Editing Telethon

{{Short description|Fundraising event broadcast on television}}
{{For|the ''Space Ghost Coast to Coast'' episode|Telethon (Space Ghost Coast to Coast)}}

A '''telethon''' (a [[portmanteau]] of "[[television]]" and "[[marathon]]") is a televised [[fundraising]] event that lasts many hours or days, the purpose of which is to raise money for a charitable, political or other cause.

Most telethons feature heavy solicitations for pledges (promises to donate funds at a later time) by masters of ceremonies or hosts, who are often local celebrities or media personalities combined with [[variety show]] style entertainment such as singers, bands and instrumentalists. In some cases, telethons feature content related to the cause being supported, such as interviews with charitable beneficiaries, tours of charity-supported projects, or pre-taped sequences. The equivalent term for a radio broadcast is a '''radiothon'''; most radiothons do not include live entertainment.

In the United States, the first telethon used for political outreach occurred in 1960.<ref name=TelethonUSA.Nixon>{{cite web
|url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=25334
|title=Remarks of Vice President Richard M. Nixon, National Telethon, ABC Network, Southfield, MI
|date=November 7, 1960
|quote=for the first time in the history of American politics
|access-date=September 30, 2020
|archive-date=September 5, 2015
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905102500/http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=25334
|url-status=live
}}</ref>

The highest donating telethon per capita in the world is the [[Channel Seven Perth Telethon]] in [[Perth]], [[Western Australia]]. It has raised over AU$650 million since 1968, and raised $83.2 million in 2024.

==History==

===United States===
On April 9, 1949, [[Milton Berle]] hosted the first-ever telethon, raising $1,100,000 for the [[Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation]] over the course of 16 hours.<ref>{{cite book | last = Breslin | first = Jimmy | year = 1991 | title = Damon Runyon—a life | publisher = Ticknor & Fields | location = New York, USA}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|title=Telethon|url=http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/T/htmlT/telethon/telethon.htm
|publisher=Museum of Broadcast Communications |access-date=2009-06-02
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091009235908/http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/T/htmlT/telethon/telethon.htm|archive-date=2009-10-09}}</ref> The first published appearance of the word "telethon" was in the prior day's newspapers.<ref>{{cite news|work=Springfield News-Sun|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/824455250/?clipping_id=155184161|date=April 8, 1949|title=Telethon|quote=The stunt Milton Berle is to pull on NBC television tomorrow is being called a "telethon."}}</ref>

One of the first continuing annual telethons in the United States was the [[United Cerebral Palsy]] (UCP) telethon. Television executive [[Leonard Goldenson]] and his wife had a daughter with [[cerebral palsy]], and with the help of other affected parents, launched the UCP Telethon in 1950, with early television personality [[Dennis James]] as host. He continued to host New York-based segments on the telethon through the 1980s. The telethon is now defunct, as UCP raises funds through other means, including its website. By 1955 televised telethons had become a familiar enough part of American culture to be [[Parody|parodied]] that year in the [[film noir]] ''[[Tight Spot]]'' as [[comic relief]].

The oldest continuing annual telethon in the United States on the same channel is [[Green Bay, Wisconsin]], station [[WBAY-TV]] (channel 2)'s local Cerebral Palsy telethon,<ref>2017: {{cite web
|url=https://www.wbay.com/content/news/CP-Telethon-continues-fundraising-tradition-on-WBAY-TV-415382573.html
|title=CP Telethon continues tradition, expanding |date=May 3, 2017}}</ref><ref>2020: {{cite web |website=WBAY-TV
   |url=https://www.wbay.com/content/news/CP-Telethon-returns-to-the-airwaves-this-weekend-568544721.html
   |title=CP Telethon returns to the airwaves this weekend |date=March 5, 2020
   |quote=The nation's longest-running local telethon continues its tradition}}</ref>  which helps provide financial support for equipment for Cerebral Palsy, Inc., that began broadcasting as a 22-hour event on the first weekend of March 1954. As of 2025, WBAY has presented the telethon for 71 years.

Close behind the Green Bay telethon in longevity is the [[WHAS Crusade for Children]] in [[Louisville, Kentucky]], which began in October 1954 on [[WHAS-TV]] (channel 11) and [[WHAS (AM)|WHAS radio]] (840 AM).<ref name="2020WHAS11">{{cite web
   |url=https://www.whas11.com/article/features/crusade-for-children/whas-crusade-for-children-raises-4-8-million/417-000c0ddb-4df0-42fb-8a87-9210894e95e7
   |publisher=[[WHAS-TV]]
   |first=C.J.
   |last=Daniels
   |title=WHAS Crusade for Children raises $4.8M during 67th telethon
   |date=August 9, 2020
   |access-date=September 30, 2020
   |archive-date=September 19, 2020
   |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919164142/https://www.whas11.com/article/features/crusade-for-children/whas-crusade-for-children-raises-4-8-million/417-000c0ddb-4df0-42fb-8a87-9210894e95e7
   |url-status=live
 }}</ref> It is still broadcast on the two WHAS stations despite their being owned by different entities for three decades, and has expanded to radio and TV stations in other parts of [[Kentucky]] and [[Indiana]], as well as a live stream on the internet. The Crusade is famous for the legions of [[firefighter]]s who collect money at  intersections throughout the area each May and June.

