Notes From Orlando (Three Days)

Day
1 | Day 2 | Day 3

Notes From Orlando –
Day 1

From Jim Metrock:

What a wonderful and revealing day this has been. I am
in Orlando as an exhibitor at the National Association of Secondary
School Principals convention. My booth is very near Channel One’s booth.
They don’t like that. In fact, they had the NASSP people put up a curtain,
to block the line-of-sight view, so they didn’t have to see me handing
out literature exposing Channel One.

The lead person for Channel One is one of their most
negative personalities – Kathy Goodman. Before the show opened this
morning, as a courtesy, I went over to introduce myself to them and
to give them a sample of each of my handouts, she was not very nice.
In fact, she was extremely rude. She was seething when she told me
that I wasn’t welcomed at their booth.

That’s a mistake on her part, but she can’t help herself.
No Channel One employee should ever display their anger because it
is a sign of weakness. To me her rudeness was telling me that Obligation
has been very successful. In business, you should "never let ’em
see you sweat." Goodman can’t do that. Her hostile words and actions
told me, first thing this morning, that Obligation was beating the
heck out of her company and she didn’t like it.

I gave her my literature and told her fairly bluntly to read what I have
said about her company and if there were any – any – factual errors then
she should bring them to my attention and I will correct them. I won’t
hear from her because she isn’t interested in talking to me and because
all my facts are correct.

I felt invigorated after talking to her. It was encouraging.

But that was just the first encouragement. When the doors
opened and principals started to drift in, I got my greatest encouragement
and that is what I want to share.

First off, this convention is surprising small. They
expect 2,400 attendees and that isn’t much. I guess school systems
are under such financial restraints that many opted out of sending
their principal to Orlando. That said, I recorded 83 people that I
talked to at my booth on the first day. That may not sound like a lot
and I am sure Channel One had more people, but the nature of this endeavor
for Obligation is different than Channel One’s.

After the first forty people, I felt that it was worth
the money and time coming to this convention. Even if nobody else came
to my booth for the rest of the convention, it was a success. I will
explain later. The presence of Obligation and our message already had
an impact without anyone stopping by the booth. Attendees read in the
convention guide book that Obligation was here to "provide information
on the Channel One controversy. Find out why the overwhelming majority
of secondary schools have rejected Channel One’s ‘free’ TVs." Principals
reading through the list and descriptions of exhibitors would see that
even though Channel One had paid big money to be an official sponsor
of this convention (their name, along with four other companies, is
on the convention tote bag), attendees could see that there was two
sides to the Channel One story. But

I did not rent a machine to record an attendee’s name
and address from their badge. I simply wrote a quick note on my Palm
Zire 71 PDA. Below are the contacts I made in chronological order.
The first one lifted my soul. He knew this program (evidently previewed
it fairly often) and said the program was getting worse. That led to
the removal of C1N after being in the school for a dozen years.

My notes about the people I talked to are short because
I was recording them with a stylus on the PDA and that isn’t easy.
I have expanded some comments to give the reader a clearer sense of
what was said. One has to understand the dynamics of being one person
at a booth. While talking to one person, two others may come up and
take literature. I might only have an opportunity to ask them, "Do
you have Channel One at your school?" Or a person might be walking
by and looking at the booth across from me and I would ask them the
same question. They would usually give me an answer and then walk to
my booth. If they said, "No we don’t have it." I would follow
up with, "Congratulations, look at the stuff your students missed
out on." I would motion to my 17" Apple PowerBook screen
(one splendid computer). I had six QuickTime movies playing on the
screen. (In the top left corner, they saw SuperNova, an example of
ads for violent movies (on this ad, students actually see a people
being maimed and killed; in the top center, Shakira provocatively dancing
for Pepsi as an example of how Channel One brings sexual images into
classroom; top right – one of the seven Adam Sandler’s Eight Crazy
Nights ads, showing how Channel One markets sleazy movies in unique
ways to students; bottom right – actress from Sabrina the Teenage Witch
is a guest anchor and she is pleading with students to watch the show
that night. This is an example of how Channel One uses guest anchors
to cram more commercial content into the show in violation of their
promise to principals. Bottom center – A commercial for Twinkies. It
was a little bit surprising that this got the most heads shaking. Overwhelmingly,
these principals are aware of the obesity crisis among their students
and they winch when Channel One’s junk food ads are played. Many of
the ones that have never had Channel One found it difficult to believe
a school would show students these ads. Finally on the bottom left
corner, I was running the February 5 "Gay Marriage" story
on C1N. I show it in it’s entirety. I don’t have the sound playing
since the six video clips are playing over and over again on the same
screen, but you don’t need sound for this one or the others. Attendees
get to see the same gay wedding ceremony that Channel One, in their
infinite wisdom, chose to show to preteens. They see the Channel One "Question
of the Day" asking children what their thoughts are on two men
getting married.

