WRAL-TV Anchor David Crabtree helps prepare the eNOugh PSA against domestic violence.
Domestic violence has sadly been in the news lately—and this week intensely, and Capitol Broadcasting decided to step up and do something about it. WRAL-TV and FOX 50 staffers worked quickly to put together a plan to raise awareness and provide information to help.
“It’s the big, worthwhile, difference-making kind of project that makes me proud to work here,” said WRAL-TV Creative Services Director Shelly Leslie.
WRAL-TV, FOX 50, 99.9 The Fan, 620 The Buzz, MIX 101.5 and the Durham Bulls will all be running the PSAs and contributed talent to the spots.
Leslie wrote the script for the PSAs, which began airing during the first night of Thursday Night Football on CBS on September 11, 2014. WRAL-TV On-Air Promotion Manager Jay Yovanovich produced and directed the PSA.
Leslie shared her thoughts and the process of creating the multi-divisional effort in her blogpost, “Outraged about Ray Rice? Do something about domestic violence.” Here’s an excerpt:
I’ve been outraged more times than I can count since this all started. The first video of this woman being dragged like a carcass out of that elevator. Not one but TWO men standing over her, neither with the slightest care about her well-being. The sham press conference with the victim essentially taking responsibility for the crime against her. You know the rest.
Let’s get something straight. Don’t show the knockout video. Every single organization that’s still showing it is part of the domestic violence problem. Every time that’s shown, that woman is victimized again and again. Just have some guts and STOP.
Now, one of the gifts of working in television is the ability to take on an issue and make a difference. A team of co-workers from WRAL and FOX 50 gathered around a table to brainstorm a plan to do something with the power of our television stations. Within a few hours those ideas grew into a multi-media campaign across Capitol Broadcasting Company‘s television and radio stations, websites and even our minor league baseball team, the Durham Bulls. Less than 24 hours later we had a plan to launch a campaign in the Steelers/Ravens game, on the premiere of Thursday Night Football on CBS.
Yes, we gave up thousands of dollars in ad inventory to run a PSA, two actually. A :60 in pre-game and this :90 in halftime:
Ironically, two account executives from WRAL and FOX 50 have been working on a domestic violence initiative for more than a year, bringing together a coalition of agencies working on this issue. Ray Rice gave us the opportunity to get people to listen.
The North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and its partner agencies, including Capitol Broadcasting, created www.enoughnc.org, a statewide, county-by-county resource for survivors and their batterers. Our mission: get people to that web site.
The #eNOughNC campaign you will see and hear all over CBC really started more than a year ago with the passion of FOX 50 Account Executive Liz Kline when she started working with the North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
“It took less than 24 hours to plan and execute this on air initiative across Capitol Broadcasting,” explained Leslie. “One week from now, we will host a 5-hour phone bank staffed with knowledgeable experts to help people in crisis. We hope what we’re starting is a movement of outrage so loud, people can no longer turn away. That domestic and sexual violence can no longer be ignored.”
What can you do?
If you’re in it, please reach out and let your community help you. The statewide North Carolina resource is enoughnc.org.
The national domestic violence hotline number is 1-800-799-SAFE.
If you see it or suspect it, please report it to local police.
Read Shelly Leslie’s entire blogpost:
Thanks to WRAL-TV’s Shelly Leslie & WRAL-TV’s Steve Hammel for contributions to this capcom story.
