August 28th, 2001
Channel One Aims To Involve Teachers In Marketing Push
By Daniel Golden
Wall Street Journal
Channel One pioneered commercial television in the schools. Now it may be setting
another controversial precedent—paying public-school teachers to recruit
new customers.
In a back-to-school push to increase market share, the Primedia Inc. unit is
offering $500 to any of its "key operators"—teachers or administrators
overseeing its daily news broadcast in their schools—who sign up a neighboring
school for the service. Channel One, which hopes to add 300 schools to its 12,000-school
network, promotes the offer on its Web site and also sent a mailing to school
personnel.
Nonprofit groups opposed to commercialization in schools yesterday asked officials
in all 50 states to investigate the $500 offer, contending that it poses a potential
conflict of interest for school employees.
"It is not the proper role of public-school employees to be a roving sales
team for Channel One," said the letter from the groups, Obligation Inc.
and Commercial Alert. The groups are longtime critics of Channel One.
According to Channel One, which provides free television equipment to schools
in return for students’ viewing its ad-supported newscast, nobody has yet been
paid the reward, one of several new promotions featured on the Web site. For
instance, Channel One also is running a $10,000 sweepstakes drawing, with the
money going to a school rather than individual personnel. For their schools
to qualify, teachers must view a 10-minute video urging that students watch
the entire broadcast on 90% of school days.
Ethics officials in several states said the offer could run afoul of statutes
prohibiting public employees from using their positions to make paid endorsements
and from representing private third parties on issues—such as whether to
hire Channel One—in which their school districts are involved.
Michael Carr, spokesman for the National Association of Secondary School Principals,
said the offer sets a dubious precedent for software companies and other for-profit
entities seeking to reach the captive student audience.
"A lot of companies hire educators to be consultants, but usually they’ve
stepped away from the job or taken a break," said Mr. Carr, warning teachers
to check their local district policies before accepting the Channel One offer.
"It’s not usual to hire an in-building person."
Sonya McNair, a Channel One spokeswoman, said the company notified school principals
in advance of the offer to teachers and administrators. She said Channel One
expects that recipients will turn the bonus over to their schools if that is
required by local policy, rather than keep it themselves.
Comments
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