Nine announces telethon for mining town

Email Print Normal font Large font May 9, 2006 - 8:15PM


Channel Nine chief executive Eddie McGuire visited a Beaconsfield pub to announce the staging of a national telethon to raise funds for the townspeople.

Mr McGuire was given a rapturous welcome when he arrived at the Club Hotel shortly after 6pm (AEST), where he said the next round was on Channel Nine.

The hotel is packed with revellers celebrating Tuesday's rescue of two miners who became trapped in the town's Beaconsfield Gold Mine two weeks ago.

One miner was killed in a rockfall in the mine on April 25, and veteran Channel Nine reporter Richard Carleton died of a heart attack during a press conference at the mine site.

"I wanted to come down to support my team. We lost a comrade in an accident during the week with Richard Carleton," Mr McGuire said.

"But also because we're putting on a concert on Thursday night for all the people."

He said country artists and Australian Idol runner-up Shannon Noll would headline the concert.

It will be televised nationally, with live crosses from the AFL and NRL Footy Shows on Channel Nine, Mr McGuire said.

"I'm coming out of retirement to host them, so we're going to do crosses into both footy shows," he said.

He would not estimate how much cash could be raised but said it would aid "the people of Beaconsfield and all the people who work here and who have come through such a hard time".

Mr McGuire, who spoke with Mr Russell when the miner arrived at the pub for a drink with mates, also said the visit was not designed to shore up a deal that would sign the rescued miners to an exclusive interview with Channel Nine.

"I'm not here to talk about that. When the family want to talk about that then it's all well and good," he said.