The Community Channel has raised over a million pounds for the tsunami disaster appeal through an interactive television donation service.
The BBC, Sky, Channel 4, UKTV and Discovery linked to the donation service from their channels.
The UK charity television channel said tens of thousands of viewers had responded by pressing the red button on their remote control to give money by credit card to help victims of the Asian tsunami disaster.
The campaign is the first time that interactive TV has been used to raise money for a national disaster appeal. A representative explained “This is a great example of how other broadcasters can work with the Community Channel on really worthwhile projects. This really was the coming of age for interactive TV as a responsive and targeted method of emergency fundraising.”
The channel, supported by charity the Media Trust and funded by the Home Office Active Communities Unit, officially launched the UK’s first 24 hour interactive TV donation service on Sky in September 2004. It provides a round-the-clock on-air presence for selected charities to encourage donations from viewers.