Channel One is basically on life support. It is only able to pay its bills and make its payroll because of one unlike benefactor – the U.S. Government. If our Federal Government stopped supporting Channel One, Channel One would be finished. That is the incredible situation in which Channel One finds itself at the end of 2001.
The Office of National Drug Control Policy continues to stuff millions of tax dollars into Channel One’s shrinking bank account. The Army, Marines, Air Force and Navy spend big money on Channel One even though it is questionable that Channel One delivers the audience they claim.
Free flowing tax money is what courses through the veins of Channel One. How long will that go on? Channel One hopes it is never ending but even government misspending comes to an end sooner or later.
There are rumors that Channel One has let go half of their staff. Paul Folkemer is long gone. Roger Wolfson, the former Senator aide hired to work on the "interactive Channel One", is gone. Noreen Clarke, an educator who should have known better to work for this company, is gone. Others have been let go.
In August, the company was thoroughly embarrassed by a colossal blunder by Kathy Goodman of their Norcross, Georgia location. She thought it was a good idea to offer teachers $500 if they became sales representatives for Channel One. They had to stop their "money to teachers" scam. (It was doubtful that any teacher would have taken advantage of it anyway.) Worse for Channel One, they caught the attention of many State Departments of Education, State Attorneys General, and State Ethics Commissions who overwhelmingly disapproved of Channel One’s unethical offer.
Channel One has lost advertisers. They admit that. The outlook is bleak. After ten years of exploiting children, Channel One is quickly running out of gas. Channel One may be Channel Done fairly soon.