The most-broadcast telethon to date was January 22, 2010, ''[[Hope for Haiti Now]]'' telethon, to aid the victims of the [[2010 Haiti earthquake|January 10th earthquake]]. Viewers were able to text donations on cell phones, and it raised a reported $58 million by the next day. It was designed to show viewers a stark divide between them and the people surviving this catastrophic event.<ref>{{cite journal|last=McAlister|first=Elizabeth|title=Soundscapes of Disaster and Humanitarianism: Survival Singing, Relief Telethons, and the Haiti Earthquake|journal=Small Axe|date=November 2012|volume=39|issue=3 39|pages=22–38|doi=10.1215/07990537-1894078|s2cid=144995319|url=https://wesscholar.wesleyan.edu/div2facpubs/158|access-date=2019-08-16|archive-date=2019-01-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190106163204/https://wesscholar.wesleyan.edu/div2facpubs/158/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=McAlister |first1=Elizabeth |title=Soundscapes of Disaster and Humanitarianism: Survival Singing, Relief Telethons, and the Haiti Earthquake |url=https://works.bepress.com/elizabeth_mcalister/39/ |website=bepress.com |access-date=2019-06-28 |archive-date=2015-10-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151004062644/https://works.bepress.com/elizabeth_mcalister/39/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Australia===
Melbourne's [[Good Friday Appeal]], which began in 1931, started its telethon in 1957 after the [[Seven Network]] joined as a sponsor.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://rch150.org.au/timeline/our-community/channel-7-joins-good-friday-appeal/|title=1957: Channel 7 joins Good Friday Appeal|date=19 September 2019|publisher=The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne|access-date=30 October 2022|archive-date=30 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221030092832/https://rch150.org.au/timeline/our-community/channel-7-joins-good-friday-appeal/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Adelaide's first telethon was held at the Tynte Street, North Adelaide, studios of NWS9 in December 1960. One fundraiser was [[Barry Jones (Australian politician)|Barry Jones]], then famous as a quiz champion. Viewers could, for a fee, attempt to "stump" him with their favorite question.<ref name=Dove>{{cite book|author=Cora Dove |title=The First 25 Years of Television in South Australia |year=1986 |page=15}}</ref>

Prior to the establishment of [[Channel Seven Perth Telethon|their annual telethon]] in 1968, Perth station [[TVW]] broadcast one-off telethons for [[1961 Western Australian bushfires|bushfire relief in 1961]], and to raise funds for Christmas care packages sent to Western Australian soldiers [[Military history of Australia during the Vietnam War|serving in Vietnam]] in 1966 and 1967.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/telethon/telethon-how-a-chat-on-a-golf-course-led-to-the-creation-of-australias-most-successful-charity-event-c-8621056|title=Telethon: How a chat on a golf course led to the creation of Australia's most successful charity event|publisher=PerthNow|date=October 23, 2022|access-date=October 24, 2022|archive-date=October 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221025022407/https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/telethon/telethon-how-a-chat-on-a-golf-course-led-to-the-creation-of-australias-most-successful-charity-event-c-8621056|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Examples==

===The Americas===

====United States====
In the United States, telethons are held for various [[charitable organization]]s; as of 2014, however, no national telethons currently exist.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0899764012467230 |title=National Giving Campaigns in the United States |date=December 14, 2012 |doi=10.1177/0899764012467230 |last1=Einolf |first1=Christopher J. |last2=Philbrick |first2=Deborah M. |last3=Slay |first3=Kelly |journal=Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly |volume=42 |issue=2 |pages=241–261 |s2cid=153796143 |access-date=September 30, 2020 |archive-date=October 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019164431/https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0899764012467230 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription }}</ref>

The longest-running national telethon in the United States was ''[[The Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon]]'', which was staged for over 21 hours each [[Labor Day]] to benefit the [[Muscular Dystrophy Association]] between 1966 and 2010.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://www.mda.org/about-mda/history
|title=History of MDA
|date=2015-12-29
|access-date=2020-09-30
|archive-date=2020-09-21
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200921073951/https://www.mda.org/about-mda/history
|url-status=live
}}</ref> From 2011 to 2013 it was trimmed down to six hours, then to three, and then to two hours. From 2012 it no longer served as a telethon in the traditional sense.  It was discontinued in 2014.<ref name=USAToday050115>{{cite news
|newspaper=USAtoday 
|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2015/05/01/muscular-dystrophy-association-ends-labor-day-television-telethon/26709717
|title=MDA ends Jerry Lewis Labor Day telethon |access-date=7 May 2018
|url-status=live
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831163431/https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2015/05/01/muscular-dystrophy-association-ends-labor-day-television-telethon/26709717 |archive-date=31 August 2017}}</ref> Other prior charities such as the [[St. Jude Children's Research Hospital]], [[Easterseals (U.S.)|Easter Seals]], [[Arthritis Foundation]], and the [[Children's Miracle Network]] had produced telethons on a nationwide or regional basis.

Some radio stations produce annual [[pledge drive]]s which are similar in format to telethons, but instead, use brief breaks between regular programs to appeal for funds.

[[Trinity Broadcasting Network]] (TBN), a [[religious broadcasting|religious]] [[television network]], hosts non-stop, week-long, semi-annual telethons called "Praise-a-Thons". The [[Christian Broadcasting Network]] (CBN; producers of the long-running [[broadcast syndication|syndicated]] program ''[[The 700 Club]]'') stages a modified form of a telethon thrice yearly, which runs for approximately one week but is shown for only an hour or so each day. In its early days, CBN's telethons were of the more traditional round-the-clock form; this format ended when the [[Pat Robertson]]-founded ministry sold [[Television networks preceding ABC Family#The Family Channel|The Family Channel]] (now [[Freeform (TV channel)|Freeform]]), which no longer gave it access to a round-the-clock outlet for such telethons. However, on the Sunday before the [[Super Bowl]], CBN continues to produce a 12-hour telethon which airs on Freeform and is syndicated to various television stations; the broadcast of the program on the cable channel was a condition inserted in a 1998 deal by International Family Entertainment (which acquired the channel from CBN in 1990) to sell The Family Channel to [[News Corporation (1980–2013)|News Corporation]], and remained in place after the channel's 2001 sale to The Walt Disney Company. Other religious stations and networks hold telethons as well, including [[Chabad|West Coast Chabad Lubavitch]] since 1980.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tolife.com|title=Chabad Telethon|website=tolife.com|access-date=7 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171029144550/http://tolife.com/|archive-date=29 October 2017}}</ref>

For a brief time in the early 1970s, beginning in 1972, the [[United States Democratic Party|Democratic Party]] even held annual telethons (two were called "America Goes Public" and "Answer, America!"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1356&dat=19740628&id=HnhPAAAAIBAJ&pg=4589,6754761|title=Ocala Star-Banner - Google News Archive Search |website=news.google.com |access-date=7 May 2018}}</ref>) to help it erase a multi-million [[dollar]] [[debt]] (this may have provided the inspiration for the 1979 comedy film ''[[Americathon]]'', where a telethon is held to prevent [[national bankruptcy]]). The telethon idea was created and promoted by [[John Y. Brown, Jr.]], the businessman who built [[Kentucky Fried Chicken]] into a worldwide chain and later became [[Governor of Kentucky]].

