Pictured left to right are Andy Lancaster (WRAL.com), Matt Donegan (FOX 50), Gerald Belton (FOX 50), Mark Pearce (Chief Deputy Commissioner of Banks), Sylvia Lanier (FOX 50). |
The N.C. Office of the Commissioner of Banks (NCCOB), Attorney General Roy Cooper, and other partners including FOX 50 and WRAL.com launched a campaign on Tuesday, September 15, 2009, intended to fight foreclosure in the state. FOX 50 and WRAL.com developed the creative concept of the campaign and are the exclusive media partners.
“Homeowners should take action if they fall behind on their mortgage,” said Mark Pearce, Chief Deputy Commissioner of Banks. “Our program is free and has helped nearly 2,000 homeowners avoid foreclosure in the last 10 months. Don’t wait until it’s too late.”
The Center for Responsible Lending (an affiliate of Self-Help) partnered with CBC to provide public awareness of the foreclosure issue in NC. The campaign which is funded by the N.C. Association of REALTORS®, State Employees Credit Union, and the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation will run on FOX 50 and WRAL.com. No state funds are involved in the campaign.
The public service ads began airing on Tuesday on FOX 50 and will run through December 2009. They are also available online along with foreclosure prevention information for consumers at www.fightncforeclosure.org, a micro-site developed by WRAL.com.
The FOX 50 NTR team (Matt Donegan, Sylvia Lanier, and Gerald Belton) worked with Andy Lancaster of WRAL.com to develop and fund this campaign, which generated a total of $270,000 in revenue for the two CBC divisions.
North Carolina’s current foreclosure rate is up 7% this year due to the impact of the economic downturn. The State and its partners hope the campaign will reach more struggling homeowners to maximize the impact of this program.
The State Home Foreclosure Prevention Project was originally created to help homeowners with sub-prime loans, and has now been extended to help any homeowners who are struggling to pay their mortgage.
The campaign highlights a toll-free number (1-800-234-4857) for homeowners to get immediate foreclosure assistance at no cost.The television ads and website will help educate homeowners about foreclosure prevention and inform them about the free resources available.
Thanks to FOX 50’s Gerald Belton for this capcom story & photo.
