ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh Durham presents a 30-minute special, “Eyewitness News Investigates: The Housing Crisis,” airing Thursday, Sept. 17 (5:30-6:00 p.m. EDT). The special takes an in-depth look at the housing crisis in Central North Carolina with stories of families’ struggles and successes of renting and home ownership amidst the pandemic, and the streamlined services aimed at helping those in need.
With rapid population growth being a key factor in driving up rental and property prices in North Carolina, housing inventory is extremely low, causing lower income individuals and families struggling to get their dream home or even pay the bills to maintain a roof over their head.
“Eyewitness News Investigates” introduces us to the McLee family—a family of seven living in a motel, struggling to pay their bills due to loss of work as the result of COVID-19; Christina Beltran, a single mother who lost her job during the pandemic and is now homeless; and Asia and Chanel Prince, a young family of four buying their first home. Along with their stories, WTVD shares tips and services that are aimed at helping residents ranging from housing assistance and homeless services to getting free meals.
Anchored by Tisha Powell and Joel Brown, “Eyewitness News Investigates: The Housing Crisis” airs Thursday, Sept. 17 at 5:30 p.m. EDT, and is sponsored by North State Bank. Viewers can stream on abc11.com, ABC11 North Carolina news app, and the new ABC11 connected TV apps for Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV and Roku.
About ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham is an ABC owned television station serving the Research Triangle Region of Durham, Raleigh, Chapel Hill and Fayetteville, an area collectively known for its technology companies and scholarly institutions. In 2017, WTVD transformed into a multiplatform newsroom as the first stations selected for the UNC Knight-Lenfest Newsroom Initiative, modernizing the station and maximizing its reach and engagement across linear broadcast and streaming video on demand. ABC11 is proudly the broadcast partner for the Raleigh Christmas Parade, the largest local event in the region, and the news gathering partner with the News & Observer, the region’s paper of record.
6ABC/WPVI-TV Philadelphia Sits Down With Mayor Jim Kennney, Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw and Community Leaders in a Virtual Town Hall To Address Gun Violence
‘Building It Better Together Town Hall: Gun Violence’ Will Air on 6abc, Sunday, Sept. 13 (9:30-10:30 a.m. EDT)
6abc, Philadelphia’s leading news source, presents a one-hour virtual town hall, “Building It Better Together Town Hall: Gun Violence,” on Sunday, Sept. 13 (9:30-10:30 a.m. EDT). Hosted by 6abc Action News anchor Sharrie Williams and reporter Corey Davis, the town hall will air on 6abc and streamed live simultaneously on 6abc.com, 6abc news app and 6abc connected television apps.
Gun violence is escalating in the city of Philadelphia. With three months remaining in 2020, the city has experienced more than 300 homicides for the year, more than the total sum of homicides in previous years. In fact, homicides in the city are up 34% from 2019 and over 100 children are victims of gun violence in the city thus far. Recently, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw joined members of the community in a peace walk. She will join 6abc’s town hall to discuss what the department and the city are doing to stop gun violence.
Williams is bringing a panel of experts together that will include the following:
Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw
Mayor Jim Kenney, City of Philadelphia
Senator Sharif Street, Pennsylvania State Senate
Keir Bradford-Grey, executive director, Philadelphia Defenders Association
Solomon Jones, radio personality, author and Inquirer columnist
Ted Qualli, executive director, Philadelphia Police Athletic League
Bilal Qayyum, activist and founder, Father’s Day Rally Committee
Derrick Wood, inspector, Philadelphia Police Department
Dr. Dorothy Johnson-Speight, founder and national director, Mothers In Charge
There are numerous topics to cover. WPVI’s Williams and Davis will work to address concerns they are hearing from the community. They will seek answers and guidance from the panel to provide solutions to issues facing the communities. The topics will range from law enforcement response to escalating shootings and homicides, City of Philadelphia’s response to violence amid the COVID-19 pandemic, public policy and gun laws, poverty and the correlation to educational, healthcare disparities and unemployment, to motivating communities and neighborhoods to get involved and “take back their streets” and many other topics of concern.
