Houghton Mifflin's Channel One News misses opportunity to fully report on Presidential Inauguration.
From Jim Metrock:
Channel One News coverage of the presidential inauguration left a lot of people scratching their heads.
On January 23, Channel One News reported on the inauguration of President Trump. Inauguration Day of course happened on Friday, January 20, but Channel One is a taped show that is only produced on week days so what happens on a Friday has to wait until Monday.
When Channel One finally got around to telling students about this important event, they treated it like a second-rate news story.
An inauguration of an American president is a big deal, especially for schoolchildren. It’s an opportunity every four years to showcase what democracy and America is all about.
Channel One has seven remaining on-air personalities and they should have sent all of them to cover the inauguration story. How many did they send to Washington, D.C.? Two… sorta. Unbelievably one of them, Arielle Hixson, was sent to only cover the protest marches the day after Inauguration Day. What?! Yes, only Keith Kocinski “covered” the big day, and he didn’t break a sweat.
Everything I am talking about you can watch for yourself at this link: Channel One Jan 23 2017 (This video has already been removed from Channel One’s website. They don’t want parents and school officials to have easy access to their often controversial content.)
The first segment is what we’ll call the Inauguration segment. The second is the Protest March segment. The third segment I did not include because it is a typical, goofy Channel One “filler” story about a high-tech bed/home theater. (You can read the transcript below.)
Let’s go through Channel One’s Inaugural reporting.
1. Channel One News begins their Inauguration show off with an anti-Trump group of students from Rhode Island who traveled to Washington to protest possible changes in immigration laws and other positions taken by the new President.
2. After the anti-Trump group shouts “Channel One News starts right now!”Azia Celestino (left) introducing “our team in D.C.” The “team” is Keith Kocinski at the White House and Arielle Hixson at the Mall. Why wasn’t Ms. Celestino helping to cover the inauguration of President Trump? It could be because of money. Channel One has been struggling financially for years, or it could be that Channel One’s producers didn’t think the story merited the time or resources. Mr. Kocinski did call the inauguration an “historic” occasion, but then gave it no more time than Channel One gives a bad weather story.
Left: Azia Celestino; Keith Kocinski and Arielle Hixson
3. Keith Kocinski presents the highlights of the Inauguration Day in 2 minutes and 23 seconds. (See transcript below.)
4. Even though Keith Kocinski is the only Channel One person to cover the inauguration, he devotes 40 seconds of his total air time to covering the downtown protests on Friday. Kocinski and his producer edit their protest footage to show one prominent sign: Trump is a force of hate. It is strange that Channel One showed no posters or signs earlier in the report that expressed words of support for the new president.
This is a screen shot from the Inauguration segment. No joke. Why have this close-up prominently featured for student viewers?
5. Inexplicably Channel One News shows students Madonna performing for protestors. Channel One knew that Madonna had made national headlines by saying she thought about “blowing up the White House,” yet they still chose to showcase the singer. Both Democrats and Republicans criticized Madonna for her dangerous words. Channel One News did not. They didn’t report what she said, much less criticize her for her violent words. Channel One not only chose to feature Madonna, they chose to cast her in a good light by showing her simply singing, obviously to the delight of her fans.
Channel One News takes time to show students Madonna on stage, but not Lee Greewood.
6. Channel One News anchor Arielle Hixson actually joined the march. Unlike Keith Kosinki who devoted over 20% of his short inauguration report to covering people protesting the new president, Ms. Hixson did not present both sides of the story she was covering. Students come away believing everybody supported all the various things marchers were protesting against. Guess she got caught up participating in the march she was sent to cover and didn’t have time to find someone with a differing opinion.
7. Alicia Keys is seen on the Channel One show saying, “We want the best for all Americans. No hate, no bigotry, no Muslim registry.”
8. Channel One News spent 3 minutes and 40 seconds on its Protest March segment compared to 2 minutes and 23 seconds for its Inauguration segment. Adding the 40 seconds of protest coverage from Keith Kocinski’s segment to the Protest March time…
the protest coverage totaled: 4 min. 20 sec.
