After the wildfires that affected the Eaton area in California, our goal as a local Spanish-language outlet—KSDY Channel 50 San Diego—was to make the human impact behind the tragedy visible. We aimed not only to inform but to inspire tangible solidarity.
We centered the story on “Uncle Genovevo,” an elderly man who lost all his belongings and life savings in the fire. His testimony became a symbol of both the suffering and the resilience of the affected Latino community.
To reach people quickly and authentically, we produced and published a short-form video featuring his on-camera interview. Short-form allowed immediacy, emotional connection, and frictionless sharing across platforms with a bilingual audience. Our specific objectives were to raise awareness, prompt action to support the family, and demonstrate the impact of local journalism done with empathy and purpose.
Approach & Storytelling. We chose a human, direct, and emotional angle. Reporter Yolanda Morales recorded an authentic interview with Uncle Genovevo that conveyed urgency without sensationalism. The piece focused on dignity, context, and a clear pathway for the audience to help.
Distribution Plan. We released the video as Short-Form on TikTok and YouTube Shorts, where we have a growing bilingual community. We optimized for native viewing (captions, concise copy, community-safe framing) and cross-promoted on our linear newscasts and social accounts to extend reach beyond our core followers.
Call to Action. Once the video went viral, Mr. Genovevo’s niece created a GoFundMe campaign. We supported it by sharing the link in our on-air mentions and in the comment threads of the posts. This created a chain reaction of community support that helped him recover his money and catalyzed broader assistance.
Execution & Timeline. The video was shot and edited in under one hour by our digital news team, then published on January 13, 2025 on TikTok and YouTube Shorts. We actively monitored comments, shared updates, and amplified visibility on our traditional newscasts and social channels. We coordinated directly with Mr. Genovevo and his family to verify information, ensure ethical handling, and report back on the community’s response.
Challenges & Differentiators. Key challenges included rapid verification amid virality, avoiding exploitation of a vulnerable subject, and maintaining accuracy while moving fast. We addressed these through direct family coordination, transparent framing, and newsroom standards. The project stands out for its speed-to-impact, bilingual reach, and measurable community outcome driven by local journalism.
Results (≤250 words)
2.1M views on YouTube Shorts and 2.3M views on TikTok.
153,000+ likes and 12,000+ supportive comments from viewers moved by the story.
GoFundMe raised USD $101,395, helping Uncle Genovevo recover his funds.
Spanish-language local and national media amplified the story, extending its reach.
These outcomes directly met our objectives: they increased awareness of the human toll of the wildfires and converted empathy into concrete action for the family. The project strengthened KSDY’s reputation as a purpose-driven community channel, demonstrating how empathetic, fast, and ethical local journalism can mobilize real-world support and create lasting social impact.
