CANADA FOR HAITI Raises $27 Million

2.4 Million Viewers Tune in to Friday Telethon

TORONTO , Jan. 25 /CNW/ - CANADA FOR HAITI , Friday's one-hour, commercial-free special produced collaboratively between CBC Television, CTV and Global Television, has raised more than $13.5 million to date for relief efforts in Haiti , it was confirmed today. When the funds are matched by the federal government, the amount increases to more than $27 million . An additional $6.7 million was raised in Quebec in a French-language telethon that ran concurrently on Friday night, bringing the overall Canadian television total with federal contributions to more than $40 million .

"We are so grateful and humbled by the astounding generosity shown by Canadians both during and after the CANADA FOR HAITI concert," said Dave Toycen, President and CEO of World Vision Canada , on behalf of the NGOs benefiting from the event. "This amazing and compassionate response says to those suffering children and families in Haiti that Canadians care."

Hosted by Cheryl Hickey , Ben Mulroney and George Stroumboulopoulos, CANADA FOR HAITI was seen on average by 2.4 million Canadians, who watched the special on CBC Television, CTV, Global Television, MTV, MuchMusic, Citytv and National Geographic Channel. An outstanding 6.65 million Canadians watched some or all of the broadcast.

The special was followed by HOPE FOR HAITI NOW, an international earthquake relief telethon that was similarly watched on average by 2.4 million Canadians on CBC Television, CTV, Global Television, MTV, MuchMusic, Citytv and National Geographic Channel.

CANADA FOR HAITI and HOPE FOR HAITI streamed across network sites www.CBC.ca, www.CTV.ca, www.GlobalTV.com, www.MuchMusic.com and www.CP24.com attracting more than 40,000 live video views. CANADA FOR HAITI also enjoyed enduring resonance with Canadians, with almost 73,000 video views through the weekend. Catch the moving special on demand now at www.CBC.ca, www.CTV.ca, or www.Globaltv.com.

Canadians can continue to show their support by donating through February 12:

    
    -   Online at www.CanadaForHaiti.com
    -   Toll-free at 1-877-51-HAITI (42484)
    -   Text AID to 45678 (carrier charges may apply)
    

Funds will go towards a coalition of Canadian NGOs, including Canadian Red Cross Society, Care Canada , Free the Children, Oxfam Canada , Oxfam Quebec , Plan Canada , Save the Children Canada , UNICEF Canada and World Vision Canada .

CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada's national public broadcaster and one of its largest cultural institutions. With 28 services offered on Radio, Television, the Internet, satellite radio, digital audio, as well as through its record and music distribution service and wireless WAP and SMS messaging services, CBC/Radio-Canada is available how, where, and when Canadians want it. More information about CBC can be found on the network's website at www.cbc.ca.

CTV, Canada's Olympic Network, is also Canada's largest private broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming, CTV is Canada's most-watched television network. CTV Inc. also owns radio stations across the country and owns or has interests in leading national specialty channels, featuring news, sports, factual, arts, entertainment, music, youth and fashion programming. CTV Inc. is owned by CTVglobemedia Inc., Canada's premier multi-media company, which also owns Canada's national newspaper, The Globe and Mail. CTV is the official broadcaster of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and London 2012 Games of the Olympiad. More information about CTV may be found on the network's website at www.ctv.ca.

Global Television is a Canwest Broadcasting Network. Canwest Broadcasting operates Global Television and eighteen of the country's most popular specialty channels, including HGTV, Mystery TV, National Geographic Channel, Showcase, History Television, Food Network and TVtropolis. Canwest Broadcasting is a division of Canwest Media Inc., a subsidiary of Canwest Global Communications Corp. (www.canwest.com), Canada's largest media company. In addition to owning Global Television, operating 18 industry-leading specialty channels and having ownership in 5 specialty channels, Canwest is Canada's largest publisher of English language paid daily newspapers and owns and operates more than 80 online properties.

    
    Sources
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All broadcast data: BBM Canada unconfirmed overnight data

All digital data - Canwest: Akamai Technologies, Inc, EdgeControl - Total Streams; Online On Demand - the Platform / CTV: Live total - Akamai Technologies, Inc, EdgeControl - Total Streams; Online On Demand - Omniture

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