WIDTH="255" HEIGHT="62" ALIGN="BOTTOM" BORDER="0" NATURALSIZEFLAG="3">Channel One Is Bad News For Kids
SIZE="-1" FACE="Arial">To 1999 Press Releases and News About Channel OneSIZE="-1" FACE="Arial">To 1997 Press Releases and News About Channel OnePress Releases and News About Channel One - 1998December 20, 1998 - It's Hard to Keep a Bad Web Site DownDecember 14, 1998 - Channel One Discussed at ASCD Meeting on December 9November 24, 1998 - Press Release - "Alabama will lead the way."November 23, 1998 - Press Release -Local Group Signs Letter Asking For Congressional Hearings on Controversial Channel One ProgramNovember 13, 1998 - Schools Tell Children to See "Meet Joe Black"Channel One Pushes Sexually-Charged Show on Children - "Dawson's Creek"October 5, 1998 - Press Release - Group Condemns Channel One Ads For Sexually Charged "Dawson's Creek"October 17, 1998 - Letter from Judge McGuire to Paul FolkemerNovember 8, 1998 - Channel One Schools Give Seal of Approval to WB Network's DL-Rated "Felicity"November 6, 1998 - Channel One's New Management Continues to Dump Adult Fare on Children - Channel One Schools Endorse Adam Sandler's Newest MovieOctober 19, 1998 - Channel One Violates Contract Terms By Extending Show 1 1/2 Minutes - Also Channel One Exceeds Two-Minute Ad LimitOctober 14, 1998 - Alabama Schools Urge Students to See Latest Eddie Murphy Movie; Channel One Ad for Movie Literally "Distasteful"October 14, 1998 - Channel One Successfully Delivers Children to "Dawson's Creek" and WB NetworkOctober 5, 1998 -Channel One Promotes the Sexually Charged "Dawson's Creek" to Schoolchildren. (Ads ran Sept. 28, 29, 30, and Oct. 2, 1998 will continue to run through October 7)September 25, 1998 - Joke's On Us - Channel One's Welcomes Back Web Advertising, Message Boards and Chat RoomSeptember 25, 1998 - Press Release - Jefferson County's Answer to Channel One Problem: Breach the Contract - System Will Make Viewing Required Without Getting Written Permission From ParentsSeptember 25, 1998 - Channel One Hires Lobbyist Group To Save Alabama Cash FlowSeptember 17, 1998 - Shelby County Terminates Channel One Contract After Eight YearsSeptember 17, 1998 - Shelby County Praised For Ending Channel One ContractSeptember 16, 1998 - Blount County (AL) Public Schools To End Channel OneSeptember 16, 1998 - Vestavia Hills (AL) Superintendent Gives Personal Seal of Approval to Channel OneSeptember 11, 1998 - Channel One Brings Back Message Boards to Controversial Web SiteSeptember 11, 1998 - Press Release By PRIMEDIA - Parent Company of Channel OneSeptember 10, 1998 - Press Release -Local Group Applauds Shelby County Secondary Principals Stand on Channel OneSeptember 10, 1998 - Channel One Update from Jim MetrockSeptember 3, 1998 - Channel One Melt Down Around Corner?September 3, 1998 - Channel One Temporarily Halts Dangerous Chat Rooms for KidsAugust 24, 1998 - Did Channel One advertise pagers to children?August 15, 1998 - Editorial - The Birmingham News- "Channel One - There are better uses of student time, taxpayer dollars"August 15, 1998 - Comments on Birmingham News Editorial Condemning Channel OneAugust 13, 1998 - Press Release - State Superintendent Urged To Halt Channel One TV Show for 37 SystemsAugust 10, 1998 - Press Release - Jefferson County Schools Again Make Mandatory Commercials Part of Curriculum - Local Group Criticizes "Sell-Out" Of Students - Controversial Channel One Remains Required Viewing For Jeffco Secondary StudentsFACE="Arial">August 5, 1998 - Alabama Schools That Have Contractually Obligated Their Students To Channel OneJuly 9, 1998 - State of Alabama Completes First Ever Statewide Channel One SurveyJune 30, 1998 - Channel One Suspends Reviewing R-Rated Movies For ChildrenJune 12, 1998 - A Partial Listing of R-Rated Movies Channel One ReviewedAt Its Children Web Site - www.channelone.comJune 11, 1998 - Local Group Files FTC Complaint Against Channel One - Personal Information Sought From Children Without Parental Knowledge, Other ProblemsJune 10, 1998 - Channel One Web Advertiser Has Links to PornographyMay 28, 1998 - Satellite Problem to Cost Channel One Up To $5 MillionMay 23, 1998 - Channel One Goes Dark - Students Freed From Mandatory BroadcastMay 12, 1998 - Obligation Contributes Article to National SchoolBoards Association's "School Board News" NewspaperMay 1, 1998 - Channel One Web Site for Kids Offers Quick Link to Adult XXX VideosApril 29, 1998 - U.S. Senator Richard Shelby Blasts Channel One and Calls for Senate Hearings on This Controversial TV ShowApril 23, 1998 - PRIMEDIA, the parent company of Channel One, announced record first quarter sales from continuing businesses of $328.5 million and record earnings of $63.1 (EBITDA).March 11, 1998 - Press Release - School Systems Urged to Temporarily Halt Channel One Because of Child Predator Dangers - State Superintendent and Attorney General Help SoughtFebruary 21, 1998 - Students See Baby Shot in the Face on Channel One
