TORONTO – All four of Canada's English-language network broadcasters have pledged to simultaneously air, for the first time ever, a Canadian-inclusive Stand Up To Cancer special this September.
CBC, City, CTV and Global will join ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and dozens of U.S. cable channels simultaneously airing a star-studded special from Hollywood, and for the first time, Toronto. The live, one-hour fundraising event, which draws on the entertainment community to rally the public around ending cancer's reign as a leading cause of death, will air commercial-free simultaneously on Friday, September 5 at 8:00 PM ET/PT.
The 2014 SU2C telecast will be the first of its kind for Canada. Similar specials have aired in 2008, 2010 and 2012 under the aegis of the U.S.-based SU2C program, part of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF). EIF Canada, a Canadian registered charity, was created to utilize the entertainment industry's resources via Stand Up To Cancer Canada (SU2C Canada) to engage the Canadian public, health charities, government-funded agencies and corporations in these efforts.
The telecast will feature cutaways to a live event in Toronto attended by film stars participating in the Toronto International Film Festival; executives and on-air talent from the Canadian broadcasters; and leaders from health charities, government-funded organizations and corporations.
The Canadian Cancer Society will work with SU2C Canada on developing content, including statistics about cancer's impact in this country, that will scroll on the ‘lower third’ of the screen for the broadcast. The lower third will also show a Canada-specific toll-free phone number and web address for donations. All funds received from the Canadian general public during the broadcast will be directed towards the creation of collaborative research teams, as well as education and awareness programs conducted in Canada.