“Building It Better Together Town Hall: Gun Violence” will air Sunday, Sept. 13 (9:30-10:30 a.m. EDT), on 6abc/WPVI-TV. Viewers can also stream livethe hour-long conversation on 6abc.com, 6abc news app and 6abc connected television apps.
About 6abc/WPVI-TV Philadelphia For over half a century, 6abc/WPVI-TV Philadelphia has been broadcasting to viewers in the Delaware and Lehigh Valleys, an area covering southeastern Pennsylvania, northern and centralDelaware and southern New Jersey. As the No. 1 station in Philadelphia for almost 45 years, 6abc Action News delivers local news information, traffic, and weather to more than 3 million homes. Action News captures over halfof all Adult 25-54 news viewers on an average day*. In the past year, Action News has won 2,633 out of 2,662 newscasts in Households for a winning percentage of98.9%.†
Cheryl Grills, Ph.D.; Dr. Luis Sandoval; Laura Gerson
KABC-TV, Southern California’s most-watched television station, presents a half-hour virtual town hall to discuss coping with mental health during the pandemic on THURSDAY, SEPT. 10 (3:30-4:00 p.m. PDT). The town hall will be led by ABC7 Eyewitness News reporter Denise Dador, who will present a panel of experts who will answer viewers’ questions.
The panel of experts will focus on helping families cope with the current reality of stresses that include depression, anxiety, fear and uncertainty, and provide advice on how to manage the impact the pandemic has had on mental health. They will speak specifically to parents who have seen their roles transform to stay-at-home workers with added responsibilities to support their families as teachers, IT support, playmate, cook, etc. Additionally, the panel experts will share health tips for individuals that live alone and may be suffering from months of isolation and minimal physical contact with peers.
About KABC Los Angeles ABC7 Los Angeles is Southern California’s No. 1 local news and information source. ABC7 is a leader in digital and social audience engagements and was the first station in the Los Angeles market to regularly broadcast news in high definition and also the first local television station in the United States to surpass 3 million Facebook followers. The station’s offices and studio are located in Glendale, California.
WABC-TV to Produce ‘Retail Rescue: Deals & Steals’ Special to Support Small Businesses Across Eight Major U.S. Markets
‘Retail Rescue’ Special Will Air Across All ABC Owned Television Stations, ABC News Live and Stream Live on All the Stations’ Connected TV Apps, Beginning Saturday, Sept. 12 Through Sunday, Sept. 13
Viewers Can Shop Exclusive Deals From Featured Businesses at ShopRetailRescue.com
WABC-TV, an ABC Owned Television Station and New York’s No. 1 station, produces another “Retail Rescue: Deals & Steals,” half-hour special focused on supporting small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The special will first premiere on KFSN-TV Fresno, SATURDAY, SEPT. 12 (8:30 p.m. PDT), followed by additional broadcast dates and times on ABC Owned Television Stations. ABC News Live will also feature the special on Sunday, Sept. 13 (6:30 p.m. EDT and rebroadcast at 8:00 p.m. EDT). Co-hosted by Tory Johnson of “GMA Deals & Steals” alongside Eyewitness News’ Sam Champion, this is the second special in a series that follows the top-rated program’s premiere in May 2020, where the initial focus was on businesses impacted in the tri-state region.
The upcoming special will expand to feature 27 small businesses located in the communities across the eight DMA markets that make up ABC Owned Television Stations. The special will air in those respective markets on the stations’ linear broadcast and on Localish’s linear network, spanning across nearly 1,600 communities. The stations include WABC-TV New York, KABC-TV Los Angeles, WLS-TV Chicago, WPVI-TV Philadelphia, KGO-TV San Francisco, KTRK-TV Houston, WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham, KFSN-TV Fresno and on the Localish network.
