Networks Plan Star-Studded Fundraisers for Hurricane Victims

The TV industry is stepping up to help victims of Hurricane Sandy. NBC plans to throw a star-studded telethon Friday night to raise money for the cause, while ABC is coordinating a “Day of Giving” on Monday.

NBC’s hour-long telethon, dubbed “Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together,” will feature music by Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, Sting and Christina Aguilera. Matt Lauer will emcee and Jimmy Fallon and Brian Williams will make guest appearances. The show kicks off at 8 PM on NBC and HBO and will also stream live on the web.


 
The storm hit close to home for many of the musicians, including Bon Jovi. He toured the devastation in Jersey and told the “Today” show, “It’s hard to see your hometown devastated like this and people that I grew up. My grammar school was turned into a shelter. People’s homes gone and them saying to me, ‘We are now homeless’… these are hardworking, blue collar people.”
 
ABC will call viewers to action all day Monday, asking them to donate money to the Red Cross. The 8 AM hour of “Good Morning America” will be dedicated to the hurricane victims, followed by mentions throughout the day, ending with “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
 
A CBS spokesperson told the New York Times that they would continue to run public service announcements on radio and television, with stations in Philadelphia taking donations via a phone bank on Friday.

You can visit RedCross.org to donate, or text REDCROSS to 90999 to give $10 to American Red Cross Disaster Relief, which helps people affected by disasters such as hurricanes, floods, earthquakes and tornadoes, at home and around the world.