FACE="Arial">December 20, 1998 - It's Hard to Keep a Bad WebSite DownFrom Jim Metrock - Channel One has an official web site. It is called "channelone.com". Its abuse of children is legendary. (Take a look around our web site for some of the most offensive servings from Channel One. R-rated movie reviews for kids? Reviews of sexually-explicit CDs for your child? Channel One wanting to post your child's picture on the Internet? Channel One running a "Personal Ads" section for your son or daughter?This company was for years reckless with the safety of children. Now, with the real threat of congressional hearings, Channel One is trying to clean up its image. Channel One's problem is that - it can't clean up. It would go out of business. That is why they can't stop pushing adult-content movies and TV shows on kids. They are making too much money off the advertisers.The web site is trying to come back and we are seeing them struggle with trying to entice kids to their site yet dealing with a growing number of parents and educators that now are checking the site because of its reckless past.Recently, Channel One posted several articles about Horoscopes on their site. They provided children links (a very scary thing to do when you have Channel One doing it) to astrology sites on the Internet. I will give you a sample of one site that kids may visit because Channel One provided the direct path to them (one mouse click). "Astrology and Your Erogenous Zones - Many books and manuals have been written about lovemaking, but few pay attention to the unique knowledge of erogenous zones supplied by astrology. You can use astrology to become a better, more sensitive lover. The throat and neck is Taurus's sensitive area .... This technique (that I have left out) will thoroughly relax Taurus and make him or her very receptive to lovemaking."Why is Channel One even talking about horoscopes and astrology to our children? Why are they launching them into the Internet to get this age-inappropriate material? Because these people, both in Hollywood and New York City, see children as a commodity. So many pork bellies. Eyes to be sold to advertisers on the web and on the in-school TV show. It's all about money to Channel One executives. These folks are probably having a ball with their Christmas bonus this week. Except for their satellite going down (Obligation refuses to confirm or deny our involvement with the mysterious events surrounding the Galaxy IV satellite "anomaly" in May), Channel One has apparently made a ton of money off of schoolchildren again this year. I digress.The person running the web site has been around Channel One for several years. Her name is Peggy Li. She evidently sees value in astrology and wants to share some thoughts on the matter with your children. This is the same young woman who was Channel One's advice guru. This time last year, she answered a very scary letter from a 15-year-old girl who related a suicide attempt she made. "Suicide still crosses my mind often," the girl wrote Channel One's advice giver. In the answer Li commented, "You said that you are still feeling suicidal, and I'll be honest, suicide is (for some people) a coping mechanism. When we think about dying it is a good 'escape' from the hurt of right now. And sometimes, especially when depressed, it can be pretty normal..."Suicide is not a "coping mechanism", Channel One. And you can keep your love of astrology to your self. This writer and Channel One, the company, should not be talking to children. They should be thrown out of public schools.BORDER="0" NATURALSIZEFLAG="0">
FACE="Arial">December 14, 1998 - Channel One Discussed at ASCD Meeting on December 9The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), a well-respected educational organization held a panel discussion on commercialism in schools on Capitol Hill last week. Channel One had Mr. Paul Folkemer, VP Education, on the panel to defend its presence in classrooms. Mr. Folkemer had a difficult time with his fellow panelists. Dan Fuller, National School Boards Association, said the decision to sell children to advertisers is a local one (Amen) but called in-class advertising the most offensive type of commercial use of schools. (That means Channel One.) Another panelist, Ms. Vera Blake, an outstanding local middle school principal, does not have Channel One in her school and said after the meeting that her whole system refuses to allow Channel One's marketing company into their classrooms. Professor Alex Molnar, "The Man" when it comes to studying commercial exploitation of students is a professor from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. He called