17 million children are served each year by the hospitals that comprise Children’s Miracle Network. Last year radio stations in North America raised more than 50 million dollars for their local Children’s Miracle Network hospitals. More than 300 radio stations dedicate themselves for a few days a year to helping us save lives.

Yes, radio saves lives. Each and every week I travel throughout North America to help radio stations help hospitals raise money. Each and every week I am amazed and inspired by the power of radio. Each and every week I meet a personality who is authentic in their need to help save the lives of children and who invariably figures out how to make the phone ring, or to drive a donor to the station or hospitals’ website. Each and every week I am convinced that radio is at its best when it is local, when it is relevant and when it is real.

I see stations that embrace our Radiothon and sell it conceptually to advertisers, but ask myself why there aren’t more sales people at our events. Quite frankly, I wonder why stock analysts and CEO’s aren’t at these events. If they were there, they would see the power of radio first hand. They would not question whether or not radio is viable; they would be spending more time embracing it. They would realize that the newspaper can’t touch people like radio does. They would understand that TV doesn’t make the same local connection.

Radio works. Radio saves lives. We prove it every week. Children’s Miracle Network Radiothons and programs like ours are the success stories radio needs. Embrace us. We will help you as much as you help us.

Steve Oshin
Senior Vice President, Radiothon
Children’s Miracle Network
www.childrensmiraclenetwork.org
soshin@childrensmiraclenetwork.org

April 2009