Local telethons, once a common fixture in nearly every major city in the United States, are now rare but still found in a handful of cities, including Louisville, Kentucky (WHAS Crusade for Children), [[Buffalo, New York]] (the ''Variety Club Telethon'', held each winter for [[Variety, the Children's Charity]]; it began on what is now [[WGRZ]] in 1962 before spending most of its run on [[WKBW-TV]] from 1963 to 2019 and then moving back to WGRZ in 2020, with [[WBBZ-TV]] added as a broadcast partner that year); Green Bay, Wisconsin ([[WBAY-TV]]'s annual March telethon for the locally based [[Cerebral palsy|Cerebral Palsy]] Center); and [[Erie, Pennsylvania]] (the ''Community for Kanzius Telethon'' on [[WICU-TV|WICU]] and [[WSEE-TV|WSEE]] for the Kanzius Cancer Research Foundation). [[New York City]] also features a telethon of sorts; the ''[[WFAN (AM)|WFAN]] Radiothon'', by virtue of its two [[drive time]] shows being simulcast on [[cable television]], has portions covered on television. Since 2010, this has included the portion covering ''[[Boomer and Carton in the Morning]]'' on [[CBS Sports Network]] and ''[[Mike's On]]'' on [[Fox Sports 1]]/[[Fox Sports 2|2]]. From 2002 to 2007, the shows in question were ''[[Imus in the Morning]]'' on [[MSNBC]] and ''[[Mike and the Mad Dog]]'' on YES; Imus revived the practice of hosting radiothons on his most recent radio broadcast homes, [[WABC (AM)|WABC]] and [[Fox Business Network]].

[[Garden City High School (Kansas)|Garden City High School]] in [[Garden City, Kansas]], holds annual telethons to help fund the school's broadcasting, debate and forensics teams.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gctelegram.com/communityguide/media/Guide-2009---Television-stations|title=Television stations|website=gctelegram.com|access-date=7 May 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101231235251/http://www.gctelegram.com/communityguide/media/Guide-2009---Television-stations|archive-date=31 December 2010}}</ref>

On December 14, 2012, [[Univision]] introduced the first ever Spanish-language telethon in the United States, ''[[Teletón USA]]'', which is hosted by longtime ''[[Sábado Gigante]]'' host Mario Kreutzberger, known by his stage name [[Don Francisco (television host)|Don Francisco]]. The total donation in the first edition was $8,150,625, 16.44% more than the intended goal of $7,000,000.<ref>{{cite web|title=El gran total del Teletón USA 2012.|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hv_vQbN307g|publisher=[[Univisión]]|date=December 16, 2012|access-date=2013-03-06|language=es|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140523221818/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hv_vQbN307g|archive-date=May 23, 2014}}</ref> For its 2013 edition, the goal went up to $15,215,029 and the total donation is now $15,313,525, a $98,496 increase.<ref>{{cite web|title=La cifra final del Teletón USA 2013.|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wu1j7xkKzxE |publisher=[[Univisión]]|date=December 15, 2013|access-date=2013-12-15|language=es|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150710183046/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wu1j7xkKzxE|archive-date=July 10, 2015}}</ref>

====Canada====
There are no annual national telethons in Canada, although as in the U.S., many local children's hospitals operate regional telethons in collaboration with [[Children's Miracle Network Hospitals]] in early June. In addition, due to the proliferation of [[cable television]] piping in signals from the United States, a number of American telethons, such as the Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon, attracted donations from Canada due to being broadcast there.

Notable regional telethons (outside of those produced by Children's Miracle Network) include:
* ''[[Telemiracle]]'' (March) in [[Saskatchewan]] benefiting the [[Kin Canada|Kinsmen]] Foundation and currently seen on [[CTV Television Network|CTV]] stations in Saskatchewan. Since its inception in 1977, Telemiracle has raised over $100 million, including the record $7.1 million in the 2018 edition, held in [[Regina, Saskatchewan|Regina]].
* ''[[Christmas Daddies]]'' (December), benefiting underprivileged children in [[Atlantic Canada]] and broadcast on [[CTV Atlantic]] stations.
* ''[[Show of Hearts]]'' (February) in [[British Columbia]], supporting [[Variety, the Children's Charity]] and seen on [[CHAN-DT]] in [[Vancouver]].
*''[[CTV-Lion's Club Children's Christmas Telethon]]'' (December), buys Christmas presents for underprivileged children in [[Northern Ontario]]. The telethon is broadcast on [[CTV Northern Ontario]] stations and features local musical talent.

====Chile====
{{Main|Teletón (Chile)}}
Since 1978, the major Chilean television networks hold an annual telethon called '''''Teletón''''' to raise funds to help children with developmental disabilities (most commonly [[cerebral palsy]]) in Instituto de Rehabilitación Infantil ("Infant Rehabilitation Institute") centers. [[Mario Kreutzberger]], who is the symbol of "La Teletón" in Chile, has served as the telethon's host since its inception. The telethon is an event of national unity and is proportionally, the most widely watched and most donated telethon in the world, surpassing Australia's Telethon.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}

There is also a local telethon running, the ''Days for the Disabled Magellanic Children'' (''Jornadas por el Niño Impedido Magallánico''), to raise funds to help disabled children of the [[Magallanes Province|Magallanes]] and [[Última Esperanza Province|Última Esperanza]] provinces, in an effort led by the local [[Lions Club]]. The 2006 Days broadcast raised US$515,000.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Club de Leones Cruz del Sur |url=https://leonescruzdelsur.cl/ |access-date=2023-06-01 |website=Club de Leones Cruz del Sur |language=es-CL |archive-date=2023-03-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230330204623/https://leonescruzdelsur.cl/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Inicio |url=https://www.rehabilitamos.org/ |access-date=2023-06-01 |website=www.rehabilitamos.org |archive-date=2023-02-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213092742/https://rehabilitamos.org/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

