$8-Billion in Charity Aid Donated by U.S. Broadcasting Stations

Television and radio broadcasters across the nation donated $5.6-billion worth of airtime last year for announcements about charitable causes, according to a new survey by the National Association of Broadcasters.

In addition, stations gave another $2.3-billion through their own employee-giving campaigns and other fund-raising efforts to benefit local charities.

The association’s survey was based on data provided by 5,700 radio and television stations. Among the findings:

* Television stations aired 142 public-service announcements for charitable causes each week, on average; that donated airtime was worth $1.5-million per station per year. Radio stations ran slightly more service announcements, on average: 152 per week, worth $384,654 annually per station.

* More than 90 percent of all stations surveyed also reported raising money themselves or offering other fund-raising support to local charities. Television stations raised an average of $847,343 per station last year, or a total of $934-million. Radio stations raised $152,021, on average, for a total of $1.4-billion.

* About half of the stations in the survey also reported that they helped raise money to aid victims of natural disasters like floods and hurricanes. Those relief efforts raised another $187-million.

A summary of the results of the study is available by contacting the association at 1771 N Street, N.W., Washington 20036; (202) 429-5447 or through a Web site maintained by the National Association of Broadcasters (http://www.broadcastpublicservice.org).