Definitions

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun slang, derogatory A fundraising drive that actively solicits donations, especially one to support a public television or radio station.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Blend of beg and telethon.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word begathon.

Examples

  • It seems to be all the rage for little whiners of want with so-called "terrible illnesses" to try and turn their maladies into some sort of cause-celeb begathon for medicines and research to cure their condition or relieve their pain.

    KIDS WITH TERMINAL CANCER SUCKING THE LIFE OUT OF AMERICA: A NEW ANN COULTER SATIRE 2007

  • They're either going to get a lot of new listeners hungry for hurricane news, or a lot of people pissed off at having to put up with the begathon.

    October 2005 2005

  • Fortunately, she has lots of experience in front of people, both as a teacher and broadcaster; I can't remember the number of times that she worked Festival the bi-annual begathon at PBS trying to raise money for the local station.

    weekending jlundberg 2006

  • Excerpted From "DYING CHILDREN USING THEIR DISEASES TO GET SYMPATHY" (A New Humor-Packed Non-Fiction From Ann Coulter and Fox News Publishing) It seems to be all the rage for little whiners of want with so-called "terrible illnesses" to try and turn their maladies into some sort of cause-celeb begathon for medicines and research to cure their condition or relieve their pain.

    unknown title 2009

  • They scammed CBS into using this ad as a front for their donations begathon, and it’s working.

    Think Progress » All the funding for anti-marriage equality campaign in the nation’s capital came from outside of D.C. 2010

  • Too bad!” and “Once again, we’re here for aour biannual begathon”, so it is not some fundamental unbreakable rule that TV can only broadcast what gets it the maximum number of the most valuable eyeballs to sell to advertisers.

    Average Citizens Are Cut Out of The Marketplace of Ideas 2005

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.