During March 2010, a special telethon called ''Chile ayuda a Chile'' (''[[Chile helps Chile]]'') was broadcast to raise money to help those affected by a [[2010 Chile earthquake|devastating earthquake]] that struck the southern part of central [[Chile]] on February 27 of that year.<ref name="lun">{{cite web|url=http://www.lun.com/Pages/NewsDetail.aspx?dt=2010-03-01&PaginaId=54&bodyid=0|date=March 1, 2010|publisher=[[Las Ultimas Noticias]]|title=Kreutzberger al rescate.|access-date=2010-03-02|language=es|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100304081233/http://www.lun.com/Pages/NewsDetail.aspx?dt=2010-03-01&PaginaId=54&bodyid=0|archive-date=March 4, 2010}}</ref> The aim was to raise [[Chilean peso|$]]15,000,000,000 Chilean Pesos for the construction of 30 thousand emergency homes in the disaster area. In the end, that amount tripled, having been gathered over 46 billion Chilean pesos ($90 million), the biggest amount of money collected from a Telethon in history.<ref name="final">{{cite web|url=http://www.latercera.com/contenido/661_235123_9.shtml|date=March 18, 2010|publisher=[[El Mercurio]]|title=Chile ayuda a Chile entrega su recaudación final: $45.974.813.684|access-date=2010-03-18|language=es|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713191233/http://www.latercera.com/contenido/661_235123_9.shtml|archive-date=July 13, 2011}}</ref>

====Honduras====
Since 1987, all television networks in [[Honduras]] hold a 27-hour telethon every December to raise funds to help children with disabilities in support of "Fundación Teleton" (Telethon Foundation), a charity under the leadership of businessman Rafael Ferrari. Many international artists, television presenters and journalists participate in the event. [[TACA Airlines]] provides free transportation for international invitees. Local banks are open around-the-clock during the Telethon, to enable viewers to donate through their local banks.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

====Mexico====
{{Main|Teletón (Mexico)}}
Like Chile and Honduras in December of every year since 1997 the Mexican television network [[Televisa]], in conjunction with other networks, both public and private (except rivals [[Azteca (multimedia company)|Azteca]] and [[Grupo Imagen|Imagen]], the latter since 2016), hold a 24-hour telethon with the purpose to raise funds to help children with disabilities. The event is organized by the "Fundación Teletón".

During the transmission of the event especially in the television broadcasting many Mexican media personalities shows testimonies of children and their families who overcame their disabilities. The final act with the Telethon is a concert in the [[Estadio Azteca]] with the performance of many national and international artists and singers. Because Televisa programming also airs in the United States on Univision and border city Televisa stations, some additional contributions and pledges come from American viewers.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

====Brazil====
The marathon broadcast under the name ''Teleton'' by [[Sistema Brasileiro de Televisão|SBT]] was conceived by Décio Goldfarb, Clovis Scripilliti and [[Hebe Camargo]] who asked the owner of SBT, [[Silvio Santos]], to broadcast the program. The collections are passed on to "Associação de Assistência à Criança Deficiente" (AACD) – [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] for Association for Assistance to Disabled Children.

The first edition was held between 17 and 18 May 1998, and since then, 14 rehabilitation centers, a home school and a hospital for rehabilitation operations and exams are created. Another rehabilitation center was in construction but the same was canceled due to the financial crisis Brazil had been suffering since 2015, also two rehabilitation centers have closed and another three were municipalized, making the total of centers down to nine.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

The edition of 2019 was held on 25 and 26 October. It had a goal of R$30 million, and raised R$32 450 054 (US$8,106,231) after almost 26 hours of broadcast, making a new record total. In 2018, AACD helped over 8,000 people with physical disabilities.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

====Haiti====
"[[Hope for Haiti Now]]" was a telethon based in the United States. It was organized as a humanitarian relief effort in response to the [[2010 Haiti Earthquake]].

===Europe===

====Austria====
{{Main|Licht ins Dunkel}}
''Licht ins Dunkel'' (literally: "light in the dark") is an annual telethon held in Austria to help disabled persons.

====Spain====
In [[Catalonia]], public television broadcaster [[Televisió de Catalunya]] broadcasts an annual telethon ([[:ca:Marató de TV3|La Marató de TV3]]){{in lang|ca}} for several diseases. In 2018, it raised €15,068,252 for [[cancer]] research. €197,340,632 have been collected since the first edition in 1992.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

====France====
In France, since 1987, an annual ''[[:fr:Téléthon en France|Téléthon]]'', for the muscular dystrophy charity in France (see also [[Decrypthon]]), ''[[:fr:Association française contre les myopathies|L'Association française contre les myopathies]]'', is held by [[France 2]] on the first or second weekend in December, with the support of [[France 3]] and [[France 5]], and the public radio networks ([[France Inter]], [[France Info]], [[France Bleu]]). Several events are organized all around France. Donations are made by telephone or at the Téléthon's website, or on mobile web portals, as well as through SMS messaging (and also [[Minitel]] in the past). The 2007 edition earned €96,228,136 (US$141,089,693) during the program and €102.3 million after final collection.<ref>AFM: [http://www.afm-france.org/ewb_pages/e/evenements-telethon2007-millemercis.php Le Téléthon 2007 aura permis de collecter 102,3 millions d'euros] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090130060105/http://www.afm-france.org/ewb_pages/e/evenements-telethon2007-millemercis.php |date=2009-01-30 }}.</ref>

====Ireland====
In Ireland, the RTÉ [[People in Need Telethon]] was held roughly every two years in May, from 1989 to 2007, although there was no Telethon in 2003 due to [[2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games|Special Olympics]] and the sponsorship/volunteering needed, and it was moved to October 26 in 2007. During the 2004 telethon, over 4,000 fundraising events were organised by people nationwide, and proceeds were subsequently distributed to almost 760 projects in the 26 counties.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

Since its inception, over €35 million has been raised by the [[People in Need Trust|People in Need]] through the [[RTÉ]] People in Need Telethon, supporting a wide variety of charitable organizations nationwide. Eight telethons have been held to date and over €35 million has been distributed in grants, ranging from €150 to €50,000, to thousands of organisations throughout Ireland. Grant applications are assessed by advisory committees in each region before final approval by the Board of Directors of the Trust. Money raised in each [[Counties of Ireland|county]] stays in each county.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

