From Jim Metrock:
Channel One News is a shell of its former self in part because of a history of bad decisions by their management. Here’s a big one.
I came across this old email to a staffer at Senator Richard Shelby’s office. In 2004, the Senator’s office helped me get in front of one of Channel One’s main advertisers: the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s Media Campaign. Why would I want to remove anti-drug messages from Channel One’s classroom TV show? That sounds absurd, but it wasn’t.
As Channel One News was receiving large payments from the ONDCP Media Campaign to air anti-drug public service announcements, Channel One’s executives thought it would be clever and profitable to take money at the same time from Hollywood studios that recklessly and intentionally glorified youth drug use and under-age drinking. [Note: News reports on Channel One News have often normalized the use of drugs and alcohol by minors See links below.]
All I had to do was show the ONDCP, which was already suspicious of Channel One, the video clips of the movies and and TV shows Channel One News was relentlessly promoting to students, and this steady stream of taxpayer money ended. The loss of ONDCP revenue was a serious blow to the company.
In 2014 Channel One continues to make it difficult for parents and the public to see what they are advertising to students. Only because I by chance was able to view several complete Channel One programs several years ago did I see the commercials that we passed on to the Office for National Drug Control Policy.
December 7, 2004
Shannon,
I hope all is well. The meeting with the head of the media campaign for
ONDCP went very well. He gave me 45 minutes and was willing to give more
but that was plenty.
I believe Mr. Dennison is a big improvement over Alan Levitt. Denison
already understood there was a problem with Channel One’s advertising of
pro-drug/alcohol movies and TV shows.
I believe him when he said there would be a review of their advertising on
Channel One.
I asked him for the contract information between ONDCP and Channel One. He
said the new ad agency, Foote Cone, has that information and that he would
tell them to send it to me.
This is important information. Specifically, we need to know how many
students Channel One says are actually watching the show.
Also we need to know how much the government is paying Channel One.
Shannon, I haven’t received this information. Can the Senator obtain the
contract information between ONDCP and C1 and send it to me?
I hate to ask another favor after what you did with the ONDCP, but it might
be a lot easier for you guys to get it than me.
Best of wishes for the holiday season and as always I deeply appreciate what
you guys do up there, especially for children in Alabama,
Jim
April 14, 2011 – Normalizing Alcohol and Drug Use Among Teens
Dec. 23, 2000 – Dude, Where’s My Car?
Jan. 12, 2001 – Drinking and Drug Advice Is Outrageous
Jul 2. 2001 – Channel One Promotes Another Drug Movie
Feb 12, 2002 – Channel One Sends Wrong Message About Ecstasy
Mar 3, 2004 – The Thugs Strike Again
Spring 2004 – The Stupidity of Channel One (newspaper ad)
Aug. 24, 2005 – Drug Story Shocks Classrooms
Mar 28, 2008 – Channel One Advertised Movie Promotes Teen Drinking
Summer 2009 – 10 Reasons To Be Glad You Never Had Channel One News
Nov 1, 2010 – If Middle School Parents Aren’t Upset About This, Then…
Aug 19, 2013 – Orange You Glad You Are Only Doing Weed
For more stories go to our Channel One Archives.
