Media mobilize in support of the Promise
Special TV program, public service ads urge support for reaching June 30 fundraising goal
Print, TV organizations promote need for community involvement with unprecedented collaboration and public service
PITTSBURGH, April 9, 2009 – The area’s major television network affiliates, newspapers and an outdoor board company have joined together to advocate for community-wide support for The Pittsburgh Promise as a transformative educational and economic development initiative.
Recognizing the potential to improve opportunities for urban high school children to afford continuing their education after graduation, leaders of local media organizations are doing their part by donating public service space, time and programming in promoting the social and economic benefits of the Promise to the region’s business and general community.
Media organizations that are participating, to date, in this outreach effort include: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Trib Total Media, The New Pittsburgh Courier, Pittsburgh Quarterly, Lamar Outdoor Advertising, FSN Pittsburgh, WTAE-TV, WQED-TV, WPXI-TV and KDKA-TV.
“This is a common cause that all of us feel a need to get behind if we are to help improve the outlook for our children, our businesses and the region as a destination for business and visitors,” said Rick Henry, President and General Manager of WTAE-TV and one of the organizers of this effort. "We as television stations came together in the past to help neighbors in need or those impacted by natural disasters--and this is another one of those unique opportunities for us to advance a local cause," said Deborah Acklin, Executive Vice President and General Manager of WQED Multimedia. "And as we say at WQED, we can help 'change lives' and will do so for a new generation of young people in Pittsburgh."
“All too often we’ve witnessed the heartache of unfulfilled potential. How exciting it is to support a program that can actually help young people achieve their dreams,” said Ray Carter, Vice President and General Manager of WPXI-TV. “A strong public education system is necessary for Pittsburgh to realize its full potential. KDKA-TV enthusiastically supports this progressive endeavor,” said Chris Pike, Vice President and General Manager of KDKA-TV.
Media organizations are currently running public service ads featuring The Promise program’s first year UPMC scholars, and promoting a specially-produced 30-minute television program called “Keeping the Promise” that will air simultaneously on all four network affiliates on Tuesday, April 14, 2009, at 7:30 p.m.
“The Promise is about the future of Pittsburgh and the region, and a demonstration of how an entire community can find a reason to participate in a socio-economic effort that can have a far-reaching impact,” said Diana Block, Co-Publisher and President of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “Being reminded of the role each of us can play in supporting such a program is one of the goals of this media effort, and we are pleased to be a part of it,” said Stan Geier, Vice President and General Manager of Lamar Outdoor Advertising.
“We are pleased to support The Pittsburgh Promise because it ties into our paper’s obligation and commitment to advocate, inform and uplift our community,” said Rod Doss, Publisher and Editor of the New Pittsburgh Courier. “And education is such a key component to make the Promise a reality.”
"The Pittsburgh Promise is clearly one of the most important public-minded initiatives to come out of Pittsburgh in the past 50 years," said Douglas Heuck, Publisher of Pittsburgh Quarterly. "We media organizations are also community members, and our support -- both in editorial and in public-service messages -- is critical in communicating the urgent value of the Promise to our city's future."
A key driver of this community-wide awareness effort, in particular, is the fact that The Promise must raise $15 million by June 30 to receive this year’s full $10 million challenge element of UPMC’s prior annual commitment to the program. In recent months, many of the region’s foundations made multi-year investments in the Promise which has taken the fundraising total for the current academic year to nearly $11.5 million.
“We need to raise an additional $3.5 million to qualify for the full $10 million challenge grant,” said Saleem Ghubril, Executive Director of The Pittsburgh Promise. “Our foundation community has been outstanding in its commitment to this vital program, and has played its part magnificently. But now we need the support of the businesses and general community to help with a final fundraising push to get us across the finish line. The Promise represents hope, opportunity and transformation, not only for our children but for our region.”
The Pittsburgh Promise program was established at The Pittsburgh Foundation in December 2007 with a $100 million commitment from UPMC, including an initial $10 million to support the 2008 graduates from the Pittsburgh Public Schools. The remaining $90 million is a challenge grant ($10 million a year for nine years), intended to spur support and contributions from all sections of the community to raise an additional $135 million ($15 million annually for nine years).
For further information contact:
John Ellis
412-394-2647
ellisj@pghfdn.org