====Italy====
In Italy, since 1990, Telethon is also held by [[RAI]] in December, and in 2006 (when the event was held from December 15–17) donors had raised €30,740,000 for research into cures for genetic diseases. By 2009, a total of €284,000,000 have been collected since 1990.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

The creators of the Italian version are [[Susanna Agnelli]] and the Italian Union for the fight against muscular dystrophy.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Homepage |url=https://www.telethon.it/en/ |access-date=2023-06-01 |website=Telethon |archive-date=2023-05-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230531120755/https://www.telethon.it/en |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Netherlands====
The first nationwide telethon in the [[Netherlands]] was ''[[Open Het Dorp]]'' ("Open The Village"), which was classic in format, broadcasting for 23 hours on television and radio from 26 to 27 November 1962. Funds were raised to build and open a special village/community for disabled people.
[[Image:SeriousRequest2009a.jpg|thumb|The "Glass House" radiothon studio of ''Serious Request'' in [[Groningen]]'s market square in 2009, in front of its city hall]]
In 1984 for the first time a number of Dutch [[humanitarian aid]] organisations collaborated with a combination of broadcasters, to raise funds through a unified effort: "Eén voor Afrika" (One for Africa).<ref name=giro555>{{cite web |url=http://giro555.nl/over-sho/ |title=Over Giro555 - Giro555 |language=nl |trans-title=About account 555 - Account 555 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=2014 |publisher=[[Samenwerkende Hulporganisaties]] |access-date=29 December 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141229212841/http://giro555.nl/over-sho/ |archive-date=29 December 2014 }}</ref> With a combination of 10 hours of television and 18 hours of radio broadcast, €44&nbsp;million was raised. After another such action in 1987, the organisations decided to sign a permanent cooperation agreement as the [[Samenwerkende Hulporganisaties]] (or SHO, meaning Cooperating Aid Organizations). Although the campaigns gradually moved away from classic telethons over the years, the SHO raised some €700&nbsp;million in forty nationwide efforts since it started.<ref name=giro555/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rtlnieuws.nl/nieuws/binnenland/top-5-opbrengsten-giro-555 |title=Top 5 opbrengsten giro 555 |language=nl |trans-title=Top 5 proceeds on account 555 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=11 November 2013 |publisher=[[RTL Nieuws]] |access-date=29 December 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141229212922/http://www.rtlnieuws.nl/nieuws/binnenland/top-5-opbrengsten-giro-555 |archive-date=29 December 2014 }}</ref>

Starting in 2004 an annual multi-day radiothon called [[Serious Request]] is hosted by national pop music station [[3FM]] in the week before Christmas. Three popular [[Disc jockey#Types|radio DJ]]s are locked up for six days in a small temporary radio studio (the "Glass House"), placed in a main square of a Dutch city. Living on a juice-only fast, the DJs make an interactive, themed broadcast around the clock, to raise funds and awareness for [[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|International Red Cross]] initiatives. Regular programming on the station is suspended — instead 3FM and its website are completely dedicated to the event, which is also transmitted as a continuous audio and video [[Streaming media|live-stream]]. Additionally there is television coverage, integration with [[social media]], and a dedicated [[mobile app]]. All totalled the eleven editions have raised €76.8&nbsp;million.<ref>{{Citation|title=3FM Serious Request|date=2018-12-20|url=https://nl.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=3FM_Serious_Request&oldid=52826950|work=Wikipedia|language=nl|access-date=2019-06-12}}</ref>

''Serious Request'' spin-off projects have since been adopted in [[Belgium]], [[Switzerland]], [[Sweden]], [[Kenya]], [[South Korea]], [[Austria]], [[Latvia]] and [[Portugal]].

====Norway====

[[TV-aksjonen]] ([[English language|English]]: "The TV Campaign/Auction") is an annual national [[Norway|Norwegian]] charity [[fund raising]] event that since 1974 has been run by Norwegian [[public broadcaster]] [[NRK]] in conjunction with selected organizations. The fundraiser is the world's largest, measured in terms of donated value [[per capita]] and number of participants.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.aftenposten.no/kultur/tv/Nest-beste-TV-innsamling-6677543.html|title=Nest beste TV-innsamling|date=2011-10-24|publisher=Aftenposten|agency=[[Norwegian News Agency]]|access-date=2022-10-28|archive-date=2014-10-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019225757/http://www.aftenposten.no/kultur/tv/Nest-beste-TV-innsamling-6677543.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=page>{{cite web|url=https://www.tnp.no/norway/panorama/2059-tv-aksjonen-ends-with-record-aid|title=TV-Aksjonen Ends with Record Aid|date=25 October 2010|access-date=26 November 2016|work=The Nordic Page|archive-date=15 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160715002903/http://www.tnp.no/norway/panorama/2059-tv-aksjonen-ends-with-record-aid|url-status=live}}</ref> The event is central to Norwegian society inasmuch as it is viewed as the most famous and trusted charity fundraiser in the country.<ref name="NRK">{{cite news|last1=Svendsen|first1=Paal Adolfsen|last2=Sørheim|first2=Aashild|title=TV-aksjonen som fenomen|url=http://www.nrk.no/programmer/tv/tv-aksjonen/1.5954634|access-date=22 October 2017|publisher=[[NRK]]|date=26 June 2008|archive-date=2 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130402213824/http://www.nrk.no/programmer/tv/tv-aksjonen/1.5954634|url-status=live}}</ref> The campaign is held on a Sunday in October each year, and on the selected day NRK devotes most of its airtime to informing the public about the organization and that year's special cause.<ref name="snl">{{cite web|last1=Pettersen|first1=Stig Arild|last2=Smith-Meyer|first2=Trond|title=TV-aksjonen|url=https://snl.no/TV-aksjonen|publisher=[[Store norske leksikon]]|access-date=26 October 2017|language=Norwegian|archive-date=24 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171024153429/https://snl.no/TV-aksjonen|url-status=live}}</ref>

