The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Education Foundation announced the winners of the 12th annual Service to America Awards. The celebration recognizes outstanding community service by local broadcasters. Winners were honored at the Celebration of Service to America Awards dinner on June 14, 2010, at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill.

“Day in and day out, broadcasters across America demonstrate a commitment to community service and charitable fundraising that no other business or technology can match,” said NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith. “The NAB Education Foundation honors this latest group of radio and television stations for their outstanding programming initiatives and public service campaigns that shine a spotlight on the enduring importance of free and local broadcasting.”

This year’s Service to America top Television Award went to FOX 50 (WRAZ-TV) in the Raleigh-Durham, NC television market. FOX 50 (WRAZ-TV) is owned by Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc., also based in Raleigh, NC. This prestigious national award recognizes a television station for the totality of its efforts and its commitment to excellence in serving its community.

FOX 50’s year-round efforts to serve their local community include “Get Real, Get Tested” an initiative that promotes the importance of HIV testing, “Fight NC Foreclosure” to assist homeowners faced with losing their homes, “What Color Do YOU Bleed?” to encourage donations to the American Red Cross, “eCycling” to promote electronics recycling, and “FOX 50 Family Fest” a free event featuring interactive family activities.

In accepting the award, Capitol Broadcasting President and CEO James F Goodmon said, “These local community initiatives represent all that is good in broadcasting and they exemplify why localism makes our industry relevant today and in the future. We are honored to receive this award. The efforts of our team at FOX 50 made a positive and measurable difference in the communities that we serve.”

Tommy Schenck, VP and General Manager of FOX 50 (WRAZ-TV), said, “We have created and developed numerous community campaigns during the past 12 years. We have a great team, and it’s nice to see them recognized for their hard work and commitment to the community. Everything we do in the community fits under the ‘do the right thing’ mantra, and our parent company and our owner Jim Goodmon set the bar high for all of our stations, radio and TV. We are very proud of all these efforts.”

Thanks to FOX 50’s Kevin Kolbe for this capcom story.