Of course, Channel One isn’t showing this at their booth.
They are only showing highly selective clips from their show to put
themselves in the best light. They aren’t presenting a true picture
of their product. I am.

When I walked out of the show yesterday, I realized
more than ever that principals are very well aware of the problems
with Channel One News – even before coming to my booth. My booth simply
confirmed their thoughts and their need to take action. I am not talking
about everybody, but the overall feeling for me was one of satisfaction.
Obligation’s eight years of research, publishing, and talking about
this company and its misuse of school time have made a difference.

1. Garner, Mass. just ended Channel One after having
it for 12 years

2. Dallas – have it but doesn’t show it very often

3. "Got it. Thinking of getting rid of it." (JM:
Sometimes I didn’t get the city or state of attendee)

4. "Don’t have it."

5. "Got it." Shows it 2 or 3 times a week.

6. Mass. Shows it every day. Concerned with content.

7. Washington state – "Don’t have it in any district
schools."

8. Chattanooga – Has it and will pass on information.

9. Wisconsin – Retired principal – "Had it." Neutral
about it. Not bad, not good.

10. "Doesn’t have it."

11. Mass. "Had Channel One. Got rid of it after
first two years."

12. Vermont – Never had. Few schools would have it in
state. "We didn’t fall for it."

13. Canada – They knew of YNN (Canadian Channel One copycat
that failed). Encouraged me to stop C1N.

14. Rhode Island – "No!" Knew of C1N and thought
it was foolish.

15. Rhode Island – "Don’t have it." (JM- I
found that often two principals from the same state but different schools
would walk around the convention together. In this case, I am not totally
sure if these two men represent one school or two. Some schools send
more than one person.)

16. She has it in her school. Took literature.

17. Conn. "No way (would he have Channel One)."

18. "Our school never has had it."

19. Conn. (Different school) "No (C1N)."

20. Minnesota – School doesn’t have it.

21. Wis. – Don’t have it.

22. "Have it in our schools." took literature

23. NJ – 5th grade is highest grade she has so no C1N.
I asked if her HS has it. "No they don’t"

24. Virginia – "We don’t have Channel One."

25. Mass. – no channel One.

26. PA – Got Channel One out 2 years ago. "Liberal
bias."

27. Knoxville, TN (BIRTHPLACE OF CHANNEL ONE NEWS) –
They have C1N but don’t show it that much. Their school told Channel
One to come and get the TVs if they wanted to. This principal was happy
to get a copy of the Pizitz Letter. If C1N dares to question his school’s
lack of showing, the principal will ask them why they allow some schools
to breach the contract.

28. FL – Their school heard Channel One’s "pitch" and
refused the service.

29. FL – No Channel One.

30. TN – "We have it and we are seriously considering
ending our contract."

31. Daphne, AL – "Our school and our entire county
have never had Channel One News." Sad to hear that Mobile County,
across the bay, has wasted their time with Channel One for so many
years.

32. Wyoming – Has Channel One. Unsure how often it is
shown.

33. Wyoming – Does not have Channel One.

34. Ann Jones, Vestavia Hills HS, AL – She is Alabama’s
Principal of the Year. She removed Channel One News in 2000.

35. Wisconsin – Never had Channel One.

36. Wisconsin – Different school – no Channel One

37. Mississippi – No Channel One.

38. FL – "I would never have Channel One."

39. "Don’t have it." Don’t know what state.

40. Live Oak, FL – Got rid of Channel One News five years
ago.

41. New Hampshire – No C1N. Few NH schools have it, he
believes.

42. FL – "No."

43. Mississippi – "It’s in our school, but I leave
it up to each teacher if they want to show it."

44. "No"

45. Indianapolis, IN – No C1N

46. Naples, FL – No C1N.

47. Wisconsin – No C1N

48. Baton Rouge, LA – No C1N

49. New York – No, of course. (New York is Channel One’s
home state and has banned them from all public school classrooms.)