Channel One and other commercial abuses of schools "unethical". Brita Butler-Wall, a PTA official and expert on commercialism in schools, was very much opposed to Channel One's marketing to children. Even the other "commercial outlaw" Dan DeRose, D&D Marketing, told the audience that he is opposed to Channel One's marketing taking place inside the classroom. (Mr. DeRose partners schools with businesses that provide exclusive soft drink contracts and such.) It was everyone against Channel One leaving Mr. Folkemer waving the Channel One flag. That's as good as it gets for Channel One marketers.Obligation askedMr. Folkemer if he would provide our Alabama State Department of Education with a satellite dish and other hardware to receive and record the Channel One show. [ This is disturbing that a state has to "ask" a private company permission to record a program that makes all its money off of public school tax money. ] He gave a long answer that was basically "No" to the satellite dish idea, but did say that if our Superintendent or anyone wants tapes of any show he would send them the tapes. This is big news. This marks a sea-change at Channel One. Mr. Folkemer may have gotten in trouble for his statement, but Obligation and others will take him at his word. If you want tapes of Channel One programming, make a request of Mr. Paul Folkemer, Channel One Network, 600 Madison Avenue, Sixth Floor, NY, NY 10022, 212-508-6805. Request tapes for all future shows and state that you want the entire program from the first image to the last. (Channel One has cut out commercials and chopped off the end of the programWhat We Believe:Positions of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (check out http://www.ascd.org COLOR="#000000" SIZE="+1" FACE="Arial">)Advertising in SchoolsSchools should be cautious in their use of any materials designed to promote commercial products or containing commercial advertising because students are required to attend school and are therefore a captive audience.Schools should have guidelines for use of materials provided by special-interest groups or by businesses that have a financial interest in advancing a particular point of view. Specifically, district policies should ensure that any commercial materials used in schools: (1) are consistent with the district's values, goals, and objectives, (2) respond to a clearly defined educational need, (3) support the adopted curriculum, and (4) do not promote a brand-name product. If educators use business-sponsored materials in the classroom, they should help students identify any biases the materials may contain. If students are too young to understand the bias, the materials should not be used.With reasonable exceptions (such as newspapers and magazines) materials containing advertising should not be used for instruction except when the purpose is to analyze the advertising itself.This was on our home page with links to articles on this page.Channel One Promotes Horoscopes to Children; Channel One Provides Direct Links to Site Featuring "Astrology and Your Erogenous Zones"Channel One Message to Young Women: "You're Ugly. Our Advertisers Can Fix You."Channel One's Paul Folkemer Approves Oxy Balance Commercial That Says (paraphrasing) "Even the Prettiest Young Woman Is Flawed."Obligation Targets Jefferson, Mobile and Montgomery Counties in Effort to End Channel One Contracts - Jefferson County Already Scraps ContractGroups Call For CongressionalHearings on Channel One -Copy of LetterDid Your School Endorse the Movie "Meet Joe Black"?Alabama Public Schools Get Another "C" and State Board Refuses to Stand Up to Channel One - Up to 300,000 AL Students Lose One Week A Year to Channel One's TV Marketing ShowCharting PRIMEDIA's FallWarner Brothers DL-Rated "Felicity" Was Advertised on Channel OneChannel One Pushes Disney's "The Waterboy"on Children; New Management Remains CluelessObligation Asks Channel One President for Apology Re: Dawson's Creek Ads and Contest - See AboveMajor Effort Against Channel One's National Advertisers in 1999Channel One Is Now Over 13 Minutes Long - Schools Only Agreed to 12; Ad Limit ViolatedJudge McGuire Writes to Paul Folkemer About "Dawson's Creek"PRIMEDIA Continues To Sink - Is Channel One For Sale Again? Rupert Murdoch To Rescue?"Channel One shows how low schools will stoop" Birmingham Post-Herald Features Editor Wade KwonEddie Murphy's Dirty Joke Movie Pushed On Alabama SchoolchildrenChannel One and "Dawson's Creek" Score A Big Win; American Families: A Big LossChannel One Pushes The Envelope Too Far: Ads and Contest for Sexually-Charged "Dawson's Creek" Should Outrage a NationChannel One Appears To Have Waived Their Contract Requirements in Alabama - Many Schools Don't Honor Terms - Channel One Looks the Other Way - May Cost National Advertisers