Teletón (Mexico)

The Teletón in Mexico is an annual 24-plus-hour TV and radio broadcast, started in 1996, to raise money for children's rehabilitation centers (known as Centro de Rehabilitación Infantil Teletón or CRIT – "Teletón Children's Rehabilitation Center" in English). The Mexican Teletón is produced by Televisa and more than 500 Mexican and foreign media; more than 100 commercial firms sponsor the event. Teleton's mission is "to provide knowledge about physical disabilities, giving a strong message about respect, equality and support to people in these conditions". Teletón is the world's largest private medical unit and rehabilitation center for children.

Teletón
GenreTelethon
Country of originMexico
Original language(s)Spanish
No. of episodes22
Production
Camera setupMulti-camera
Production company(s)Televisa
Release
Original networkLas Estrellas
Picture format480i SDTV (4:3) (1997–2011)
1080i HDTV (16:9) (2012–present)
Original releaseDecember 11, 1997 (1997-12-11) –
present
External links
Website

Since 1997, Teletón has begun on the first Friday in December. The 2010 Teletón was held on December 3–4; as always, it was seen as "a project of national unity where Mexicans have the chance to gather and work for the same cause". From 1996–2003, the end of the event was marked by a concert in Azteca Stadium. Since 2004, the venue has varied: in 2004–2005 it was held at Mexico City's Zócalo, in 2006 at the Foro Sol and in 2007–2008 it was moved to the National Auditorium.

Besides creating CRITs all around the country, the CRIT system and the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México (UAEM) signed an agreement in 2000 creating two bachelors-degree programs training professionals to work with children at the CRITs, and created the Instituto Teletón de Estudios Superiores (ITESUR) (located next to the first CRIT constructed). ITESUR is the only university in Mexico that grants degrees in occupational and physical therapy. In 2012 it was inaugurated in State of Mexico the Centro Autismo Teletón (CAT) which will help children with autism.

From 1997 to 2004, Mexican actress and pop star Lucero was involved in every Teleton as the main spokesperson for most of the broadcast, alongside different news anchor and host of other Televisa programs. In 2003, a scandal involving security guards and the press made her to have her role been downplayed, and other Televisa personalities have been included in the broadcast.

While the main reason of the Teleton is to provide help with the rehabilitation of children that suffer of different brain and mobility discapacities, in 2009 Teletón expanded the objectives to provide help in the treatment of children diagnosed with cancer, hence another event was conceived, Pelonton, consisting of the people donating locks of hair in order to create wigs for those children that suffered loss hair due to cancer treatment. In 2013 it was inaugurated the first oncology children's hospital in Latin America, named Hospital Infantil Teletón de Oncología or HITO in the city of Querétaro.

CRIT locations
Gómez Palacio, Durango CRIT

The first Teletón was broadcast on December 12, 1997, produced by Televisa and 70 other communications media. By the end of the broadcast, its goal was surpassed. Since then, the goal has been the same amount raised the previous year, plus one Mexican peso.

From 1997 to 2014, Teletón had met its goal every year, producing surpluses which allowed the construction of twenty-one CRITs, one CAT and one HITO. The location of some CRITs is chosen on a geographical basis, so that every region has at least one; the goal is to build one in every state. Others are built in areas which have "earned" them with funds raised:

Green: states with CRITs (darker green = more CRITs)

Controversies

Tax deductions

Since its inception, the Telethon has been accused of allowing the companies that sponsor it to deduct taxes and be free of payments through their donations and not be transparent with the money obtained by the contributions of citizens, because these are made in an anonymous and without granting a tax receipt to support the transaction.[1]

Faced with these accusations, the Telethon Foundation has responded declaring that the tax deduction is a legal figure permitted by the government and that the system used prevents donations from being used for tax evasion.[2] On the other hand, the Servicio de Administración Tributaria stipulates that the maximum amount that a moral person can deduct from taxes through donations is 10% of net profit.[3]

Researcher Sara Murúa considered that this tax method is based on a legal loophole and declared that "the fundamental problem with this type of foundation is the triangulation of its funds, which allows large donors to have privileged tax mechanisms to exempt taxes and, even, for them to declare as their own the donations of third parties, especially individuals." The latter was criticized in reference to donations made anonymously by people, thus benefiting the image of companies.[4]

United Nations reactions

The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities of the United Nations (UN) stated in a communication, dated October 3, 2014, its concern about the way in which government resources are administered in the area of rehabilitation of persons with disabilities due to the fact that Mexico grants funds so that the Teletón Foundation - a private organization - is in charge of public health tasks that are the responsibility of the government.[5][6]