50. TX – Yes they have C1N, but shown during lunch. Few
watch. "TVs old."

51. Washington DC – No C1N

52. No C1N

53. Kansas – Shows C1N four days a week. "Like clockwork." "Don’t
tell Channel One, but we show before school starts."

54. NY – She knew about the ban and believes majority
of teachers support it.

55. Utah – "No!" "On block schedule. No
time for something like that."

56. New Jersey – Doesn’t have it at his school, but very
vocal against making students watch Channel One’s brand of news.

57. Kentucky – "Available to us, but my school doesn’t
show it." (I don’t know exactly what this means and didn’t have
time to ask.)

58. Iowa – No C1N

59. Iowa – neighboring school – Also no C1N.

60. North Dakota – Shows it every day. Has no problem
at all with Channel One.

61. North Dakota – A MS principal – "Our school
has it and I know of no problem."

62. Mobile, AL – Has C1N. Doesn’t like Channel One treating
schools differently. Some get 27" TVs and some 19". Took
a lot of literature to pass around the county.

63. I talked to this person. Told the problems with C1N,
then he refused to talk and walked away. Only person that did that.
I assume a Channel One fan.

64. Rhode Island – She doesn’t have C1N, but took literature
for a nearby school that has been considering ending the contract.

65. Savannah, GA – No C1N.

66. FL – No C1N

67. Charleston, WV – Started off defending Channel One,
then admitted the school doesn’t show the program that often. He knows
they are not going to take TVs. Got a copy of the Piztiz Letter.

68. Wisconsin – "Turned it off …I want to get
our own TVs"

69. This person took all literature but because I was
talking to another visitor I didn’t get their position on C1N.

70. No C1N

71. WV – Has it in 7-12 school. Contract is coming up.
Some want to end it.

72. Washington – We don’t have C1N. Our schools would
never approve of commercials in class.

73. Washington – different system – No Channel One.

74. Texas – We have it. Didn’t take any literature.

75. Mississippi – "We have Channel One but it is
not shown."

76, Mississippi – "We lowered the ceilings and took
a crowbar to the Channel One TVs. We put them in storage and told Channel
One to come and pick them up." They didn’t come for a "long
while."

77. Atlanta City Schools – There is no Channel One News
here.

78. FL – Gulfport:? – We have never had Channel One News.

79. "Have it but there is less usage in district
than before." (Didn’t get state.)

80. Plano, TX – Doesn’t have Channel One.

81. Florala, AL – "We have never had Channel One
in Covington County schools."

82. Kentucky – Has it.

83. Arizona – Has C1N, but doesn’t show it much. Disregards
Channel One’s threats to take out TV equipment. "They aren’t going
to take them out of here. These are 15-year-old TVs. Big deal. We use
projectors on white boards instead of Channel One’s TVs. I told Channel
One, ‘You want them, come and get them.’"

Tomorrow’s show is only five hours long and Sunday’s
is 3 1/2 hours and then the exhibits end. If it all stopped now, it
would be a great success for Obligation.

Although these notes are free flowing and lack editing,
I hope the reader senses my thrill with peeking into the world of middle
school and HS principals. This used to be an area where I thought Channel
One was the strongest. They aren’t strong with principals anymore.
They are on the ropes with these people. Where is Jim Ritts when you
really need him? He should be down here trying to save his company.
I haven’t met Mr. Ritts, but I understand the man has charm. This is
where Ms. Goodman comes up a little short.

Channel One can’t successfully challenge Obligation on
any statement or video we are showing. That’s a wonderful feeling.

One last observation: Schools are NOT honoring the Channel
One contract. No surprise here, but it is so open and so flagrant that
it is almost funny. Channel One is not in a position of strength so
they can’t follow through on their threats to take back the TVs. They
do take back TVs and I talked to a number of principals that have had
them removed, but almost every school that said they had Channel One
is not showing the program like they are supposed to. Only two principals
told me today that they are showing the program every day. However,
one of them, after I started talking about the wasted school time,
said, "We don’t waste any school time. Don’t tell Channel One,
but we show it before school starts." And so it goes for Channel
One. If you live by exploitation, you get exploited yourself.