MillionsThought Channel One Got Rid of Their Web Advertising, Message Boards, and Chat Room? The Joke's On UsJefferson County's Answer to Channel One Problem: Breach ContractChannel One Hires Lobbyist Group To Save Alabama Cash FlowFamily Research Council Policy Paper Rips Channel OneSeptember "Consumer Reports" Urges Schools to Unplug Channel One6th Largest School District in Alabama Terminates Channel One Contract - 9,539 Students Gain a Week of School Time in Shelby CountyShelby County Reporter Editorial: "Let's Pull The Plug On The Channel One Program"Why Channel One is Inappropriate for Pre-Teens Channel One Is At It Again - Rolls Out New Marketing Gimmick To Target ChildrenPrincipals and Assistant Principals Unanimously Back Removal of Channel One in Shelby County, ALAlabama's Largest Newspaper Rips Channel OneHow To Cheat On Book Reports According To Channel OneNovember 24, 1998 - Press Release - "Alabama will lead the way."Birmingham, AL (November 24, 1998) - The Washington Times ran a story covering yesterday's letter to several Congressional Committee chairmen urging informational hearings on the controversial Channel One marketing program in public schools.Obligation is a Birmingham-based child advocacy and media watchdog group that has been instrumental in getting this diverse group of conservative and liberal organizations working together on this issue.Jim Metrock, Obligation's president said, "Alabama will lead the way in removing this institutionalized waste from America's public schools. The public needs to make accountable our State Superintendent and State Board of Education. Do they think public schools should be telling schoolchildren what brand clothes to wear, what junk food to eat and what specific TV shows and movies to watch? Every commercial shown in school is endorsed by the school system. Is there any wonder why parents are turning to private and home schooling when we allow this exploitation of a captive audience of impressionable schoolchildren to continue? The continued inaction by our state leaders is undermining public support for public education.""Alabama schoolchildren deserve much better from their school boards and school administrators than to be sold, like so many pork bellies, to this marketing company called Channel One. Our children need more reading time, not more TV time in school," said Metrock. "Obligation commends the Walker County, Shelby County, and Hoover City school systems for removing Channel One from their classrooms this year."Channel One's recent ads for the adult-content, TV-14 "D,L,S"-rated "Dawson's Creek" TV series, the latest Eddie Murphy movie, and the off-color movie "The Waterboy" have raised concerns among educators and others that Channel One is pushing the envelope with offensive material more than ever.Other Sources______________State Superintendent Dr. Ed Richardson 334-242-9702Mr. Kevin McAliley, President of Channel One Network 212-508-6800Mr. Evan Major, Shelby County Superintendent 669-5955Area State Board Members: Dr. Ethel Hall 923-6093; David Byers 933-0853; Sandra Ray 758-7777Visit www. obligation. org for more information on Channel One.Note: The school that praises Channel One in the "Washington Times" article is Paul Folkemer's (Channel One's newly-hired Education VP) former school where he was principal earlier this year. He structured the school day to maximize the value of Channel One and directs all reporters to this "model" school. The school is being used as an advertisement for Channel One.November 23, 1998 - Press Release -Local Group Signs Letter Asking For Congressional Hearings on Controversial Channel One ProgramNovember 23, 1998 (Birmingham, AL) Obligation, Inc., a local media watchdog group has joined several nationally known organizations and individuals in signing a letter asking for Congressional hearings on the in-school TV marketing program called Channel One.Jim Metrock, Obligation's president said, "When you have Ralph Nader and Eagle Forum's Phyllis Schlafly on the same side of an issue, then the public should, at least, listen. When it comes to fleecing taxpayers and robbing schoolchildren of valuable learning time, Channel One is in aclass by itself."In 1991, a U. S. Senate committee held hearings on Channel One. At that time Channel One had little history and the committee chairman said the issue should be revisited. "The company has changed hands since that first hearing, and, over the last couple of years, Channel One appears to have developed an aggressive, and often reckless, attitude toward marketing to children," said Metrock. In April, U. S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) blasted Channel One as a waste of time and money and was the first Senator to call for renewed Senate hearings on Channel One.Metrock said, "Although