Let’s take a look at today’s Channel One show.
The script for Monday’s show was found on Channelone.com at 7:48 PM EST on Sunday, November 12. That means the show was wrapped up much earlier. Was it “in the can”
earlier Sunday? or maybe Saturday?
When you read the script of the show below you will understand why it took little effort to piece the show together. This show contains very little news.
Gathering and delivering news requires money and the desire, the will to serve an audience. Channel One now has apparently neither the required money nor the requisite will to fulfill its original purpose.
A Monday Channel One program should obviously contain a lot of news stories. After all, Channel One takes the weekends off. The last news students saw on Channel One was from Thursday of the previous week. (Channel One tapes their Friday show on Thursday.) So all the news events of Thursday night, Friday, Saturday and Sunday have not been reported on C1.
So how does Channel One start its Monday show today? With a feature story about a Muslim school. This is a long piece that has a long shelf life. It could have been filmed any time. It was cheap to produce for sure. The school is just 11.1 miles away from Channel One’s studio. One female student is the main interview subject. Her personal perspective dominates the story. Who is the producer? Have they ever produced anything before?
The executive producer of Channel One is Kristy Schantz. She was the executive producer of CNN’s Crossfire. (Anybody’s career than goes FROM CNN TO Channel One has their career in reverse gear.) Ms. Schantz made the decision to put the Muslim School at the top of the show because? Maybe for no other reason than she had the story already edited, it could be used any day, why not November 13? With every second that this story takes, it saves Channel One money. Every second of this feature story is NOT one second of filming a reporter in a far away place, like Baltimore (40 miles away).
The Channel One film crew spent a few pennies of gas driving 22 miles round-trip to snag this hot story about the Muslim Community School. That beats airfare for a reporter and a camera person covering a hard-news story.
Then comes a little news. The in-studio reporter Alexander Marquardt talks about how the election may change things in Iraq. There is some information about what has been happening in Iraq over the last few days. A clip of ABC’s This Week is shown and some file footage.
After that, Mr. Marquardt introduces a segment from the ABC Network entitled “Seven New Wonders of the World.” It’s a “Sweeps Month” gimmick by ABC, a long-time partner and advertiser on Channel One. Again, this is content that Channel One employees did not create. It’s other people’s content. There is little news here. The purpose of this series is to get more viewers for the ABC Network.
After that, Mr. Marquardt takes up the remainder of show time by sharing a local “New Wonder of the World” that a student sent in. (Channel One has pleaded with students to send them a picture of a “wonder” in their community.) Precious time is taken showing a picture of “the farm adjacent to Daniel Boone’s birthplace.” No joke. This reminds us of the “Gatorade Play of the Week” clips that are usually of the most routine sports plays, but if that is all that is sent in, Channel One has to go with what they have.
