From Jim Metrock: What you are about to read is taken directly from Channel One’s website (http://cdn.channelone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Channel-One-Network-Advertising-Policies-and-Guidelines2.pdf) Obligation did not change a word. The kiddie marketers at Channel One News wanted to boast to educators and parents that they did indeed have limits to what they would advertise to their captive audience of students.
The result Channel One News was going for however didn’t work out. Instead their Advertising Guidelines merely documents how clueless and mean spirited the company is when dealing with young people.
These guidelines have changed over the years. Some recent changes include the addition of “Foods and beverages that are inconsistent with Channel One’s healthy lifestyle initiatives.” For well over a decade Channel One routinely advertised junk food and junk drinks. They advertised Snickers, M&Ms, Skittles, Twix candy bars, Pepsi, Mt. Dew, Lay’s potato chips, and on and on. Then the junk food companies, under pressure from the public pulled their ads from Channel One. It’s important to note here that Channel One News didn’t end the junk food ads on their own. They simply lost the junk food ad revenue. Only after the advertisers left did Channel One News add the language in Section E.
Channel One reconfirmed their Advertising Guidelines by republishing them last summer on their website.
As you read the list of things Channel One News states they will NOT consider advertising you have to think for a moment why they are listing these absurd things. Are Channel One executives saying, “We could advertise guns and beer to middle school students, but… eh… we decided that would be so wrong.”?
Does Channel One CEO. Ms. C. J. Kettler really expect praise for sacrificing hard liquor ad revenue? Does she think school board members, superintendents, principals, teachers and parents are a bunch of morons? Was Ms.Kettler smiling or downright serious when she approved these ad standards?
I personally want to thank Ms. Kettler for once again renewing Channel One’s pledge to not advertise any X-rated movie in American classrooms. Bravo, Channel One News.
From Jim Metrock: I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to include this screen shot from a previous Channel One News middle school broadcast. Please disregard this
Channel One Network Advertising Policies and Guidelines
THE CHANNEL ONE NETWORK STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES TO GOVERN THE ADVERTISING THAT WILL APPEAR IN CHANNEL ONE PROGRAMMING.
1) Policy Statement
It is the policy of Channel One to present advertising which is truthful and tasteful and not misleading or deceptive. Channel One recognizes that it has a special responsibility to its middle school and high school audience because of its age and the educational environment in which the programming is viewed. Careful attention will be given to all guidelines to assure that practices and behavior that are inconsistent with the learning environment, as well as the community at large, will be avoided in commercial programming.
2) PRODUCTS AND/OR SERVICES THAT WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR THE ADVERTISEMENTS DURING A CHANNEL ONE PROGRAM.
A. Abortion Clinics;
B. Alcoholic Beverages (including beer, wine and distilled spirits);
C. Contraceptive Products;
D. Firearms, Ammunition and Fireworks;
E. Foods and beverages that are inconsistent with Channel One’s healthy lifestyle initiatives,
that currently include the following:
i. All full sugar/high fructose corn syrup carbonated soft drinks (e.g., CocaCola and Pepsi)
ii. All chocolate confections (e.g., Milky Way and Snickers)
iii. All full fat menu items from quick service restaurants, (e.g., McDonald’s)
iv. All full sugar breakfast cereals (e.g., Fruit Loops, Pops, Sugar Puffs)
v. All full fat salty snacks (e.g., potato and corn chips)
vi. All full fat cookies (e.g., Oreo’s)
vii. All high sugar/caffeine energy drinks (e.g., Red Bull)
F. Gambling;
G. “Head Shops” or Other Establishments Where Activity Concentrates on DrugRelated Paraphernalia;
H. Lotteries;
I. Motion Pictures Rated “NC 17”, “R” or “X” by the MPAA;
i. Motion Pictures not rated by the MPAA will not be shown
ii. Motion Pictures rated “PG-13” will only be shown to Channel One’s high school audience
J. Television shows rated “TV-MA” by the “TV Parental Guidelines”;i. Television shows rated “TV 14” will only be shown to Channel One’s high School audience
K. Tampons or other Feminine Hygiene Products; L. Political Advertisements;
M. Religious Time;
N. Solicitation of Funds; and
O. Tobacco Products (including cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco and “smokeless tobacco”).
3) General Guidelines
Channel One reserves the right to accept or reject at any time advertising for any product or service submitted for airing over its facilities. The following general guidelines will be developed to aid sponsors in the development of appropriate advertising:
A. Audio/Visual Misrepresentation: Advertisements will avoid audio and video techniques that in any way misrepresent, distort, exaggerate or over-glamorize their attributes or functions.
B. Community Sensibilities: Advertising which belittles any group or person based on social, racial, ethnic or religious traits or because of age, gender or disability is unacceptable.
C. Comparative Advertising: Comparative advertising may not distort or exaggerate differences between competitive products or services or otherwise create a false, deceptive or misleading impression.
D. Controversial Issues: Advertising which takes a position on a controversial issue of public importance is unacceptable. A controversial issue of public importance is defined as one which involves matters having significant impact on society or its institutions and as to which there is a current public debate with substantial segments of the community taking opposing positions.
E. Criminal Activity: Advertising which promotes or accepts violence, crime or obscenity is unacceptable. Advertising may not contain the portrayal of specific detailed techniques involved in the commission of crimes, the use of weapons, the avoidance of detection, nor any other forms of anti-social behavior.
F. Dramatizations, Reenactments and Simulations: A commercial which utilizes a dramatization, reenactment or simulation must accurately depict the product, service or event involved.
G. Endorsements: Endorsements must reflect the honest opinions, beliefs, findings or experience of the endorser. Endorsements may not contain any claims that could not be substantiated if made directly by the advertiser.
H. Safety: Advertisements and products advertised must be consistent with generally recognized safety standards. All advertising that disregards normal safety precautions is unacceptable.
Channel One anchor Justin Finch rides in Red Bull plane in exchange for showing middle school students logo over and over again in news story/commercial. Very clever Channel One.
