CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF MEDIA EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS

 

 

CAMEO Efforts Related To YNN

Introduction:

Youth News Network (YNN) is a Canadian organization operating under the name of Athena Educational Partners, Inc. It is best described as a copy of the US program, Channel One, although there are no proven connections between the two enterprises . Since 1992, Rod MacDonald, YNN's proprietor, has been trying to establish the YNN program in Canadian high schools - so far without success.

YNN operates on the basis of requiring schools to have their student population view a daily 12.5 minute video program provided by YNN. The program consists of some 10 minutes of "news" and "current events" reporting, and 2.5 minutes of commercials. One 30second spot in the 2.5 commercial minutes is said to be set aside for public service announcements (PSAs). For signing a five-year contract the school receives the loan of some electronic equipment in the form of video monitors in each teaching space, some video and editing equipment, some computers, a satellite hook-up and wiring.

YNN promises to develop other services that could be operated using the same equipment, such as satellite fed curriculum materials, inservice programs for teachers and adult education programs. In some of these instances it is suggested that YNN should enjoy use of space in the school without charge. There are also rumours from YNN of future deals of revenue sharing.

A number of groups and organizations have organized themselves into a loose alliance to resist the advent of YNN in Canadian schools. This alliance includes teacher groups, organizations and federations, organized parent groups, student groups, religious groups, media educators among many others. The opposition to YNN is based upon many problems which the program raises, all of which are fully discussed in the pages that follow in this website.

Two of these issues arise constantly:

  1. no commercial "partnership" in schools must ever be allowed to have access to compulsory time in the daily schedule of all students

  2. the ethical issue of the introduction of commercial messages for compulsory viewing by all students as a daily activity is not negotiable.

This page contains a number of articles from the press, essays by advocates, letters, charts, statistics, opinion pieces and reports.

In The Press:

  1. CAMEO Press Release - February 11, 1999

  2. Canadian Teachers' Federation Press Release - March 1, 1999

  3. Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation Press Release - February 9, 1999

  4. Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation District 19 statement - February 22, 1999

  5. British Columbia Teachers Federation Press Release - February 1999

  6. Cable in the Classroom Press Release - February 25, 1999

  7. Michelle Landsberg's Column in The Toronto Star - February 21, 1999

  8. National Post Article - February 22, 1999

  9. Halifax Herald - Jo Ann Sherwood - February 27, 1999

  10. Halifax Daily News - Peter McLaughlin - February 27, 1999

  11. Halifax Daily News - Parker Donham - February 28, 1999

  12. Winnipeg Free Press Article - March 2, 1999

  13. Article no longer available

  14. Catholic New Times - Ted Schmidt - March 1999

  15. Summary of Reasons to Oppose YNN - Chris Worsnop - February 1999

  16. Background Article on Channel One (The USA version of YNN)

  17. Toronto Star, March 8, 1999

  18. The Slant On Sechelt - Part One

  19. The Slant On Sechelt - Part Two

  20. OFHSA Statement

  21. What Is The Cost of "Free" Equipment?

  22. YNN and Media Literacy

  23. YNN and the News

  24. Lets signal "No" to TV Networks in Schools.

  25. YNN Acknowledges Opposition.

  26. Manitoba Teacher's Society Fax.

  27. BC Minister of Education Rejects YNN

  28. Youth News Network: They're back!

  29. Statement of the Ontario Council of Catholic Bishops on YNN

  30. NSFHSA Strongly Against YNN Invasion

  31. No in-school ads, union report says Stance could set stage for battle over YNN

  32. C.A.P.E. Opposition To YNN

  33. Nova Scotia Says No to YNN

  34. SCREENING IMAGES He's Back!!

  35. Legault looks at legality of YNN

  36. Margaret Wente on high-school kids for sale

  37. A potential vehicle for propaganda

  38. YNN Ads to reach kids in Grade

  39. Elementary Teachers say YNN not welcome in Ontario's public schools

  40. Manitoba: School Divisions No. 9, 19, 32, 35 and 46

  41. Youth News Network slow to hit classrooms

  42. OSSTF Replies to YNN

  43. Saskatchewan Minister Says No To YNN

  44. Saskatchewan Teachers and YNN

  45. YNN gets rough ride at meeting

  46. Notes from the YNN Presentation to the Sudbury Community

  47. Opposition to YNN widespread: union chief: Network wants to air educational programs and commercials in high school classrooms

  48. National Groups Opposed To YNN

  49. Informational Background Material on YNN from the Media Awareness Network

  50. Marketing to Teens: A Captive Audience.