Attn Parents! Abramoff Stink Extends To Media (marketing in schools)

[Up2Late]

(This summery is from PR Watch, the article it refers to is from AdAge, but it requires you to register to read it. More disgusting is, just follow the links to "ChannelOne" where you can see the 12 minute video "news" that Primedia forces schools to show students in exchange for the new T.V.'s and satellite down-link units they provide schools in exchange for marketing to your kids. It's 10 minutes of "news" and pro-Government propaganda, and 2 minutes of Advertisements, plus, dozens of product placements thrown in too.)

Abramoff Stink Extends To Media

<http://www.prwatch.org/node/4366>
Source: Advertising Age, January 11, 2006

Disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff's media clients included the Magazine Publishers Association (MPA) and Primedia. For MPA, Abramoff "and an unidentified Congressional aide worked to stave off an increase in postal rates - a significant benefit for an industry that depends on the postal service," reported the New York Times. In 2000, MPA contributed $25,000 to "Toward Tradition," a group Abramoff allegedly used to funnel money. Primedia employed Abramoff and associate Tony Rudy from 1999 through 2003, to lobby for Channel One. "Although it is not clear what Mr. Abramoff's firm did for Channel One, the network has faced a number of legislative threats," reports AdAge, including proposed "regulations to limit how marketers reach students. Channel One also derived much of its ad revenue from government agencies, including the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and military recruitment efforts." A Primedia spokesman said Abramoff's Channel One work "did not include any effort to secure government agency advertising."

<http://www.prwatch.org/node/4366>

PRIMEDIA EMPLOYED LOBBYIST ABRAMOFF FOR CHANNEL ONE

Controversial In-School Network Faced Several Legislative Threats
January 11, 2006
QwikFIND ID: AAR30D
By Ira Teinowitz

WASHINGTON (AdAge.com) -- Add Primedia to the list of media clients caught up in the Jack Abramoff lobbying disclosures. Mr. Abramoff’s guilty plea has sparked expectations that it would affect members of Congress, and it’s already emerged that he worked as a lobbyist for the Magazine Publishers Association on postal reform issues. But he and his firms also served as lobbyist for Primedia and for its Channel One from 1999 through 2003, according to U.S. Senate and House records.

Lobby disclosure forms show Primedia as employing Mr. Abramoff and Tony Rudy and their lobbying firms over several years, with work for Channel One and other company entities. Mr. Abramoff has offered a guilty plea to various charges of trying to illegally influence legislators, while Mr. Rudy, a former chief of staff to Rep. Tom DeLay, has been identified in media reports as an unnamed official cited in court documents related to Mr. Abramoff’s case.

In a statement, the company acknowledged using Mr. Abramoff and his firm but said only that “Abramoff and Greenberg Traurig” -- one of the firms Mr. Abramoff worked for -- “worked for Primedia several years ago. The work was performed well and was on budget.” Primedia jettisoned the lobbying firms in early 2004.

Unclear connection
Although it is not clear what Mr. Abramoff’s firm did for Channel One, the network has faced a number of legislative threats, as critics of in-school advertising have pushed for regulations to limit how marketers reach students. Channel One also derived much of its ad revenue from government agencies, including the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and military recruitment efforts, all of which are subject to having their spending curtailed or increased by acts of Congress.

(more at link below, Free registration required)

<http://www.adage.com/news.cms?newsId=47427>

[BuyingThyme]

1. Vomit Reed was a Channel One guy also.

[Up2Late]

2. kick n/t

:kick:

[Nikki Stone 1]

3. Abramoff and co: one of the better arguments for home schooling

:(

[Up2Late]

4. kick n/t

:kick: