KATV-TV, Channel 7*

For KATV-TV, Channel 7, philanthropy begins with an attitude of giving at the very top.

Dale Nicholson, the station’s longtime general manager, said giving back to the community has been a priority since Allbritton Communications Corp. purchased the ABC affiliate 20 years ago.

Nicholson estimates that Allbritton’s generosity has put “three or four times more money” for giving at his disposal than other stations in the market. It has allowed the station to give to a variety of charities and nonprofit organizations, working with “different people who have like interests.”

Take the last two months of 2002, when KATV worked with local retailers to donate more than $60,000 to three charities. The sale at USA Drug stores of a Christmas CD featuring meteorologist Ned Perme on piano netted $50,000 for local heart and kidney foundations. And children and their parents snatched up toy helicopters – miniature Chopper 7s – at Harvest Foods grocery stores to help KSSN 96 deejay Bob Robbins raise about $10,000 for his annual Toys for Tots campaign.

KATV has also facilitated giving by others. After a devastating round of tornadoes in Arkadelphia, the station established The Spirit of Arkansas Family Fund with the United Way, which invited viewers to give to victims.

“I was blown away because it was people across the state contributing to that,” Nicholson said. “It was not KATV writing the check, it was the viewers.”

Nicholson said the fund has been as large as $400,000.

Nicholson said Allbritton likes to spread its blessings among several causes – Easter Seals, P.A.R.K, Junior Achievement, the Make-A-Wish Foundation – but many of the station’s efforts ultimately go to helping children, via work for the Arkansas Arts Center, Arkansas Repertory Theater and partnerships with schools.

“We have attempted to do all we can for education and the arts, just simply because it goes back to the children,” he said.