With the ongoing COVID-19 crisis has taken a significant toll on small businesses nationwide, “Retail Rescue” reflects the station group’s ongoing commitment to support small businesses and protect jobs during this unprecedented global health and economic crisis. The decision to feature small businesses across all of the stations’ linear platforms gives these companies national brand exposure with the potential viewership of 17 million, and an additional 17 million viewers when it airs on the Localish network in the eight DMAs.
The special will highlight popular product categories including loungewear and face masks; beauty, skincare and haircare; food and wine accessories; kitchen and home, with “Oprah Favorites”; and even “Shark Tank” winners. Viewers will be able to shop featured products at an exclusive, limited-time discounted rate of at least 50%, made available for 24 hours after the airing of the special at ShopRetailRescue.com.
Some of the featured businesses on “Retail Rescue” are the following:
Mented Cosmetics, a Black-owned beauty brand started by business school best friends in their Harlem apartments with beloved lipstick, gloss shades and makeup that celebrate all skin tones
Brouk & Co., Los Angeles-based makers of premium duffle bags and weekenders that have seen sales plummet as travel has plunged amid the pandemic.
Avocurl, creators of deep conditioning hair treatments, based in San Francisco, that has experienced supply chain challenges created by the COVID crisis.
Ullo, a popular wine purifier and aerator invented in Chicago
True Gold Honey, family-owned Fresno, California, beekeepers who produce award-winning pure raw honey
Southern Elegance Candle Company, a handcrafted soy candle company, forced to temporarily close its Raeford, North Carolina, retail store, resulting in staff reduction and slow production due to the pandemic restrictions.
SW&G Essentials, a skincare line, whose Houston-based founder was named “Shark Tank”’s most memorable female entrepreneur, is dealing with a significant retail slowdown due to the pandemic while caring for her ailing veteran father who contracted the disease.
Side Project Jerky, a premium beef jerky in Philadelphia became a full-time focus to manufacture and market when the owner lost his job at the start of the shutdown.
Viewers can view the linear broadcast in each market’s respective owned station and shop the full list of featured products online, ShopRetailRescue.com. The special will also air on the Localish network (check local listings for airdate information).
STATION
DAY
DATE
TIME
ABC30/KFSN-TV
Sat
9/12
8:30 p.m. PDT
ABC7/KGO-TV
Sat
9/12
9:30 p.m. PDT
ABC7/KABC-TV
Sat
9/12
10:00 p.m. PDT
ABC11/WTVD-TV
Sun
9/13
1:30 p.m. EDT
6ABC/WPVI-TV
Sun
9/13
5:00 p.m. EDT
ABC7/WABC-TV
Sun
9/13
5:30 p.m. EDT
ABC13/KTRK-TV
Sun
9/13
4:30 p.m. CDT
ABC7/WLS-TV
Sun
9/13
4:30 p.m. CDT
About WABC WABC-TV has been the leader in local news and entertainment programming in the New York City area for more than 60 years. Producing more than 45 hours of live, local news and weather each week, Channel 7 “Eyewitness News” is the most watched local news in New York and the United States. WABC-TV also produces “Live with Kelly and Ryan,” weekdays at 9:00 a.m., which is seen in more than 200 markets across the U.S. Quality news and programming, cutting-edge technology and ongoing community outreach are the hallmarks of excellence that have consistently kept WABC-TV New York’s No. 1 station and the most-watched television station in the nation.
About ABC Owned Television Stations ABC Owned Television Stations (OTV) is the multiplatform leader in local news and information, collectively No. 1 across all U.S. television and reaching 23% of households through its eight stations: WABC-TV New York, KABC-TV Los Angeles, WLS-TV Chicago, WPVI-TV Philadelphia, KGO-TV San Francisco, KTRK-TV Houston, WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham and KFSN-TV Fresno. OTV also delivers locally sourced storytelling to more than 14 million viewers across America through its digital-first national lifestyle brand and broadcast channel, Localish. Named the 2019 Broadcasting & Cable’s Multiplatform Broadcaster of the Year, OTV continues to set the industry standard for next-generation storytelling, deep community connections and a progressive commitment to solutions-based journalism.
