NEW YORK — Channel One, the preeminent news and public affairs content provider reaching almost eight million students in nearly 12,000 middle schools and high schools, is partnering with the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, one of the nation’s largest private foundations and a promoter of journalism excellence, to increase students’ awareness of the rights and freedoms of the First Amendment.
The partnership’s first project will be to promote Constitution Day on September 16th, when educators nationwide will teach about the nation’s most important document. Channel One, which reaches more than 30 percent of American teens, will call attention to the free lessons and teaching materials available for the day through use of an engaging mix of broadcast and online content targeted to teens and educators.
“Three of four high school students either don’t know about or don’t care about the First Amendment,” said Alberto Ibargüen, Knight Foundation president and CEO. “If our nation is to be governed well by the coming generations, that sad statistic must change.”
Channel One’s line up of dedicated content will include special programming via Channel One News, on channelone.com and through ipod downloads. Access to teaching resources and lesson plans, polls, and Q&A with experts on the Constitution will supplement the programming. Knight Foundation’s educational resource, teachfirstamendment.org, provides access to free lesson plans, teaching guides and other useful tools to make it easy for high school teachers and administrators to bring the First Amendment into classrooms. Now underway, the combined efforts of this partnership will lead into the first ever nationwide celebration of Constitution Day.
“Our mission is to align with foundations and philanthropies equally committed to empowering and inspiring teens inside and beyond the classroom,” said Judy L. Harris, president and CEO of Channel One. “Knight Foundation has built an admirable legacy in helping to promote excellence in journalism and spreading an appreciation of the First Amendment is imperative in reaching that objective. We’re excited to come together and educate on such a tremendous subject.”
For resources, links and information on the Constitution, visit www.channelone.com or www.teachfirstamendment.org.
Knight Foundation grantees and partners in support of more First Amendment education in America’s schools include: the Campaign Civic Mission of Schools, the Student Press Law Center, the American Society of Newspaper Editors, the Radio and Television News Directors Foundation, the Bill of Rights Institute, J-Ideas at Ball State University and the Freedom Forum’s First Amendment Schools project.
Beyond September 16th, Channel One and the Knight Foundation will collaborate and identify new opportunities in support of journalistic excellence among our nation’s teens.
Now in its 15th year of broadcasting, Peabody Award-winning Channel One News is the leading source of news and information for young people. The 12-minute news broadcasts are delivered daily. Channel One News and its award-winning Web site, www.channelone.com, feature stories on breaking news and relevant issues that affect the world, the nation and, specifically, America’s teenagers.
About Channel One
A PRIMEDIA (PRM) company in its 15th year of broadcasting, Peabody Award-winning Channel One is the preeminent news and public affairs content provider reaching almost eight million teens in nearly 12,000 middle schools and high schools across the country. In recent months, Channel One News has covered fast-breaking world events from regions such as Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Jordan, Cuba, Venezuela, North Korea, Myanmar, and Qatar. Channel One News programming has been featured on leading networks and news programs, including CNN, ABC News, the WB, Nightline, and The Today Show. Visit the Webby Award-winning website www.channelone.com to learn more.
About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation promotes excellence in journalism worldwide and invests in the vitality of 26 U.S. communities. Since 1950, the foundation has approved more than $260 million in journalism grants. For more information, visit www.knightfdn.org.