You’re A Mean One, Channel One News.

December 20, 2007
 

 

Creating controversy where there is none.
He doesn’t look like Scrooge, but Channel One’s Chris Browne tried his best on December 20 to get children to rethink the idea of a CHRISTMAS tree.

CHRIS: “ON TUESDAY, WE TOLD YOU ABOUT SOME CONTROVERSIES FROM ACROSS THE NATION. SOME THINK THE TERM CHRISTMAS TREE IS TOO RELIGIOUS, WHILE SOME DO NOT.
SO WE ASKED YOU WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS SYMBOL OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON SHOULD BE CALLED? A CHRISTMAS TREE OR A HOLIDAY TREE. “

Hey Chris, this is NOT a controversy with 11-year-olds. Channel One News is MAKING “Christmas” controversial. “Some think” means exactly how many people, Chris?

 

CHRIS: “HUNDREDS OF YOU WENT ONLINE TO CHANNEL ONE DOT COM TO VOTE. 88% OF YOU SAID IT SHOULD BE CALLED A CHRISTMAS TREE AND 12% OF YOU SAID THIS ICONIC SYMBOL OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON SHOULD BE CALLED A HOLIDAY TREE.

Here are the results of Channel One’s poll. Keep in mind this is a taped show. Channel One’s producer KNOWS the results. It’s overwhelmingly in favor of “Christmas” as everyone knew it would be. Why didn’t they “can” this story? Why put this question in the faces of children right before Christmas when you KNOW most children don’t want to take “Christmas” out of Christmas?

CHRIS: “AND HERE IS WHAT SOME OF YOU WROTE TO US. BOBBY FROM FLORIDA SAYS, ‘I THINK THAT THE NAME OF THE TREE SHOULD BE HOLIDAY TREE BECAUSE OF THE TRADITION AND THE NAME WILL BE MORE REPRESENTATIVE AND FUN.’ BUT, IVY FROM DELAWARE SAYS, ‘I THINK THAT IT SHOULD BE CALLED A CHRISTMAS TREE BECAUSE IT IS CHRISTMAS TIME.’

After reporting the results, Channel One News tells students what two students had to say. One was in favor of keeping the term “Christmas tree” and one wasn’t. That’s 50% for, 50% against. Why do this? Channel One wants kids to “respect” ALL opinions on virtually ALL subjects. EVERYTHING is “50/50.” Remember Channel One’s efforts on influence kids’ thinking on gay marriage? 2, 3, 4.

At the end of the show, the few remaining Channel One News employees gather to wish children a “Merry Christmas.”

Just kidding. Channel One News would never use the word “Christmas” unless it is in a story casting doubt on the wisdom of using the word “Christmas.”

Jessica Kumari and the gang wish students, “Happy Holidays.” I guess they didn’t read their own poll results. You would think they could have at least wished kids “Happy Holidays and a Merry Christmas.”

Maybe they were all grumpy because notoriously cheap Alloy Media and Marketing probably gave each of them a $5 iTunes gift card for their HOLIDAY bonus.

 

 

This is the Knight Foundation-funded story on Dec. 18 that resulted in the poll above.

 

TONY: EVERY YEAR PEOPLE FLOCK TO ROCKEFELLER CENTER, HOME OF ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS CHRISTMAS TREES IN THE WORLD. BUT EVEN HERE THERE’S BEEN SOME DEBATE AS TO WHAT TO CALL THE TREE.

TONY: BUT BY CALLING IT A CHRISTMAS TREE IS THAT ESTABLISHING UNCONSTITUTIONAL ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION?

TONY: WELL, AS PART OF OUR ONE VOICE SERIES ON THE FIRST AMENDMENT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE KNIGHT FOUNDATION WE ASK WHAT SHOULD IT BE CALLED?

(SOT: ) “I call it a Christmas tree.”

(SOT: ) “Christmas tree.”

(SOT: Anna Besedina) “I think it should be called a holiday tree actually.”

TONY: EACH YEAR THIS “CHRISTMAS CONTROVERSY” SEEMS TO REAR IT’S UGLY HEAD.

TONY: TRADITIONALISTS ARE INTENT ON KEEPING THE WORD “CHRISTMAS” AROUND. MANY SAY KEEPING THE CHRIST REFERENCE IN CHRISTMAS TREE IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE SEASON THAT MUST STAY.

TONY: WHILE REFORMISTS PUSH FOR THE MORE GENERIC TERM “HOLIDAY” TO DESCRIBE A PUBLIC DISPLAY OF YULE TIDE SPIRIT.

TONY: IN WISCONSIN, OFFICIALS ARE DEBATING A PLAN TO RENAME THE THIRTY- FIVE FOOT BALASAM FIR THAT STANDS IN THE CAPITOL ROTUNDA A CHRISTMAS TREE. SINCE 1985 IT WAS OFFICIALLY REFERRED TO AS A HOLIDAY TREE, SO AS NOT TO OFFEND NONRELIGIOUS PEOPLE.

TONY: THE GREAT HOLIDAY TREE DEBATE PICKED UP STEAM IN DECEMBER 2005, WHEN CHRISTIAN CONSERVATIVES THREATENED BOSTON WITH A LAW SUIT FOR REFERRING TO THIS AS A “HOLIDAY TREE” ON A CITY WEBSITE.
TONY: THEN IN SEATTLE, THE FOLLOWING YEAR, HOLIDAY TENSIONS ROSE AGAIN WHEN A LOCAL RABBI THREATENED TO SUE SEATAC AIRPORT IF OFFICIALS DIDN’T AGREE TO DISPLAY A MENORAH BESIDE ONE OF SEVERAL CHRISTMAS TREES.

(SOT: Rabbi Elazar Bogamilsky) “The idea is really to bring them up to board. To say hey, these are our rights and hopefully you can accept this as part of your display.”

TONY: NOT EVERYONE IS A CHRISTIAN, DO YOU THINK IT SHOULD BE CALLED HOLIDAY TREE TO BE SENSITIVE TO THEM?

(SOT: Esther Adelumwye) “I don’t think it should matter that much to them because it’s Christmas time, it’s known as Christmas time, so it should be called a Christmas tree.”

TONY: BACK IN NEW YORK HUNDREDS GATHER AROUND ALL 8 TONS OF THIS NORWAY SPRUCE AND SHARE A HOLIDAY TRADITION. EVEN IF THEY CAN’T ALL AGREE WHAT IT SHOULD BE CALLED. TONY ANDERSON, CHANNEL ONE NEWS.

TONY: NOW, ITS YOUR TURN! WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THIS CHRISTMAS CONTROVERSY. SHOULD THIS SYMBOL OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON BE CALLED A HOLIDAY TREE OR A CHRISTMAS TREE?

TONY: GO TO CHANNEL ONE DOT COM AND CLICK ON YOUR TURN TO VOTE. WE MAY SHARE SOME OF YOUR RESPONSES IN THE SHOW.

COMMERCIAL

 

 

 

 

Tags: ,