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Rogers OMNI Television Launches Nationwide Cross-Cultural Fundraiser In Partnership With Fellow Rogers' Broadcasters Citytv, channel m and 680 News - Asian Disaster Relief Appeal
May 30, 2008
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Campaign Runs: Friday, May 30th at 7:00 a.m. to Monday, June 2nd at ------------------------------------------------------------------- 12 Midnight (ET & PT) ---------------------TORONTO, May 30 /CNW/ - Rogers OMNI Television today announced they have teamed with fellow broadcasters in the Rogers family - key properties such as Citytv; channel m; 680 News and other Rogers' news radio stations - to raise funds urgently needed for China Quake and Myanmar Cyclone victims. The collective fundraising initiative, known as Asian Disaster Relief Appeal, will be run in partnership with the Disaster Relief Action Group (DRAG) and further solidify outreach efforts and encourage support from a diversity of communities. "OMNI is proud to participate in this unified relief effort and unhesitatingly offers its assistance," says Madeline Ziniak, National Vice President of Rogers OMNI Television. "Our Asian Disaster Relief Appeal, while not a 'telethon' in the traditional sense, will nonetheless galvanize ethnocultural communities across the country, many of whom have been personally affected by these twin tragedies, to contribute to the cause with whatever level of donation fits their comfort zone - a nickel or a dime here and there really adds up!" In conjunction with a toll-free hotline - 1-866-660-6078 - set-up to receive pledges, Asian Disaster Relief Appeal will reach out to over 40 multilingual/multicultural audiences via regularly scheduled programming on OMNI.1 and OMNI.2 from Friday, May 30th at 7:00 a.m. until Monday, June 2nd at 12 midnight. "Members of the Chinese community are happy to see so many sixes in our donation hotline; the number six means unlimited, continuous and keeps on coming - which reflects the heart of Canadians to share their blessings," says Dr. Joseph K. Wong, Chair of DRAG. "We are confident the extraordinary efforts of DRAG volunteers and organizers, combined with the assistance of UNICEF and the Canadian Red Cross, and generous support from Rogers OMNI Television and its affiliates will help this campaign realize the unlimited, continuous flow - of cash, we trust - foretold by the number six. Thank you to everyone for your contributions." Special programming exclusively devoted to Asian Disaster Relief Appeal will air Sunday, June 1st on OMNI.2: in Cantonese from 9:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. (ET) and in Mandarin from 9:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. (ET), with an encore presentation of both language versions on Monday, June 2nd - Cantonese at 10:00 a.m. and Mandarin at 10:30 a.m.Rounding out Rogers' participation in Asian Disaster Relief Appeal: - Citytv will air 30 second promos in all markets providing viewers direction on how to make a contribution via the toll-free hotline. In addition, viewers can tune into Breakfast Television and CityNews programs across Canada for more information. - Viewers in channel m's coverage area will also see Asian Disaster Relief Appeal on Sunday, June 1st, in Cantonese from 9:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and in Mandarin from 9:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. (PT). - Stories specifically related to disaster relief efforts in China and Myanmar (such as background information, updates and interviews from site, and how to specify where your donation will be used) will be featured this weekend on Greek, Polish, Portuguese and Ukrainian language programming on OMNI.1, and on Hindi, Japanese, Punjabi and Tamil language programming on OMNI.2. - All five language editions of OMNI News - Cantonese, Italian Mandarin, Portuguese and South Asian will devote time to Asian Disaster Relief Appeal and these programs will all be posted online @ www.omnitv.ca/ontario shortly after broadcast. - Tune into 680News all weekend long for regular updates or visit www.680news.com for more information on how you can make a contribution via the toll-free hotline.For further details on how Citytv stations, 680News and other Rogers Broadcasters across the country will be participating in Asian Disaster Relief Appeal, viewers are invited to consult the stations' respective websites. Rogers Media Inc., a division of Rogers Communications Inc., (TSX: RCI; NYSE: RCI), operates Rogers Broadcasting and Rogers Publishing. Rogers Broadcasting has 52 AM and FM radio stations across Canada. Television properties include 5 Citytv stations as well as the OMNI multicultural television stations. Rogers Sportsnet, Canada's live event leader, offers viewers four channels and Sportsnet HD and the Shopping Channel is a televised and Internet shopping service. Rogers Publishing produces many well-known consumer magazines such as Maclean's, Chatelaine, Flare, L'actualité and Canadian Business, and is the leading publisher of a number of industry, medical and financial publications. All media properties are integrated with their own popular web sites. Rogers Media also owns The Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Club and Rogers Centre, a year-round sports and entertainment facility. About Disaster Relief Action Group (DRAG) Disaster Relief Action Group brings together many key organizers and volunteers from the 2004-2005 Asian Tsunami Relief Campaign; community group members of DRAG include Burma Cyclone Relief Committee; Canada Sichuan Disaster Relief Committee and Chinese Canadian National Council.