If you are up early on a Sunday morning, you may just catch Volunteer Fairfax on iHeart Radio stations. About once per month Volunteer Fairfax staff and invited guests sit down in the booth with Bernie Lucas, iHeartMedia public affairs director, to chat about activities at the volunteer center. As you sip morning coffee, we share news about how volunteer service improves our community and how you can become involved.
Our partnership and friendship with iHeartMedia (formerly Clear Channel) is a long one dating back more than 10 years. The media support from iHeartMedia is vital to helping VF achieve our mission of “mobilizing people and resources to meet regional community needs.” Reaching the radio and digital audience of iHeart’s family of channels (97.1 Wash, Big 100.3, Hot 99.5, WMZQ 97.7 and DC101) has a value that is virtually incalculable.
Public Affairs Director, Bernie Lucas is our booth buddy, engineer and sometimes interviewer. He welcomes slightly nervous participants to the booth with soothing messages of “just make it conversational.” We record straight for about 13 minutes. However, many times, when the tape goes off we continue the topical discussion with Bernie…often we think that is the best part!
Bernie has been with iHeart for more than 20 years having grown up in Louisiana and attended the University of New Orleans changing majors “many times.” Bernie says he eventually did go to broadcasting school but in the fullness of time has learned that the best education for his career was a study of “political science and history.” Bernie spent three years at Voice of America (Wash DC) mastering interview techniques and fielding music requests from, oh say, Bulgaria. He has worn many hats during his tenure at Clear Channel/iHeart…Disc Jockey, Creative Services Director, PSA Director, Public Affairs Director…but always with the intent of “wanting to do good.”
Bernie has indeed done “good” at the station. Working with nonprofits–all with a passionate mission–and giving them the opportunity to share that mission with the media giant’s audience can be critical to the success of the agency. As conductor of the Sunday morning interviews, Bernie says “I do this part from my heart.” As a self-proclaimed lifelong learner, Bernie happily shares that he continues to learn through the radio programs he hosts because of the variety of topics covered.
Another hat Bernie wears is member of iHeartMedia’s Local Advisory Board (LAB). Just about four years ago, iHeart upped their commitment to community by establishing the LAB under the direction of Meg Stevens, vice president of programming. The LAB meets quarterly at iHeart’s Rockville offices and is made up of representatives from key regional organizations whose mission is to inform iHeart about issues and concerns in the community and to help guide the media company’s outreach. Volunteer Fairfax is proud to be a part of this esteemed board and equally proud of our continued partnership steeped in our common purpose of “doing good” for our community.
We thank Bernie Lucas and iHeartMedia for their demonstrated commitment to public service. We HEART iHeart!
To learn when Volunteer Fairfax will be featured on iHeart Community Radio follow us on Social Media – Facebook or Twitter.
To hear past radio programs visit iHeart Radio Community Public Affairs Program.