So the November 13 show comes to an end and it is safe to say that no Channel One employee exerted him or herself too much. Mr. Marquardt didn’t have time to break a sweat under the studio lights. He read his script and was out of the studio with time to spare. Note to Channel One: Keep dumping this type of show into schools and Mr. Marquardt and the rest of the people who remain at Channel One will have a WHOLE LOT of time to spare in the near future.
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November 13, 2006 Muslim School MUSLIM SCHOOL HELLOS ALEXANDER: HEY EVERYONE AND WELCOME TO CHANNEL ONE ON THIS MONDAY. I’M ALEXANDER MARQUARDT. I HOPE YOU ALL HAD A GREAT WEEKEND. WE START OUR SHOW TODAY WITH A STORY ABOUT A MUSLIM SCHOOL WHERE STUDENTS ACTIVELY, AND OPENLY, PRACTICE THEIR FAITH. MEKA NICHOLS VISITED THE SCHOOL AND BRINGS US THIS STORY. MUSLIM SCHOOL OMARI: FAVORITE PART OF THE DAY IS PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO BE LUNCH TIME. MEKA: IN MANY WAYS, IT’S JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER SCHOOL… LEILA: MY FAVORITE ARTIST HAS TO BE EVANESCENCE. THEY’RE MY FAVORITE BAND EVER. MEKA: ND THE STUDENTS JUST LIKE YOU… LEILA: I THINK I AM JUST LIKE ANY OTHER 13 YEAR OLD OUT THERE. LIKE, I LIKE THE SAME STUFF. I LOVE MY FRIENDS. EVERYTHING’S THE SAME JUST… WE HAVE DIFFERENT BELIEFS. MEKA: LEILA KAZEROONI AND OMARI MUHAMMAD ARE TEENS WHO GO TO AN ISLAMIC SCHOOL IN POTOMAC, MARYLAND. ISLAM IS THE RELIGION OF MUSLIMS. IT’S BASED ON THE TEACHINGS OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD. I RECENTLY SPENT A DAY WITH THEM TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR RELIGION AND THEIR WAY OF LIFE. OMARI: PEOPLE SEE THINGS AND THEY BELIEVE THAT’S WHAT ISLAM IS, BUT THAT’S NOT WHAT THE RELIGION IS REALLY ABOUT. MEKA: ISLAM IS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLES OF COMPASSION, CHARITY, HUMILITY, AND THE BROTHERHOOD OF MAN. LEILA: IF PEOPLE GET TO KNOW MUSLIMS BETTER YOU CAN TELL WE ARE VERY HONEST AND VERY GOOD PEOPLE. MEKA: BUT IN THIS POST-NINE-ELEVEN WORLD, MANY MUSLIM-AMERICANS FIND THEMSELVES MISUNDERSTOOD AND FEEL THE TERRORISTS WHO ATTACKED THE U.S DISTORTED THEIR RELIGION. MAKE: LEILA SHARED WITH US HER MOTHER’S REACTION TO 9/11. LEILA: I DIDN’T GO TO SCHOOL THE NEXT DAY CAUSE SHE WAS ALL WORRIED AND DIDN’T KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND STUFF. AND THEN THE WEEK AFTER THAT I CAME TO MCS. MY MOM BASICALLY DID IT FOR SAFETY. MEKA: AT THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY SCHOOL, STUDENTS FIND A HOME AWAY FROM HOME. STUDENTS FROM KINDERGARTEN TO SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL COME TOGETHER TO LEARN ABOUT THEIR RELIGION AND IMMERSE THEMSELVES IN AN ISLAMIC WAY OF LIFE. LEILA: I LIKE BEING ABLE TO BE IN AN ISLAMIC ENVIRONMENT WHERE I AM FREE TO PRACTICE MY RELIGION. MEKA: THE SCHOOL DAY BEGINS HERE WITH A MORNING PRAYER AND A READING FROM THE QURAN…. THE ISLAMIC HOLY BOOK. OMARI: THINGS THAT WOULD NORMALLY HAPPEN AT A PUBLIC SCHOOL THAT MAY BE AGAINST ISLAM, YOU DON’T HAVE THAT MUCH IN A MUSLIM SCHOOL. MEKA: LOOK AROUND THE LUNCHROOM. BECAUSE IT’S BANNED BY THEIR RELIGION, YOU WON’T FIND PORK ON THE MENU… OR SEE ANY OF THE GIRLS’ HAIR… A PRACTICE LEILA SAYS MADE HER STAND OUT IN PUBLIC SCHOOL. LEILA: I STARTED PUTTING ON A SCARF IN THIRD GRADE. SO LIKE AT FIRST EVERYBODY IN CLASS WAS LIKE WHAT IS THAT AND WHY ARE YOU DOING THAT? MEKA: THE SCARVES ARE CALLED HIJAB.THEY ARE WORN BY MUSLIM GIRLS AND WOMEN ACCORDING TO THE QURAN, ISLAM’S HOLY BOOK. GIRLS WEAR THE SCARVES FOR MODESTY, PRIVACY, AND MORALITY. EVEN I WAS ASKED TO OBSERVE THE HIJAB ON SCHOOL GROUNDS. MEKA: DURING AFTERNOON PRAYERS…. YOU’LL NOTICE GIRLS WORSHIP HERE… BOYS THERE. MALES AND FEMALES