Contributions are collected in a number of ways. Central to the campaign is the door-to-door campaign of approximately 100,000 volunteers servicing all 1.8{{nbsp}}million Norwegian households,<ref name="NRK"/> as well as donations accepted via telephone or by funds transfer to the campaign's bank account. NRK also hosts a live [[auction]] of various items and experiences, with proceeds also going to that year's selected charity. Several organizations donate considerable amounts, as does the government of Norway on behalf of the Norwegian people.<ref name="snl"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsinenglish.no/2017/10/23/charity-drive-raises-millions-for-unicef/|title=Charity drive raises millions for Unicef|date=23 October 2017|access-date=26 November 2017|work=newsinenglish.no|archive-date=1 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201031456/http://www.newsinenglish.no/2017/10/23/charity-drive-raises-millions-for-unicef/|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Ukraine====
Since the start of the invasion in the [[prelude to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine]] on February 24, 2022, most Ukrainian television channels switched over to the signal of [[Rada TV]]. The channel was made state-owned at the end of 2021. Following February 26, 2022, the four biggest broadcasters including the TV channels [[1+1 (TV channel)|1+1]], [[2+2 (TV channel)|2+2]], [[24 Kanal]], and [[Ukraine (TV channel)|TRC Ukraina]] began broadcasting a 24/7 united newscast called "[[United News (telethon)|United News]]" ("Єдині новини") that is produced in turn by the various channels and amended with official information by governmental agencies to "objectively and promptly provide comprehensive information from different regions of the country 24/7".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Goldbart |first=Max |date=2022-02-26 |title=Ukraine: Media Groups Join Together For 'United News' & Urge World To Turn Off Russian Channels |url=https://deadline.com/2022/02/ukraine-media-groups-join-together-for-united-news-urge-world-to-turn-off-russian-channels-1234960684/ |access-date=2022-02-27 |website=Deadline |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-02-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227002458/https://deadline.com/2022/02/ukraine-media-groups-join-together-for-united-news-urge-world-to-turn-off-russian-channels-1234960684/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Група 1+1 media долучилася до спільного інформаційного ефіру країни "Єдині новини" |url=https://1plus1.ua/novyny/grupa-11-media-dolucilasa-do-spilnogo-informacijnogo-efiru-kraini-edini-novini |access-date=2022-02-27 |website=Офіційний сайт каналу 1+1 - 1plus1.ua |date=26 February 2022 |language=uk |archive-date=2022-02-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220226160037/https://1plus1.ua/novyny/grupa-11-media-dolucilasa-do-spilnogo-informacijnogo-efiru-kraini-edini-novini |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/20/ukraine-suspends-11-political-parties-with-links-to-russia |date=2022-02-20 |access-date=2022-03-26 |title=Ukraine suspends 11 political parties |first=Pjotr |last=Sauer |website=[[The Guardian]] |language=en-UK |archive-date=2022-03-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325183943/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/20/ukraine-suspends-11-political-parties-with-links-to-russia |url-status=live }}</ref>

====United Kingdom====
In the United Kingdom, the [[ITV Telethon]]s were three charity telethons organised and televised in the UK by the [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] network. The broadcasts took place in 1988, 1990 and 1992. Each lasted for 27 hours and all were hosted by [[Michael Aspel]].

Regular telethons are held for charitable groups such as [[Comic Relief (charity)|Comic Relief]]'s [[Red Nose Day]] and ''[[Sport Relief]]'', and the BBC's ''[[Children in Need]]''. Some of these occur every year, with millions of [[pounds sterling|pounds]] raised to support various charities. These usually include music artists, sketches, and other various segments, often with videos in between each segment or song to promote the charity that money is being raised for, usually children in either Africa or the United Kingdom. In 2012/2013, ''Children in Need'' raised £26 million and Comic Relief £75 million; a combined total of £101 million ($151 million).{{citation needed|date=April 2023}} Children in Need is well known for its [[Children in Need Choir|nationwide link-up performances]] such as the choir that has been running since 2011 featuring over 1500 children in choirs of about 150 singing one song in unison from about 10 locations around the UK. This is usually the point where the telethon receives the most donations.

From 2011 to 2015, [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] held their ''[[Text Santa]]'' telethon in the buildup to Christmas. The telethon lasted for three hours and was hosted by three ITV presenting duos, [[Ant & Dec]], [[Phillip Schofield]] and [[Christine Bleakley]], and [[Paddy McGuinness]] and [[Alesha Dixon]], each duo hosting an hour each. Text Santa supported six UK charities; these were [[Alzheimer's Society]], [[The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association]], [[Marie Curie (charity)|Marie Curie]], [[Teenage Cancer Trust]], [[Together for Short Lives]] and [[WellChild]].{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

Since 2012, [[Channel 4]] has hosted ''[[Stand Up to Cancer (UK)|Stand Up to Cancer]]''. The inaugural telethon was presented by Channel 4 faces [[Davina McCall]], [[Alan Carr]] and [[Christian Jessen]]. All three returned to present the next telethon in 2014, which also had segments hosted by ''[[The Last Leg]]'' presenters [[Adam Hills]], [[Josh Widdicombe]] and [[Alex Brooker]]. The 2014 telethon came live from [[City of Westminster|Westminster's]] [[Methodist Central Hall Westminster|Methodist Central Hall]].

===Asia===

====Japan====
{{Expand Japanese|section=yes|24時間テレビ 「愛は地球を救う」|date=September 2009}}
[[File:Japanese Telethon.jpg|thumb|right|Fundraising for ''24 Hour Television'' at [[Kanazawa-Bunko Station]], 2007]]

In Japan, [[Nippon Television]] hosts its annual telethon titled ''24 Hour Television: "Love Saves the Earth"'' ([[:ja:24時間テレビ 「愛は地球を救う」|24時間テレビ　「愛は地球を救う」]]{{in lang|ja}}, Niju-yojikan Terebi: "Ai wa Chikyū o Sukū") during the final weekend of August, broadcast live from the [[Ryōgoku Kokugikan]] arena. Started in 1978, its objective is to raise funds for various charities that aid the sick, the handicapped, victims of war and natural disasters around the world and environmental programmes. Every year, during the live broadcast, a popular television personality attempts to run a 100&nbsp;km marathon for this worthy cause. Despite its title, the telethon runs for approximately 27 hours.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

The 2011 telethon's funds were donated to organizations to help rebuild the prefectures that were damaged in the [[2011 Tohoku earthquake]].

