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Birmingham rivals join forces to fight cancer
The notion of Southern hospitality has long been celebrated, but stations in Birmingham, Ala., take goodwill seriously.
While they're heated rivals throughout the year, the CBS, NBC and ABC affiliates linked arms last September for charity. When the Big Three networks worked together on the Stand Up to Cancer event, WVTM VP/General Manager Gene Kirkconnell wondered if it would be feasible on a local level.
A few calls to his rival GMs, and plans were underway for the stations to do their own combined cancer benefit. (Fox affiliate WBRC declined to take part; the Fox network did not participate in the national event.)
"It was really cool to turn on the TV that night and see the three affiliates working together," Kirkconnell says. "We're competitors, but that...