Does your school still have Channel One News?
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Houghton Mifflin/Channel One News

Channel One News is a youth marketing company whose main purpose is to get advertising to a captive audience of impressionable schoolchildren. The company loans a school TV equipment in exchange for the school’s contractual pledge to show students a daily, 12-minute, hyper-commercial, TV program called Channel One News. Students lose one hour a week of schools time, which equates to one lost week of instructional time (32 hours) per year. No educational organization endorses the use of Channel One News.

Channel One has fallen on very hard times. Once they claimed over 8 million students were under contract. Since 1997 they have continued to lose schools and now they claim “nearly five million” students and the true figure is probably lower.

In May 2014, publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt acquired Channel One from ZelnickMedia the makers of the ultra-violent Grand Thief Auto video game series. Houghton Mifflin did not disclose the purchase price.

At the end of 2014 most of Channel One’s full-paying advertisers have abandoned the program.

Another Sleazy Movie Advertised On Channel One

May 18, 2009
Another Sleazy Movie Advertised On Channel One

Channel One News continues to promote sleazy movies to children just out of elementary school. The latest movie is Dance Flick rated PG13 for crude and sexual content throughout, and vulgar language. Channel One is also sponsoring a contest on their website to encourage kids to see this filthy movie. This movie is produced...
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24 Hours Later

April 22, 2009
24 Hours Later

  Yesterday we wrote of Channel One’s promoting the offensive Quiz Rocket web site. Today – surprise – all reference to it and some other problem sites have been removed. Funny what sunshine does to these marketing roaches. They dump this trash on children until they get caught – typical Channel One News.  ...
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Quiz Rocket

April 21, 2009
Quiz Rocket

Channel One thinks the site that offers quizzes like the above is "cool."   Channel One News has brought new content to their web site. This new content is not going to be pleasing to parents. If you go to the bottom of the Channelone.com homepage, you’ll find this new section of links: Channel...
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NBC Dumping Channel One?

April 17, 2009
NBC Dumping Channel One?

From Jim Metrock: There is a rumor that NBC may be giving up on Channel One News. If it’s true NBC will be adding their name to a long list of schools and educators who have ended their relationship with the Channel One Network. NBC has been producing the Channel One News show since...
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Movie Ads Replace News

April 16, 2009
Movie Ads Replace News

From today’s Channelone.com homepage: Ads for two new movies get prime real estate for maximum attention. There is a banner ad for the PG13 17 Again. This movie has underage drinking content. There is also a large ad for the new Star Trek movie plus a deceptive ad made to look like a news...
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Dragging Advisory Board Members Out Into The Sunshine

April 14, 2009
Dragging Advisory Board Members Out Into The Sunshine

Sonya and David   Channel One’s "Advisory Board" From Jim Metrock: This Advisory Board is a marketing gimmick to make Channel One look like it is relevant to educators. Channel One wants the public to think educators are daily guiding Channel One News in its decision making. Hogwash. This board is a joke and...
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Who Are These People?

April 7, 2009
Who Are These People?

Here’s a partial clue: They are the hard-working – or should that be "hardly working" – members of Channel One’s distinguished – or should that be "extinguished" – Advisory Board. Since 2006 these educators have allowed Channel One to use their faces, first names only please, and the name of their state no city...
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Irresponsible Again

March 31, 2009
Irresponsible Again

In 2000 Channel One News promised to only advertise PG13 movies to ninth graders and up. Channel One has since broken that promise...
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Dustin Fitzharris

March 29, 2009
Dustin Fitzharris

  Dustin Fitzharris – “highest level person at Channel One” From Jim Metrock: So I’m standing in front of the Channel One receptionist last week and I’m not getting anywhere. NO, I can’t see CEO Kent Haehl because “he is no longer with the company.” NO, I can’t see VP of Education Paul Folkemer...
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Another One Bites The Dust

March 26, 2009
Another One Bites The Dust

Kent Haehl   From Jim Metrock: It appears that Channel One News is again without a president. On a visit this week to Channel...
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