Houston’s Longtime Broadcast Journalist Deborah Wrigley Celebrates an Illustrious Career and Lasting Legacy at ABC13
Mayor Sylvester Turner Declares Sept. 4, 2020, ‘Deborah Wrigley Day’
Deborah Wrigley, who joined ABC13/KTRK-TV Houston in 1978 as a reporter, will celebrate her last day on air Sept. 4, 2020, announced Wendy Granato, president and general manager, KTRK. Wrigley is Houston’s longest-tenured female television reporter, having spent more than 40 years covering some of the most compelling stories that shaped the city of Houston. As she wraps up more than four decades at ABC13, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner will declare Sept. 4, 2020, Wrigley’s last day of reporting, Deborah Wrigley Day.
“Deborah is one of the finest writers and storytellers I have ever met. There will never be another reporter quite like her. She leaves a lasting legacy at ABC13, and we are grateful for her years of service to this station and our communities,” said Granato.
Wrigley reported live from some of Houston’s most catastrophic events, keeping viewers informed and up to date through countless floods, tropical storms and hurricanes, refinery and plant fires, from the 1985 Mexico earthquake to the most recent COVID-19 pandemic. Her consistent storytelling and image are tied to some of the most endearing, native stories of Houston’s history such as NASA’s space program, Houston’s oil boom and bust, entertainment stories like the filming of “Urban Cowboy” in Houston which starred John Travolta, and the “Luv ya Blue” era, a local movement by the fans of the NFL’s Houston Oilers. For more than four decades, Wrigley also kept Houstonians informed of city, state and national politics, interviewing numerous politicians that included seven Houston mayors and the political careers of both Houstonian presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush.
Wrigley is revered by her newsroom colleagues that knew her personally as a mentor, master storyteller, lover of animals, history and for her infectious curiosity. Despite years of delivering landmark stories to the homes of Houstonians, Wrigley says what is closest to her heart are inspiring stories about everyday heroes – being on the ground, sharing individual and communities’ stories of courage, overcoming obstacles, and remarkable achievements, and that she was able to give them a voice.
“I stayed in Houston by choice. My family roots were here for generations. That connection with a place and people reflected in my reporting,” said Wrigley.
About ABC13/KTRK-TV Houston For over 50 years, ABC13 has been Houston’s news leader from sign-on to sign-off. Broadcasting 49 hours of locally produced newscasts each week, ABC13 is the top-rated and most-watched news station among the Houston-area viewers. ABC13 also leads the market in its digital media efforts, with top rankings for its website, abc13.com, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. ABC13 delivers live and streaming content on Roku, Fire TV, Amazon and AppleTV in the ABC13 Houston App. ABC13 is deeply invested in the Houston community, spotlighting Houston’s diversity with community affairs programs covering issues that affect different segments of the population – from local town halls to ABC13+. The station also hosts several community projects throughout the year including Share Your Holidays, an annual food drive benefiting the Houston Food Bank; and our E-cycle Drive, a collection/recycling effort for outdated electronic equipment in conjunction with Earth Day. ABC13 is also known for broadcasting the city’s major events including the annual July 4th Freedom Over Texas celebration, The Chevron Marathon, Houston Pride and The Houston Rodeo Parade.
ABC13/KTRK-TV Houston to Host Town Hall Empowering Texans to Vote Early in the 2020 Elections
‘YOUR VOICE, YOUR VOTE: Countdown to Early Voting’ Will Stream Live Thursday, Sept. 3 (7:00 – 8:00 p.m. CDT)
Exclusive Stream Live at ABC13.com, ABC13’s Facebook Live and YouTube and ABC13’s Connected TV Apps on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV and Roku
ABC13, Houston’s news leader, is bringing together election officials and community organizations in a “YOUR VOICE, YOUR VOTE: Countdown to Early Voting” town hall, THURSDAY, SEPT. 3 (7:00-8:00 p.m. CDT). The town hall will be hosted by ABC13’s Eyewitness News reporter Miya Shay and will inform Houstonians what they need to know to exercise their right to vote amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shay and the panel of experts will take your questions about voting in the 2020 presidential election, dispel myths about mail-in ballots in Texas, and share how activists are working to register voters, and fight voter suppression in underserved communities.
