It started last year and continues into this current school year. Channel One executives knew the decision would meet with resistance from school officials, but there was too much money involved, so caution was thrown to the wind.
Cingular Wireless has been given unprecedented run of the Channel One News show. Not only are their controversial ads promoting cell phones to middle school students running on C1N, but, as we have already reported, Cingular has granted advertising time during the “news” portion of the TV show.
Jim Metrock said, “Cingular’s agreement with Channel One completely destroys the line between advertising and editorial content. As regular advertisers have forsaken Channel One and public service announcements have filled the gap, Channel One has found a way to skirt the terms of its contract with schools. Channel One is limited to two minutes of commercial content and that puts a ceiling on potential ad revenue. The PSAs don’t pay the going ad rate so Channel One has to come up with unique opportunities to attract advertisers. Putting ads into the ‘news’ portion of Channel One is a bold move, but it has helped lock in this new advertiser who desperately wants to talk to children.”
Channel One should have sought written permission from schools before they allowed advertisers to expand their presence on the show. Obligation knows of no school or school district who has agreed to a contract modification to allow this to happen.
Channel One’s “journalists” – the on-air anchors who read the news to students – continue to read the ad copy for Cingular. This isn’t what schools bargained for.
Picture this: Tom Brokaw reports on a story about a new auto safety study. Before he ends the report Brokaw says, “Safety is a major concern for everyone, that is why the new Ford Explorer may be just right for your family. Ford dealers have truly awesome discounts on Explorers and Ranger pickups this Labor Day. ‘Ford Tough’ isn’t just a slogan. I’m Tom Brokaw, later on Dateline….”
Metrock said, “It is disturbing to see these Channel One anchors hawking Cingular’s cell service and Nokia phones to kids. Some students have started fan clubs for these anchors. The kids have to watch the show and these anchors become a mandatory part of the life of these students. There gets to be a connection between the student and on-air personality. That is what Channel One is banking on. Then Channel One uses that trust that is built up between anchor and student-viewer to pitch products. If the anchor likes the product, then the students should too.”
The use of Channel One anchors to pitch products is a violation of the published Channel One news standards.
