WMRC 1490AM Wins International Public Service Award 2007 Milford Regional Radiothon Exemplifies Local Radio Station’s Community Service Efforts
Milford, MA – “Whether we are helping to sell Girl Scout cookies, finding a lost dog or raising funds to build a $25 million Cancer Center for our local hospital, we believe that a local, community-minded radio station can make a difference,” said Tom McAuliffe, owner of WMRC 1490 AM radio, as he accepted The 2008 Cary Simpson Award for Community Service this month. “The Simpson Award is one of the highest honors a local broadcaster can receive for community service,” explained Bob Breck, vice president of the International Broadcasters Idea Bank (IBIB), which bestows the prestigious award annually. “With this award, Tom McAuliffe and WMRC join a select group of broadcasters and stations known world-wide for excellence in local broadcasting.” In a media environment dominated by large corporations and bottom-line priorities, the community service efforts at this independently owned and locally programmed radio station stand out. WMRC’s initiative in raising over $32,000 in one day in 2007, as part of a WMRC/Milford Regional Medical Center Radiothon, topped the list of reasons the IBIB Board of Directors recommended McAuliffe for the award. “We are thrilled to even be considered for this honor by the IBIB,” said McAuliffe. “It really recognizes what our station is all about. There are so few media outlets today that have the luxury of really covering local community news and giving their total attention to community service. That’s what my Dad was all about when he bought this station in 1990 and it’s the reason I purchased it last year. We’re here to serve the community.” The Simpson Award for Community Service is presented by the International Broadcasters Idea Bank (IBIB), an elite organization of 100 radio broadcasters located around the world. McAuliffe accepted the award at the IBIB’s international gathering, held this year in Puerto Rico in early May. “In receiving these honors,” offered IBIB member Michael Hulvey of Neuhoff Communications, owner of radio stations in Springfield, IL, “WMRC has been recognized as being one of the best and most respected locally owned and operated radio broadcast companies in the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.” Members of the IBIB Board select a handful of members each year to be considered for the honor, based on the members sharing ideas on community service projects throughout the year. The Board then requests more detailed information from the group on their specific community service activities and votes on the IBIB member best serving the station’s local community. In addition to the now-annual Radiothon to benefit Milford Regional Medical Center, WMRC supports local organizations by sponsoring and participating in more than 75 community events each year, including blood drives, parades, fairs and a large annual Senior Expo. For more information on the station, visit www.wmrcradio.com About WMRC WMRC-First Class Radio 1490AM has been on the air since 1956, making it one of the oldest , continually locally owned and operated radio stations in Massachusetts. It is the only radio station to win the coveted “Station of the Year” Award, presented by the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association, on three separate occasions (a record never duplicated). The award is presented for overall excellence in all facets of operation including growth of audience, client base, and service to the community.
Tom McAuliffe II is the owner and general manager of the station, having purchased WMRC from his father in 2006 and gained renewal of the station’s license from the FCC that year. While the station’s signal reaches much farther, WMRC focuses on a 14-town area serving 250,000 people surrounding Milford, MA. WMRC is a Dial Global affiliate and carries both CNN Radio News and complete coverage of the Boston Red Sox. |
