Graham Media Group’s WKMG-TV in Orlando has been named a finalist for the National Association of Broadcasters Service to America Award for the fourth consecutive year in a row.
WKMG News 6 and ClickOrlando.com have been committed to helping Floridians make ends meet since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, which has put a financial strain on countless Americans, particularly in Florida, where the state’s unemployment system became clogged last year. Now, that work is being recognized.
Hearing story after story about Floridians struggling to pay their bills or put food on the table after being left without work due to statewide layoffs and furloughs sparked the station’s “Make Ends Meet” series, led by News 6 investigator Mike Holfeld and photojournalist Robert Breuer.
News 6 has reached out to individuals and state and congressional lawmakers by the day and month, trying to get help for those who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ongoing campaign began in March 2020 and remains a weekly part of newscasts and the website.
Holfeld began airing and posting a series of Make Ends Meet economic reports on March 30, 2020. At that time, the entire campaign was aimed at helping families who were suddenly unemployed develop a budget based on their stimulus check and state and federal economic relief.
What Holfeld realized very quickly is that life in the pandemic was more about surviving than simply budgeting.
Since the start of the series, News 6 has worked to recover nearly $1 million in unemployment from the Department of Economic Opportunity for deserving people, and has procured more than $60,000 in donations from viewers.
Because of the difference News 6 has made through the Make Ends Meet initiative, the station has again landed a spot among the finalists for the National Association of Broadcasters Service to America Award.
The award is presented each year by the NAB Leadership Foundation to honor outstanding public service commitment of local television and radio broadcasters.
News 6 has been a recipient of the prestigious award twice before.
WKMG-TV was honored in 2019 for its work to help first responders with post-traumatic stress disorder receive benefits they needed to deal with their illness. The station’s 21-month fight resulted in the passing of Florida state law providing those benefits for all first responders.
News 6 was recognized in 2020 for its “Driving Change” campaign, led by News 6 anchor Matt Austin, who was hit by a driver who admitted to texting behind the wheel. The station's coverage over the span of three years led to changing the texting and driving law in the state of Florida from a primary offense to a secondary offense.
The winner of the Service to America award will be announced later this year.