Channel One has been turned off at several Alabama school systems, Jefferson County still has their 20,000+ secondary students under contract to this marketing company. Schools that require Channel One viewing implicitly endorse every product promoted on it. Superintendent Dr. Bruce Wright is wrong to think schools should be telling students what brand jeans they should wear, what type junk food to eat, and what specific movies and TV shows to watch. That is none of the school's business. Just because Dr. Wright has no problem with commercials being forced on children in their classroom doesn't mean parents should put up with this insanity."Mrs. Pat Ellis, of Jasper, AL, is Obligation's Education Director. She said, "Last month, Channel One aired several commercials for the adult-content "Dawson's Creek" TV program. If parents knew their school was showing any commercial, especially a commercial for a sex-saturated, 'TV-14 D,L,S'-rated series like "Dawson's Creek', to their12-year-old child, they would be storming the Superintendent's office. The problem is that Channel One is virtually invisible to parents. That is why Congressional hearings would shine much needed sunlight on Channel One's agenda in our schools."Other Sources______________Dr. Bruce Wright, Jefferson County Superintendent 930-3800 (He has been an outspoken (TV, radio, print) defender and promoter of Ch. 1.) [Note: His school system is openly and flagrantly violating the Channel One contract and Channel One refuses to enforce the contract.]Dr. Harrison Cass, Vestavia Hills Superintendent 402-5117 (He has given his personal "OK" to Channel One and still requires it to be shown in Vestavia's middle school.)Dr. Ed Richardson 334-242-9702 (Although he rejected Channel One when he was Auburn City Superintendent, as State Superintendent, he has taken no action against Channel One. Unlike his two predecessors (Teague and Ingram) he has yet to make any statement to the public critical of Channel One.)Mr. David Byers State Board 933-0853Mr. Kevin McAliley, President of Channel One Network 212-508-6800 (Channel One is not allowed in any public school classroom in their home state of New York.)Mr. Evan Major, Shelby County Superintendent 669-5955 (He removed Channel One in September.)The Honorable John McCain, ChairmanCommittee on Commerce, Science, and TransportationU. S. Senate508 Dirksen Senate Office BuildingWashington, DC 20510Dear Chairman McCain:We are writing to request that the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation hold public informational hearings about the effects of Channel One on children, schools and taxpayers.Channel One is a marketing company that delivers advertising to children in schools. It is owned by Primedia Inc., which is a property of Kohlberg, Kravis & Roberts (KKR).Each school day, Channel One broadcasts two minutes of commercials and ten minutes of "news" programming to more than eight million students in 12,000 schools across the country.We are concerned about the adverse effects of Channel One on children for four main reasons.Channel One forces children to watch ads. Joel Babbit, then-president of Channel One, explained in 1994 why advertisers like it: "The biggest selling point to advertisers [is] . . . we are forcing kids to watch two minutes of commercials." Channel One turns schoolchildren into captive ad watchers. Schools should not impose advertising on children, nor should corporations be allowed to use schools as a vehicle for their commercial messages without informed parental consent.Channel One wastes valuable time in schools. A 1997 study found that the content of Channel One's "news" programming was shallow. In schools that show Channel One, students spend the equivalent of one full week each school year watching Channel One, including nearly one class day watching ads. Schools are for learning, not for watching ads or drivel.Channel One wastes tax dollars spent on schools. One recent study concluded that Channel One's cost to taxpayers in lost class time is $1.8 billion per year. Taxpayers should not be subsidizing the delivery of advertising to children in schools.Channel One -- not parents or school boards -- decides its ads and program content. Channel One takes control over children^Òs experiences away from parents. We want parents to choose who may affect their children's lives, not Channel One.We hope that the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation will conduct hearings and a thorough investigation of how Channel One affects children, schools and taxpayers.Sincerely,American Family AssociationAssociation of Black PsychologistsChristian Family NetworkCommercial AlertEagle ForumFairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR)Family First, Inc.Family Research CouncilNew Mexico Media Literacy ProjectObligation, Inc.Traditional Values CoalitionTV-Free AmericaBrita Butler-Wall, Visiting Assistant Professor, School of Education, Seattle UniversityWilliam Hoynes, Associate Professor of Sociology, Vassar CollegeMark Crispin Miller, Professor of Media Studies, New York UniversityAlex Molnar, Professor of Education, University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeRalph Nadercc: Senator Richard ShelbyBORDER="0">November 13, 1998 - Schools Tell Children to See "Meet Joe Black"
