Channel One News

Channel One News is a television program shown in classrooms in 8,000 to 12,000 secondary schools in the United States. It is usually about twelve to thirteen minutes in length daily. Included in the program are two to three minutes of advertising. Usually, its content consists of news and sports programming and commercials. The program is funded with money from sponsors and advertisers. Schools agree to to air the program in exchange for 19" or 27" televisions for classrooms, 2 VCRs (one for the school's use, one to record the program), a satellite dish that picks up Channel One's signal, and the right to access the Channel One Connection, a library of commercial-free educational programming.

Channel One is currently owned by PRIMEDIA, formerly K-III Communications. In the past it has been operated by Hubbard Broadcasting Corporation and others.

The Controversy About the Program

Channel One has become controversial in large part due to the commercial content of the show. Critics claim that it become a problem in classrooms, because it consumes classtime. Supporters argue that the ads are necessary to help keep the program running.

Special Segments

Channel One has segments which air on a regular basis which encourage viewer participation and to occasionally pitch the products of their sponsors. The following are special segments that have been featured on the program in the past year:

Pop Quiz

This is Channel One's most regular special segment.

An anchor will ask a multiple choice question to students regarding a current or historical event. The anchor then gives students ten seconds to come up with an answer. The anchor who read the question, or the anchor's partner for the day, will then give the correct answer and explain it. From time to time, the Pop Quiz may lead off the program. Also, the Pop Quiz is occasionally commercially sponsored.

Cingular Question of the Day

This special segment comes in two parts over two shows.

Day One: The first segment consists of an online/phone/text messsage poll, usually regarding a story Channel One has aired. Students have three options to voice their opinions. Students can send their response to Channel One's website, to an 800-number Channel One has set up, or they can text their answer to Channel One on a Cingular Wireless phone.

Day Two: The second segment is usually aired the very next day (developing news stories may change this, however). The program will give the results of the poll and then they will air a couple of student comments regarding the question asked. They will read a student response from each point of view, and may even throw in a comment made by a teacher. Students who have their comments read receive a free cell phone with three free months of prepaid service.

Play of the Week, Brought To You By Gatorade

This special segment is usually the last segment of each Friday program, though it has aired at other times on occasion.

Channel One selects a play to be aired from any sport played by students in schools with Channel One. The winning school gets a prize package from Gatorade, a prize which usually consists of a five gallon Gatorade cooler and a case of powder drink mix.

Current Anchors

For the 2004-2005 school year, Channel One has four anchors on its roster. Others will occasionally fill in at anchor, but none of these fill-ins carry the official title as anchor. In the past, the network had typically carried eight anchors on its roster, but that number has been dwindling in recent years.

The following are the four anchors currently on the Channel One anchor roster. These anchors also serve as correspondents in the field:

Past Anchors

A number of the anchors/correspondents on the show have gone on to other things. Some notable individuals that have been on Channel One include Anderson Cooper, Lisa Ling, Serena Altschul and Ron Reagan, the son of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan.

Other Past Anchors Include:

Joel Brand
Krystal Greene
Kris Osborn
Tonoccus McClain
Maria Menounos
Tracy Smith
Joshua Toole
Laruen Jiggetts
Alex Sanz
Monica Novotny
Andrew Yani
Janet Choi - She is still a contributor, but no longer holds the official title of anchor
Justin Gunn

Guest Hosts

For years, Channel One has allowed celebrity guest hosts onto their show to help anchor programs and to pitch their products. The following is a list of guest hosts from 2000 and on, though the practice has been employed for years before that:

2000

Holly Beck, teen surfer (9-29-2000)
Justin Berfield, actor (10-17-2000)
Shar Jackson, actress (10-23-2000)
Vertical Horizon, music group (11-14-2000)
Jon Bon Jovi, singer (12-6-2000)

