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Always There. 2004 was another very good year for Freedom Communications. For our customers, for our communities, Freedom was, once again, always there. Everyday—online, on-air and offline—on doorsteps, in mailboxes, on news racks, in restaurants, at community events, on desktops, in car seats, on bookshelves—you name it—Freedom Communications is there for its millions of customers. Quality products, powered by a strong economic engine: That’s the magic that makes the wheels turn. “These are wonderful businesses,” explains Alan J. Bell, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We tell stories, we show pictures, we pull emotional triggers, we make people laugh or cry, we explain things for busy people, we amuse, we entertain and we make people think. That’s the magic that makes our wheels turn. Freedom is always there.” From coast to coast, it’s the quality of our products with business, journalistic and entertainment excellence, powered by a strong economic engine, that makes Freedom Communications a formidable leader in the media industry. It’s also the dedication of more than 7,000 associates who are always there, connected to their customers and their communities. In 2004, Freedom Communications was always there
From our press rooms to our customers’ living rooms, Freedom
Communications is always there. How? By always being there, even
when our readers and viewers aren’t. And, in the past, in
the present and in the future, here’s how Freedom Communications
made the “wheels turn” in 2004. News is information, and information is power. Freedom’s highest priority is to inform readers and viewers with accurate, breaking news in and around their local communities. Freedom touches lives with round-the-clock broadcasts, offering local news, weather and information morning, noon and night, weekends and holidays. Always there is how Freedom earns the trust of its viewers and the confidence of its advertisers. “New hires at KTVL-TV, Channel 10 in Medford, Ore., are warned that news and local TV is a 24/7 business,” says General Manager Kingsley Kelley. “The most important time for us to be at work is when our viewers aren’t.” In broadcast news, “always there” means keeping one ear to the emergency bands on the scanner, one ear on the phone to the community, and both eyes open to whatever is happening out there today. In the weather department, “always there” means coming in before the snow begins to fall, or the rain begins to pour, to share the local forecast with our viewers. During the 2004 political season, KTVL was the only local broadcaster to accept advertising from candidates for local and statewide races. Allowing local candidates to get the word out about who they were and what they stood for was another way of always being there for our communities. We show Imagine if one day, Freedom's TV stations simply didn't sign on? We can't image because it's our responsibility to show, and bring the day’s events to our communities with news and entertainment, everyday. Our viewers expect it and it's our promise to be there—always there. 31,536,000 SECONDS...
Says General Manager of WWMT-TV, Channel 3, in Grand Rapids, Mich., Tom Long, "No morning news, no entertainment programming, no evening news, no primetime shows—if we weren't there—always there, over half a million households would be affected. It's critical that we be "always there,” because so many people depend on what we do. It's not a small thing." We tell Tell it. Talk it out. This is what Freedom Communications does for its readers and viewers. “My job is to add to the conversation, and maybe even clarify it,” says The Orange County Register Sports Writer Mark Whicker. “Sports fans never take a day off. They never tire of talking, analyzing, arguing. What I try to do is provide the information, opinion and perspective. You only do that by being at the games, being with the coaches, players and executives… always being there.” We show and tell The best journalism bears firsthand witness to events. Freedom’s job is to not only tell our viewers and readers what happened, but to show as well. The Porterville Recorder showed readers something that happened on June 11, 2004. During a standoff in Porterville that led to a man’s death, an unidentified man, armed with a handgun, climbed onto the roof of a church and began gesturing and yelling. After two hours of tense negotiations with the Porterville police, something happened — just what happened was still unclear at the time of publication — and officers shot the man, who later died. In the award winning photo, Associated Press judges noted, “The Recorder’s descriptive journalism and a terrific collection of photographs gave readers not just the facts, but a running account of the events, including dialogue between the man and officers at the scene. The presence of the journalists served another purpose, too: They helped bring clarity to the tragedy after ‘eyewitnesses’ told of police shooting an unarmed man. Yet The Recorder’s photos told a different and exculpatory version of events, clearly showing the man gripping his weapon with both hands as he fell.” 525,600 MINUTES...
