
Several major media and entertainment companies are committing millions of dollars and other resources to provide relief and support to individuals and communities affected by wildfires in Southern California.
Among the companies donating sizable amounts of money to Los Angeles wildfire relief efforts are Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) and the Walt Disney Company, which have committed $15 million each to various non-profit organizations that are providing relief efforts there. Both companies have corporate operations and studios in the greater Los Angeles area.
Other companies that have committed to providing wildfire relief donations and assistance include Netflix, Amazon, Paramount Global, Comcast’s NBC Universal and Charter Communications, among others. Some of those companies have had their operations disrupted by the Palisades Fire, the Eaton Fire and the Kenneth Fire, which ignited last week, charring tens of thousands of acres and destroying thousands of homes.
The following is a list of media and entertainment companies that have committed to raising money or otherwise providing assistance to support wildfire relief efforts in Southern California:
Amazon
Amazon is committing $10 million to Southern California wildfire relief efforts. The donation will come from Amazon’s subsidiary businesses, including Amazon MGM Studios, Prime Video, Amazon Music, Whole Foods Market and Ring.
Amazon says its financial donation will go directly to local and national disaster and response organizations, including the American Red Cross of Southern California, FireAid, MusiCares Fire Relief Effort, World Central Kitchen, the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, Habitat for Los Angeles Wildfire Fund, and the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce Small Business Relief/Recovery Fund.
Amazon is also extending advertising opportunities to not-for-profit organizations that are supporting localized wildfire relief efforts, with inventory available through Prime Video.
Additionally, Amazon said it has provided 30,000 items to the Los Angeles County Salvation Army, including water, sports drinks and juice; 5,000 shelter items and 300 wildfire response items to the American Red Cross; Amazon gift cards to the Los Angeles Unified School District to help replenish school supplies; and 13 pallets of ready-to-eat meals, baby food, canned protein and other items to the Dream Center.
Charter Communications / Spectrum
Charter Communications is donating $2.5 million through its telecom subsidiary Spectrum, which provides cable television service throughout Southern California. Spectrum also operates a regional news channel, Spectrum News 1, which has covered the wildfires since they ignited.
Spectrum’s commitment includes $500,000 in total cash contributions to be split between the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, American Red Cross Los Angeles Region, and the California Fire Foundation; $1 million committed to support small businesses in the Los Angeles area through the Spectrum Community Investment Loan Fund; and $1 million in in-kind public service announcement (PSA) airtime to support nonprofit organizations in their wildfire relief efforts.
Spectrum has also established a microsite to help employees donate to the American Red Cross.
For employees, Spectrum has activated its Employee Disaster Assistance Policy to assist workers with temporary housing, transportation and the purchase of food and other essential items.
Cineverse
Cineverse is donating $10,000 to be split across 10 organizations providing wildfire relief and recovery efforts in Southern California. Additionally, Cineverse and two other partners — OTT.X and Pledge — will be donting connected TV advertising inventory to help raise awareness about wildfire relief efforts and fundraisers.
Comcast / NBC Universal
Comcast Corporation and its entertainment subsidiary NBC Universal are donating $10 million to various non-profits that are providing direct wildfire relief assistance in Southern California.
The all-cash donation will benefit Habitat for Humanity, Los Angeles’ ReBUILD LA initiative, the American Red Cross, the Entertainment Industry Foundation SoCal Fire Fund, the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, and the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles, among others.
“Our hearts go out to all who have been impacted by these devastating fires, including many in our Comcast NBC Universal family,” Brian Roberts, the Chairman and CEO of Comcast, said in a statement.
Comcast maintains a theme park in Los Angeles, as well as several studios. It also owns KNBC (Channel 4) and KVEA (Channel 52, Telemundo).
Fox Corporation
Fox Corporation has committed $1 million to the American Red Cross for Southern California wildfire relief efforts, and the company is encouraging viewers of its local and national TV stations and networks to donate to the non-profit organization as well.
Fox said the donations will “help the agency provide safe shelter, hot meals, emotional support, and resources to aid in recovery in the region.”
Fox operates the Fox Broadcast Network, which launched in Los Angeles, as well as Fox Sports, which maintains studios in the region. The company also owns KTTV (Channel 11) and KCOP (Channel 13) in Los Angeles, as well as Fox News Media, whose free streaming network Fox Weather has covered the wildfires since they ignited last Tuesday.
Google / YouTube
Google says it will work with its video sharing platform YouTube to donate $15 million to various organizations providing wildfire relief in Southern California. The money will benefit the American Red Cross, the Institute for Non-Profit News and the Center for Disaster Philanthropy.
“Los Angeles is the heart of entertainment and storytelling and has an impact on culture all over the world,” Neal Mohan, the CEO of YouTube, said on Wednesday. “It’s also where many YouTube creators, artists, partners and our employees call home. Like so many, we’ve been heartbroken by the devastation from the wildfires and want to do our part to support the community as it rebuilds.”
YouTube maints offices and production facilities in Los Angeles, which have been closed due to the wildfires. Once it is safe to reopen, Google says it will offer space to YouTube Creators to film and produce within its offices, and will also host “a number of events to bring the YouTube creative community together, making space to connect and share resources.”
