The four commercial broadcast TV networks will simultaneously air an hour-long special next month to highlight education and raise money for an industry initiative.
The Entertainment Industry Foundation announced the “Roadblock” show, which will air Sept. 11 at 8 p.m. Eastern/Pacific times on ABC, CBS, NBC, and the Fox networks.
The show is meant to support an EIF initiative called Think It Up, which the foundation said in a news release will seek “to inaugurate a new movement in support of the nation’s students, teachers and schools, helping generate excitement about learning everywhere in America and building a sense of optimism about the changes underway in classrooms across the country.”
That is about as specific as the release gets, so no one could accuse the entertainment industry charitable group of setting goals that were too modest.
The foundation promises the participation of stars including Kristen Bell, Stephen Colbert, Scarlett Johansson, Matthew McConaughey, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeremy Renner, Ryan Seacrest, and Jessica Williams, plus musical performances, comedy sketches, and segments highlighting teachers and students.
In addition to the “Roadblock” TV show, the Think It Up initiative “will engage celebrities and education/community influencers to help keep a steady drumbeat of excitement about learning and encourage ongoing support for students and teachers,” the EIF said.
The actor and singer Nick Jonas is the “Think It Up Ambassador” for a public service campaign “to encourage students to collaborate with their teachers on projects that will help innovate their classroom experiences,” the release said.