Where does supplemental sand come from? It’s a hot topic in the Florida panhandle, and The Walton Sun is always there, showing and telling. “Beach sand is always a hot topic in the Florida panhandle,” explains Publisher Rick Thomason. “But rarely do folks know where supplemental sand comes from. We show and tell, in a single package of words and art. We explain things for busy people Countdown: 10:00 – 00:00. Freedom’s WLAJ-TV is always there for its busy viewers. At ABC 53 WLAJ-TV in Lansing, Mich., it’s called “The Fastest Newscast in Michigan,” giving new meaning to the word “express.” WLAJ’s News Express at 6 p.m., is a 10-minute no-fluff-no-frills newscast, wrapping up the day’s news from mid-Michigan. Count it down, and when the clock hits 00:00, you have all the news you can use; you’re done! We get involved At The Monitor in McAllen, Texas, sometimes telling the story is not enough. Sometimes, it takes journalistic involvement. Each year during the holiday season, the news department coordinates with the United Way of South Texas to tell the stories of 12 families in need. The project is called the 12 Days of Christmas. Each of the families is profiled on a different day, and donations of goods—everything from clothing to construction materials for dilapidated houses—are requested of our readers. In 2004, in excess of $50,000 in cash, goods and services was donated by readers to help those families down on their luck. One family in particular, though, was pushed a little further. They lived in neighboring Pharr, Texas, in a ramshackle house with no indoor plumbing, no heater and no air conditioning. When their landlord read their story in The Monitor, she opted to evict the family, saying they had no right to tell their story. The Monitor found out about it, investigated the landlord and found she not only owned several houses in such disrepair, but also that the house in question legally should have been condemned. Once the city read that news, they acted quickly: The house was condemned, and a low-income apartment was found within days for the family of five. For the first time in three years, the three children in the family used an indoor bathroom and could turn on a heater at night. “Sometimes, it’s about alternative products that meet the needs of a customer,” says Regional Vice President, Community Newspapers Division, Olaf Frandsen. In Clovis, N.M., a horse race track — Ruidoso Grounds — was in need of someone to cost-effectively print racing forms for each summer weekend’s races. Even though the race track is about a three-hour drive from Clovis, the folks at the News-Journal figured they could answer the call. After meeting with the race track’s owners, showing them the print quality they could provide and offering a price that included transporting the forms each week to the track, a deal was struck. The News-Journal gained important commercial print revenue, the track cut its printing costs for the racing forms, and as the track owners begin building a new racetrack in Hobbs, N.M., about two hours from Clovis, their first choice in printers for those forms was — the News-Journal. “Depend on Us!” has been WTVC NewsChannel9’s slogan since 1992. It is far more than a branding statement. It is a philosophy on how the station in Chattanooga, Tenn. operates, encompassing all of the station’s efforts in news, community service and station projects. 8,760 HOURS...
“It is a commitment to be ‘always there’ for our viewers, our advertisers, our associates and our community,” says General Manager Mike Costa. “In addition to the normal business WTVC NewsChannel9 conducts, the station also commits to more than 6,200 public service announcements for nearly 40 different community organizations. These announcements represent in excess of half-a-million dollars in air time. With the community’s help and generosity, WTVC helps to raise several million dollars for many great causes in the Tennessee Valley every year.” We entertain Sometimes, it’s about using your community’s newfound fame to help raise money. In Odessa, Texas, the story of Friday Night Lights hit the big time with the making of the movie of the same name—including big-name stars like Billy Bob Thornton and Tim McGraw. The leaders at the Odessa American saw an opportunity. Grabbing the Texas bull by the horns, as it were, the Odessa American joined forces with the local University of Texas of the Permian Basin and helped sponsor a movie Preview Party that included not only some of the actors from the movie, but the real people they portrayed. The end result was raising upwards of $50,000 for scholarships for the underprivileged at the University—a combination of big Hollywood news meeting the need for tuition to help fund quality education. We pull emotional triggers “From the street sweeper who let me drive his vehicle just to write a first-person account, to the Harley dude who rode me around Fullerton for a street’s-eye view, to the grieving family who allowed me to define their sorrow, it’s been a matter of ‘always being there’ to capture humanity,” says Barbara Giasone, beat reporter in Fullerton, Calif., for The Orange County Register. For 30 years, Giasone’s job has been to inform and reflect while conveying that everyone in Fullerton has a story. “Being there is being connected, building trust and respecting all segments of the community. In truth, every day provides a new experience, and I’m getting paid for the honor to visit. I know our readers are valued customers, and they expect the facts, truth and integrity — and a dedicated reporter.” Sometimes it’s about just being there—no matter what! Through wind, rain, sleet, snow… and hurricanes, Freedom Communications was just there, no matter how bad the weather conditions, no matter what! In the Texas Valley, sometimes it’s about being there ... on time, no matter what. On Christmas morning, readers of The Monitor, The Valley Morning Star, the Brownsville Herald, El Nuevo Heraldo and La Frontera woke up to a little surprise: about 4 inches of snow, the first time any measurable snowfall had hit the ground in the Texas Rio Grande Valley in 109 years. It truly was an amazing sight to see. Snow covered palm trees everywhere, and kids were wide-eyed at having seen snow for the first time ever on this truly white Christmas. Disaster in the making for newspaper deliveries? One might think so. From all five daily newspapers, nary a peep was heard from subscribers. Not because it was Christmas morning. And not because readers were so understanding. It was because the circulation departments were ready, willing and able to make on-time deliveries despite the Christmas holiday, and despite the prospect of driving in snow in what is normally a sub-tropical climate! Freedom Communications was there in 2004 and is “always there,” every day, 365 days a year. We care about our communities and customers Connecting to our customers and community is another 24/7 endeavor at Freedom Communications, with not only breaking news, but also community involvement. When Hurricane Ivan hit the west coast of Florida, the staff of the Times-News in Burlington, N.C., was there, starting a relief drive, preparing and running ads and sharing them with other Freedom newspapers to run their own campaigns. “We raised nearly $1,600 in Burlington, N.C.,” says Regional Vice President and Publisher Steve Buckley. “It may not seem like a lot, but it’s another indication that folks here care for others in the communities we serve.” 365 DAYS...
