"WRAZ airs over 10,000 public service announcements per year from many organizations including those from the Ad Council," said FOX50 Program Director Joanne Stanley. "This airtime would conservatively be valued at approximately $1 million if the various organizations had to purchase the air time."

Examples of the Ad Council's PSAs are "Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk" and "A Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Waste."

FOX50's sister station in Raleigh, WRAL-TV, is dedicated to running PSAs as well. Last year WRAL aired almost 14,000 PSAs.

THE LETTER:

March 9, 2001

The Honorable David E. Price (D-N.C., 4th)
United States House of Representatives
2162 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-3304

Dear Representative Price,

The Advertising Council, the nation's largest provider of public service advertising, is pleased to inform you of the impressive support our PSAs have received from WRAZ in Durham, NC.

In 2000, this television station donated a total of 2,483 spots of valuable airtime towards Ad Council PSAs. This contribution enabled the Ad Council to communicate messages that help improve society and save lives.

The Ad Council's relationship with the media is a long and strong one. Created by President Franklin Roosevelt and originally called The War Advertising Council, we used media resources to promote war bonds and Victory Garden. Since then, PSAs such as "Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk," and "A Mind Is A Terrible Thing to Waste" are communicated to the American people through approximately $1.2 billion in donated media each year.

The Ad Council is committed to using the power of the media in order to make positive and lasting social changes. Please join us in commending WRAZ for using its spectrum to improve the lives of people in their community.

Sincerely,
Peggy Conlon
President & CEO
The Advertising Council, Inc.