'Hope For Haiti' Telethon To Air Across Networks On January 22

NEW YORK — MTV is joining the major broadcast networks and several cable channels for an all-star telethon for Haitian earthquake relief on Jan. 22.

A statement released by MTV Networks on Friday says "Hope for Haiti" will be shown at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

Networks showing the telethon are ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, CNN, BET, the CW, HBO, MTV, VH1 and CMT. It will also be available internationally.

Haitian-born entertainer Wyclef Jean (ZHAHN') will helm the show from New York, and George Clooney will host the Los Angeles part. CNN's Anderson Cooper will be in Haiti.

MTV says there will be musical performances and celebrity appearances. No other talent was announced.

The show will benefit Jean's Yele (YAY'-lay) Haiti Foundation, as well as UNICEF, Oxfam America, Partners in Health, and the Red Cross.

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MTV, BET, VH1 and CMT are owned by Viacom Inc. ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Co. CBS is owned by CBS Corp. NBC is owned by General Electric Co. Fox is a unit of News Corp. HBO and CNN are units of Time Warner Inc. The CW is a joint venture of Warner Bros. Entertainment and CBS Corp.

Comments

[fishnay]

09:20 PM on 01/22/2010

I think it is truly amazing that we as a nation come togeather when we truly need to, today I am proud to be an American

[BarryChonggo]

11:07 PM on 01/18/2010

Blah blah blah. Please donate while I keep my millions in hollywood.

[lilbabushka]

06:08 PM on 01/17/2010

Open Letter (in deferance to the great MLK)




I have a dream ...




In it there 100 people ...and they change the world .

These 100 people unite at a singular press conference. One by one they come up to the podium and pledge...pledge to end the suffering ..the unhunamity ...and the unbelievable lopsided-ness of their own situation ...

They pledge to forego travelling around the world within their fleet of ostentacious spheres ...pledge to disown the dozens of palaces they posess throughout the world ...pledge to give what most apparently they could not use within their own lifetimes ...

I am talking about these people http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_billionaires

I hope they are watching their enormous flat screen tvs ...watching the suffering and pain ...watching the generosity of the common men and women that are giving and doing all they can for these people ...that have scratched out a living on one or two dollars a day ..only to have even that taken away along with their loved ones in the blink of an eye ...




I have a dream ...”

[LatteLibertine]

09:33 PM on 01/16/2010

I gave to Artists for Peace and Justice, Yele Hait and the Red Cross via credit card because I wanted to donate more than what was being suggested via text and more importantly donating via that method make take 90 days to clear.

[plooger]

03:38 PM on 01/16/2010

SIX DAYS from now? Couldn't something be put together much sooner? (It's already been 4 days since the earthquake.)

[Palemoon]

09:17 PM on 01/15/2010

December 26, 2003. Mighty earthquake hits Iran. In the city of Bam alone, 40,000 of the 43,000 inhabitants perish outright. There was no outpouring like this, for them. There was no telethons. There was no celebrity challenges over matching donations going.

Why? Are the Iranians somehow less human than the Haitians?

[MiamiRob]

03:36 AM on 01/16/2010

"Are the Iranians somehow less human than the Haitians?"

Think about your statement. First and foremost Haiti is our neighbor and our histories have been intertwined for nearly 2 centuries. It's one of the poorest countries in the world, Iran on the other hand is relatively wealthy and can fend much better for itself.

More importantly is Iran's political situation, if you recall the US and Europe offered aid to Iran, many here thought it could be an opening to improve relations, but much of it was rejected by Tehran. You can't help if they refuse to let you do so. The situations are entirely different.

The current situation is more analogous to the great tsunami of a few years ago. Then the world joined together to help, most local governments were cooperative and millions of dollars for aid and recovery were collected and dispersed.

The two situations (Haiti and Iran) though both tragedies of biblical proportions are vastly different because of these and numerous other reasons.

[LoveLulu]

07:32 PM on 01/15/2010

I am torn about these celeb telethons. On one hand of course it is great to raise $$ but I can't help but feel that it is kinda self-serving. Can't they just write a check for several mill? They can afford it. It just seems a bit self-serving, as if they think the only way people will donate is if they can talk to Clooney on the phone.

I guess we live in a celeb driven nation & that there are MANY people who will give via this venue & for that I am glad but I still wonder why everything has to be about the CELEBS.

oh well. However we can raise $$ works for me.

[CUL8R]

09:22 PM on 01/15/2010

They encourage their fans to make donations, particularly younger fans.

[LoveLulu]

10:15 PM on 01/15/2010

Yup. Then it's worth it indeed. I guess if I were still young I would have known better. LOL

[Lisamiamoore]

01:09 PM on 01/16/2010

I see it differently. Celebs realize their fame is a powerful tool to do good in the world. Gives me hope.

[janinius]

05:55 PM on 01/15/2010

www.VoiceOfHaiti.org

[Dannyisme]

05:05 PM on 01/15/2010

Glad to see that NBC and FOX are both participating.

[crisdel]

04:46 PM on 01/15/2010

How the Haitian catastrophe can change the world http://creativenumerology.wordpress.com/2010/01/13/haiti/

[henock]

04:35 PM on 01/15/2010

There are fewer events in one’s life time that require us all to pause our ignorance, prejudices, and selfishness for a while and stand together than this tragic event.
I keep thinking about the kids next to their dead parents.

[xsm941f]

05:04 PM on 01/15/2010

henock: great post. My sentiments exactly.

[crisdel]

05:27 PM on 01/15/2010

well said

[inthedesert]

03:56 PM on 01/15/2010

This all sounds wonderful but I hope that the money raised will ACTUALLY get to Haiti to help..something to think about.

[jukesgrrl]

05:13 PM on 01/15/2010

Please don't left skepticism interfere with charity. Helping people who don't have a roof over their heads is a bi-partisan concern. Anyone wondering about the efficiency or honesty of any relief organization can check them out at:
www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=1004

I know United Methodist Committee on Relief is one charity already very active in Haiti that has pledged to send 100% of its donations through to staff who are already in country. Methodist church parishioners pay the administrative costs of this organization. In fact, three Methodist relief workers are known to have perished in the earthquake, according to MSNBC. The fact that they have been in-country for a long time means they already have an infrastructure there and a means to get your charity to appropriate places.

HuffPost has pointed out in another article that you increase your donation 3% by not giving through VISA or Mastercard. To date only Capital One and AmEx are known to have pledged to rebate their 3% "transaction fee" to Haiti charities. I guess the good Lord invented checks for a reason. The phone companies say they are sending through 100% of money given by text message or Twitter.

Also, check to see if your employer is doing a matching donation and if so, donate through that so you DOUBLE what you give.

[janinius]

05:53 PM on 01/15/2010

www.VoiceOfHaiti.org

[runforfun54]

02:31 PM on 01/15/2010

I have to say, I am a progressive, and very proud of my country. (HATE when Republicans claim to have a monopoly on patriotism). It's at times like this that I really want to yell from the mountaintops that I am so Proud to be an American. Proud of our citizens and proud of our President. Americans are truly the best when it comes to aiding people in pain.

[dph357]

02:54 PM on 01/15/2010

Hear Hear!

[skunky93]

03:00 PM on 01/15/2010

I second that feeling as a proud liberal!