March 1, 2004

Where in the World is Jim Ritts? Notes From Orlando – Day 3

From Jim Metrock: There is so much to talk about that it is overwhelming. I am back from the convention and I am still trying to digest a world of information. I will be creating a separate page for my Orlando notes, since many would not care to see this much detail. Here are my final observations from Obligation’s participation in this year’s National Association of Secondary School Principals convention in Orlando, FL. (Channel One was there trying to sign up new schools and I was there trying to get schools to dump Channel One. See articles below.) 1. Principals are openly breaching the Channel One contract. 2. Principals breach the contract by showing the program before school starts, during lunch, just a few days a week, or not at all. 3. Principals have no fear of Channel One removing the TVs either because a precedent of non-compliance has become the norm or because the equipment is just too old to make a fuss about. 4. Maintenance problems and other service problems have added to principals’ dissatisfaction with Channel One News. 5. Overwhelmingly, principals are aware of the controversy around Channel One News. 6. Junk food ads are a bigger concern to principals than movie ads. (This surprised me a little.) 7. There has got to be major downward pressure on ad revenue. Channel One is losing their audience. 8. If Channel One has signed contracts saying 8 million students must be shown the program, based on the observations this weekend, probably only a third of those students are actually being shown the program. 9. There is no NEXT BIG THING from Channel One. All the talk over the last few years about an "Interactive Channel One" or something "really new and exciting" from Channel One, is apparent wishful thinking. There was nothing new at Channel One’s booth at this convention. It was the same old tired stuff. If ever they needed a new product, now is the time, but they don’t have the money or the management to do so. 10. This company is doomed. The world has passed them by. Channel One is stuck with hundreds of thousands of pathetically old TV sets and other old equipment. Every day more equipment goes down and their repair people are evidently stretched to the limits. With no new gimmick up their sleeves, all they can do is oversee a company that grows smaller and smaller in total revenue. I thought it was odd that Jim Ritts or Morgan Wandell or any of the anchors didn’t find time to come to this convention. Whatever Channel One’s president was doing this weekend, it wasn’t as important as coming to this convention. His company is in bad trouble and one would think he would be doing everything he could to help his company. Ritts missed an opportunity to do what I was doing. I came to give out information and I was there to collect information. In my case the gathering of information was probably more important than dispensing information. He would be a far wiser CEO after talking to some of these principals. Where was Ritts and all the other top managers? Was Morgan Wandell skiing in Aspen again? Where was Jeff Ballabon? If they aren’t going to get in the trenches and help their own company, then that’s their decision. It just makes it easier for Obligation. Note: I showed the "Gay Marriage" story on Channel One News to a lot of principals and to a one they were shocked and disappointed in Channel One for doing that to students especially middle school students. They were upset with Channel One actually showing a clip of a gay wedding ceremony, but were most upset when Channel One asked preteens to vote "Yes or No" on whether two men should be able to get married. Obligation on Twitter Tweets by @obligationinc Tags angela hunter arielle hixson azia celestino cassie hudson Channel One channel one news channel one news interactiv channel one news interactiv jr. christos kaitatzis cj kettler david drucker demetrius pipkin houghton mifflin harcourt Joe abbott Julie Barrack keith kocinski linda zecher maggie rulli mary cullinane maryellen mclaughlin meredith walters scott r. nelson sean abernethy tom hanson Zachary Carr-Dreher Houghton Mifflin/Channel One Archives Houghton Mifflin/Channel One News Archives Houghton Mifflin/Channel One Videos The Video Vault – Why Channel One News is so controversial PDF Library View and print out documents from Obligation's files. Links Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood Commercial Alert Recent Posts We’re coming back to write the last chapter on Channel One News. Pat Ellis: Pornography in Alabama schools and youth organizations? You be the judge An awful website gets buried. Tom Hanson Where did Channel One News people go? Three villains Channel One News converted learning time into marketing time. New video series will explain how it ended. Who are these people?? The 8 schools that have signed up for OurCampus. OurCampus’s outrageous Terms and Conditions. It’s alive!!! Skoollive dies, OurCampus comes to life. It is official: NexxGen News is currently not operating. Edmodo’s NexxGen News stumbles into 2020 Skoollive is positively gone. Tones [sic] of problems for NexxGen News. Let’s get NexxGen News up to 10 likes. Edmodo’s sponsored content brings controversy. How could Edmodo make these mistakes? (2018 EdSurge