Channel 3 gets involved, and in touch
By Laura Hand
Tuesday, January 06, 2009 at 6:53 p.m.
Channel 3, like most tv stations, started out as an entertainment medium only, carrying NBC shows like Milton Berle and Howdy Doody.
We began by doing 15 minutes of news, with Fred Hillegas as the newscaster, Joel Mareiniss on sports and staff announcer George Roberts doing the weather, but we didn't start doing half hour newscasts until the sixties.
And it was not long after that, that our on-air people started getting active in community projects. At first, guest appearances in events like charity races, but it was not long before we started sponsoring events.
In 1986, we ran a campaign called 'For Kids' Sake.' Jim Kenyon and his daughter, Jackie Robinson and her toddler son were part of the promotion. Nowadays, we call it Book Breaks, and we still read, every summer, at area libraries.
We also encourage you to fight hunger with CROP Walks, and in 1995 we received a national award for our "Feed the Hungry" campaign.
We're proud that our staffers are recognized for volunteerism, but just as proud of starting and growing community institutions, including the Salvation Army's Dome Day and Tree of Lights, Lights on the Lake, Hope for Bereaved's Butterfly Garden, the Chamber Business Show, Jazzfest, the MOST's Dinomania, and ongoing programs at Syracuse's Zoo.
And, community involvement is a tradition we plan to continue.
