Meredith Local Media Group Recognized as Winner of the Ad Council's 2021 Catalyst Award

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Sep 30, 2021, 09:25 ET

NEW YORK, Sept. 30, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Meredith Local Media Group received the 2021 Catalyst Award for their outstanding support of Ad Council public service campaigns over the past year.

The Ad Council's Catalyst Award recognizes a communications company that creates strategic programs to advance meaningful social change. Meredith harnessed all 17 of their TV stations across the country to provide exceptional donated media support to Ad Council campaigns last year, with standout support of Project Roadblock, an annual local broadcast TV campaign designed to reduce drunk driving fatalities over the course of the holiday season.

The award was given at TVB's Forward Conference 2021, the Television Bureau of Advertising's (TVB) annual leadership conference. The Forward Conference was held virtually, for the second straight year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and attracted 4,000+ registrants

Meredith saw 100% station participation across 12 markets for Project Roadblock and generously supported the Ad Council in this campaign.

"Meredith's exceptional support of Ad Council campaigns, and their participation in Project Roadblock in particular, reaches millions of Americans and positively changes lives," said Lisa Sherman, President and CEO of the Ad Council. "Their dedication to keeping our roads safe makes them well-deserving of this year's Catalyst Award."

"Service to our communities is at the heart of what we do at Meredith. For more than 120 years, we have informed and inspired our audiences to take action," said Patrick McCreery, Meredith Local Media Group President. "If even one person changed their behavior because of seeing the Project Roadblock message – it made a difference. Meredith is honored to take part in this life-saving effort, and we thank you for this award."

Since 2004, Project Roadblock has leveraged local TV stations' donated media during the holidays to raise awareness of the dangers of impaired driving. PSAs urge viewers to find a safe ride home after holiday festivities. The partnership between TVB, the Ad Council, NHTSA and local broadcast television stations is now entering its 18^th year.

Project Roadblock 2020 had nearly 60,000 placements of donated on-air, digital sub-channel, online and mobile time and space by over 1,000 TV stations reaching all 50 states, resulting in $7.4 million of donated local media over the six-day period.

Since Project Roadblock's inception, local broadcast TV stations across the nation have donated more than $89 million in support.

"Each year the local broadcast TV industry further proves its ongoing commitment to serving local communities by participating in this life saving campaign and ensuring the roads are safer during the holiday season. We are proud to have been a part of Project Roadblock since its inception in 2004 and look forward to making the 18^th year of Project Roadblock the most impactful yet. Broadcasters across the U.S. are truly raising awareness of the danger of impaired driving," said Steve Lanzano, President and CEO of TVB. "We thank Meredith Local Media Group and all participating TV stations for their commitment to this campaign and helping to save lives."

About TVB
TVB is the not-for-profit trade association representing America's local broadcast television industry. Its members include individual television stations, television broadcast groups, advertising sales reps, syndicators, international broadcasters and associate members. TVB actively promotes local media marketing solutions to the advertising community and works to develop advertising dollars for the medium's multiple platforms, including on-air, online and mobile. TVB provides a diverse variety of tools and resources, including its website, to support its members and to help advertisers make the best use of local ad dollars.

About the Ad Council
The Ad Council brings together the most creative minds in advertising and media to address the most worthy causes. Its innovative, pro bono social good campaigns raise awareness. They inspire action. They save lives. To learn more, visit AdCouncil.org, follow the Ad Council's communities on Facebook and Twitter, and view the creative on YouTube.

About Meredith
Meredith Corporation (NYSE: MDP), a leading media company for nearly 120 years, produces service journalism that engages audiences with essential, inspiring, and trusted content. Meredith reaches consumers where they are across multiple platforms including digital, video, magazine, and broadcast television. Meredith's Local Media Group portfolio includes 17 television stations reaching 11 percent of U.S. households and 30 million viewers. Meredith's portfolio is concentrated in large, fast-growing markets, with seven stations in the nation's Top 25 markets, including Atlanta, Phoenix, St. Louis, and Portland, and 13 stations in the Top 50.

SOURCE The Ad Council