Nine to hold bushfires telethon as ad agencies gear up to raise cash; News Ltd donates $1m; Seven $250,000; Fairfax $100k

Tim Burrowes

February 9, 2009 4:23

The media and agency world has started to respond to the Victorian bushfires disaster with fund raising efforts.

Nine is to ditch normal programming on Thursday night for a fund-raising telethon to be broadcast from 8.30pm, it announced this afternoon.

Nine CEO David Gyngell said: “All Australians have been affected by the enormity of this tragedy, and we are putting all our support behind the victims and their families to help them rebuild their lives.”

This afternoon, News Ltd announced it would be donating $1m to the appeal. CEO John Hartigan said:

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Tim Burrowes

Tim Burrowes is the publisher of Mumbrella and Unmade. He co-founded Mumbrella in 2008 and sister title Unmade in 2021. He's worked in the UK, Middle East, Asia & Australia and has specialised in writing about the communications world for the last 25 years. He wrote the book Media Unmade, published in 2021, and became the presenter of MediaLand on ABC Radio National in 2025.