Channel One

Channel One is a Primedia Inc. company.

Channel One's web site says "Channel One News is a daily, televised, 12-minute newscast that is beamed via satellite during the school year to each of the 12,000 schools in the Channel One Network community."

In schools Channel One has been successful in penetrating, students are required to watch these transmissions every school day which includes commercial advertisements. Channel One provides free televisions and VCRs to schools in exchange for this requirement. Some parents groups have been fighting this commercialization of their children, such as the Seattle-based Citizens' Campaign for Commercial-Free Schools.


 * Judy Harris - President and Chief Executive Officer

Channel One: Zero Educational Value
The controversial in-school television program Channel One "airs 10 minutes of news and public affairs and two minutes of commercials or public service announcements daily." But a new study published by Pediatrics magazine found that students "had a stronger recall of the ads than the programming itself." Moreover, "students reported having purchased during the preceding three months an average of 2.5 items advertised on the program." Channel One is broadcast in some 350,000 U.S. schools. The company provides schools with approximately $30,000 worth of audiovisual equipment in exchange for airing the show. 

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 * Jack Abramoff