is teaming up to promote the concept of the athlete/scholar.
The nuts and bolts of the program are these: The radio station accepts nominations from high schools throughout its large service area in the Raleigh-Durham market, looking for students who excel both in academics and athletics. One winner is selected each month.
The student receives on-air recognition – a two-minute interview aired throughout the month following selection no less — gets a biography posted on the stations website, and receives a trophy. Meanwhile, Coastal grants the student’s high school a $400 scholarship in the winning student’s name.
The program has been percolating along since 2002, resulting in 90 scholar/athlete winners and $37K in scholarships awarded by Coastal.
WRBZ-AM is actually part of a sports radio AM duopoly. Its sister station is WDNC-AM Durham NC.
RBR/TVBR observation: This is not an ad campaign per se, but it does some good things involving a client while building up the station’s public file, all while building up goodwill with the public for both the station and the client. A similar program is something to consider no matter what your format.