''FNS Day'' ([[:ja:FNSの日]]) {{in lang|ja}} is an annual telethon hosted by [[Fuji Television]] which started in 1987 and airs during the final weekend of July.

====Hong Kong====
In Hong Kong, [[Tung Wah Charity Show]] is an annual telethon (known locally as "charity show") organised by [[Television Broadcasts Limited]] and is held on a Saturday or Sunday in December.

====Israel====
In [[Israel]], for many years an annual telethon is held for those serving in the Israeli Defense Forces ([[Israel Defense Forces|IDF]]).

A telethon is called "teletrom" in Hebrew ([[Hebrew]] טלתרום), "trom" meaning donate.

Telethons have also been held for endangered children on Israeli channel 2, the broadcast is called "Yom Tov" ([[Hebrew]] "יום טוב"), meaning "Good Day" in English.

====Singapore====
In Singapore, Ren Ci Charity Show is an annual telethon (known locally as "charity show") organised by [[Mediacorp]]. Other charity shows in Singapore include NKF Charity Show.

===Oceania===

====Australia====

===== Perth =====
The annual [[Channel Seven Perth Telethon]] is run by [[Perth]]-based [[Seven Network]] station [[TVW]] and the Channel 7 Telethon Trust and is broadcast throughout [[Western Australia]] on the Seven Network. Starting in 1968, the annual 26-hour continuous broadcast runs on a weekend, usually in October, commencing at 7.00pm on Saturday night. The two major beneficiaries of Telethon are [[Perth Children's Hospital]] (and previously [[Princess Margaret Hospital for Children]]) and the [[Telethon Kids Institute]] along with numerous other additional beneficiaries (in 2021, there were 65 beneficiaries).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://7news.com.au/news/telethon/telethon-2021-perth-when-to-watch-on-channel-7-and-how-to-donate-c-4233283|title=Telethon 2021 Perth: When to watch on Channel 7 and how to donate|date=October 14, 2021|access-date=October 17, 2021|archive-date=October 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017070726/https://7news.com.au/news/telethon/telethon-2021-perth-when-to-watch-on-channel-7-and-how-to-donate-c-4233283|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2017, TVW held its 50th Telethon, raising a then-record [[Australian Dollar|A$]]36.4 million ($10 million more than the previous year), which amounted to $13.94 per head of population in WA. The largest amount raised on Perth's Telethon was set in 2024, which saw [[Australian Dollar|A$]]83.2 million donated. Since 1968, Perth's Telethon has raised over [[Australian Dollar|A$]]650 million in total.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/telethon/telethon-2022-cracks-500-million-in-total-fundraising-since-1968-c-8636536|title=Telethon 2022 cracks $500 million in total fundraising since 1968|date=October 23, 2022|access-date=October 23, 2022|archive-date=October 23, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221023103603/https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/telethon/telethon-2022-cracks-500-million-in-total-fundraising-since-1968-c-8636536|url-status=live}}</ref>

A number of international celebrities have visited Perth to appear on the Telethon, such as [[Michael Jackson]], [[Celine Dion]], [[Harry Connick, Jr.]], [[Stevie Wonder]], [[Sammy Davis Jr.]], [[Tina Turner]], [[Julian Lennon]], [[Whitney Houston]], [[Def Leppard]], and [[Elton John]] (who performed live for the event from the opening night of [[Perth Arena]] in 2012). A number of Australian television personalities and actors also fly across the country for the weekend, including stars from Seven Network programs such as ''[[Sunrise (Australian TV program)|Sunrise]]'', ''[[The Morning Show (TV program)|The Morning Show]]'' and ''[[Home and Away]]''.

During the 1970s and 1980s, TVW's rival station, the [[Nine Network]]'s [[STW]] also broadcast its own telethon, known as Appealathon.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

===== Melbourne =====
HSV7 in Melbourne holds the [[Good Friday Appeal]] telethon, which benefits the [[Royal Children's Hospital]] in [[Melbourne]] on [[Good Friday]] every year. It airs across [[Victoria, Australia|Victoria]] all day on Seven Network station [[HSV (TV station)|HSV]] and [[Prime Television]]. It also has a print and radio component via Melbourne's [[Herald Sun]] newspaper as well as radio station [[Mix 101.1]]. In 2007, the radio partner was [[Southern Cross Broadcasting]]. The event has become an annual part of Melbourne culture, and continues to bring in record fundraising efforts across the entire state. In 2015, the appeal raised A$17.1 million.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

===== Adelaide =====
[[NWS (TV station)|NWS9]] in Adelaide aired Telethon broadcasts throughout the 1960s and 1970s including raising money for "The House Of Hope" a home that would be built each year for Telethon. Local television stars from all channels would visit channel 9 across the live broadcast weekend to participate in the Telethon. Musicians from interstate would also travel to Adelaide for the round-the-clock marathon broadcast. It was the only time of the year that an Adelaide television station continued to broadcast during the overnight hours.

In the 1970s, [[SAS (TV station)|SAS10]] created the Children's Medical Research Foundation and the "Channel 10 Christmas Appeal" with stars from the network flying into Adelaide for the weekend live broadcast from SAS10 studios in Gilberton. Stars participating in the broadcast included actors from the popular SAS10 programmes ''Number 96'' and ''The Box''. Game show host Garry Meadows was the anchor for most years. It is this event where the tune "Thank You Very Much for Your Kind Donation" originated, which would be played whenever a major donation was announced during the broadcast with members of the cast forming a conga line and dancing around the studio.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

===== Newcastle =====
[[NBN Television]] in [[Newcastle, New South Wales]] regularly held telethons every two years throughout the 1970s and 1980s for local charities such as children's hospitals and cancer units. However, with aggregation and the station being affiliated in the early 1990s, these went by the wayside but a few have still been held since, the last occurring in 2002.