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Schools, with Channel One's help, told our kids again what movie to see this weekend. This time it was PG-13 "Meet Joe Black"."Schools endorse the products they make children watch during school," said Jim Metrock, Obligation president. "Any school board member or superintendent who thinks the school doesn't endorse the products pushed on kids is not being honest. Schools should not be in the business of telling our children what brand of jeans to wear or what movies to watch. Those boards that continue with Channel One will, and should, face well-earned legal problems as parents and other taxpayers find out about Channel One.""The management of Channel One sees children in a much different way than parents or teachers see them. A child is a pair of eyes and ears with an allowance. Advertisers want their share, or more, of that child's allowance. They need to get their commercials to that child. Channel One barters rental TV equipment for children's eyes and ears. Channel One couldn't care less that parents and teachers would be offended that any movie, much less a PG-13, is being advertised to their child, during time everybody thought was for education. Channel One got paid well for running this ad for Universal Pictures. That's the bottom line. When parents and teachers turn against Channel One, it will be a total collapse of this marketing company. It can't come soon enough," said Metrock.Channel One is raking in so much money that Forbes magazine wrote a glowing report about this marketing company and their golden touch in converting a captive audience of school kids into a 43% gross profit. That was based on 1996 profits, who know what they are making now.The WB Network needed to let the kids know about their newest Tuesday night show. Forget that "Felicity" is about college age characters with college-age issues. It's all about money and eyeballs watching ads, so Channel One said "Yeah, we'll deliver our captive audience of 11-17-year-olds to your show." Click on this link and see that "Felicity" has a "DL" rating. (Forget the "PG" rating. Recent studies have shown there is little credibility in the "G","PG", "TV-14" ratings. All those ratings have been applied to programs that contained very inappropriate material that does not jive with the rating. Case in point: "Friends" is often rated "PG".) "Felicity"s rating of "D" stands for suggested dialogue and the "L" stands for offensive language.Jim Metrock, Obligation president, said, "Channel One will always come up with an excuse, like - 'We aren't advertising that show now. The fact is they advertised the premiere of "Felicity" and the schools gave their approval of the show, if they broadcast the ads to their students. Now a lot of kids will be watching this program for the rest of the year. Telling children what TV shows to watch is not the role of any school. If a school administrator or school board member looks you in the face and says the school has every right to tell students what athletic shoes to buy, what brand jeans to wear, what movies to see, and what TV shows to watch, then, with all due respect, you are looking at a person who should not be in or around education.".BORDER="0" NATURALSIZEFLAG="0"> SIZE="+1" FACE="Arial">November 6, 1998 - Channel One's New Management Continues to Dump Adult Fare on Children - Channel One Schools Endorse Adam Sandler's Newest Movie
Touchstone Pictures' "The Waterboy"SRC="image/pg13.GIF" WIDTH="394" HEIGHT="71" ALIGN="BOTTOM" BORDER="0" NATURALSIZEFLAG="0">
Several ads ran for this Disney adult-comedy. The PG-13 was slapped on this film because of offensive adult language and crude sexual humor. A scene from the commercial Channel One ran for kids, shows the "Waterboy" knocking down a teacher in a classroom after the teacher makes the main character angry. This commercial was shown in the classrooms of schools with Channel One. It was suppose to be funny. Parents have no idea their schools are promoting and giving their seal of approval to movies, especially movies like this one.Jim Metrock, Obligation president, said, "The gatekeepers are asleep or, worse, they no longer care. A school that still maintains loyalty to Channel One has betrayed the trust parents and other taxpayers placed in