Nine to hold bushfires telethon as ad agencies gear up to raise cash; News Ltd donates $1m; Seven $250,000; Fairfax $100k
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:
“This unprecedented national tragedy warrants an unprecedented response. Our commitment is both financial and, through our thousands of employees and millions of readers around the country, any other kind of support we can harness to assist the victims.”
And Bruce Wolpe, Fairfax media’s corporate affairs director this afternoon told Mumbrella that his company would be donating $100,000 plus making the company’s print and online properties available for the appeal.
And Sydney-based ad agency The Works has launched a campaign to raise money for the victims. The Works has made a $1,000 donation and is asking every other agency to do the same.
The details for donations to the campaign led by The Works are: Bank – Westpac; Account name – Victoria Bushfire Victims Appeal; BSB: 032191; Account No: 314622.
Macmillan said: “We could have spent days sitting round thinking of a big campaign idea, but the important thing is to start helping people quickly.”
The agency has produced a campaign poster, which he will be delivering to other Sydney agencies tomorrow. Or it can be downloaded here: agency-bushfire-aid1 .
Tues update: Speaking on Sunrise this morning, David Koch said that Seven had made a $250,000 donation and WAN newspapers had contributed a further $100,000
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