Jerry Wishnow

Jerry Wishnow is an American activist, entrepreneur, and founder of the Wishnow Group Inc., a company that developed and produced campaigns aimed at intervening in social problems through mutually beneficial partnerships between media, nonprofits, and business. The projects have reduced infant mortality, property crime, and added anti-discrimination curricula to U.S. and international schools.

Wishnow and his campaigns have received over 70 national and regional awards including a Peabody award, three National Emmy awards, and four Presidential commendations.

Career Wishnow attended Northeastern University in Boston and earned a BA in English Journalism. As a student editor at Northeastern, he was physically threatened while covering the 1963 Selma, Alabama racial unrest. He later earned a Master of Journalism degree from the Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism, Evanston, IL. In 1967, he covered the "Summer of Love" in San Francisco for The Boston's Herald Traveler.

Wishnow launched his own firm. The Wishnow Group Inc., an activist public affairs firm based in Marblehead, Massachusetts in 1974.

The Wishnow Group has worked with nonprofits including the Anti-Defamation League and the March of Dimes, University of Chicago Hospitals, US Law Enforcement Systems Association, and the US Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

They have also worked with corporate clients and underwriters, including American Express, Digital Equipment Corporation, Sears, Montgomery Ward and Blue Cross Blue Shield. The result was broadcast on WBZ. The project was named "T-Group 15 and narrated by Boston university Sensitivity Training pioneer Dr. Malcolm Knowles. The 11-hour edited broadcast included four hours of live audience reaction with the participants and was aired on WBZ for 15 straight hours from 7AM-midnight without commercials.

Rush Hour Rescue Wishnow worked with ALA Auto & Travel Club of Wellesley, Massachusetts and WBZ radio to develop a service which included a van that provided free emergency road assistance for cars that broke down on major area highways speeding up traffic during peak travel periods.

Commuter Computer In 1969 "Commuter Computer" Listeners sent in forms with their schedules and locations. A computer (well before ubiquitous computer use) matched them up with ten people who had similar carpooling needs. Tens of thousands of people joined the effort. The project sparked carpool campaigns in Chicago, Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Baltimore and Miami.

Wishnow Group public affair campaigns

H.O.T. Car "Hands off This Car" ("H.O.T. Car") was a community-based program Wishnow produced for WNAC-TV (CBS) Boston to measurably reduce car theft. The station provided two prime time specials and 500 Public Service Announcements a month plus news and other exposure at an approximate value of $2,000,000. The project expanded nationally through the Montgomery Ward Auto Club and participating network owned and affiliated TV stations where it reached over 51 major US markets. In Boston the car theft rate dropped 14% statewide, members car theft went down 500%. And the station's ratings went up dramatically. Efforts for the campaign were funded through grants from the Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Department of Energy. As part of the push to gain awareness, "The Conference on the Sky," The campaign has won Wishnow a part in two national Emmy awards for community service, as well as a Peabody award.

The Volunteer Connection Wishnow brought a year-long, media promoted process to recruit, screen, train and recognize volunteers that was undertaken in Dallas-Fort Worth spearheaded by The Junior League with major contributions from KXAS-TV (NBC), The Hogg Foundation, The United Way and D/FW Volunteer Center. Dallas philanthropist and project leader Lyda Hill who managed the community aspect of the project accepted The President's 1986 Volunteer Action Award on behalf of the participants from President Reagan at the White House.

The Paley Center for Media, Manhattan/Los Angeles, has included numerous Wishnow created project audio and video materials in its permanent collection.

Personal life Wishnow lives in Marblehead, Massachusetts with his wife, scientist and entrepreneur Peipei Wu Wishnow PhD.