The Ad Council is launching a public-service-announcement campaign Friday to encourage viewers to donate money for tsunami relief.
The spots, created by McCann Erickson, feature former Presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush, who have been spearheading the drive for private donations to tsunami relief.
Viewers will be asked to donate through USA Freedom Corps--www.usafreedomcorps.gov--the volunteer umbrella organization created by the current President Bush.
Broadcast and cable companies have already collected millions for relief through various telethons, corporate matching programs, charity auctions--Jay Leno's autographed motorcycle--and other efforts.
In the ineterests of time, the presidential PSAs are being digitally delivered to stations Friday--normally they would send out hard copies--with the principal broadcast and cable trade groups--NAB, NCTA, TVB, RAB--agreeing to help with the distribution and to encourage their members to participate.
Among the TV companies who have committed to running the spots are CBS, NBC, News Corp., ABC, Tribune, Cablevision Systems, Bravo, Charter, Comcast Spotlight, Cox, Hearst-Argyle, Meredith, MSG Networks, Lifetime, Rainbow, Time Warner, Viacom, Yahoo, Google, and Time Warner's AOL. Radio Groups include Clear Channel, ABC Radio, and Bonneville.
