Pledge-a-thon For A Commercial TV Station

[Markxxx]

I was watching reruns of Newhart and Michael puts on a pledge-a-thon, like at most PBS stations, hosted by Dick.

I was just wondering, is this legal? Has any commercial TV station ever tried this? If it is legal. I get a feeling I read something about this not being permitted but I can't find anything in Google. I must be searching wrong terms or something

Thanks

 

[pab]

If anything, it's more possible at a commercial station than a non-com because you aren't restricted by comparative statements and urge-to-action. "We just got a $500.00 pledge from Vito's Pizza, the Best Pizza in the tri-color area, please go visit them and say thank you."

 

[wncc]

I believe I read somewhere that Ted Turner did a pledge-a-thon for commercial WRET (now WCNC).

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

We had a small commercial radio station in Northeast Ohio openly solicit listener donations, after a fire decimated their converted-farm house studios. They were broadcasting from a pizza concession trailer in the parking lot.

Less dramatic, Boston market WJIB/740 Cambridge MA owner Bob Bittner has fundraising drives each year for his 250 watt standards outlet, and does very well, too. IIRC, he does not sell spot time.

 

[anotherguyTN]

A semi-OT question: Where are you getting to see Newhart reruns? I haven't been able to see them since WGN America dropped them. Or did you have recorded copies, or something from You Tube?

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

I thought the new "Me-TV" subchannel network had "Newhart", but they only have the original "Bob Newhart Show".

 

[Markxxx]

I have Newhart on tape. I like it better than the Bob Newhart Show, but I can see why it wasn't as successful in reruns.

 

[FreddyE1977]

Weird Al Yankovic did the same thing in his 1989 movie UHF

 

[notalkallstatic]

I believe I read somewhere that Ted Turner did a pledge-a-thon for commercial WRET (now WCNC).

He did the same thing for WTCG which is now known as WPCH.

 

[azumanga]

I believe I read somewhere that Ted Turner did a pledge-a-thon for commercial WRET (now WCNC).

He did the same thing for WTCG which is now known as WPCH.

As I recall, he did the telethons to raise money from viewers for the station. I think at one point, after WTCG began to turn a profit, Turner repaid the folks that donated.

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

He did the same thing for WTCG which is now known as WPCH.

Not to mention that little decades-long period in the middle where it was known as WTBS.

 

[notalkallstatic]

He did the same thing for WTCG which is now known as WPCH.

Not to mention that little decades-long period in the middle where it was known as WTBS.

WTBS TV-17? What's that? Oh... that little station in Atlanta, yeah, that thing. It will NEVER take off.

 

[TexasTom]

I believe I read somewhere that Ted Turner did a pledge-a-thon for commercial WRET (now WCNC).

He did the same thing for WTCG which is now known as WPCH.

As I recall, he did the telethons to raise money from viewers for the station. I think at one point, after WTCG began to turn a profit, Turner repaid the folks that donated.

The stories are getting a bit garbled. Ted Turner did do this, but only on WRET, not on WTCG. After WRET turned a profit, he did repay the viewers who had sent money to support the station. Several years later, he sold WRET and used the money from that sale to help launch CNN.

The story of the WRET "begathon" was actually recounted in a "TV Guide" article way back when, in 1976.