Pen-Lers,
In the interests of fair play and a generally good mix-it-up,
here is one phone industry response to the Jeff Chester piece
on Electronic Redlining. Posted by: Sam Lanfranco, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 24 May 1994 16:56:20 -0500
From: Jeff Richards <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: Multiple recipients of list <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: Groups Fight Electronic Redlining
In light of the recent press stories, we thought the readers of this list
would be interested in the attached news release. It is also available by
gopher and Anonymous FTP at bell.com were additional information will be
posted when available.
Jeff Richards
MFJ Task Force | Internet: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
PACIFIC*TELESIS -----------------------------------NEWS
Group-Washington
CONTACT: Robert W. Stewart/Director Corporate Communications
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Redlining Report is "Superficial,"
"Inadequate," Bell Official Says
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Washington, May 24 A report accusing four Bell Companies of
by-passing poor and minority neighborhoods as they begin construction of
the communications superhighway is "one of the most inadequate and
superficial analyses I've ever seen," a top Pacific Telesis official told
reporters today.
At a forum sponsored by the National Press Foundation, Telesis Vice
President for Washington Operations Ronald F. Stowe said the document
"ought to embarrass the sponsors."
Stowe was joined on a six-member panel by Jeffrey Chester, executive
director of the Center for Media Education, one of the "redlining"
report's chief sponsors. The event was held at the National Press Club.
Specifically, Stowe said the "redlining" report is misleading because
it focusses on the earliest deployment plans for the new, interactive
network being built by Pacific Telesis Group in California.
Pacific Telesis has said it will wire nearly 5 million homes, about
half those in the state, for new, two-way video and data services by 2000,
and bring the network to every home in California by 2010.
"The build-out program in California is based...on reaching every
single home, every single school, every single library...over a very
specific length of time," Stowe said.
"I would suggest that they chose the communities they're featuring
just because the construction program doesn't cover them in the first six
months, to get a snappy headline."
Even more misleading, Stowe said, is the report's failure to include
Asian- Americans among the ethnic groups targeted for analysis. The
"redlining" report examined advanced network deployment only as it affects
African-American and Hispanic populations.
"It totally ignores our construction program covering major sectors
of the Asian community, which the people putting this report together
either didn't care about or chose to ignore...
"Nobody even bothered to ask. Of course, they didn't ask because that
would have made it seem like a much more balanced build-out program. And
that wouldn't have made a good headline.
"I think this report is a terrible disservice," Stowe concluded.
In addition to the Center for Media Education, headed by Chester,
sponsors of the report include the Consumer Federation of America. The
report is critical of advanced network construction plans filed with the
Federal Communications Commission by Pacific Telesis, Ameritech, Bell
Atlantic and U S WEST.
In response to Stowe's comments, Chester told the forum audience, "I
just want to underscore the confidence that we have in our report, and I
urge you all to read it."
Pacific Telesis Group is a diversified telecommunications company
based in San Francisco. It is the parent of Pacific Bell, which provides
local telephone service throughout most of California, and Nevada Bell,
the local telephone company in much of Nevada.
# # #
