Channel One is pouring rock and rap music into the classroom in an effort
to grab the waning attention of students so they will watch the commercials.
Channel One has always used music from artists known for their vulgar and violent
lyrics, but the company appeared to be backing away from this practice. That
has changed and this fall Channel One is pushing the envelope with its music.
Jim Metrock said, "Anything goes now. Channel One News is trying
to model itself after its advertising partner MTV and they are succeeding.
Several years ago, Channel One producers had a fixation on the shock rock band
Marilyn Manson. They actually played Manson music on the classroom show. Now
they promote the music of groups known for suggestive and violent lyrics."
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Usher gets valuable classroom time on the equally controversial Channel One. On December 6, Usher’s "U Got It Bad" is played as a dirty This isn’t your father’s public school classroom anymore. |
On Thursday, December 6, 2001, Channel One listed "U Got It
Bad" as one of the six songs they played on Channel One News
that day. (Source: Channel One’s "Playlist" in their Music section
on channelone.com)
This song is by an artist known as Usher. The song has two versions
– a mildly offensive version and an explicit lyric version. Children had no
idea what version Channel One played for them since C1 is smart enough not
to play the section of the song with the questionable content. In the "clean" version
of the song, "humping" replaces "f******".
Metrock said, "There are no limitations on Channel One. These people
can play anything they want to on Channel One News and they know teachers
are too busy or don’t know the reputation of the featured artists. It is incredible
that a public school is allowing any popular music to be played during school
time. It shows the sorrowful level that many public schools have sunk to. Unfortunately,
some teachers and too many principals are spineless and refuse to protect their
students from this advertising gimmick called Channel One News."
| This is the cover to the Alien Ant Farm CD promoted in classrooms.
Getting air time on Channel One can mean a big jump in sales for music Ten years ago, a principal would have been fired for allowing this |
On the same day, Channel One also played a portion of the song "Smooth
Criminal" by Alien Ant Farm. This song was originally recorded
by Michael Jackson. Here are the main lyrics of this song played on Channel
One News for the entertainment of their captive audience:
"As He Came Into The Window
It Was The Sound Of A Crescendo
He Came Into Her Apartment
He Left The Bloodstains On The Carpet
She Ran Underneath The Table
He Could See She Was Unable
So She Ran Into The Bedroom
She Was Struck Down, It Was Her Doom
Annie Are You Ok
So, Annie Are You Ok…"
Obligation does not have a copy of the program that featured that song. Channel
One may have played a different part of the song, but that doesn’t get them
off the hook. Many children knew what the song was and they knew the lyrics. The
students must have silently laughed at their clueless teachers. If the
teacher knew about "bloodstains on the carpet" somebody might have
gotten in trouble. But then again, why didn’t the teachers get upset with rock
music playing in their classroom?
Channel One has also recently played songs by Sum 41. This band’s latest
CD is "All Killer No Filler."
"The thugs at Channel One are having a lot of fun at our children’s expense," Metrock
said. "They view our classrooms as THEIR space and they will do with it
what they want. It is disgraceful. This is the work of Jeff ‘The Enforcer’
Ballabon, Jim Ritts, ‘Hollywood’ Morgan Wandell, Jim Morris, and consultant
Ralph "Sell My Soul For a Buck" Reed. These men appear to view children
chiefly as a source of money."
Valuable school time is taken up with Channel One’s insistence on playing
rock and rap music during its program. They even entice students to their web
site by allowing them to vote on what songs are played on Thursdays.
Here are other recent songs that have blared in classrooms with Channel One: "Warning" by
punk band Green Day; "Head Full of Ghost" by Bush; "Aisle 10" by
Scapegoat Wax; "You Gave Me Something" by Jamiroquai; and "Two
Tribes (Club Mix) by Frankie Goes To Hollywood. Each day Channel One plays
portions of at least six songs.
