Anais Gutierrez
Disney-ABC Television Group held a ‘Day of Giving’ to help Hurrican Harvey’s victims. The network raised over $8 million for the Red Cross during the event on Wednesday and Thursday.
‘Day of Giving’ included a special programming that featured a telethon that brought celebrities together to help those affected.
A Day of Giving Back
The Disney|ABC Television Group announced on Wednesday, they will air special programming in support of its “Day of Giving” initiative to benefit victims of Hurricane Harvey. The fundraising drive started on Wednesday with an ABC News primetime special ‘City Underwater: Catastrophe in Houston’ anchored live by George Stephanopoulos.
Then on Thursday, it included cable channels ESPN and Lifetime, ABC Radio, ABC’s local stations and all digital and social platforms. On Thursday, ‘Good Morning America’ featured a telethon/concert.
Celebrities including Alex Rodriguez, John Leguizamo, Tony Danza, Ashanti, Darby Stanchfield, Kevin Jonas, Andrew Shue, the stars of “The Chew” and Rascal Flatts’ members Joe Don Rooney, Gary LeVox and Jay DeMarcus appeared live on ‘Good Morning America’.
The celebrities answered phone calls from ‘GMA’ viewers in a telethon to support Disney’s Day of Giving, raising more than $8 million so far today.
“We’ve been receiving calls all morning, from California to New York to Florida,” Rodriguez said on ‘GMA.’ “We encourage everybody to come out and continue to help.” Rodriguez watched his hometown of Miami recover from Hurricane Andrew 25 years ago and said Houston, which has been devastated by floodwaters, will do the same. “[Hurricane Andrew] wiped out our high school and we came back and won the national championship,” he said. “We rebuilt and Houston will rebuild too.”
The baseball star played for the Texas Rangers for three years and recalled his memories of the resilient state. “Everything in Texas is big — big characters, big dreams, big hopes,” he said.
Celebrities including Matthew McConaughey, Reba McEntire, Lecrae, Dennis Quaid, Michael Douglas, Viola Davis, ‘Modern Family’ star Ty Burrell and ‘The Goldbergs’ star Wendi McLendon-Covey sent in messages of support of Disney’s Day of Giving for Harvey relief.
Hurricane Harvey has left at least 31 people dead, displaced thousands and destroyed tens of thousands of homes. Much of the region is still reeling and left in dire need of assistance as people begin to rebuild their lives and communities in wake of the harrowing storm.
As the full scope of the devastation continues to come into focus, stories of remarkable heroism, courage, and community have begun to emerge, giving hope to those affected by the catastrophic flooding.
“We know thousands of people have lost everything and now face the daunting challenge of putting their lives and communities back together, and we’re using our unique resources and reach to help those in need,” Bob Iger, the chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, said in a statement announcing the Day of Giving.
The Walt Disney Company and ABC station KTRK in Houston jointly pledged a $1 million cash commitment to the American Red Cross in support of humanitarian efforts for communities affected by Hurricane Harvey.
WATCH: @rascalflatts performs "I Won't Let Go" on @GMA in honor of those affected by #Harvey. https://t.co/jGJ0mfxdGD pic.twitter.com/kXWR2wSAAv
— Good Morning America (@GMA) August 31, 2017
Joining the efforts
Other networks have followed the lead and announced they were hosting a hurricane relief drive. NBC Boston held it on Wednesday, as well as Telemundo Boston and New England Cable News. In addition, NBC Boston Meteorologist Chris Gloninger delivered live reports from Texas about communities and individuals in Houston that have been affected by the Hurricane.
NBC Boston, Telemundo Boston displayed a toll-free number via on-air and through their digital and mobile platforms, during their respective newscasts
The efforts by the broadcasting and cable giants join the efforts by numerous local TV and radio outlets, many in Houston and the surrounding areas, to raise money to combat the destruction wreaked by the devastating storm.
Disney cutting off 10% of its employees
Disney is attempting to cut 10 percent a year from its costs, a move that may bring layoffs after a summer of bad box office numbers and struggling ratings.
The media giant is targeting the cuts in its ABC television group, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. Disney has yet to finalize plans regarding staffing levels but the company is seeking to make reductions by attrition.
The cost cuts and restructurings should be identified by the end of September and are expected to amount to $300 million of the unit’s annual costs. An approximate 300 positions could be eliminated through layoffs and attrition in the segment which employs 10,000 people.
Cuts are anticipated to take place throughout subdivisions of the ABC television group, according to The Wall Street Journal. Disney plans to make reductions at ABC’s broadcast network, news, television production studio and local stations.
Competition from streaming video and the changing TV-viewing habits of young viewers have hampered the TV unit’s growth prospects in recent years.
Following the company’s announcement of removing its movies from Netflix starting in 2019, its shares dropped 2 percent. Disney’s also facing lower advertising sales.
Source: ABC
