Telethon

A telethon is a contraction of the words television and marathon. The term refers to a lengthy television program, lasting many hours or even days, the purpose of which is to raise money for a charitable, political, or other allegedly worthy cause. The format of a telethon usually consists of performances by singers, musicians, comedians, or other entertainers interspersed with pitches for donations. Typically the program is staged on a set containing volunteer telephone operators, a stage, a tote board that displays the amount of money raised, a band, and a studio audience.

The organizations for which telethons are held include the Muscular Dystrophy Association, whose annual telethon has been hosted for many years by Jerry Lewis; the St. Jude Childrens' Hospital; the Shriners; Chabad; and, of course, television stations affiliated with the Public Broadcasting System.

The audio portion of a telethon often consists of a tape loop consisting of canned hubbub and the sound of ringing telephones (to give viewers the impression that the phones are ringing).