article) No video from NexxGen News since June 10 Introducing NexxGen News or Channel One News 2.0 (2 point Oh No) Edmodo privacy policy Skoollive is skooldead. Keith Kocinski lands on his feet… sorta. Who’s going to pick up this trash? Brutal ad on Channel One News: If You Wear Glasses, You’re Ugly. (Sept 2003) Why Channel One News was removed from schools: Channel One Uses Soldiers For Self-Promotion (April 2003) Secrets about Channel One News: They advertised racy TV shows to students. Channel One News made students perform like circus animals. Why Channel One News was removed from schools: Houston Chronicle Editorial (2002) Bobbie Patray had a lot to do with the demise of Channel One News. 2000 GAO Study on Commercialism focuses on problems with Channel One News Why Channel One News was removed from schools: Images of ISIS execution dumped into classrooms. (Aug 2014) Why Channel One News was removed from schools: Channel One Wants Personal Information From Children (June 2000) Why Channel One News was removed from schools: WHO Mentions Channel One’s Role In Obesity Crisis (Jan. 2003) Why Channel One News was removed from schools: Channel One Paid Lobbying Firm $820,000 (Oct. 1999) Why Channel One News was removed from schools: If You Wear Glasses, You’re Ugly. (2006) Why Channel One News was removed from schools (Oct. 2001): Sleazy MTV Channel One News Hall of Shame (Jan 1999): “Millennium Minute” To “Creatively Integrate Your Brand” With the News Here’s a wonderful sight. Channel One News Bad Guy: Congressman Bradley Byrne (R) AL Skoollive still struggling for a reason to exist. Gaze on this to understand how bad Channel One News was. Two reasons Channel One News is gone. A look back at Channel One’s “Bad Guys”: Ralph Reed Why Channel One is out of classrooms: Channel One’s lobbying thugs. (2006) A look back at the Channel One “Bad Guys”: Kent Haehl and Dr. Paul Folkemer Advocates for commercial-free schools cheer as Channel One signs off Broadcasting and Cable: Channel One Going Dark Heartless statement from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on ending Channel One News. Channel One’s mysterious executive producer surfaces to announce the death of Channel One. Mission Accomplished: Channel One News dies. Channel One News ends. Fool your friends: Skoollive Student Influencer Application Channel One on air personalities: Who’s coming back for 2018-19? A look back – 2006: “The Company is in the process of assessing the business.” Junk food ads on Channel One News 1997-2002 Buh-Bye, Channel One. Northeastern High School (OH) goes gaga over Channel One. Channel One News ripping off CBS News? Remember when Ch1 promoted Red Bull to kids? Livingston Parish Schools still show Channel One. Bill Nye, the Thoughtless Guy Channel One News is out of Rome, GA. You can’t make this stuff up: Skoollive brings Dairy Queen ads into schools. SkoolLive marketing draws down on the youngest of schoolchildren. Let’s try this again. Repackaged SkoolLive wants to be known as “The Voice of Generation Z.” How big is a SkoolLive ad? Yuge! Grand County (UT) school uses taxpayer money to film Channel One promo film SkoolLive is “reimagining itself” for the X time. SkoolLive’s new public face as of March 1, 2018 10:02 CDT Channel One News devotes 1/2 of show to promoting Marvel movie. Arizona NPR reports on SkoolLive SkoolLive gets attention in Arizona. Demopolis Middle gets a “C” on report card, but has time to watch Channel One The infamous Channel One News Sales Video (1997) Somerset (PA) students perform for Channel One. A Kipp elementary school in New Orleans does a bad thing. Marsh Creek Sixth Grade takes time from science to film promo film for Channel One. Derby Middle School takes time out to do a promotional spot for a school vendor. Why aren’t Waynesfield-Goshen Middle School students paid for creating this commercial? VIDEO: Age-inappropriate content on Channel One News. VIDEO: Captive Audience: Advertising Invades the Classroom Mississippi school out foxes Channel One News marketers. How Channel One News mixed news with advertising: A Story Influenced By An Advertiser (2006) Ohio students light fires in classroom in order to get on Channel One News. Channel One News recklessly shows students eating laundry detergent pods Young people are uninterested in online Channel One News. Boone County (KY) schools still forcing students to watch commercials The laziest young people in front of a camera. A look back at 2017: Disgusting – Channel One News tells children Colin Kaepernick is like Rosa Parks Images North Vermilion Middle School (LA) wastes school time with Channel One. Houghton Mifflin and Channel One News play rough with kids. Cleveland (TN) City Schools sell out their students AGAIN. Channel One’s parent company Houghton Mifflin sets 52-week low Houghton Mifflin having fun with elementary school students. Serial killer joke for elementary school kids? Channel One messes up again. Channel One News shows middle school students horrific NYC terror images Great resource for schools considering removing Channel One Advocates Urge Channel One to Stop Advertising Junk Food in Classrooms Taxpayers fund promotion for teen horror show on Channel One News Copyright © 2024 Obligation. All Rights Reserved. Magazine Premium created by Themes by bavotasan.com.