Networks Plan to Produce Telethon for Victims’ Families

The four major broadcast networks tentatively agreed Monday to simulcast a commercial-free two-hour telethon Friday night to raise money for the families of the victims of last week’s terrorist attacks.

Using “America: A Show of Unity” as a working title, the fund-raiser would feature live musical acts and a parade of celebrities including Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, Bruce Springsteen, Julia Roberts and Paul Simon, according to network executives who refused to be identified because all details of the agreement have yet to be worked out.

Network executives said there were still questions about whether they could produce a high-quality program on such a tight deadline. Discussions among the top executives of NBC, CBS, ABC and Fox only began Friday morning.

This could be the first time the networks have ever jointly produced and aired the same program, according to television executives. Typically, the networks fiercely compete for viewers.

Last week’s tragedies, however, have been accompanied by unparalleled cooperation among the networks. NBC, CBS, ABC and Fox pooled certain news footage after the terrorist hijackings last Tuesday. All the networks except ABC jointly discussed plans last week for when to return to regular programming.

It is unclear who spearheaded the fund-raising effort. The network executives said several top-level Hollywood figures were involved in the project, including talent agent Ari Emanuel and DreamWorks co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg, who are recruiting celebrities.

Jimmy Iovine, co-founder of Interscope Records, has been instrumental in bringing in musical acts whose performances will be the driving force of the program.

The entertainment divisions of the networks have agreed to pay for the event.

“The news divisions have been doing an incredible job with coverage, and I think the entertainment divisions wanted to do something of their own to contribute,” said one network executive not involved in the planning. “This is the true power of broadcast television.”

The networks are still working out details such as budgets and logistics. They plan to offer the program, which would air 9 to 11 p.m. on Friday, to the WB and UPN networks as well as to cable channels. The program, which would be taped at a Sony sound stage in New York and a CBS stage in Los Angeles, would be produced by Joel Gallin, who has created several specials, including the MTV Music Awards.

Whether to donate the proceeds to an existing fund or create a new foundation still is being discussed.

The terrorist attacks in New York and Washington have already cost the networks considerably. Analysts estimated those costs last week at more than $200 million per network in lost advertising and additional news-gathering expenses. In addition, the major networks decided to delay by a week the premieres of new fall shows, which were originally scheduled to debut this week.

“It’s a season that has been compromised in so many ways,” said media professor Robert Thompson of Syracuse University. “Not only did they lose four days of advertising, but suffered the uncountable loss from an interruption of their promotional push for new shows that began in August. Who even remembers now what new shows they wanted to watch?”