WASHINGTON (WSLS 10) - The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) has joined forces with two partner broadcast organizations to launch a memorial fund to support the families of the victims in Wednesday's shooting.
RTDNA, along with the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) will contribute to and accept donations from broadcasters for the fund on behalf of Alison Parker and Adam Ward.
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Donations will be accepted through November 1, and $40,000 has already been pledged.
Parker and Ward were shot to death by a former co-worker Wednesday morning while they were doing a live remote broadcast on WDBJ-TV, Roanoke, a CBS affiliate owned by Schurz Communications. Contributions will be distributed to family members of Parker and Ward. An additional contribution will go to Vicki Gardner, Executive Director, Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce, who was being interviewed during the shooting.
Gardner suffered gunshot wounds and is currently hospitalized. Any remaining funds will be directed to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a New York-based organization dedicated to press freedom and protecting the rights of reporters to work without fear of reprisal.
"This unspeakable tragedy has shocked every member of the journalism community," said Mike Cavender, Executive Director of RTDNA in a written statement, released on Friday. "We hope donations provided through this fund demonstrate a small measure of our support for the families of Alison Parker and Adam Ward."
"Our hearts are heavy with grief over this horrifying act of violence against two individuals with a zest for life and a love of broadcasting," said NAB President Gordon Smith, in a written statement, released on Friday. "We encourage our member companies to join with NAB in supporting the families of these two young journalists, who were taken way too soon."