At the same time, this international body criticized the way in which the Telethon Foundation makes people with disabilities see, adding that it "observes that this campaign promotes stereotypes of people with disabilities as subjects of charity [...] Also, it recommends [the committee to the Mexican government] develop programs to raise awareness about people with disabilities as rights holders". Likewise, it asks the Mexican government to investigate and prosecute institutions that apply forced sterilizations to people with disabilities, and guarantee reparations to the victims of this practice. Finally, the international organization delivered a document with 67 recommendations to the federal government of Mexico and Telethon, which to date has not been addressed.[7]

Media participation
Enrique Peña Nieto and Angélica Rivera in the 2012 Teletón

In its first broadcast, Teletón (CRIT) counted the participation of 70 national media; the TV and radio stations affiliated with Televisa made it a nationwide campaign. The 2007 broadcast had the participation of more than 500 national and international media; one exception is the other major Mexican TV network, TV Azteca, due to a signal-distribution conflict. 2007 also marked the first time donations were received from foreign countries (from Spain, and from the Hispanic population in the United States and Canada.

Year 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Total Media 70 229 287 336 392 428 471 506 560 577 580
Media Number (2007)
TV Stations 72
Radio Stations 77
Newspapers 192
Magazines 131
External Media 103
International Media 5
Total 580

