Alabama’s largest newspaper condemned the in-school, advertising device called Channel One News. In a no-holds-barred editorial, the News blasted the poor business deal Channel One contracts represent. Also the age-inappropriate content was mentioned.
The News said the Channel One web site “provided links on its website to pornographic material.” The News may be referring to some other incident(s), but Obligation has the hard copy evidence of an advertising link Channel One provided to children to “Videoshoppers.com.” Children could easily go from Channel One’s kid’s site to “Videoshoppers” where porn movies could be ordered simply by giving a credit card number. Very inappropriate pictures of video covers were very accessible to children.
Obligation appreciates The Birmingham News for standing up for Alabama children. More editorial support for “Channel One-free” schools will be forthcoming. Jim Metrock, president of Obligation, said, “Channel One’s hucksters are not welcome in Alabama. Obligation urges Channel One to donate all TV equipment to Alabama public schools. Channel One can take a tax write-off and students can be unburdened from this mandatory exploitation.”
Metrock added, “There continues to be nobody that wants to risk their reputation to defend Channel One. That is understandable.”
Obligation is focusing public attention on the Jefferson County, Shelby County, Walker County, Vestavia Hills City, Mobile County, and Montgomery County school systems. “We continue to wait for State Superintendent Dr. Ed Richardson to put an end to this absurd lack of financial and ethical accountability,” said Metrock.
