Letter: Print and radio can let your voice be heard

Steven Hawkins

As a freelance writer for some of the largest newspapers in South Carolina and Western North Carolina, I have published dozens of letters to the editor and talked about my views as a caller to local radio stations that are heard all over the Upstate South Carolina and Western North Carolina airways, such as Word 106.3 FM and 94.5 FM The Answer. And I have also had the opportunity to put on the air around 20 birthday shoutouts about my family members, the Hawkins family from Greenville, S.C.

And I arranged to put these 20 birthday announcements on the air on Fox Carolina and five radio stations. These five radio stations are heard all through Upstate South Carolina and Western North Carolina frequencies. Those local radio stations include 107.3 Jamz, B93.7 FM, Hot 98.1, Earth FM 103.3 and 93.3 FM The Planet. Fox Carolina around two years ago put on a television special birthday shoutout for my deceased brother Richard Hawkins Sr., who died Christmas Eve 2019. It was remarkable to have my voice heard in this extraordinary way. And to spotlight my beautiful, dear, loving family members who have encouraged me to be the person I am today.

The printed page and radio are both wonderful avenues to get your voice to be heard. Letters to the editor are a great outlet to influence public discourse and dialogue, and being a caller to radio stations adds your voice to that dialogue in a public way. Both of these media outlets influence public opinion, and these two media outlets both are avenues to add something positive to the conversation.

— Steven Hawkins
Greenville, S.C.

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