Broadcasts
Broadcast Dates Goal Total Raised Margin (%) Approx. USD[8] Motto Translation Mission
Teletón México 1997 December 12–13 MXN$89834,000,000 MXN$338,496,8403 +73.12% $17,015,608
MXN 8.1394 = USD 1		 "Juntos haremos el milagro" "Together we will make the miracle"
  • To build and equip the first two CRITs in Mexico State and Occidente
  • Establish the Teletón Fund for Institutional Support (Fondo Teletón de Apoyo a Instituciones - FTAI) to help other institutions serving the same population
  • To donate 8% of the total to victims affected by Hurricane Pauline
Teletón México 1998 December 4–5 $138,496,841 $142,937,440 +3.20% $14,365,571
MXN 9.95 = USD 1		 "El amor hace milagros" "Love makes miracles"
  • To secure operating funds for the two CRITs
  • Continue the FTAI
Teletón México 1999 December 3–4 $142,937,441 $158,224,117 +10.70% $16,598,212
MXN 9.5326 = USD 1		 "El amor hace milagros" "Love makes miracles"
  • To grant "scholarships" for the two CRITs
  • Continue the FTAI
Teletón México 2000 December 8–9 $158,224,118 $201,168,475 +27.14% $21,019,641
MXN 9.5705 = USD 1		 "Vamos a dar" "Let's give"
  • To build and equip the third CRIT in Oaxaca
  • To grant "scholarships" for (and ensure future operation of) the two original CRITs
  • Continue the FTAI
Teletón México 2001 December 7–8 $201,168,476 $207,408,620 +3.10% $22,446,577
MXN 9.2401 = USD 1		 "Te estamos esperando" "We're waiting for you"
  • To build and equip the fourth CRIT in Aguascalientes
  • To grant "scholarships" for the three CRITs
  • Continue the FTAI
  • To donate 5% of the total raised to families of Mexican victims who died in the September 11 attacks
Teletón México 2002 December 6–7 $207,408,621 $217,876,247 +5.05% $21,266,178
MXN 10.2452 = USD 1		 "¡Un paso más!" "One more step!"
  • To build the fifth and sixth CRITs, in Coahuila and Guanajuato
  • To grant "scholarships" for the four CRITs
  • Continue the FTAI
Teletón México 2003 December 12–13 $217,876,248 $247,759,351 +13.72% $22,145,691
MXN 11.1877 = USD 1		 "Lo hacemos todos" "We all make it"
  • To equip the fifth and sixth CRITs in Coahuila and Guanajuato
  • To grant "scholarships" for the four CRITs
  • Continue the FTAI
Teletón México 2004 December 3–4 $247,759,352 $305,650,421 +23.37% $27,424,153
MXN 11.1453 = USD 1		 "Unidos por el amor" "Together for love"
  • To build and equip the seventh CRIT in Pachuca, Hidalgo
  • To grant "scholarships" for the six CRITs
  • Continue the FTAI
Teletón México 2005 December 2–3 $305,650,422 $349,190,470 +14.25% $33,178,187
MXN 10.5247 = USD 1		 "Ayudar es amar" "To help is to love"
  • To build and equip the eighth and ninth CRITs, in Chihuahua and Chiapas
  • To grant "scholarships" for the seven CRITs
  • Continue the FTAI
Teletón México 2006 December 8–9 $349,190,471 $420,369,748 +20.38% $38,723,055
MXN 10.8558 = USD 1		 "Necesitamos tu amor" "We need your love"
  • To build and equip the tenth and eleventh CRITs in Nezahualcóyotl, Mexico and Cancun, Quintana Roo
  • Ensure operating funds for the nine CRITs
  • Continue the FTAI
Teletón México 2007 December 7–8 $420,369,749 $439,968,534 +4.66% $40,599,862
MXN 10.8367 = USD 1		 "El Teletón eres tú" "You are the Teletón"
  • To build and equip the twelfth and thirteenth CRITs in Tamaulipas and Yucatán
  • Ensure operating funds for the eleven CIRTs
  • Continue the FTAI
  • To donate 10% of the total raised to help the affected populations of the 2007 Tabasco flood and Chiapas landslides
Teletón México 2008 December 5–6 $439,968,535 $440,404,909 +0.09% $32,119,382
MXN 13.7115 = USD 1		 "El Teletón lo haces tú" "You make the Teletón"
  • To build and equip the fourteenth and fifteenth CRITs in Durango and Poza Rica, Veracruz
  • To create a specialty in rehabilitation medicine and a physical and occupational therapy license at the ITESR (Instituto Teletón de Estudios Superiores en Rehabilitación)
  • To upgrade the thirteen CIRTs with new technology
  • Ensure operating funds for the thirteen CRITs
  • Continue the FTAI
Teletón México 2009 December 4–5 $440,404,910 $443,341,815 +0.66% $35,194,517
MXN 12.5969 = USD 1		 "No Hay Imposibles" "Nothing is impossible"
  • To upgrade the first fifteen CRITs to allow children with cancer
  • To build and equip the sixteenth and seventeenth CRITs in Hermosillo, Sonora and La Paz, Baja California Sur
  • Ensure operating funds for the fifteen CRITs
Teletón México 2010 December 3–4 $445,268,576 $446,851,910 +0.03% $36,229,865
MXN 12.3338 = USD 1		 "Lo mejor de ti, hace grande Mexico" "The best of you makes Mexico great"
  • To build and equip the eighteenth and nineteenth CRITs in Puebla and the Federal District
  • Ensure operating funds for the seventeen CRITs
Teletón México 2011 December 2–3 $446,851,911 $450,346,218 +5.5% $32,944,127.139
MXN 13.6700 = USD 1		 "Caminemos juntos" "Lets walk together"
  • To build and equip the twentieth CRIT in Acapulco, Guerrero, the first Teleton Oncology Children's Hospital for children with cancer in Queretaro, and the first Teleton Autism Children's Rehabilitation Center for children with autism in Mexico State
  • Ensure operating funds for the nineteen CRITs
  • The last Teletón to broadcast in united state (Teletón USA was created the following year)
Teletón México 2012 December 7–8 $471,472,925 $472,556,170 +0.23% $36,064,042 "Gracias a ti" "Thanks to you"
  • To build the twenty-first CRIT in Michoacán and equip the Teleton Oncology Children's Hospital in Querétaro
  • Ensure operating funds for the twenty CRITs and the Teleton Autism Children's Rehabilitation Center
Teletón México 2013 December 6–7 $472,556,170 $473,794,379 +0.99% $36,158,539 "Gente Extraordinaria" "Extraordinary people"
  • Ensure operating funds for the 21 CRITs, the Teleton Oncology Children's Hospital, and the Teleton Autism Children's Rehabilitation Center
Teletón México 2014 December 5–6 $473,794,380 $474,143,221 +0.074% $32,116,134 "Pasión por la vida" "Passion for life"
  • To build and equip the twenty-second CIRT in Baja California
  • Ensure operating funds for the 21 CRITs, the Teleton Oncology Children's Hospital, and the Teleton Autism Children's Rehabilitation Center
Teletón México 2015 December 12 $474,143,211
(500,000 visits)		 $327,267,551
(602,710 visits)		 -30.97% $19,116,776 "Ven, conoce y decide" "Come, know and decide"
  • This will be the first year that Teletón will not raise money
  • Although the main reason of this year Teletón is visits, donations were also being accepted
  • At the end of the Teletón $327,267,551 MXN (US$17.8 million) were raised (down 69% from the previous year)
  • Ensure operating funds for the 21 CRITs, the Teletón Oncology Children's Hospital, and the Teletón Autism Children's Rehabilitation Center
Teletón México 2016 December 10–11 $327,261,512
(602,711 visits)		 $361,695,829 +10.51% $17,790,798 "Ven, conoce y únete, tu donación es la solución" "Come, know and join us, your donation is our solution"
  • The goal is similar to that of 2015, inviting people to come and visit existing CRITs
  • At the end of the Teletón $361,695,829 MXN was raised
  • Ensure operating funds for 18 of the 21 CRITs, the Teletón Oncology Children's Hospital, and the Teletón Autism Children's Rehabilitation Center
  • Ensure extra operating funds for the Durango, Quintana Roo, and Veracruz CRITs to prevent them from closing
Teletón México 2017–18 March 23–24 $361,695,830 $364,097,181 +0.65% $19,627,880 "México de pie" Mexico on foot
  • The telethon was originally scheduled for the weekend of October 6, 2017, but it was postponed because of the earthquakes in Chiapas and Mexico City that occurred during the month of September. 10% of the total was donated to all families that were affected by the earthquakes.
  • Ensure extra operating funds for the Mexico State, Quintana Roo, and Veracruz CRITs
  • Last telethon to air over a two-day period
Teletón Mexico 2018 December 8 $364,097,182 $367,190,205 +0.84% $18,132,849 "¿A ti que te gusta hacer?" What would you like to do?
  • Ensure operating funds for all 21 CRITs and both ancillary facilities
Teletón Mexico 2019 December 14 $367,190,206 $374,250,109 +1.92% $19,000,000
Teletón Mexico 2020 TBD
  • Special telethon to raise money for research of COVID-19.

