Every year, local communities in which iHeartMedia and its employees live and work are impacted by natural disasters. iHeartMedia plays a critical role in communities when disasters strike and iHeartMedia stations are always prepared to immediately respond in times of distress.
It was an extremely tough year for the country with regard to natural disasters. With $307 billion in damages, 2017 was the costliest year to date for weather and climate disasters in the United States, according to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (source CNN).
These were some of our company objectives as disaster hit:
- Maintain communication with affected communities as well as the people in the rest of the country looking to stay informed. While many residents justly evacuated the affected areas, iHeartMedia teams were committed to keeping open the lines of communication that are so critical to the safety of those in the midst of a storm/disaster.
- Help families affected by the natural disaster recover quicker. Use iHeartMedia's multiple platforms to encourage donations and build awareness.
- Build awareness through our iHeartMedia branded live events. The iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina and iHeartRadio Music Festival provided information on how guests and listeners could support the local communities directly impacted by hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria.
- Educate and engage listeners on best way to support the communities after disaster strikes, with the help of our national and local on-air personalities
- Amplify the success of other disaster relief campaigns through partnerships.
Communication
Following Hurricane Katrina, iHeartMedia introduced its "Disaster Assistance and Response Plan" (DARP), which allows iHeartMedia to deliver the highest level of service to the public during emergency situations. iHeartMedia has also established its Emergency Operations Center, which enhances stations' ability to respond to a crisis and get important emergency information out to the public in a timely manner.
- -In Texas, local stations started long-form coverage constantly updating listeners on the progression of the storm, while all other stations pointed listeners to storm coverage, in addition to running 60 second updates throughout the day. iHeartMedia served as the sole source of information and updates when Internet and TV was unavailable due to loss of power.
- -In Florida, to prepare for hurricane Irma Tallahassee market's five radio stations, sent regular tracking updates and prepared to broadcast wall-to-wall coverage of the storm, as well as resources for emergency situations and community relief. In partnership with NBC 6 and Telemundo's over 51 meteorologists, Miami's 610 WIOD provided nonstop coverage on the storm in both English and Spanish. The station's coverage was delivered to all our markets via iHeartRadio. On-air personalities covered live press conferences and broadcast select coverage on Facebook Live while posting on social media platforms throughout the storm to bring listeners updated information.
Media support for fundraising and awareness
iHeartMedia used its broad range of assets to mobilize listeners to action by donating appropriate relief efforts that aided those affected. PSAs aired across all stations and on iHeartRadio, encouraging online and text donations to American Red Cross PSAs for victims of hurricanes Harvey and Irma – approximately 130 million impressions and a $1.43 media value. LONG-FORM SHOWS: iHeartMedia also produced and aired on all stations two 30-minute podcasts in both English and Spanish in partnership with The American Red Cross: "iHeartRadio's Texas Strong - Support for Victims of Hurricane Harvey" and "iHeartRadio Presents: Support for Victims of the Hurricanes."
iHeartMedia Branded Live events
- Following the hurricanes in Texas, Florida and the Carribean, iHeartMedia reprogrammed its annual iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina on Saturday, November 4 2017 to "iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina: Celebrating Our Heroes." Telemundo aired the event LIVE as a four-hour television special at 8pm ET which included special tributes to first responders and communities impacted by natural disasters. iHeartMedia also broadcasted the event LIVE nationwide across select radio stations and livestreamed on iHeartRadio's Official YouTube.
- The 2017 iHeartRadio Music Festival featured a video that paid tribute to the local markets and personalities that worked hand in hand with the first responders to keep those affected by the hurricanes safe and informed.
Personalities
All local on-air personalities educated listeners on the most effective ways to support victims of the Hurricanes. On-air personalities, such as Angie Martinez and Elvis Duran, partnered with various organization to encourage donations of funds and critically needed items to benefit victims of the hurricanes.
Partnerships
iHeartMedia partnered with the biggest benefit relief concerts/telethons, such as Todos Unidos Telethon; Hand in Hand: A Benefit for Hurricane Relief; and One Voice: Somos Live! A Concert For Disaster Relief, to amplify event efforts by activating iHeartMedia's massive reach of a quarter billion monthly listeners. iHeartMedia promoted the events across all stations, and live broadcasted them on select stations.
Inferred Results:
- With the help of iHeartMedia's platforms The American Red Cross raised a record of approximately $500 million in the three months following hurricane Harvey.
- "Todos Unidos for Puerto Rico" raised approximately $13 million dollars to benefit the victims of hurricane Maria (source PR Newswire)
- "ONE VOICE: SOMOS LIVE! A CONCERT FOR DISASTER RELIEF" raised over $35 million to benefit victims in Mexico, the southern United States, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.
- Hand in Hand telethon raised over $62 million for hurricane relief.
iHeartMedia local and national donated well over $5 million national media, and stations donated thousands of hours to educate listeners in the community before, during and after the storm.
Direct Results:
- "iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina: Celebrate Our Heroes" honored over 1,000 first responders that were directly involved in the hurricanes. The show was live broadcasted on the Telemundo Network, which features original Spanish-language entertainment, news and sports content reaching 94% of U.S. Hispanic TV households in 210 markets through 17 owned stations, 55 affiliates and its national feed.
Video for iHeartMedia Disaster Relief Response