Gray Davis And Channel One News

October 8, 2003

Yesterday, California voters
voted to recall Gov. Gray Davis.

Channel One News tried to help Gov. Davis as much as they could.
They allowed Davis to use Channel One’s studio for one of his
early town
hall meetings. It made national news. Channel One did not allow any
other candidate to use their studio or have the same type of access
to their captive audience. It looks as if somebody in Channel One
News wanted to give Gov. Davis a boost. Were they hoping that
California
students would feel good about Davis after seeing him in this unique
interview session on Channel One News and then they would influence
their parents? Who knows. One thing we do know. It didn’t help Gov.
Davis much.
 

Channel One News to Host Town Hall Meeting With California Governor
Gray Davis
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 20 /PRNewswire/ — PRIMEDIA Inc.’s Channel One
News, a producer and distributor of original news content to 8.1
million
teens each school day, today announced that it will be hosting a
special Town Hall session with Gray Davis, Governor of California
on Wednesday,
August 20th from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. PT at Raleigh Studios, 5300
Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, California. The forum is designed to address
this historic moment in government history and appeal to the community’s
young adults with local high school and college students comprising
the majority of the evening’s participants.

"
In the history of California politics, there are few periods that can
rival what the state is going through right now," said Morgan
Wandell, Executive Vice President, Programming, Channel One News. "The
significance and potential impact of the pending recall is of great
concern among young adults and we’ve addressed the escalating interest
with the creation of a Town Hall meeting. Through a candid question
and answer session with the Governor, Channel One News presents young
people with a unique platform for asking questions on the relevant
issues, voicing individual and collective opinion and ultimately to
weigh-in and influence issues affecting the future of their state."
Jim Ritts, President and CEO, PRIMEDIA Television continued, "This
is yet another initiative demonstrating Channel One News’ programming
leadership and our commitment to the presentation and dissemination
of content that is highly relevant to young adults. Governor Davis’
decision to participate, through Channel One News in a two-way exchange
with the state’s young people demonstrates our impact on this critical
audience and the thoughtfulness we bring to issues as a news gathering
organization. "