TV Medium Is Planning Storm Relief by Telethon

There’s a single message across the television spectrum since Hurricane Sandy: Please give. In announcements reminiscent of the media industry’s response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the flooding after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, NBCUniversal said that it would show a one-hour telethon and concert on its flagship NBC network and its cable channels on Nov 2 to benefit relief efforts for victims of the storm.

The ABC television network said it would turn Nov 5 into a “Day of Giving,” starting with “Good Morning America” and ending with “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” Many local television stations are also running public service announcements to encourage donations to the American Red Cross and other relief organizations. CBS said it had already started to run Red Cross ads on TV and on radio; its stations in Philadelphia will operate a phone bank for donations all day Nov 2.