Channel One
The opposition of the San Diego schools superintendent and the school board to the Channel One proposal is highly regrettable. Channel One offers a 10-minute daily newscast, plus the use of TV equipment, in exchange for a two-minute advertisement.
There are conspicuous advantages in adopting this offer. One, students’ documented ignorance of current affairs could be partially rectified.
Two, a unique opportunity for students to study advertising in an analytic and critical way, in a controlled situation would be realized. Advertising could be explored in its potential as a respectable future job. The critical function of advertising in our free-enterprise economic system could be considered.
Three, advertising essentially is a persuasive force. At present there is an epidemic of students’ attacking or shooting each other as the result of trivial disputes. Learning from ads how persuasion works could help ameliorate this explosive situation.
It is tragic that local school districts have been intimidated against the use of Channel One. The spiteful and biased arrogance of (state school Supt. Bill) Honig in this respect is a threat to our students’ educational development.
PATRICK GROFF, San Diego
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