Google said many of its products are being used to assist first responders and disaster relief officials in the greater Los Angeles area, including its Google Maps, Waze and Google Search platforms.
Live Nation / Crew Nation
LiveNation has committed $1 million to assist performing musicians, live music crews and live music industry workers affected by the Southern California wildfires, with the money contributed from its Crew Nation Global Relief Fund initiative.
“L.A. is home to so many who help make live music possible, and Crew Nation is continuing its core mission of helping this hardworking community through unforeseen hardship,” said Michael Rapino, the President and CEO of Live Nation Entertainment.
LiveNation is also assisting impacted employees across Southern California by activating its Taking Care of Our Own Program. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles.
Later this month, Live Nation will partner with other entertainment and media organizations to produce FireAid, a benefit concert. That event takes place on Thursday, January 30.
Netflix
Streaming platform Netflix has committed $10 million to wildfire relief efforts, and says it will split the money across different local and national organizations.
Some of the organizations that will benefit from the donation include the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, the California Community Fund Wildfire Recovery Fund, World Central Kitchen, the Motion Picture and Television Fund, and the Entertainment Community Fund.
“Beyond this financial contribution, we are directly assisting all of our impacted employees at this incredibly difficult time, including assistance with temporary housing needs for those who lost their homes,” Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said in a letter to employees. “We are also continuing to double-match all employee charitable contributions through our employee giving program.”
Nexstar Media Group
Nexstar Media Group is raising money for the American Red Cross with the participation of its television stations across the country.
Nexstar owns or operates nearly 200 local TV stations as well as the cable news channel NewsNation. In Los Angeles, Nexstar owns KTLA (Channel 5), the region’s CW station, which offered uninterrupted news coverage of the wildfires in Southern California for nearly four straight days.
As of Tuesday morning, Nexstar has not announced a separate, standalone donation independent of its efforts to raise funds from viewers of its channels. But a spokesperson affirmed the company’s efforts so far have raised over $570,000 from viewers, with the money benefitting the American Red Cross. A landing page specific to Nexstar’s efforts is available on the American Red Cross website by clicking or tapping here.
Paramount Global
Paramount Global committed to donating $1 million to a number of non-profit organizations providing direct wildfire relief in Southern California.
Some of the organizations that will receive the donation include the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, the California Fire Foundation, the American Red Cross, Direct Relief, World Central Kitchen and the Best Friends Animal Society.
“Our hearts are breaking for everyone impacted in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas, including Paramount employees and our friends, partners, and peers in the industry,” a Paramount spokesperson said in a statement. “As the devastation unfolds, we will continue to provide resources to impacted employees and support for our heroic local news crews who are keeping the public informed.”
Paramount owns more than two dozen local TV stations across the country, including KCBS (Channel 2) and KCAL-TV (Channel 9) in Los Angeles. The company also maintains studios in the Los Angeles area.
Sony
Sony is committing $5 million to local wildfire relief efforts, the company announced this week. Sony maintains subsidiary music and television production businesses that are based or otherwise operate in the Los Angeles region.
Sony says the financial commitment will benefit local non-profit organizations providing wildfire relief in Southern California, as well as rebuilding efforts in communities affected by wildfire and employee assistance programs.
“Los Angeles has been the home of our entertainment business for more than 35 years,” Sony Group Corporation Chairman and CEO Kenichiro Yoshida said in a statement. “Through our many thousands of employees, partners and friends based there, our roots run deep in this community. We will continue work with our local business leadership to determine how best Sony Group can support relief and recovery efforts in the days ahead. Our thoughts go out to those who are impacted by this devastating situation.”
Sinclair, Inc.
Sinclair, Inc.’s local television broadcast arm Sinclair Broadcast Group and its cable sports network Tennis Channel are raising donations for the Salvation Army through the company’s Sinclair Cares initiative.
Sinclair’s local television stations in California — including KBAK (Channel 29, Fox) in Bakersfield, KRCR (Channel 7, ABC) in Chico-Redding and KMPH (Channel 26, Fox) in Fresno — are participating in the initiative, as are Sinclair-owned or operated TV stations in other parts of the country.
As of Tuesday, January 14, Sinclair had not announced a separate financial contribution independent of the Sinclair Cares fundraiser.
Sinclair owns or operates over 180 local TV stations in more than 80 regional markets. It also operates national multicast networks Comet, Charge!, TBD and The Nest.
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company has committed $15 million to wildfire relief efforts.
A spokesperson for Disney said the company’s donation will benefit the American Red Cross, the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank and other non-profit organizations providing direct relief in the Los Angeles area.
“As this tragedy continues to unfold, The Walt Disney Company is committed to supporting our community and our employees as we all work together to recover and rebuild from this unbelievable devastation,” said Bob Iger, the CEO of Disney. “Walt Disney came to Los Angeles with little more than his limitless imagination, and it was here that he chose to make his home, pursue his dreams, and create extraordinary storytelling that means so much to so many people around the world. We are proud to provide assistance to this resilient and vibrant community at this moment of need.”
The company owns the ABC broadcast network, which is headquartered in Burbank, as well as KABC-TV (Channel 7), the local ABC station in Los Angeles. It also owns the Disneyland theme park in Anaheim.