From Jim Metrock (March 30, 2011): Boy, did Channel One News hate this news. This resolution motivated a lot of school districts both in Alabama and in other states to end their contracts with Channel One. Martin Christie, Channel One’s lobbyist in Montgomery, AL, tried his best to mitigate the damage of this resolution, which I distributed all over the state. An Alabama state senator named George Clay wrote the president of the Alabama Chapter a truly bizarre letter scolding him for letting this resolution pass. In the letter he actually told the pediatrician that the doctor didn’t know what was good for children. I later called Senator Clay and asked him about his letter and its unusual language. He laughed and said he was doing a favor for Mr. Christie and that Mr. Christie wrote the letter on Clay’s Senate letterhead and he didn’t know what was in the letter. That’s how Channel One News used to roll, when they had money for lobbyists. Dirty tricks were commonplace.
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March 31, 2000 Alabama Pediatricians Pass Resolution Opposing Commercials in Classroom
No big surprise here – pediatricians don’t like anyone forcing children to watch commercials for candy bars, soft drinks and violent movies. Alabama pediatricians deserve a lot of credit for standing up for the poorest children in Alabama who are injured the most by Channel One’s advertising assault.
Here is part of the resolution:
“Be it Resolved, The Alabama Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics ethically opposes contractually obligating Alabama school children to observe commercials during classroom time in exchange for or loan of equipment, supplies or other materials.”
Jim Metrock, said “Who knows better about what children need and don’t need than pediatricians. I salute our state pediatricians for taking this position. It will greatly aid efforts to secure a commercial-free school day for Alabama schoolchildren.”
