Editing Telethon (section)

====New Zealand====
Telethons were run nationwide in New Zealand in 1975 to 1979, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1990 and 1991 by [[TVNZ]], and in 1993 and 2009 by [[TV3 (New Zealand)|TV3]]. As with the Australian telethons,{{citation needed|date=November 2023}} the theme song, "Thank You Very Much for Your Kind Donation" (a [[Cover version|cover]] of "[[Thank U Very Much (The Scaffold song)|Thank U Very Much]]" by [[The Scaffold]]) was played whenever a large donation was announced.

[[TVNZ 2|TV2]], which launched on Monday 30 June 1975, held the first 24-hour telethon on its opening weekend (5-6 July 1975), which raised over $585,000 for St. John Ambulance. It was hosted by the then NZBC studios of the four main centres, though only broadcast in Auckland and Christchurch as TV2 was yet to be transmitted in other centres. In 1979, telethon was hosted by TV2 (then named South Pacific Television) but was simulcast on [[TVNZ 1|TV One]] between midnight and 11:00am while TV One was [[Sign-on and sign-off|off air]] for the benefit of those who couldn't yet receive TV2.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2 June 1979 |title=Telethon for all |pages=3 |work=[[The Press]] |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/press/1979/06/02/3 |access-date=19 August 2022 |archive-date=19 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220819083500/https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/press/1979/06/02/3 |url-status=live }}</ref> Telethon was broadcast on TV One in 1981, 1983 and 1985, and on TV2 in 1988 and 1990.

After the first telethon, the rest were hosted in large exhibition halls and indoor stadiums as the public soon arrived by the thousands to be seen on television and to watch the entertainment live. Notable international guests from TV shows and films, in alphabetical order, have included:

* '''1981:''' [[Basil Brush]], [[Kamahl]], [[Kenny Everett]] and [[Bill Oddie]]<ref>{{cite news |date=20 September 2008 |title=An Oddie, but a Goodie |newspaper=Sunday Star Times |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/features/profiles/637257/An-Oddie-but-a-Goodie |access-date=5 February 2014 |archive-date=23 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223114338/http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/features/profiles/637257/An-Oddie-but-a-Goodie |url-status=live }}</ref>
* '''1985:''' [[Michael Bentine]], [[Sorrell Booke]], [[Johnny Briggs (actor)|Johnny Briggs]], [[Alan Dale]], [[Becky Hobbs]], [[Ernie Hudson]], Kamahl, [[Chris King (actor)|Chris King]], [[Valerie Landsburg]], [[Victoria Nicholls]], [[Deborah Raffin]], [[James Sikking|James B. Sikking]], [[Bruce Weitz]] and [[Ernie Wise]]
* '''1988:''' [[Letitia Dean]], Alix Elias, [[Pat Evison]], [[Max Gail]], [[Estelle Getty]], [[Leeza Gibbons]], [[Kim Lewis]], [[Antonia Murphy]], [[Su Pollard]], [[Christopher Quinten]], [[Ian Rawlings]], [[Mike Smith (broadcaster)|Mike Smith]], [[Susan Tully]], [[Blair Underwood]] and [[Helen Worth]]<ref>{{YouTube|aWnHbd_XUzw|Network Two Telethon 1988 - First 3 Hours}}</ref>
* '''1990:''' Alan Dale, [[John Farnham]], [[Anne Haddy]], [[Jon Iles]], [[Kevin Kennedy (actor)|Kevin Kennedy]], [[Barbara Knox]], [[Ari Meyers]], [[Bryan Mosley]], [[Thaao Penghlis]], [[Barbara Thorn]] and Ernie Wise

Each telethon outdid the previous total for several years, peaking in 1985 with over $6 million, and a mere one month later TVNZ participated in the international LiveAid concert bringing in $1.8 million for New Zealand's contribution. The largest undertaking including smaller regional centres with host locations was 1988. However the economic climate at the time saw money raised drop in 1988 ($5 million) and 1990 ($4 million) while hosting costs soared.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

In 1991, an emergency fundraising 16-hour telethon was hurriedly arranged after a devastating [[cyclone]] flattened most of Western Samoa. The total raised was just over $1.5 million with the Government of New Zealand matching the dollar amount, bringing the total to just over $3 million.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

In 1993, TV3 hosted a 22-hour telethon to raise funds for the [[Starship Children's Hospital]]. Events focused on the two main venues at Auckland's Aotea Centre and Wellington's Shed 6, with roving crews based in Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton and the rest of the country. The event raised just over $3.5 million.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

TV3 broadcast a 23-hour telethon "The Big Night In" to support [[KidsCan]], which aired on August 8 and 9, 2009. The event raised $1,944,225.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

In collaboration with the New Zealand Government, [[Three (TV channel)|Three]], [[Whakaata Māori|Māori Television]], TVNZ 2 and various online platforms simulcast an eight-hour telethon on 16 October 2021, known as the 'Vaxathon', to support the country's [[COVID-19 vaccination in New Zealand|COVID-19 vaccination]] effort.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rutledge |first1=Daniel |title=COVID-19: Super Saturday Vaxathon to broadcast on Three on October 16 |url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/entertainment/2021/10/covid-19-super-saturday-vaxathon-to-broadcast-on-three-on-october-16.html |website=[[Newshub]] |publisher=[[Discovery New Zealand]] |access-date=12 October 2021 |language=en |archive-date=12 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211012185215/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/entertainment/2021/10/covid-19-super-saturday-vaxathon-to-broadcast-on-three-on-october-16.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Some regional stations have also operated their own local telethons to fund local facilities and other organizations.