- On Wednesday night, some of
Times Square 's iconic billboards went dark for one minute to draw attention to businesses struggling during the pandemic. - The efforts were organized by Business Interruption Group, a coalition of restaurant and hospitality industry leaders who say
insurance companies are weaseling out of paying business-interruption claims. - After the blackout, Whoopi Goldberg joined in a video calling on insurers and the federal government to do more to support businesses.
A number of Times Square's famously bright billboards went dark for one minute on Wednesday night to draw attention to businesses and nonprofits that are struggling during the pandemic.
The effort was led by the Business Interruption Group, a coalition of restaurant and hospitality industry leaders who says
Their founder members include superstar chefs like Wolfgang Puck, Daniel Boulud, Cat Cora, and Thomas Keller.
BIG partnered with Times Square Alliance and the NYC Hospitality Alliance on the blackout, hoping to send a symbolic message "that the insurers are turning the lights out on businesses," John Houghtaling, BIG's general counsel, told CNN.
At 9 pm, over 100 million LED pixels went dark for 60 seconds on signage from 46th Street to 48th Street on Broadway and along the entire corner of 47th and 7th Avenue.
—Business Interruption Group (@werbigorg) May 28, 2020
A video featuring entertainers, business owners, and community leaders then ran on the billboards to underscore the message.
"Insurance companies and the federal government need to do the right thing now," Whoopi Goldberg said in the video.
A staggering 40 million Americans have lost their jobs during the pandemic, and countless businesses have been forced to close their doors and lay off employees.