Sponsors

The Teletón production is supported by enterprises who also finance year-round expenses of the CRITs. There is only one sponsor for each product category.

The first broadcast had nine sponsors; by 2008 the number was 26. Some businesses which have participated are:

Sponsor Industry Years Participating
Nacional Monte de Piedad Financial services (pawnbroking) 18
Banamex Financial services (banking) 18
Fundación Telmex Philanthropy 18
Farmacias del Ahorro Pharmacy 15
Telcel Mobile phone carrier 15
Office Depot Retail (office supplies) 8
La Costeña Food (preserves) 10
Alpura Food (dairy products) 15
Hidrosina Energy (gasoline) 11
  • Fundación Gigante
  • Fundación Soriana
 Philanthropy 15
Fud Food (cold cuts) 14
Mattel Toys and games 12
Hewlett-Packard (HP) Computer systems, peripherals, software, consulting, IT services 6
Metlife Finance and insurance 10
Homex Developer 5
Acros Home appliances 3
Andrea Catalog retailing (shoes) 3
La Europea Retailing (wine and gourmet food) 2
Holanda Ice cream 2
DHL Air courier 2
Omnilife Business group 1
Seguritech Security systems 1
Schering-Plough Pharmaceutical 1
Hoteles/Resorts Misión Hospitality 1
José Cuervo Distillery 1
Grupo Rotoplas Water puritification technology 1
Domino's Pizza Pizza delivery 3

Teletón USA

In 2012, Teletón, in cooperation with the Univision television network, created Teletón USA, an American charity with the same aim to help sick, disabled, and mentally-challenged children in America's Hispanic communities. Its first telethon was broadcast December 14 and 15, 2012 on the Univision network, and was hosted by famed Univision personality Don Francisco, who has hosted a similar telethon in Chile. The first edition of Teletón USA took US$8,150,625 in pledges, exceeding its initial goal of US$7 million.[9]

Notes
  1. "La verdadera historia del teletón". Movimiento de Transformación Social (in Spanish). December 22, 2008. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  2. "¿Las empresas evaden impuestos al donar a Teletón?". Fundación Teletón A. C. (in Spanish). 2015. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  3. "Preguntas frecuentes. Declaración Personas Morales" (PDF), Servicio de Administración Tributaria (in Spanish), retrieved December 14, 2015, What percentage of deduction is applicable to donations made to organizations approved by the General Law Regime? One can deduct up to 10% of the profit for all donations made during the year.
  4. "¿Por qué se duda del Teletón?" (in Spanish). December 5, 2015. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  5. "ONU critica que Teletón reciba recursos públicos". Forbes México (in Spanish). December 6, 2014. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  6. José Roberto Cisneros Duarte (December 6, 2015). "La ONU critica la entrega de recursos públicos al Teletón". CNN México (in Spanish). Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  7. "Comité de la ONU recomienda al gobierno mexicano no donar al Teletón - Proceso". Proceso (in Spanish). November 5, 2014. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
  8. MXN/USD equivalence made with exchange rate current at time of event
  9. "Per Teletón USA's Facebook page". Facebook.com. Retrieved 2013-11-05.
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