ARE EQUAL UNDER THE QURAN… BUT SOCIAL INTERACTION BETWEEN THEM IS WELL DEFINED. MEKA: AND WHILE BOYS AND GIRLS AT THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY SCHOOL SHARE THE HALLWAYS… EAT LUNCH TOGETHER… AND EVEN LEARN IN THE SAME CLASSROOM… THEY DO IT SEPARATELY. LEILA: WE STILL TALK TO THE BOYS IN OUR CLASS AND STUFF AND WE’RE BASICALLY ALL LIKE CLASSMATES AND FRIENDS AND STUFF, BUT THERE’S ALWAYS LIKE THAT BORDERLINE THAT WE CAN’T CROSS. MEKA: DESPITE THE DIFFERENCES IN SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS CUSTOMS, THE DIFFERENCES STOP THERE. LEILA: IF YOU GO TO PUBLIC SCHOOL AND YOU HEAR WHAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT LIKE TV SHOWS AND THE MOVIES THEY SAW THIS WEEKEND AND STUFF, IT’S THE SAME THING WE TALK ABOUT. SO WE’RE EXACTLY THE SAME EXCEPT THAT WE JUST HAVE A DIFFERENT RELIGION AND OUR BELIEFS ARE DIFFERENT. TAG MUSLIM SCHOOL ALEXANDER: YOU SAW HOW IMPORTANT RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS LIKE WEARING HEADSCARVES ARE TO MUSLIM TEENS, BUT IF YOU’RE STILL WONDERING WHY, HEAD ON OVER TO CHANNEL ONE DOT COM TO FIND OUT MORE. BE BACK ALEXANDER: AND COMING UP, THE THIRD NEW WONDER OF THE WORLD IS REVEALED AND YOU MIGHT NEED TO BUNDLE UP FOR THIS ADVENTURE. BUT NEXT, WE’LL TELL YOU ABOUT A MEETING THAT COULD HAVE A LARGE IMPACT ON THE IRAQ WAR. SHOUT-OUT THIS IS KUEHN-HAVEN MIDDLE SCHOOL IN MONTROSE, MICHIGAN AND WE’RE WATCHING CHANNEL ONE. INTRO IRAQ STRATEGY ALEXANDER: WELCOME BACK. TODAY PRESIDENT BUSH IS MEETING WITH A BIPARTISAN PANEL OF ADVISORS TO DISCUSS THE FUTURE OF U.S. INVOLVEMENT IN IRAQ. WITH THE RESULTS OF LAST WEEK’S ELECTIONS, MANY ARE QUESTIONING WHETHER THERE WILL BE A CHANGE IN STRATEGY. IRAQ STRATEGY ALEXANDER: ACCORDING TO POLLS, MOST AMERICANS ARE NOT HAPPY ABOUT THE SITUTATION IN IRAQ. ALMOST SIX IN TEN VOTERS LAST WEEK SAID THEY DISAPPROVED OF THE WAR. AND NOW IT SEEMS THE BUSH ADMINSTRATION IS LOOKING FOR A FRESH APPROACH TO THE CONFLICT. BOLTEN: THE OBJECTIVE IS VICTORY IN IRAQ. IT’S ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL TO THIS COUNTRY THAT WE WIN THIS FIGHT IN THE CENTRAL FRONT IN THE WAR ON TERROR. NOW, THAT DOESN’T MEAN WE’RE NOT GOING TO BE ADJUSTING TACTICS, LISTENING TO FRESH IDEAS. ALEXANDER: TODAY, THE PRESIDENT AND HIS NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM MEET WITH THE IRAQ STUDY GROUP TO DISCUSS THE CURRENT SITUATION, AND WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. LED BY FORMER REPUBLICAN SECRETARY OF STATE JAMES BAKER AND FORMER DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN LEE HAMILTON, THE PANEL IS EXPECTED TO MAKE FORMAL RECOMMENDATIONS ON IRAQ BY THE END OF THE YEAR. ALEXANDER: IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN HOW STRATEGY IN IRAQ WILL CHANGE IF AT ALL. SOME DEMOCRATS WANT TO SET A TIMETABLE FOR BRINGING TROOPS HOME–SOMETHING THE BUSH ADMINSTRATION OPPOSES. BUT ONE POSSIBLE TACTIC THAT THE WHITE HOUSE **WILL** CONSIDER IS TALKS WITH IRAN AND SYRIA IF THE PANEL RECCOMENDS THEM. ALEXANDER: BECAUSE THE TWO COUNTRIES SHARE A BORDER WITH IRAQ, THEY COULD BE INFLUENTIAL IN FINDING A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS PLAGUING IRAQ. THE WHITE HOUSE HAS ACCUSED IRAN AND SYRIA OF AIDING TERRORISM AND HAS BEEN OPPOSED TO SITTING DOWN WITH THE THEM UNTIL NOW. ALEXANDER: QUESTIONS OVER THE FUTURE OF IRAQ COME AS THE DEATH TOLL CONTINUES TO RISE THERE. AT LEAST THIRTY THREE PEOPLE DIED IN A SUICIDE BOMBING YESTERDAY OUTSIDE A POLICE RECRUITING CENTER IN BAGHDAD. ALEXANDER: TO HELP CURB THE SPIRALING VIOLENCE, IRAQI