TV & VIDEO - July 8, 1987

Only weeks after declaring the TV ministry bankrupt under Chapter 11 protection, the Rev. Jerry Falwell on Monday pleaded with viewers of “The PTL Club” to send in $100 apiece by Friday “if you want this ministry to stay on television.” Falwell told viewers he has sent solicitation telegrams to 200,000 contributors. In May, Falwell asked PTL’s regular contributors to send $50 above their usual $15 monthly pledges for a $7 million May emergency fund drive. He announced June 5 that the campaign raised $8.5 million and then asked for $10 million in June. The Baptist minister on Monday did not say how much the ministry lost or raised.