First a junk food commercial.
Then a message about healthier eating.
From Jim Metrock: What was Channel One News CEO Ms. CJ Kettler thinking. She had to have known about the commercials on the April 10, 2014 program.
In one commercial break on the program there were four commercial spots. There was an ad for a new cartoon on the Cartoon Network. (Not the smartest use of school time.) Then there was a Clearasil ad.
The last two spots might have seemed funny to Channel One employees at the time, but will cost Channel One dearly.
The third ad was for Ms. Kettler’s favorite junk drink the high sugar SunnyD. Nothing newsworthy with that since Ms. Kettler’s Channel One has been pounded students with ads encouraging them to buy and drink more SunnyD since spring time last year.
The fourth spot was a public service announcement (PSA) promoting a free album created to promote healthier eating habits among young people. Two youth health nonprofit organizations Hip Hop Public Health and The Partnership for a Healthier America are behind the PSA.
Putting a junk drink ad right before the youth health spot was just a mean thing to do. That was intentional act by Channel One. Why would I say it was intentional? Because one of the first things media literacy teaches is that all content we watch or listen to or experience is a construction. It was pieced together with a purpose in mind. Nothing is random especially with a taped show like Channel One News.
A producer makes a decision about ever aspect of this 12-minute show. Channel One knew they were putting a junk food ad next to a PSA for healthier eating. I’m guessing that somebody at Channel One thought this would be funny. They thought the two health groups would never find out. Well now Channel One News is busted. Not so funny now, huh?
The best CEO Kettler can do is claim ignorance. Who knows, that might work.
Check out what schoolchildren saw on Channel One News on April 10, 2014.