Panelists for the town hall include the following:
Chris Hollins, Harris County clerk
John Oldham, Fort Bend County Election administrator
Annie Benifield, League of Women Voters-Houston
Debbie Chen, OCA-Greater Houston
Irfan Ali, Honorary Secretary of the Ismaili Council for the Southwestern U.S.
Stephanie Gómez, Texas Civil Rights Project
As voters prepare to cast their ballots in this pivotal election, the COVID-19 pandemic has upended the normal course of action for election administrators and civic organizations alike. While Texas grapples with the virus, activists told Eyewitness News they have pivoted to drive-thru and virtual voter registration events out of an abundance of caution and safety.
NRG Park announced this week, it has been designated as the headquarters of the Harris County Clerk’s Office for the 2020 presidential election and will offer early-voting and drive-thru voting.
In Harris and Fort Bend counties, election officials are working to innovate the ways to vote, seeking to expand early voting dates, hours and locations, encouraging at-risk voters to submit absentee ballots, and substituting older election workers susceptible to coronavirus infections with students ready to assist precincts across the region.
For voters in Texas, time is of the essence. The deadline to register to vote in the 2020 presidential election is Monday, Oct. 5, 2020. Qualified voters must request absentee (mail-in) ballots no later than Friday, Oct. 23, 2020.
About ABC13/KTRK-TV Houston For over 50 years, ABC13 has been Houston’s news leader from sign-on to sign-off. Broadcasting 49 hours of locally produced newscasts each week, ABC13 is the top-rated and most-watched news station among the Houston-area viewers. ABC13 also leads the market in its digital media efforts, with top rankings for its website, abc13.com, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. ABC13 delivers live and streaming content on Roku, Fire TV, Amazon and AppleTV in the ABC13 Houston App. ABC13 is deeply invested in the Houston community, spotlighting Houston’s diversity with community affairs programs covering issues that affect different segments of the population – from local town halls to ABC13+. The station also hosts several community projects throughout the year including Share Your Holidays, an annual food drive benefiting the Houston Food Bank; and our E-cycle Drive, a collection/recycling effort for outdated electronic equipment in conjunction with Earth Day. ABC13 is also known for broadcasting the city’s major events including the annual July 4th Freedom Over Texas celebration, The Chevron Marathon, Houston Pride and The Houston Rodeo Parade.
As families and school districts across the tri-state region prepare for the return of school, there are numerous challenges they face with unanswered questions. ABC7NY’s “Back to School” town hall is bringing experts together from New York City and across New York, New Jersey and Connecticut to answer your questions. The panel of experts will address concerns such as how to help your child excel in a remote classroom and how to keep students who are attending in-class instruction safe. They will provide guidelines on what questions parents should ask about their school’s remote learning plan, as well as other concerns. Viewers are encouraged to submit their questions in advance via abc7ny.com.
The panelists will include the following:
Dr. Jennifer Ashton, ABC News chief medical correspondent
Dr. Victor Fornari, chief of Division, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Long Island Jewish Medical Center
Ronald Chaluisán, executive director of the Newark Trust for Education
“ABC7 Back to School” virtual town hall is available via LIVE stream at abc7ny.com and ABC7NY’s connected TV apps on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV and Roku
About WABC WABC-TV has been the leader in local news and entertainment programming in the New York City area for more than 60 years. Producing more than 45 hours of live, local news and weather each week, Channel 7 “Eyewitness News” is the most watched local news in New York and the United States. WABC-TV also produces “Live with Kelly and Ryan,” weekdays at 9:00 a.m., which is seen in more than 200 markets across the U.S. Quality news and programming, cutting-edge technology and ongoing community outreach are the hallmarks of excellence that have consistently kept WABC-TV New York’s No. 1 station and the most-watched television station in the nation.
