Schools end their relationship with Channel One
By JOHN CHRISTIE, Middletown Press Staff
January 25, 2003
CROMWELL — Cromwell Middle School will soon lose 15 televisions, a video recorder and a satellite dish, now that the school has stopped doing business with the Channel One Network.
Middle School Principal H. B. Dumeer said the school has ended its contract with Channel One, which has beamed a daily newscast for students during the last 10 years.
In this report, Channel One’s “Apologist-In-Residence”, Jeff Ballabon, says that the Cromwell Middle School principal is not telling the truth when the principal says he believes Channel One News has increased their advertising on the show. Ballabon refutes the principal by saying that advertising has remained stable.
From the article: “We’re regulated by contract to only air up to two minutes of advertising during the news programs, and that has not changed,” Ballabon said
Mr. Ballabon is the one that doesn’t understand reality, not the middle school principal who is correct in his assessment of Channel One’s increased commercial content. Mr. Ballabon is not counting the new practice of having Gatorade sponsor the “Play of the Week” segment that can run over 30 seconds. Jeff Ballabon did not tell the reporter that Cingular Wireless has bought a major portion of the news portion of the show in violation of Channel One’s contract with schools. Cingular’s Question of the Day has stunned educators, even those who have tried to defend Channel One’s presence in classrooms.
Mr. Ballabon evidently doesn’t consider the long list of celebrity guest hosts plugging their movies, CDs and TV shows as commercial content.
Mr. Ballabon didn’t mention that Channel One News anchors have been given the green light to promote products on the show. This is a disturbing practice that has become commonplace on the show over the last two years. Anchors have pitched Nokia phones, Columbia Sportswear, Cingular and Gatorade.
Jim Metrock said, “After reading Mr. Ballbon’s comments in this article, Obligation has sent Mr. Ballabon an email and has asked him to stop making untrue statements. A person speaking for a major corporation has to be more deliberate with his words. Channel One, through Mr. Ballabon, is making false statements about their product which could induce schools to enter into contracts. This could present Channel One with serious legal problems.”
The principal says the school offered to buy the equipment from Channel One but Ballabon would have none of that. The article quotes him as saying, “The equipment needs be taken out so it can go to other schools.”
Jim Metrock said, “What Ballabon is saying is pure hogwash. Channel One has a policy of not selling the old TV equipment to schools for one reason. If schools knew there was a possibility of purchase, after a few years, schools would drop Channel One and buy the TVs at a depreciated price. Channel One is dead if they ever allowed a school to think the equipment is for sale. In the year 2003, schools are dropping Channel One. There is no long list of schools waiting for Channel One’s antiquated TV sets. It is hilarious for readers to think that Jeff Ballabon’s company is coming into the Cromwell Middle School to rip out these ten-year-old TV sets and then send them to other schools. Schools already in a contract with Channel One are demanding Channel One replace their too-small 19″ TV sets with 27″ TV sets or larger. The few schools that may be signing up with Channel One certainly are not going to be happy when they get 19″ sets and they will be even more unhappy with OLD 19″ sets.”
Metrock said, “Notice how Channel One News treats these middle school students at Cromwell and their teachers and administrators. This school has made Channel One good money by having their service for a decade. For a decade, this school has used the small 19″ TV sets while Channel One has given 27″ sets to some of its other schools. Students have given up their school time to pay the rent on these TVs and did any of that go toward purchase of the equipment? None. How can Channel One do that? So the school has determined it now needs to end the contract. Why should Channel One forget all that this school has done for them? Cromwell’s decade-old contract netted Channel One advertising revenue that has made people like Jeff Ballabon wealthy. Now Ballabon gives this school the back of his hand. Doesn’t seem right.”
(Thanks to Ken McNatt.)