them. We don't need our schools promoting any movies or TV shows, much less, movies that are filled with sex talk and profanity. The man in charge of approving Channel One's commercials is Paul Folkemer. Since he has come on board in August, he has approved of ads for an Eddie Murphy movie, "The Waterboy", WB's "Felicity", and the outrageous "Dawson's Creek". Mr. Folkemer's idea of what is a good time for children is radically different than most parents I know. Mr. Folkemer, and his fellow Madison Avenue executives, have no business telling our children what sleazy TV shows or movies to watch. Do you think these high-priced execs took the time to preview this movie? They are too busy counting their ad revenue. Kids really are great for the bottom line. There is only one answer to this idiotic abuse of school time - terminate the Channel One contract."Here's part of a review of "The Waterboy":The Waterboy (PG-13) 1:26 Touchstone PicturesBobby Boucher (Adam Sandler) is a 31-year old Louisiana Bayou football waterboy. He endures constant ridicule and mean jokes because of his lack of social skills and retiring personality. One day he finally has enough and takes out his anger through aggression in tackling his teammate. The coach (Henry Winkler) sees "The Waterboy" as a way to end his team's 40-game losing streak and puts him on the team.About 0 profanities/30 obscenities. Crude terms for male and female genitals. Brief scene of some cross-dressing. Suggestion of mixed gender group sex. Intimation of two police officers as homosexuals as they show open the door bare-chested. Man puts hands on woman's breast. Closeup of naked male buttocks. Ridiculing of virginity. Sensually dressed females with sexually suggestion conversation.. Intimate kissing. Although female nudity is not seen, there is a scene with a female opening her shirt and showing her bare chest to a male. Brief scene of sexual activity. Man with nipple rings pulls them erotically. Sexual innuendo. Violence--the plot revolves around "The Waterboy" attacking people in anger. Man eating a whole, raw rabbit--see blood on mouth. The mother (Kathy Bates) calls everyone her son comes in contact with "The Devil." Between-the-lines ridiculing of home education and people in the Deep South. Not a nice sports movie. Terrible example for children and teens. Directed by: Frank Coraci. Also starring: Fairuza Balk, Jerry Reed.This is a copy of an email I sent Mr. Paul Folkemer, VP Channel One. He has told Alabama citizens that he is responsible for approving all web and in-school TV advertisements to children. This email also contains another review of "The Waterboy".From Jim MetrockPaul,This is from a review of "The Waterboy". You approved the commercial for this movie to be shown to schoolchildren at least twice during class time on Channel One.The cultural rot that Channel One continues to pour into our Alabama schools is deplorable. I have sent a letter to Kevin McAliley, pres. of Channel One, asking for a written apology for advertising the sex-saturated "Dawson's Creek" on Channel One a total of seven times this fall.I urge you to cease advertising all TV shows and movies on Channel One.Much Obliged, Jim MetrockThe Waterboy Reviewer: Max Windjammer Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 1:40 Appropriate Audience: Older Teens to Young AdultsGenre: Comedy"...If you are considering letting your children see this film, be warned. "The Waterboy" is peppered with its share of crude elements. There are four verbal crude references to female and male breasts. In one scene, Bobby's girlfriend flashes her breasts in order to seduce him (however, no nudity is shown and the main character refused her advances-imagine that!). In addition, there were three crude references to sexual acts and two crude references to the male genitals. The film is probably rated PG-13 for its use of moderately crude and obscene language (13 a-words, 7 s-words, 3 f-words). There is one comedic moment where Henry Winkler drops his pants exposing his "rear." And lastly, in a running gag throughout the film, the cheerleaders and the mascot of the worst team of the south were shown to be passed-out from drinking hard liquor.Any amusement gained from watching "The Waterboy" is equally weighed down with its crude humor and language. When will Hollywood learn that a film does not need to be sexually crude in order to be funny? The film could have been much more appealing without these elements. Overall, I would strongly discourage children and teens under 18 from seeing this film. "The Waterboy" needs to check its own ph levels."Paul, Alabama citizens are not paying taxes for this garbage to be advertised in their school houses.One last dose of what is in a typical movie Channel One and schools are urging our children