Trump inauguration coverage: 2 min. 23 sec.
Channel One’s official transcript from January 23, 2017:
Students: We are students from Central Falls, Rhode Island, and Channel One News starts right now!
Azia: Hey guys, happy Monday. There is so much to cover today! And it was all going down in our nation’s capital over the weekend, so we have got our team in D.C. to give us all the updates. Keith Kocinski is at the White House and Arielle Hixson at the National Mall. Let’s start off with Keith, who was covering the inauguration. Keith?
Keith: Yeah, Azia. It has been a historic weekend, starting off with the inauguration of Donald Trump, who became the 45th president of the United States on Friday. Here is a look at how it all went down.
President Donald Trump: I, Donald John Trump, do solemnly swear…
Keith: On Friday President Donald J. Trump was sworn in as the 45th president of the United States.
How does it feel to be here in Washington, D.C., for the inauguration?
Person 1: It is absolutely amazing.
Person 2: It is so cool to be here. I get to see history in the making.
Person 3: I’m hoping for, you know, fairness and equality through all people and just a great respect throughout the nation for everybody.
Keith: Many of those in attendance were young people waiting to hear what Donald Trump had to say for the first time as president.
Trump: Americans want great schools for their children, safe neighborhoods for ther families and good jobs for themselves. But for too many of our citizens, a different reality exists. This American carnage stops right here and stops right now.
Keith: In parts of his inaugural address, President Trump took a confrontational tone, even talking harshly about some of the people sitting behind him in both parties.
Trump: For too long a small group in our nation’s capital has reaped the rewards of government. Washington flourished, but the people did not share in its wealth.
Keith: Right after taking office, the president got to work, making two of his cabinet nominations official. And later, wasting no time on his mission to get rid of Obamacare, he signed an executive order instructing federal agencies to begin weakening the law.
While it was a peaceful transfer of power from President Obama to President Trump, outside the National Mall, protests broke out. A limo was badly damaged by protestors, garbage cans were set on fire, and the windows of this business were smashed. More than 200 people were handcuffed with zip ties and led away. They are being charged with rioting. At least one person was taken to the hospital.
Most of the protests were peaceful. Demonstrators say the actions of a few hurt their anti-Trump message.
Protestor: These groups that are breaking windows and things like that delegitimizes a lot of the reason that the rest of us are here.
Keith: The protests didn’t stop the rest of the inaugural events from taking place. President Donald Trump, first lady Melania and son Barron waved to the crowds along the inaugural parade route. At a luncheon at the capitol, Trump and Hillary Clinton shook hands for the first time since the election.
Trump: I was very honored when I heard that President Bill Clinton and Secretary Hillary Clinton was coming today, and I think it’s appropriate to say — and I’d like you to stand up.
Keith: And the president finished the evening attending a variety of celebratory balls, celebrating a start to a four-year term in a country divided, with the world watching.
Keith Kocinski, Channel One News.
Azia: Thanks, Keith.
All right, after the break, we will check in with Arielle for highlights from the Women’s March.
Azia: Now, it wasn’t just the inauguration getting lots of coverage. There was a huge movement taking place all over the world this weekend: the Women’s March. One of the biggest events happened in D.C., and Arielle Hixson was right there in the middle of it. Arielle?
Arielle: Yeah, Azia. Organizers said they wanted to send President Trump a message because of some of the things that he said during the campaign. So thousands came from across the country to Washington, D.C., the day after the inauguration to bring attention to what they say is an attack on civil rights.
Why are you here marching today?
Sofia Nuri: I’m marching today because I believe in women’s rights, and I don’t think Donald Trump or somebody who doesn’t believe in that should be president.
Josh van Goey: I think it’s important that the men of the country stand with the females.
Amelia Kao: I’m marching because I have amazing sisters, and I want to make sure that all of our rights are guaranteed for our lives and our children’s lives.
Arielle: It was a message felt worldwide, with more than 600 marches across the world involving an estimated one and a half to two million people.