PRIME MINISTER NOURI AL-MALIKI ANNOUNCED PLANS TO RESHUFFLE HIS CURRENT CABINET. HE HAS SAID LAWMAKERS NEED TO PUT IRAQ’S STABILITY ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE. TAG IRAQ ALEXANDER: AND WHILE THE SITUATION IN IRAQ REMAINS DIFFICULT TO SOLVE, HOW WOULD YOU DO IN MAKING THE DECISIONS? GO TO THE ‘IRAQ INSIDER’ PAGE AT CHANNEL ONE DOT COM AND TRY THE ‘YOU BE THE PRESIDENT’ GAME FOR YOUR CHANCE TO PLAY COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF. BE BACK ALEXANDER: AND AFTER THE BREAK, WE REVEAL TO YOU ANOTHER NEW WORLD WONDER. HERE’S A HINT — IT’S A PLACE WHERE ICE IS THE MAIN ATTRACTION. INTRO WONDER ALEXANDER: TIME NOW FOR US TO REVEAL ANOTHER NEW WONDER OF THE WORLD. ABC NEWS’ GOOD MORNING AMERICA AND USA TODAY CONVENED A PANEL OF EXPERTS TO COME UP WITH SEVEN NEW WONDERS. TODAY’S PICK — A NATURAL WONDER THAT IS DISAPPEARING BEFORE OUR EYES. ABC’S SAM CHAMPION TAKES US ON A BREATHTAKING TOUR OF THE POLAR ICE CAPS. POLAR ICE CAPS SAM: IF YOU JOURNEY TO THE FAR ENDS OF THE EARTH, YOU WILL FIND ICE…ENDLESS SHEETS OF FROZEN WATER, STRETCHING AS FAR THE EYE CAN SEE. MAGNIFICENT TO BEHOLD… BUT AT LEAST ONE FEISTY MEMBER OF OUR ESTEEMED SEVEN WONDERS PANEL… NEEDED CONVINCING NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON: I DON’T AGREE WITH THE POLAR ICE CAP. I DON’T THINK IT’S A WONDER. IT’S FROZEN WATER. SYLVIA EARLE: THAT’S WHERE YOU’RE SO WRONG! SAM: AT THE SOUTH POLE, GLACIAL ICE NEARLY TWO MILES THICK AND HALF A MILLION YEARS OLD, BLANKETS THE CONTINENT OF ANTARCTICA,… AT THE NORTH POLE, A SPRAWLING LAYER OF FROZEN SEA ICE FLOATS ATOP THE OCEAN. ITS VOLATILE TERRAIN…INHABITED BY CREATURES, BOTH FASCINATING AND FEROCIOUS… ABOVE AND BELOW THE ICE… IT’S AN ALIEN WORLD… GLISTENING WITH NATURE’S ICE SCULPTURES. SAM: BUT THESE FROZEN LANDSCAPES ARE MORE THAN JUST A WONDER FOR THE EYE. THEY ARE CRITICAL FOR LIFE AS WE KNOW IT. SIMPLY PUT, THESE ICE-Y BOOKENDS ANCHOR THE CLIMATE OF OUR EARTH…”THE BLUE PLANET”, BATHED IN OCEANS OF WATER, THE ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT FOR LIFE. THE POLAR ICE CAPS ARE LIKE GIANT ICE CUBES, NATURE’S GLOBAL COOLING UNITS. IN BALANCE WITH THE SUN’S HEAT, THE POLAR ICE CAPS ARE A VITAL PART OF WHAT MAKE OUR PLANET THE ONLY ONE WHERE HUMANS CAN SURVIVE. BUT ACCORDING TO IMAGES FROM BOTH NASA AND THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY, THE ICE CAPS ARE SHRINKING. BRUCE FEILER: I THINK THAT THE POLAR ICE CAPS IS A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF A NATURAL PHENOMENON THAT HAS COME TO BE SEEN IN A NEW LIGHT. THE NEW LIGHT REVEALS AN ALARMING GLACIAL DISAPPEARING ACT. SAM: NOW YOU SEE ICE… NOW YOU DON’T. TAG POLAR ICE CAPS ALEXANDER: NOW THAT WE HAVE TRAVELED THE WORLD IT IS TIME TO CHECK IN ON A HOMETOWN WONDER. THIS PICTURE COMES TO US FROM CONNOR IN DOUGLASSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA. CONNOR ATTENDS DANIEL BOONE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND SENT US THIS PICTURE OF THE FARM ADJACENT TO DANIEL BOONE’S BIRTHPLACE. BOONE WAS ONE OF THE MOST WELL KNOWN FRONTIERSMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY AND WAS BORN AT THE SITE IN 1734. ALEXANDER: THANKS FOR CONNOR FOR SENDING US THAT PICTURE TAG WONDER ALEXANDER: IF YOU HAVE A WONDER IN YOUR TOWN, DON’T BE SHY. STOP BY THE ‘WONDERS OF THE WORLD’ PAGE AT CHANNEL ONE DOT COM, SUBMIT YOUR PICTURE AND IT COULD END UP ON A SHOW THIS WEEK. GOOD-BYES ALEXANDER: WELL THAT DOES IT FOR US TODAY. MAKE SURE TO WATCH TOMORROW WHEN I SIT DOWN WITH THE NEW YORK GIANT TIKI BARBER. SEE YOU THEN. |