===== Sydney =====
In Sydney, [[Nine Network]] station [[TCN]] broadcasts the Gold Week Telethon on the second Monday of June ([[Queen's Official Birthday|the Queen's Birthday]]), in benefit for the [[Sydney Children's Hospital]]. Established in 2010, the telethon serves as a finale for a week of fundraising for the hospital, known as "Gold Week", which generally runs the first week of June.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goldweek.org.au/|title=The 2018 Gold Appeal - Sydney Children's Hospital Foundation|website=Sydney Children's Hospital Foundation|access-date=7 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307102958/http://www.goldweek.org.au/|archive-date=7 March 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150218921477608.339412.286174937607|title=Gold Week Telethon |website=Facebook|access-date=7 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180507171717/https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150218921477608.339412.286174937607|archive-date=7 May 2018}}</ref>

The sixth telethon in 2015 was hosted by presenters of the Nine Network's [[Today (1982 TV program)|''Today'']] show,  with various network celebrities including [[Darryl Brohman]] and [[Miranda Tapsell]] manning the phone lines; the telethon also featured various music performers. A total of $5.2mn was raised for the hospital, breaking expectations and creating a new record.<ref>Gold Telethon homepage sited on 10/6/2015 "{{cite web |url=https://www.goldtelethon.org.au/ |title=Gold Telethon - Home |access-date=2015-06-10 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610070032/https://www.goldtelethon.org.au/ |archive-date=2015-06-10 }}"</ref>

===== One-off telethons ===== 
Throughout Australia, there have been several national telethons during the 2000s. One was held to aid victims of the [[2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami|2004 tsunami]] that hit parts of [[Indonesia]], [[Sri Lanka]] and [[India]], which killed over 200,000 people. This telethon was simulcast by all three commercial networks, Seven, Nine and Ten. There were other telethons around the world raising money for that event.

On February 12, 2009, the Nine Network held a special telethon to benefit the victims of the [[2009 Victorian bushfires]], through the [[Australian Red Cross]]. Titled ''Australia Unites – The Victorian Bushfire Appeal'', the event was hosted by Nine Network personality [[Eddie McGuire]], and accompanied by many celebrities, athletes and entertainers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,28383,25033506-10229,00.html|title=Melbourne Herald Sun: "Eddie McGuire to host Channel Nine fundraiser for Victoria fire victims", 2/10/2009.|website=news.com.au|access-date=7 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090316115147/http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,28383,25033506-10229,00.html|archive-date=16 March 2009}}</ref> Some of the celebrities to have appeared included [[Russell Crowe]], [[Nicole Kidman]], [[Keith Urban]], [[Orlando Bloom]], Hugh Jackman, [[Anthony La Paglia]], [[Rachel Griffiths]] and [[Simon Baker]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/story/0,,25044776-29277,00.html|title=news.com.au: "Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman join bushfire telethon", 2/12/2009.|website=news.com.au|access-date=7 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305010828/http://www.news.com.au/story/0,,25044776-29277,00.html|archive-date=5 March 2009}}</ref> [[Rove McManus]] from rival [[Ten Network]] made a special guest appearance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/751515/australia-digs-deep-for-nines-bushfire-appeal|title=NineMSN: "Australia digs deep for Nine's bushfire appeal"|website=ninemsn.com.au|access-date=7 May 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005003823/http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/751515/australia-digs-deep-for-nines-bushfire-appeal|archive-date=5 October 2012}}</ref> The telethon raised about A$20.5 million from pledges.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25048285-29277,00.html|title=AAP: "Telethon raises $20.5m for fire victims", 2/13/2009.|website=news.com.au|access-date=7 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090215180036/http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25048285-29277,00.html|archive-date=15 February 2009}}</ref>

On January 9, 2011, the ''Flood Relief Appeal: Australia Unites'' telethon, in response to the [[2010–2011 Queensland floods]], was broadcast by the Nine Network from [[Brisbane]]'s [[Suncorp Piazza]] raised more than A$10 million in pledged aid.<ref>{{cite news | author = AAP | url = http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/01/09/3109226.htm | date = 10 January 2011 | title = Almost $30m raised in Qld flood appeal | access-date = 10 January 2011 | work = ABC News | publisher = Australian Broadcasting Corporation | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110119084906/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/01/09/3109226.htm | archive-date = 19 January 2011 }}</ref>

====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.

===Worldwide===
For nine years, [[Armenia Fund]] held an annual international telethon that was broadcast to all major U.S. cities and across the globe. The 12-hour live program is able to raise millions for humanitarian and infrastructure development programs in [[Armenia]] and [[Karabakh]]. The annual telethon is held on [[Thanksgiving (United States)|Thanksgiving]] every year. During Armenia Fund's 10th International Telethon, held on November 22, 2007, the event raised a record-breaking $15.3 million. The program aired from the [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]] studios of [[Los Angeles]] television station [[KCET]] and was broadcast in the United States, as well as internationally.

The [[2004 Indian Ocean earthquake|2004 Asian tsunami]] also led to telethons being held in countries such as Canada ([[CTV Television Network|CTV]] and [[Omni Television]]), United States ([[NBC]]) and Australia (a joint telecast between the [[Seven Network]], [[Nine Network]] and [[Network Ten]]).

In 2014, [[TWiT.tv]] held an online telethon entitled "24 Hours of 2015" celebrating New Year in every time zone to raise money for [[UNICEF]]. Founder and host [[Leo Laporte]] streamed live for much of the 24 hours, raising over $58,000.<ref>{{cite web|title=TWiT.tv Raises $58,000 for UNICEF.|date=January 2015 |url=http://www.eteknix.com/twit-tv-raises-58000-unicef-24-hour-new-year-live-stream|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150102062753/http://www.eteknix.com/twit-tv-raises-58000-unicef-24-hour-new-year-live-stream/|archive-date=2015-01-02}}</ref>

==Other types==
Similar to telethons, but considerably shorter, are nationally televised [[benefit concert]]s following major disasters such as the [[September 11, 2001 attacks|September 11, 2001 terror attacks]], the [[2004 Indian Ocean earthquake|Indian Ocean tsunami]], [[Hurricane Katrina]] and the [[2010 Haiti earthquake]]. These are generally three-time broadcasts meant to spur immediate humanitarian contributions, not part of the annual donation drives of the charities involved. Typically a phone number or website will appear on screen during the entire concert for donors to make pledges, though there may not necessarily be a live host announcing.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Charity}}

[[Category:Television terminology]]
[[Category:Charity events| ]]
[[Category:Telethons| ]]