Earthquake ‘89

When the earth moved so violently in Northern California on the 17th of October 1989, many people lost their lives and most of the remaining feared for theirs. In the midst of an atmosphere filled with anxiety, KCBS-AM stood out as the voice of reason and concern. Residents of the city and surrounding area were instructed in how to avert natural gas disasters, where supplies would be distributed to those in need, and generally how to survive and begin the process of recovery. The station did not stop with reporting immediate events, but continued to broadcast important information continuously, without commercial interruptions, for more than three days. For months afterward, the station continued to air special reports and documentaries about the disaster. For providing a focus for its community and being a model corporate citizen in a time of extreme urgency, a Peabody Award to KCBS-AM, San Francisco, for Earthquake ‘89.