2001

O-Town, music group (1-8-2001)
Alexandra Nechita, 15 year-old artist (1-11-2001)
Rachael Leigh Cook, actress (1-16-2001)
Barrett Christy and Kevin Jones, extreme athletes (2-2-2001)
Vitamin C, singer (2-16-2001)
Martin Sheen, actor, He anchored the President's Day "Pop Quiz" (2-19-2001)
Nicole Scherzinger, Maile Misajon, Rosanna Tavarez, Ivette Sosa, Ana Maria Lombo, singers from the TV show Pop Stars (2-23-2001)
98 Degrees, music group (3-12-2001)
Melissa Joan Hart, actress (3-15-2001)
Kirsten Dunst, actress (3-22-2001)
Shawn Green, MLB Player (3-28-2001)
Julie Foudy and Brandi Chastain, Women's Professional Soccer Players (4-6-2001)
Kaci, singer (4-10-2001)
Jamie Kennedy, actor/host (5-11-2001)
Paul Pierce, NBA player (5-14-2001)
Chamique Holdsclaw, WNBA Player (8-31-2001)
Bucky Lasek, pro skateboarder (9-7-2001)
David Gallagher, actor (10-1-2001)
Soleil Moon Frye, actress (10-5-2001)
Aaron Carter, singer (10-15-2001)
Bush, rock band (10-22-2001)
Reagan Dale Neis, actress (10-26-2001)
Derek Fisher, NBA player (10-29-2001)
Jewel, singer (11-13-2001) (2nd time on the show to guest host (1995, 2001))
Antonio Davis, NBA player (11-16-2001)
Elton Brand, NBA player (11-27-2001)
Steve Nash, NBA player (12-4-2001)

2002

Shane Battier, NBA player (1-14-2002)
Dakota Moon, music group (1-29-2002)
Bob Costas, sports anchor (2-8-2002)
Speedy Claxton, NBA player (2-11-2002)
Tamecka Dixon, WNBA player (3-13-2002)
Michelle Branch, singer (4-30-2002)
Michael Olowokandi, NBA player (5-14-2002)
Jay Williams, Duke University Basketball player (5-24-2002)
Lil’ Romeo, rapper (5-30-2002)
Landon Donovan, soccer player (8-28-2002)
Monica, singer (9-5-2002)
Desmond Mason, NBA Player (10-11-2002)
T.J. Lavin, BMX Biker (10-18-2002)
Brittany Snow, actress (10-21-2002)
Paul Oakenfold, D.J. (10-23-2002)
Craig Jackson, former Channel One Anchor (10-29-2002)
Vanessa Carlton, singer (11-13-2002)
Josh Groban, singer (11-15-2002)
Bob Burnquist, pro skateboarder, promoting the Gravity Games (11-22-2002)
OK GO, music group (11-26-2002)
Alanis Morissette, singer (12-10-2002)
Kelly Clark and Ross Powers, pro snowboarders (12-19-2002)

2003

Frankie Muniz, actor (2-27-2003)
Mark Madsen, NBA Player (3-5-2003)
Amanda Bynes, actress (4-7-2003)
Craig David, singer, promoting himself (4-11-2003)
Beverley Mitchell, actress (4-21-2003)
Jeff Gordon, NASCAR driver (4-25-2003)
The All-American Rejects, band (5-2-2003)
James Marsden, actor (5-8-2003)
Lyn-Z Adams, 13 year old “pro-level skateboarder” (5-15-2003)
Tony Hawk, Professional Skateboarder (6-5-2003)
Haley Joel Osment, actor (9-8-2003)
Ryan Nyquist, extreme athlete (9-15-2003)
Chad Michael Murray, actor (10-3-2003)
Juanes, Latin Singer (10-16-2003)
Lillix, music group (11-6-2003)
Kareem Rush, professional basketball player (11-25-2003)
Brian Urlacher, professional football player (12-3-2003)
Jessica Alba, Actress (12-5-2003)
Jewel, singer (12-10-2003) (3rd time on the show to guest host (1995, 2001, 2003))
Alexi Lalas, Major League Soccer player for the Los Angeles Galaxy (12-12-2003)

2004

Bjorn Leines, ESPN X-Games Commentator, Snowboarder (1-26-2004)
Nathan West, actor (2-2-2004)
Andrew Raycroft, NHL player (2-9-2004)
Tony Gonzalez, professional football player (3-9-2004)
Josh Kelley, singer (3-19-2004)
Anne Hathaway, actress (3-23-2004)
Lindsay Lohan, actress (4-21-2004)
Jimmie Johnson, NASCAR Nextel Cup Driver (4-30-2004)
Jon Rose, professional surfer (5-14-2004)
Brandon Lloyd, professional football player (5-18-2004)
Dante Hall, professional football player (6-1-2004)
Luc Robitaille, professional hockey player (6-2-2004)
Jamie McMurray, NASCAR Nextel Cup Driver (9-2-2004)
Kaitlin Sandeno, olympic swimmer (9-27-2004)