to go to. Here is yet another part of a different review of "The Waterboy" with more specific descriptions.PROFANITYWhat sounded liked 1 "f" word, at least 6 "s" words (1 written), 5 names using male genitals ("needled*ck"), 16 asses (2 used with "hole"), 4 hells, 2 damns, and 1 use of "My God" as exclamations.SEX/NUDITYWe see a brief closeup of Coach Klein's bare butt as he shows a tattoo on it.To taunt Bobby, another player says, "I'll be playing with your mama tonight."Two women at a party approach Bobby and ask if he's seeing any women. Not understanding the dating implication, he says that he sees women and men too. One of the college women, misunderstanding him in return, comments that she finds that (her presuming he's bisexual) sexy. He then comments that he was with his Mama and Coach Klein the other night (and she says, "You are a bad boy").After kissing Bobby and learning that it was the first time he's done that, Vicki undoes her top and exposes her bare breasts to him (we only see his reaction). He gets uncomfortable, however, and has her leave.Bobby tells Mama, "I like Vicki, and she likes me back. And she showed me her boobies, and I like them too."We see a brief shot of the local sheriff and his deputy partying on New Year's Eve with champagne and their shirts off (implying comic homosexuality).Vicki briefly comments that she'll later, and properly, introduce Bobby to manhood.While hugging Vicki after breaking down about being an unattractive geek, a man briefly gropes her clothed breast.Bobby is confused about what's going to happen on his wedding night, and a bystander in the crowd yells, "Do it. You can do it," while swiveling his hips in somewhat of a sexual manner.SMOKINGVicki smokes a few times.Some cheerleaders smoke, as do people at a party.TENSE FAMILY SCENESBobby's Mama tells him that his father died before he was born, but we later learn that the father simply left Mama for other women.TOPICS TO TALK ABOUTMaking fun of other people.VIOLENCEMost of Bobby's football related tackles are of the bone-jarring variety where those he tackles are often dazed afterwards.A football, thrown by an unseen player, hits Bobby on the head, and later others have put a water cooler on his head (and then step on it -- on his head -- as they walk away).Imitating his favorite wrestler, Bobby pokes another player in the eye.Mad at a professor for making fun of his Mama, Bobby violently tackles him (and we later see the professor and he's rather banged up).Bobby leaps into the air and lands a flying kick on an opposing player.An opposing player menacingly approaches Bobby and so Vicki suddenly holds her knife to this player's throat (and is subsequently arrested).In anger, Coach Klein throws some object through a window that breaks it, and then hits a professor on the head.Played for laughs, Vicki holds up a sign for Bobby reading "Do you want me to kill them?" regarding some people giving Bobby his high school equivalency test.Mama runs and violently tackles her former husband.Action Step: If you have Channel One in your school, ask your superintendent and school board members to go with you to see "The Waterboy". If they balk, remind them that they allowed the school system to endorse the movie by showing mandatory ads for it during class time. Surely, the movie has educational value or why else would it be shown repeatedly in school? Confront your superintendent. Don't be shy. The superintendent and school board are the ones doing the wrong thing. Remember that even according to Channel One's own figures, a large majority of secondary schools in our country do not have Channel One in their schools.The new administration at Channel One is apparently disregarding the contract terms concerning the amount of advertising and the total length of the Channel One program. The contract says that the show will be 12 minutes long and the ads will be no more than two minutes of that twelve.Channel One News is now routinely 13 minutes and 25 seconds long. Channel One has added an extra 20-second commercial at the end of the broadcast. Ads for "Dawson's Creek" and Norelco have run in this "bonus" commercial time. Channel One is also promoting its web site during the "Headlines" segment that begins the program.Jim Metrock, president of Obligation, said, "Schools agreed to a 12 minute broadcast. By extending the length of Channel One, this company has violated their contract. It is very much like the promotion of their web site that they slipped in on educators without their approval. They got caught. Channel One is always getting caught. With the new expanded Channel One, everything needs to be recalculated as far as the cost of Channel One to taxpayers and to students."
News About Channel One – 1998
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