ABC7/KABC-TV Los Angeles Collaborates With Southern California Muralists to Design and Sell Wearable Works of Their Art to Raise Money for Local Food Banks
ABC7 Los Angeles Launches Online Merchandise Store This Wednesday, Aug. 26
The Initiative Is Part of ABC7’s Feed SoCal Campaign That Aims to Help End Hunger
ABC7 Los Angeles, Southern California’s most-watched television station, teamed up with popular local muralists to create wearable works of art that can be purchased exclusively through an e-commerce partnership with Snow Commerce on Wednesday, Aug. 26, at the newly launched ABC7’s apparel shop, in efforts to raise money as part of ABC7’s Feed SoCal Campaign. The campaign is an ongoing effort to reduce food insecurities through food donations and fundraisers for Southern California regional food banks.
Local muralists’ art will be prominently displayed on 100% cotton, crew neck “Feed SoCal” shirts that will sell between $24.95 – $28.50. ABC7 will donate 100% of its proceeds from the sales of these exclusive designs to Southern California food banks.
The Feed SoCal Campaign includes the following food banks in Southern California: Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, Feeding America Riverside/San Bernardino and FOOD Share, and Ventura County’s Food Bank.
As more people are experiencing food insecurities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ABC7 continues to create innovative ways to connect with Southern California communities in its efforts to give back to those in need.
“Southern California muralists are part of the makeup of heart and love for the city of Los Angeles,” said Cheryl Fair, president and general manager of KABC. “During a pandemic and a movement we’re all experiencing together, we saw a unique opportunity to display their vision in a way that would give back to the very community they illustrate.”
The first artist featured is Los Angeles-based Corie Mattie, muralist and founder of the LA Hope Dealer. Her Feed SoCal T-shirt is the first made available to purchase at the new ABC7 apparel shop. “It’s really important for people to give back to the community; and I think, with art, you can really portray messages that speak to people,” Mattie said.
Participating Muralists:
Corie Mattie, Feed SoCal-themed t-shirt on sale Wednesday, Aug. 26: With an East Coast mindset and an L.A. zip code, Corie Mattie brings her humility and work ethic to the glamorous lifestyle of the West Coast. She uses her personal experiences to relate to her audiences as she finds ways to communicate through wordplay and imagery. Corie looks at dark times as an opportunity to shed light on art, community and humanity in a captivating way. In spring 2020, she created the La Hope Dealer moniker and movement in response to the rise of the global coronavirus and the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests. Her goal is to combat both viral and racial pandemics plaguing our world—with hope.
Jeremy Novy, Feed SoCal-themed t-shirt on sale Wednesday, Sept. 2: A California-based street artist known for his stencils of koi fish and efforts in support of gay activism and a champion of LGBTQ iconography, Novy depicts often underrepresented subjects to promote awareness and acceptance of multiplicity and modern identity. Novy stencils sociopolitical works in public spaces to democratize the process of viewing art and to beautify urban blight and unused spaces. His medium primarily consists of spray paint and a stencil which allows for speedy application and uniformity.
KAR_PART, Feed SoCal-themed t-shirt on sale Wednesday, Sept. 9: KAR_PART is an L.A. native, mechanical engineer product-designer-turned-street artist fueled by a growing frustration with sociopolitical, economic and behavioral conditions. Kar’s work often examines the multitude of layers that define us as people – from the outermost flesh layer to the caricature representation of one’s personality and the core level, that which motivates or drives us.
Ruben Rojas, Feed SoCal-themed t-shirt on sale Wednesday, Sept. 16: In 2013, Ruben Rojas traded in his suit for a paintbrush and began transforming blank walls into unique, empowering messages that today are uplifting communities and challenging the public to create new dialogues. As an artist, muralist and activist, Ruben’s mission is to ignite creativity and inspire others to see the world through the lens of love. By using the urban landscape as his canvas, Ruben encourages communities to change for the better through optimism and collaboration. These once vacant walls are now vibrant reminders that inspire those who see them to dream big, feel beautiful, live in possibility, and to love.
