Networks' Disaster Relief Effort

Tonight, instead of "A Concert for Hurricane Relief," USA Network continues its 12 days of U.S. Open coverage with a lineup headlined by Roger Federer, Maria Sharapova and Serena and Venus Williams.

Bravo will kick off its rerun marathon of "Being Bobby Brown," the reality series that ran this summer, documenting the antics of Mr. Whitney Houston.

And Sci Fi opted out rather than annoy "Stargate SG-1" fans who had voted in an online poll for the rerun episodes they wanted to see during the "Stargate" marathon that kicks off at 8 tonight.

The NBC rep said those cable networks may run the special at a later date.

Among the networks planning to participate in the more ambitious telethon are Time Warner's WB network, as well as UPN, which like CBS is owned by Viacom.

But Viacom, like NBC Universal with its smaller effort, doesn't have all its networks on board. Then again, Viacom is in the middle of a messy divorce from itself. (It's set to split into two companies in 2006 with CBS separating from many of the Viacom cable properties.)

Specifically, MTV Networks has already announced its own fundraiser special for Sept. 10, to be simulcast on MTV, VH1 and CMT. And Viacom's BET network has announced its own fundraiser TV special, scheduled one night earlier.

MTV Networks CEO Judy McGrath explained in a statement that "in the face of a tragedy of this scope, we simply have to do everything in our power to offer support, comfort and hope to all the people directly impacted by the hurricane" because "this is always the first and best instinct of all our millions of viewers and the artists we know so well."

Wading through the treacle, those artists with the best instincts include Ludacris, Green Day, Gretchen Wilson, Usher, Alicia Keys, John Mellencamp and the Dave Matthews Band.

BET decided to go out on its own, a network representative told The TV Column, because "BET places special priority around the needs of African Americans."

He said BET did not, at this time, plan to participate in the major simulcast being put together because "one of the things about this particular tragedy is there is such tremendous need. . . . I don't think we can do this type of philanthropic effort enough," adding, "There is enough need to go around."

But that's not all. Late yesterday, networks DIY, Fine Living and GAC: Great American Country announced they would simulcast on Sept. 27 "Country Reaches Out: An Opry Benefit for the American Red Cross."

The commercial-free special will include performances by country music stars such as Alan Jackson and Alison Krauss, who will urge viewers to contribute to the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. The special will originate from the syndicated radio show "Grand Ole Opry Presented by (down-homey restaurant/retail chain name)," which is heard on more than 200 country radio stations and on GAC each week. GAC, DIY and Fine Living are all owned by the E.W. Scripps Co.