Boston Globe Violates Federal Consumer Law
Tries to Sell Subscriptions by Telemarketing at Homes
            The Boston Globe tried to sell a subscription yesterday over the telephone to one of our staff members at his home even though this violates the well known federal law against such telemarketing activity.
            When confronted yesterday that she was violating federal law, the well-trained and polite telemarketer quickly responded: "Oh, are you on the 'no-call' list?" as though someone had made an innocent mistake.
            It's no secret that the Globe has had serious financial problems since its circulation has plummeted after Pinch Sulzberger terminated the Taylor family in 1999 in violation of the agreement made when the Taylors sold out to the Sulzbergers in 1993. The excuse in 1999 was that circulation was dropping so fast under the Taylors, that there was no choice but to fire them. But the circulation has been worse since the Taylors were sent packing by Pinch.  He has not been fired --- nor did the Taylors ever violate federal law as Pinch is now doing.
            The Globe has also violated littering laws by throwing its weekly advertising supplement on the lawns of suburban homes, many of which blow all over the town. The Globe originally sent its supplement via U.S. mail until someone at the Globe determined it had the right to litter the state as it wished. Although no consumer could afford to sue, a town could afford to do so and perhaps get substantial damages.
            As to the violation of the federal "no-call law", a consumer can report its violation to the Federal Communication Commission, but it's uncertain what that huge bureaucracy would do. If a reader does contact the FCC (or has already done so), we would be interested in knowing whether it was worth the effort.
            The FCC site for such complaints is at: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/tcpa.html