News Stories For Sale

April 16, 2007

Yet ANOTHER Gatorade "Player of the Year."

This has been going on for years, but it is still sickening. Gatorade pays Channel One, and Channel One runs a "news story" that helps sell Gatorade. Where have we seen this before? Channel One reporting is for sale. This is disgraceful. This should make any legitimate journalist sick at their stomach.

This "news story" is nothing more than a long form commercial for Gatorade. Gatorade has been one of Channel One’s main advertisers for over a decade. The fact that Gatorade products represent unnecessary calories for millions of kids does not detract from the advertiser’s importance to C1N. Channel One loves Gatorade and they will give this company whatever screen time they need to sell more product.

What news story of importance to kids was sacrificed for this promotional piece?

From Channel One’s transcript for Friday, April 13, 2007

CALI: WHEN WE COME BACK, WE’LL INTRODUCE YOU TO A HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL STAR WHO BEAT OUT ALL THE REST TO BE NAMED THE PLAYER OF THE YEAR.

INTRO PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Cali Carlin uses her "news anchor" position to promote Gatorade.

CALI: OK, NOW TO A HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE WHOSE GREAT PLAY ON THE BASKETBALL COURT HAS WON HIM NATIONAL ATTENTION. OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS WE’VE INTRODUCED YOU TO A NUMBER OF ATHLETES WHO HAVE WON PLAYER OF THE YEAR HONORS FOR EXCELLENCE IN THEIR SPORTS AND THEIR SERVICE TO THEIR COMMUNITIES. THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTED PLAYER CARRIES ON THAT TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE. HERE’S A LOOK.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

CALI: KEVIN LOVE IS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH ON THE BASKETBALL COURT. AT SIX FOOT TEN THIS SENIOR AT LAKE OSWEGO HIGH SCHOOL IN LAKE OSWEGO, OREGON LED HIS TEAM THROUGHOUT THE SEASON WITH AN AVERAGE OF 33.6 POINTS AND 17 REBOUNDS A GAME.

Teachers cringe as Channel One wastes precious school time showing Kevin Love dunking and breaking a backboard.

Channel One’s executive producer Kristy Schantz may think this is hilarious stuff, but it isn’t.

CALI: ONE OF KEVIN’S MOST MEMORABLE DUNKS LITERALLY BROUGHT DOWN THE HOUSE WHEN HE PROVED TOO MUCH FOR THE BACKBOARD AND SHATTERED IT.

Students have little to no desire to see this unknown basketball player shoot a basketball, but if you are forced to watch Channel One News, you have to sit through this nonsense.

CALI: BASKETBALL SKILLS RUN IN KEVIN’S FAMILY. HIS FATHER IS FORMER NBA PLAYER STAN LOVE. OFF THE COURT KEVIN SERVES AS A YOUTH BASKETBALL COACH AND MAINTAINS A B AVERAGE IN THE CLASSROOM. FOR ALL OF THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS KEVIN WAS HONORED AS THE TOP IN HIS SPORT.

As this story drags on and on students watch as the unknown Kevin Love is presented with the Gatorade award.

This is a big deal for Kevin Love and for Channel One but not for educators or students.

ANNOUNCER: KEVIN IT IS MY HONOR TO OFFICIALLY TO PRESENT YOU AND ANNOUNCE YOU AS THE 2006-2007 GATORADE NATIONAL BOYS BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR. CONGRATULATIONS.

CALI: IT WAS AN HONOR KEVIN WAS GRATEFUL TO RECEIVE.

Students are compelled to hear Kevin Love tell how grateful he is for winning the Gatorade award.

KEVIN LOVE: KNOWING THAT I WON GATORADE PLAYER OF THE YEAR IS JUST A BIG DEAL FOR ME AND I’M JUST YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY STRIVE TO BE THE BEST PLAYER I CAN BE FOR AS MANY YEARS AS I PLAY BASKETBALL.

CALI: IN THE FALL KEVIN WILL ATTEND UCLA WHERE HE HOPES TO CONTINUE HIS WINNING WAYS.

TAG PLAYER OF THE YEAR

CALI: TAKE A LOOK AT CHANNEL ONE LIVEWIRE FOR MORE HIGHLIGHTS WITH KEVIN AND ALL OF THE ‘GATORADE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR’. YOU KNOW WHERE TO FIND IT. JUST HEAD TO CHANNEL ONE DOT COM.

GOOD-BYES

CALI: WELL THAT DOES IT FOR TODAY, AS WELL AS THIS WEEK. HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND AND WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE ON MONDAY.

More articles about Gatorade’s presence on Channel One News.

Still Pushing Gatorade

Gatorade Mixes Ads With News

Gatorade Play Of The Week

Channel One Asks Teachers To Promote Gatorade

Channel One Urged To End Gatorade Ads