At the start of the summer, ABC 7 announced its partnership with ESPN LA 710 and the Southern California regional food banks to host the 9th Annual Feed SoCal Friday. The merchandise site is an exclusive partnership with Snow Commerce to provide ABC7-branded merchandise to viewers and followers in an effort to raise much-needed funds for community initiatives and nonprofit partners. When the Feed SoCal campaign concludes at the end of September, the proceeds from all future sales of the shirts will continue to be distributed to KABC’s Southern California food bank partners.
To purchase merchandise visit https://abc7.com/shop. To view more stories of the critical need for food during the COVID-19 crisis and ways to donate, viewers are encouraged to tune in every Friday until Sept. 11, 2020, to ABC7’s 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. newscasts. Visit abc7.com/feedsocal to donate to the food bank of your choice.
About KABC Los Angeles ABC7 Los Angeles is Southern California’s No. 1 local news and information source. ABC7 is a leader in digital and social audience engagements and was the first station in the Los Angeles market to regularly broadcast news in high definition and also the first local television station in the United States to surpass 3 million Facebook followers. The station’s offices and studio are located in Glendale, California.
6abc, Philadelphia’s leading news source, presents a one-hour virtual town hall, “Building It Better Together Town Hall: Back to School” on Sunday, Aug. 23 (9:30-10:30 a.m. EDT), to air on 6abc and streamed live simultaneously on 6abc.com, 6abc news app and 6abc connected television apps. The town hall will be hosted by 6abc Action News anchor Tamala Edwards and reporter Jaclyn Lee.
As families and school districts across Philadelphia and the tri-state region grapple with back-to-school challenges, 6abc has kept viewers informed of school opening plans as they have developed and been released by the Philadelphia School District superintendent, as well as informing the community how the district plans to address food and internet concerns during virtual learning.
The town hall brings superintendents together, before the Sept. 2 start date, from Philadelphia, South Jersey and Delaware to discuss a range of challenges that include back-to-school plans, the economic impact on school district employees and vendors, address families’ concerns and provide information about aid and resources to assist underrepresented communities with the many challenges faced with distance learning. Viewers can submit questions to 6abc.com and the Action News Facebook Page.
Panelists will include the following:
William Hite,D., superintendent, Philadelphia Public School District
Nancy Hacker, Ed.D., superintendent, School District of Springfield Township (Montgomery County, Pennsylvania)
Jeffrey Menzer, D., superintendent,Colonial School District (Delaware)
Joseph Meloche D., superintendent, Cherry Hill Public Schools
Scott Gordon, CEO,Mastery Charter Schools
There are numerous topics to cover. Edwards and Lee will work to address concerns they are hearing from the community. They will seek answers and guidance from the panel pertaining to childcare assistance, the equity and fairness of “pandemic pods,” teachers’ union demands, school transportation concerns, safety protocols when children return, plus details on the best way to track symptoms among students and teachers, along with many other concerns.
“Building It Better Together Town Hall: Back to School” will air Sunday, Aug. 23 (9:30-10:30 a.m. EDT), on 6abc/WPVI-TV. Viewers can also stream live the hour-long conversation on 6abc.com, 6abc news app and 6abc connected television apps.
About 6abc/WPVI-TV Philadelphia For over half a century, 6abc/WPVI-TV Philadelphia has been broadcasting to viewers in the Delaware and Lehigh Valleys, an area covering southeastern Pennsylvania, northern and centralDelaware and southern New Jersey. As the No. 1 station in Philadelphia for almost 45 years, 6abc Action News delivers local news information, traffic, and weather to more than 3-million homes. Action News captures over halfof all Adult 25-54 news viewers on an average day*. In the past year, Action News has won 2,633 out of 2,662 newscasts in Households for a winning percentage of98.9%. #
Pam Chen Promoted to Vice President/News Director Of ABC7/KABC-TV Los Angeles, The No. 1 Source for Local News in Southern California
Chen Is the First Asian American to Lead a News Department at a Network Owned Television Station in Los Angeles
Pam Chen has been named vice president/news director of ABC7/KABC-TV Los Angeles, announced today by Cheryl Fair, president and general manager of the station, to whom she will report. Chen will be responsible for directing the Eyewitness News team for ABC7, the No. 1 source for local news in Southern California. The promotion makes Chen the first Asian American to lead a news department at a network-owned local television station in Los Angeles.
