Washington, DC - The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP) and American Urban Radio Networks (AURN) have launched a nonpartisan radio campaign aimed at ensuring Americans register, verify their names on voter rolls and vote on Election Day.
"AURN has a direct line into the hearts and minds of our target audience," said Melanie Campbell, executive director and CEO, NCBCP. "We're delighted that America's largest African American owned radio network company has joined with us to educate voters, protect our vote and turnout the Black community in record numbers in this historic election."
Jerry Lopes, president of program operations and affiliations for AURN adds, "NCBCP has a long history of making sure people participate in a process that our ancestors died for, as a radio network reaching 20 million African Americans weekly, we're pleased to join hands with them to insure people participate in this most basic and fundamental right."
Over the next two months the, Unity '08 Campaign will target 18 states with their message of "Be the Change." According to the organization, in addition to promoting the NCBCP's Unity '08 voter assistance hotline 1-866-MYVOTE-1, the goal in the initial phase of the radio campaign is to make sure each eligible voter is registered, locates their polling place in advance and knows what to do if they incur problems at the polls.
"This is critical information that every voter should know before they cast a ballot," adds Campbell. "That's why we're so excited about our partnership with AURN. We know that the way to send a message to the Black world is through radio and AURN is our conduit to over 20 million potential voters."
The radio campaign will support the NCBCP's Unity '08 representatives on the ground in those states who will register voters, host education forums, get-out-the-vote rally's and assist voters at the polls on Election Day.
The initial phase of the campaign runs through October 1 and will be followed with phase two, encouraging citizens to vote early or on Election Day, November 4, 2008.
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About the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation
Founded in 1976, the NCBCP (www.ncbcp.org) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to increasing African American participation in civil society. Current initiatives include Operation Big Vote, Black Youth Vote!, Black Women's Roundtable, and Voices of the Electorate and Unity '08: The Black Campaign, a non-partisan civic engagement initiative designed to inoculate, motivate, and mobilize Black voters to participate in the 2008 election.
About American Urban Radio Networks
American Urban Radio Networks (www.aurn.com ) is the only African-American owned radio network company in the United States. It's the largest network reaching Urban American with more than 20 million listeners each week. Through three programming networks and its marketing division, American Urban Radio Networks reach more African-Americans than any other medium in America and produce more programming than all other broadcasting companies combined.
Stations wishing to receive a CD copy of the PSA's may call Lenore Williams at 412-456-4098/email lwilliams@aurn.com or you may go to our FTP site to download these special election messages at:
http://ftp.aurn.com
Username: unity08 (lowercase)
Password: vote2008 (lowercase)
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