Maggie Pasterz: We are here because we are growing up in a time where we’re allowed to, like, speak our voice and speak up for what we believe in.
Arielle: From New York to Chicago to Los Angeles, it was believed to be the largest collection of marches in American history. Home base was here in Washington, D.C., where politicians and famous celebrities fired up the crowd.
Alicia Keys: We want the best for all Americans. No hate, no bigotry, no Muslim registry.
Arielle: It all started through social media; one post asking for people around the country to walk for women’s rights spread like wildfire. The plan was to march from the Capitol to the home of the new president, but the crowd was so big it packed the entire route.
So a lot of people say they are here marching today because they are frustrated with the past election. They want to send a message to the new president that women’s rights are human rights.
During the 2016 election, President Trump made headlines for controversial remarks toward women, illegal immigrants and refugees. Protestors say this Women’s March was a worldwide effort to call attention to the rights they felt were threatened. Young people from across the country flocked to Washington, D.C., to get their voices heard.
Why do you think it is important that young people like yourselves get out and march and represent?
Emma Glasser: Because we’re the future voting group, we have to be — we have to make sure that we’re well represented in our environment.
Ariel Skllnick: I’m here to make sure that my future isn’t too messed up because I want it to be the best that it can be.
Arielle: These high schoolers from Central Falls, Rhode Island, traveled eight hours for the march. The night before, they were welcomed by the local community in Arlington, Virginia. There, they made posters, heard speeches and got excited for the big day. Some were a bit jittery about the march. But the next morning, they were ready to hit the pavement.
Heidi Rompich: I’m feeling very excited. I mean, this is, like, the opportunity of a lifetime, and I’m glad that I took this, and it’s going to be great.
Arielle: Walking miles from Arlington to the National Mall, surrounded by others who were united to bring change.
Now, what are you hoping that the rest of America, the rest of the world, takes away from this march?
Anna Barratt: We hope that they are inspired, that they know that there are people that share their views.
Arielle: Getting their voices heard, one step a time. Arielle Hixson, Channel One News.
Azia: Thanks, Arielle.
All right, next up, going to the movies without leaving your bed. Talk about an amazing weekend.
Azia: We have got an NBT that is giving a whole new meaning to “sit back and relax.” But before we get tucked into this week’s Next Big Thing, let’s find out what you guys thought about last week’s.
We told you about the adorable new activity floating into hearts everywhere: swimming with otters. So is it the next big thing? Eighty-four percent said, “Yes — grab my floaties!” But 16 percent said, “No — this sounds like a belly flop.”
Class: This is Ms. Green’s sixth-grade science class in Sergent, Kentucky, and we think swimming with the otters is the next big thing!
Class: From Loretto Academies Ms. Meraz’ sixth-grade homeroom thinks swimming with otters is the next big thing!
Class: This is Mr. Bailey’s class from Norwayne Middle School in Creston, Ohio, and we think swimming with otters is the next big thing! No, it’s not! Yes, it is! No, it’s not! It’s really not.
Azia: Thanks for weighing in, guys! I totally agree because those otters are way too cute.
All right, now Cassie is here with a new NBT that might make it hard to get out of bed in the morning — or at night. Right, Cass?
Cassie: Definitely, Azia. This new creation brings tech and luxury to a comfy new level. Take a look.
It is being called the world’s most advanced bed, but what makes it so special? With the flick of a switch, what may look like an ordinary bed is transformed into the entertainment-viewing experience of your dreams. Like movie magic, a home theater screen slides down to the foot of the bed, and you are surrounded by a state-of-the-art sound system.
With a built-in projector, you can watch movies, play games and even surf the web. There is even a special lighting mode that mimics the night sky. The only decision you will have to make with this invention is what movie to watch next.
Azia: And maybe what food to order in. Hot wings?
Cassie: Burgers?
So what do you guys think, is the high-tech smart bed the next big thing? Head to ChannelOne.com to vote. Leave us a comment, or send a video to [email protected].
Azia: All right, guys, that is all for now. Have an awesome day, and we will see you right back here tomorrow.