“Pam Chen is an innovative journalist, producer, mentor and leader at KABC, equally and fiercely dedicated to both the success of Eyewitness News and the people in the newsroom that she works with daily,” said Fair. “Pam shows that hard work, character, compassion and commitment are the ingredients for success. I am confident in her leadership and look forward to what is to come.”
“It’s an absolute honor to be entrusted to lead this newsroom,” said Chen. “The Eyewitness News team is comprised of world-class individuals that I’ve been working side-by-side and collaborating with throughout my 15 years at KABC. I am looking forward to leading this remarkable team as we continue to strengthen the connections to our local communities across Southern California through high-impact hyperlocal and relevant storytelling.”
Chen began her career at KABC as a morning producer of the Eyewitness News 5 a.m. newscast, later transitioning to producing the evening newscast (4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.). She was instrumental in the launch and syndication of KABC’s first weekly entertainment show, “On the Red Carpet.” The syndicated show profiled the red carpet moments of celebrities at the Oscars®, the American Music Awards, movie premieres, as well as behind the scenes of the biggest TV shows and movies, while shooting every week throughout Hollywood.
Chen returned to news as executive producer in 2014 and later took a lead role in implementing an entirely new operating and editing system for the newsroom. She also launched Eyewitness News at 3:00 p.m. as a distinctive hour-long newscast. A key leader in the team that covered some of the biggest news events including the San Bernardino terrorist attack, Las Vegas shooting, wildfires, earthquakes, the ongoing homeless crisis, Kobe Bryant’s helicopter crash and the COVID-19 pandemic, to name a few. Chen’s leadership was evident in the breaking news and ongoing coverage of the Saddle Ridge Fire, resulting in nearly 24 hours of continuous broadcast and digital breaking news coverage, as well as numerous powerful storms that pummeled Southern California, which ultimately led to KABC receiving two first place Associated Press Television and Radio Awards (APTRA) for Breaking News Coverage and Best Weather Reporting, respectively.
In 2019, she was elevated to assistant news director, where she oversaw business initiatives that included the launch of a group-wide community journalist program at KABC. Her responsibilities, which happen to be her passion, were mentoring and guiding these young multiskilled journalists in creating innovative storytelling techniques with a hyperlocal content focus.
In the past year, her leadership and direction helped lead the newsroom to three regional Edward R. Murrow Awards by the Radio Television Digital News Association for news coverage, including the Overall Excellence Award. Chen holds a master’s degree in marketing from University of Southern California Marshall Business School and a bachelor’s degree in communications/media studies from University of California, San Diego. She is also a member of the Asian American Journalists Association.
About KABC Los Angeles ABC7 Los Angeles is Southern California’s No. 1 local news and information source. ABC7 is a leader in digital and social audience engagements and was the first station in the Los Angeles market to regularly broadcast news in high definition and also the first local television station in the United States to surpass 3 million Facebook followers. The station’s offices and studio are located in Glendale, California.
About ABC Owned Television Stations ABC Owned Television Stations (OTV) is the multiplatform leader in local news and information, collectively No. 1 across all U.S. television and reaching 23% of households through its eight stations: WABC-TV New York, KABC-TV Los Angeles, WLS-TV Chicago, WPVI-TV Philadelphia, KGO-TV San Francisco, KTRK-TV Houston, WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham and KFSN-TV Fresno. OTV also delivers locally sourced storytelling to more than 14 million viewers across America through its digital-first national lifestyle brand and broadcast channel, Localish. Named the 2019 Broadcasting & Cable’s Multiplatform Broadcaster of the Year, OTV continues to set the industry standard for next-generation storytelling, deep community connections and a progressive commitment to solutions-based journalism.
