ITV Telethon

20 years ago, ITV broadcast the second of its three Telethons. Michael Aspel hosted them all. Each lasted 27 hours, and all companies in the ITV netowrk took part. Basically, all the money raised in your area stayed in your area. There were regional opt outs throughout, and also, networked visits to each region.

With the more unified appearence of ITV nowadays, I just wonder if the time is right for ITV to try a 27 hour marathon again. What do you all think?

One other thing, what are your memories of the three telethons?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITV_Telethon

This seems to summarise the reasons for the end, including raising less money in 92 than 90, the 93 franchise battle, and the protests by disabled groups.

I think the general consensus between the tv channels nowadays is 'leave it to the BBC'.

I've never been able to work out why the protests took place. Is it me, or are they looking a gift horse in the mouth?

I don't think they were protesting about the money itself being raised, just the way that people were being portrayed. The films were quite patronising about those with disabilities, I don't think it was because Telethon did anything different in 1992, its just the world had started to move on a bit by then.

I remember about ten years ago when ITV had that whole Year of Promise thing, on one Bank Holiday they had A Day of Promise, which was basically a whole day of programmes on ITV asking viewers to phone up to pledge promises, although I do remember hearing at the time that some people got it confused with the Telethon and we're willing to make donations.

Personally I never saw the point of it myself, and ITV never did it again. As for the Telethon I couldn't see ITV giving up 27 hours of its schedule for a good cause, I doubt they'd afford it, especially as it was a continuous live broadcast.

I was too young to remember the Telethons, but just a quick question, how did TV-am handle the Telethon? Did they join in or leave out.

From memory of one, they had a short section with them, featuring the presentation team of the time. (Think Nick & Anne were involved? Telethon 88?)

I could be wrong of course.

I remember the 1992 Telethon and it was the worse one of the three. Sponsorship of programmes/programme segments had just kicked in and on Telethon it went into overkill with the majority of sections being sponsored. It ended looking more favourable for the advertisers than the charities concerned.

They were involved and from what I can tell the adverts during the TV-am timeslot were TV-am's as they appeared without a break bumper (in the TVS region at least).

There's absolutely no way ITV could mount a Telethon of the sort they did in the 90s. Almost none of the regional centres exist anymore, certainly most of the infrastructure is gone and there's hardly any people left to make a national light entertainment programme presented from across the country. I suppose ITV could make a less regionally-centred telethon of sorts but I can't see it - there's very little in it for ITV, and that - sadly - these days, is probably all they care about.

In 1988 they didn't contribute at all as the big strike was going on and ITV technicans said they'd boycott the whole programme if they were allowed to contribute. I dunno about 1990 but in 1992 they did an hour, 6.30 to 7.30, with a special edition of Michaela Strachan's "show", ie her linking a few cartoons.

I remember there being a This Morning special as well including Street E's Sesames Treet (Raveish version of Sesame Street) being performed on the Albert Dock.

didn't they use the corry set for the granada output, must have been fun for people on the tour

I find most telethons condesending about the cause they are working for, they always have to play over loud depressing music over a film about a child with spinal injuries or people collecing dirty water in Botswana

didn't GMTV do a charity apeal every year