Teleton, Mexico’s largest telethon that urges television viewers to donate money for the rehabilitation of children with disabilities, has suffered its worst ever year and last week was forced to extend its annual broadcast by four hours to reach its target of charitable donations.
The troubles follow criticism from the United Nations that Televisa, Mexico’s largest broadcaster that runs the Teleton, presents disabled children as “subjects of charity.” Some have even suggested that the downturn reflects a broader phenomenon, which Senator Luis Miguel Barbosa described as “a national crisis of credibility” following the case of the 43 disappeared students of Ayotzinapa.
The Teleton in Mexico started in 1996 to raise money for disabled children’s rehabilitation centers (known as CRITs). The broadcast normally lasts for 24 hours (this year 28) and contains comedy and music segments. Each year a face of Teleton is chosen to be its representative. This year’s face, comedian Eugenio Derbez, was blasted on social media for charging over $US41,000 to appear. Last year’s Teleton raised $473,794,379 pesos (US$32 million).
He wasn’t the only one facing criticism. In the run up to the event, Televisa received negative coverage for its involvement in scandals surrounding President Enrique Peña Nieto and his wife, former soap star Angelica Rivera. The First Lady released a video defending her expensive lifestyle in which she declared that Televisa paid her $US10 million in 2010.
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