A Seat at the Table: How WLTX & JP Holley Funeral Home Celebrated Black History Month 

This year for Black History Month, TEGNA’s WLTX in Columbia, South Carolina, has introduced a new series called A Seat at the Table, amplifying and celebrating Black voices affecting change in the community. Each has a name that isn’t necessarily widely known, but they have worked, struggled, and persisted in creating a space for themselves and helping others. 

“We were looking for a way to connect with the community, to be able to amplify some of the voices of the underserved communities around here,” said Sharranda Neal, News Director at WLTX – and the answer came to her in a dream.  

“I woke up and had to start writing things down and make sure that the inspiration that came to me was on paper so that I could run with it,” Neal recalled.” Thankfully, I had so many people who have stepped in to make this possible. Now, we have a series that profiles people in the community that has overcome obstacles, created a space for themselves, and are now in a position where they’re helping others.” 

The goal of A Seat at the Table is to spark a conversation that leads to a greater understanding of why inclusion is necessary and representation matters – and it’s a subject that the program’s sponsor, JP Holley Funeral Home, strongly resonates with.  

“As an African American male, there are many obstacles I had to overcome,” said Jonathan Holley, the company’s fourth-generation President, and CEO. “Having a voice to reach the community is one of the best ways of marketing and touching your audience. Representation is everything, so it’s important that JP Holley aligns with A Seat at the Table so our story is heard.” 

“For JP Holley, it’s really important for them to be a part of this program, not only because they’re a local and family business, but they’ve been owned and operated by the same family since 1917,” said Brooke McPhail, an Account Executive at WLTX. “The things the current owner’s great grandfather had to go through to have his business and have it be prosperous as well, is an inspirational story in itself. A Seat at the Table just aligned with their values completely, and they wanted to be a part of it as soon as they heard about it.” 

As the exclusive sponsor of A Seat at the Table, JP Holley runs promotions throughout the week and is featured during the segments that air during the 11:00 PM news on the second Thursday of each month, and again the next morning. They are also visible on the A Seat at the Table section of WLTX.com, as well as on social media.  

Even though it’s their first sponsorship with WLTX, the funeral home is already receiving great feedback. “With their broadcast commercials, they are getting lots of calls,” McPhail noted. “We’re also seeing really good results from OTT streaming and retargeting efforts.” 

“The results have been amazing. I constantly receive messages from all over saying how proud the community is about seeing us on television, noted Holley. “The partnership with WLTX has been a journey and they keep us in good company by being transparent. I’m looking forward to what new game plans we come up with for this year.”  

Sound Good? 
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