True to the words—always there—it's the oldest television station in the United States founded in 1928, by General Electric, and we're proud to call it a Freedom station—WRGB, Channel 6, in Albany, New York, since 1986. And, whether the community needs emergency news or a helping hand, WRGB is always there. "People always turn to us because we're always there," says General Manager Robert Furlong. "We're always there, ready to help the community. In fact, even in an emergency if our viewers lose power, if they have a radio, they can listen to us on FM station 87.7, because we're always there." In addition, every year since 1987, WRGB has helped its community gather hundreds of thousands of coats with its Coats For Kids project, and Melodies of Christmas, which has helped raise millions of dollars for the Albany Children's Cancer Center. "We're a serious public service in our community," adds Furlong. KFDM-TV’s (Channel 6) promotional line says it all: “You can count on us.”— It reflects not only the station’s news coverage, but also its commitment to client service. General Manager Larry Beaulieu says, “Our viewers tell us many times in person and also by our share/rating numbers that they believe this motto. The audience considers anchors as ‘family’ and talks to them as such.” For example, the morning show keeps e-mail up and responds during the show to viewer comments. “KFDM’s clients trust us to deliver news, but they also trust us to deliver audience,” continues Beaulieu. “Our commitment to the community during local disasters, especially weather-related ones, demonstrates our being there. Our audience expects KFDM will have the latest and most accurate disaster information and options available to lessen the danger.” KFDM-TV is truly a giant in Southeast Texas and now that we have entered the digital age, KFDM-DTV is once again the leader with High Definition and 5.1 Dolby Digital Sound. In fact, it is the only station in the area that offers these features. We get close to our customers “Always there” is about keeping the customer relationship close notes David Graham, a major accounts sales representative for The Orange County Register for six years. With major clients such as LA Carpet in the southern California region, Graham studies his clients business, understanding the sales gaps that may inhibit business growth. According to the Debbie Holzkamp, The Register’s senior vice president of sales, “David developed a multi-platform solution that included the use of several targeted products, including our internet site, magazine and multiple ads on multiple days. By working with our best creative artists, David helped his client better target the audiences they served. And sales have improved.” “I’m here to help my customer move forward with his or her business,” explains Graham. “I help them get there by giving them solutions. It’s all about the relationship, caring for the customer’s business, asking the right questions and knowing the customer’s business pulse.” We are trusted In addition to news credibility, Freedom is trusted by its retail customers. “A customer who knows their salesperson cares about their business and is truly interested in watching them grow and succeed is one that will be successful,” explains Kimberly Burnette, account manager for major accounts for Freedom Metro Information. “I have taken this approach with my clients in my utilization of the SCI (Sales Consultants International) sales approach, which is an effective way of getting to know your customer on a deeper level, finding out the intricacies of their business, what makes it tick, who do they sell to, and what are their needs.” 1 YEAR: 2004
For 14 years, Burnette has worked with a variety of clients in different areas. “Their businesses may be different, but they all have one common goal—to be successful in their business.” Using the SCI approach, Burnette helped her local client grow its business. “We took a client and helped grow the business even more with us because we’re trusted.” We keep our viewers safe Always there ... for an 80-year old lady sitting in a dark hallway
in West Palm Beach, with nothing but the flicker of a battery powered
TV to keep her company as 125 mile an hour winds pounded her home. Decades of hurricane experience and a commitment to always being there for its viewers made WPEC NEWS 12 The 1-2 Turn To during the storms of September 2004. The area's most experienced meteorologists, trusted team of anchors and reporters and seasoned managers and staff put their personal concerns aside as they delivered over 137 hours of continuous hurricane coverage - keeping their community safe. We make people think Columnist Steven Greenhut likes to stir the pot. When it comes to strong editorials, steeped in Freedom’s strong libertarian voice, our publications make people think. And Greenhut likes to make readers think by writing things that will also challenge those who share his libertarian philosophy. The key to what Greenhut writes is argued from Freedom’s founding principle—promoting human liberty. Greenhut believes that libertarians of goodwill come to different conclusions, but readers need to know that we will always make our case based on that crucial foundation. A former Lima News editorial page editor as well, Greenhut works to inform, stimulate debate and make people think, sometimes annoying his readers and, as he says, “prick their consciences or make them uncomfortable enough to think about things in a different way. They can always count on me to do that. I like to think that I’m always there to address the issues readers expect me to address, and to do so in sometimes unpredictable ways.” These are just a few of the stories about how Freedom Communications was always there 2004, is here today and will be there for our customers tomorrow. Freedom Communications. Always There. |
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