LOS ANGELES (Feb. 24, 2022) – Meruelo Media’s 95.5 KLOS, the 2021 Marconi Award Winner for Rock Station of the Year, shattered its own Rock Radio fundraising record of over $1 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® by raising more than $1.25 million in just 26 broadcast hours last week. The fifth annual KLOS two-day St. Jude Rocks radiothon was held Feb. 17-18 and included presenting sponsors, GIVE ME THE VIN® and the Sweet James accident attorneys.
Throughout the 2022 radiothon, KLOS urged listeners to become a Partner in Hope® by pledging $19 a month to help the kids at St. Jude. In exchange, listeners would receive exclusive KLOS and St. Jude attire, including the t-shirt: Love Music. Stop Cancer. A second part of the campaign that engaged listeners was a bet between “The Heidi & Frank Show” and its program director Keith Cunningham: Cunningham would resign if the 2022 campaign surpassed $1.5 million.
In marking the achievement, Meruelo Media President and CEO, Otto Padron said, “Thank you #TeamKLOS for leading us to yet another record setting “St Jude Rocks” love-a-thon. Their hard work shined a bright light on the fundamental goodness of our SOCAL community.” Padron concluded, “This is proof positive that Radio Connects, Compels, Changes and Communicates unlike no other platform.”
“All of us at ALSAC and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital are so grateful for KLOS and the Meruelo Media family and appreciate their dedication to fundraising for the kids of St. Jude,” said Richard C. Shadyac Jr., President and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “I was honored to visit the KLOS studio this month to personally thank the generous listeners for their support. Partnerships like this help fund the ongoing $11.5 billion, six-year St. Jude strategic plan that includes tripling its global investment to impact more of the 400,000 kids around the world with cancer each year.”
Meruelo Media Vice President of Audio Brands Haz Montana commented, “KLOS fans have heart, and we’ve got more than a million reasons to show you why. We’re pleased and grateful for everyone who decided to do their part in supporting St. Jude efforts to find a cure for childhood cancer.”
KLOS Program Director, Keith Cunningham jumped into the fray by saying, “On the heels of the Rams’ historic victory in the Super Bowl, Southern California has felt electric and the generous and loyal KLOS listeners stepped up big time this year to help the kids at St. Jude. ‘The Heidi & Frank Show’ REALLY wanted me to resign as Program Director, and they helped us push the fundraising total to a height we didn’t think was possible in two days. Maybe they’ll get their wish next year?”
Many KLOS artists supported the cause by posting messages on social media and calling into the station, along with Slash, The Offspring and Chris Daughtry who donated autographed guitars as hourly incentives, and local, SoCal favorites Dirty Honey stopped by to play live during the event.
The two-day radio broadcast also featured participation by KLOS sister stations Power 106, 93.5 KDAY and the new Cali 93.9.
