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Media Literacy

Media literacy – the ability to critically consume and create media – is an essential skill in today’s world. Media literacy education seeks to give kids and adults greater freedom by empowering them to access, analyze, evaluate and produce media.

Media literate youth and adults are better able to understand the complex messages we receive from television, radio, newspapers, magazines, books, billboards, signs, packaging, marketing materials, video games, recorded music, the Internet and other forms of media. They can understand not only the surface content of media messages (the “text”) but also the more important meanings (the “subtext”) hidden beneath the surface. People who are media literate can also create their own media, becoming active participants in our media culture.

New Mexico Media Literacy Project

2000 GAO Study on Commercialism focuses on problems with Channel One News

October 17, 2018

Channel One has provided free audiovisual equipment and news programming to middle and high schools since 1990. Participating schools must sign a contract agreeing that they will show Channel One’s news program—10 minutes of news and 2 minutes of commercials—90 percent of all school days in 80 percent of all classrooms. In exchange, Channel...
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Why Channel One News was removed from schools: Images of ISIS execution dumped into classrooms. (Aug 2014)

October 7, 2018
Why Channel One News was removed from schools: Images of ISIS execution dumped into classrooms. (Aug 2014)

Houghton Mifflin’s Channel One News intentionally shows students executioner holding knife before beheading. Why show any pictures of this brutal act of terrorism? Is Houghton Mifflin CEO Linda Zecher pushing Channel One to get edgier with kids?   From Jim Metrock: The good news is Channel One News did not use the word “beheading” in...
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Why Channel One News was removed from schools: Channel One Paid Lobbying Firm $820,000 (Oct. 1999)

September 11, 2018
Why Channel One News was removed from schools: Channel One Paid Lobbying Firm $820,000 (Oct. 1999)

October 27m 1999 – National Journal Reports Channel One Paid Preston Gates Lobbying Firm $820,000 in First Half of 1999 October 27, 1999 – National Journal Reports Channel One Paid Preston Gates Lobbying Firm $820,000 in First Half of 1999 $820,000 doesn’t go as far as it use to. Over the years, Channel One has paid...
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Why Channel One News was removed from schools: If You Wear Glasses, You’re Ugly. (2006)

September 8, 2018
Why Channel One News was removed from schools: If You Wear Glasses, You’re Ugly. (2006)

These pictures are from the Acuvue2 commercials that are in heavy rotation on Channel One News in middle and high schools during September 2003. Mo Money! You can almost picture Jim “Sugar Daddy” Ritts stuffing the Johnson&Johnson cash in his pockets. Is he the least bit concerned that it is cruel for Channel One to advertise contact lens to schoolchildren?...
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Why Channel One News was removed from schools (Oct. 2001): Sleazy MTV

September 8, 2018
Why Channel One News was removed from schools (Oct. 2001): Sleazy MTV

Last week, Primedia’s CEO Tom Rogers proudly told a conference call for investment analysts that Channel One will continue their relationship with MTV. There will be another special on Channel One that will be coproducer by MTV. It will air before the end of the year. Most parents understand the offensive content on MTV. MTV...
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Channel One News Hall of Shame (Jan 1999): “Millennium Minute” To “Creatively Integrate Your Brand” With the News

September 6, 2018

“Teach the news” is Channel One’s latest slogan. Channel One has rolled out this slogan and hired new people and reassigned people in an attempt to look like an educational company as opposed to the corporate child predator that it is. Channel One’s “news” is secondary to its commercials and their newest campaign confirms it. Channel One is...
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Here’s a wonderful sight.

August 16, 2018
Here’s a wonderful sight.

Here’s a photo of a bunch of kiddie marketers waving goodbye to their handful of fans.  Their kiddie marketing company has gone out of business. Boo hoo. All of these people, whether they worked in front of the camera or behind, were involved in the commercial exploitation of schoolchildren.  They earned their paycheck by...
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Channel One News Bad Guy: Congressman Bradley Byrne (R) AL

August 1, 2018
Channel One News Bad Guy: Congressman Bradley Byrne (R) AL

From Jim Metrock: Bradley Bryne sold out Alabama schoolchildren when he was a member of the Alabama State Board of Education. He is now a congressman representing South Alabama. He was one of the first persons Ms. Pat Ellis, Obligation’s education director, and I approached on the State Board to oppose Channel One in...
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Skoollive still struggling for a reason to exist.

July 29, 2018
Skoollive still struggling for a reason to exist.

From Jim Metrock: This absurd article appeared in my email inbox last week.  It is yet another effort by Skoollive to define its reason for existence. It seems Skoollive wants schools to view their company as a defender, protecting them from other school marketers. Don’t think this is going to work with school boards....
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Gaze on this to understand how bad Channel One News was.

July 21, 2018
Gaze on this to understand how bad Channel One News was.

From Jim Metrock: This is a piece of Channel One News sales literature. It’s sickening. Look at the face they used.  It’s a young person who is completely attentive to the Channel One TV screen.  He can’t go anywhere.  He can’t ask for the channel to be changed. He IS the captive audience Channel One...
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