As the largest local television company in the United States, we have a responsibility to deliver more than high-quality journalism, local programming, and a commitment to working with our advertising and marketing partners in the 116 markets in which we operate. Our broadcasting and digital media businesses must be woven into the fabric of the local community. That means our employees should be regularly engaged in public service and helping others.
Since the company’s founding in 1996, our journalists have witnessed the impact that local non-profit organizations and public service agencies have on the community—in times of crisis, these organizations mobilize quickly to help those most in need, often making a critical difference in the lives of millions of people every day. But they can’t do it alone. They need help—and that’s where we come in.
In 2016, Nexstar’s Founder, Chairman and CEO, Perry Sook, established the company’s “Founder’s Day of Caring.” Every year, during the third week of June, employees in each of Nexstar’s 116 television markets are given paid time-off to do volunteer work with non-profit organizations and public service agencies in their local community. The idea is to enable our employees to make a personal commitment to make the community a better place for everyone.
You can see a list of some of the non-profit and public service organizations we’ve helped below; the list is long and we’re proud of it—from Habitat for Humanity to the American Red Cross to Meals on Wheels. The mission is to give back and give help where it is needed most. And we ask our television stations to cover our efforts in the hopes of inspiring our viewers, partners and advertisers to help, too. In 2022, more than 4,200 Nexstar employees volunteered nearly 17,000 hours of service at 210 charitable organizations.
Nexstar’s 2023 “Founder’s Day of Caring” will take place on Friday, June 16th.