Gannett is the parent company to the Tennessean who make no secret of their affection for Planned Parenthood. This surely shows they hold our young people in high regard....NOT!
MSU considers suing Gannett
Student welcome packets upset university.
Student welcome packets upset university.
Dirk VanderHart • News-Leader • June 27, 2009
Missouri State University is considering a lawsuit against the News-Leader's parent company after a Gannett Co. Inc. affiliate mailed thousands of welcome packets to area college-age students.
According to MSU attorney Clifton Smart, the packets -- which contained advertisements for local businesses -- might have amounted to trademark infringement, since they mentioned the school.
"If you use the name Missouri State University in such a way to convey that Missouri State University sent out that packet, that's trademark infringement," Smart said. "Dozens of parents thought that we sent them out that packet."
He said some advertisers who participated in the mailing believed MSU had sanctioned them, though he would not give names.
Chief among the university's concerns, Smart said, was an ad for Planned Parenthood with a condom attached. In bold type at the top of the insert are the words: "Welcome to MSU!"
The packet also included ads for area apartments and hotels, a bank, an academic and football schedule, and an eight-page newspaper with articles about MSU that included ads for movie theaters, Branson shows, Dillard's and an adult store called Adam and Eve.
Nothing in the packet contained an MSU logo or symbol, nor was there a printed endorsement from MSU.
In a press release Friday, the university provided a list of requests it's made to Gannett. They are:
- That Gannett send a letter of explanation and apology to those who received the packets.
- That Gannett send a similar letter to advertisers.
- That the News-Leader publish and post online an explanation and apology.
- That no more packets are sent bearing MSU's name.
"We hope to resolve this in terms set forth in the release," Smart said.
Smart has talked with an attorney for Gannett, and it was unclear Friday what the outcome might be.
"Gannett didn't intend there to be any confusion over the origins of the Student Welcome Pack mailing," said Don Wyatt, executive editor of the News-Leader Media Group. "We intend to work with the university to make it right."
The packets were sent out by Student Welcome Pack Inc., a Florida company affiliated with the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper.
To attract local advertisers, SWP worked with the News-Leader's advertising staff, which secured contracts and sent them to Florida. According to MSU, the packet was received in mid-May by about 4,000 college-age students in the area.
Smart said the university had received nearly a hundred phone calls about the material -- mostly with concerns about the Planned Parenthood ad.
"There are a lot of people in this part of the country that have very strong moral Christian views about abortion, birth control and Planned Parenthood," he said. "It's just not something that we would have put our name on or be associated with."
Though the News-Leader has only worked with SWP on this occasion, the company has worked with local advertisers near 30 universities for years.
Missouri State University is considering a lawsuit against the News-Leader's parent company after a Gannett Co. Inc. affiliate mailed thousands of welcome packets to area college-age students.
According to MSU attorney Clifton Smart, the packets -- which contained advertisements for local businesses -- might have amounted to trademark infringement, since they mentioned the school.
"If you use the name Missouri State University in such a way to convey that Missouri State University sent out that packet, that's trademark infringement," Smart said. "Dozens of parents thought that we sent them out that packet."
He said some advertisers who participated in the mailing believed MSU had sanctioned them, though he would not give names.
Chief among the university's concerns, Smart said, was an ad for Planned Parenthood with a condom attached. In bold type at the top of the insert are the words: "Welcome to MSU!"
The packet also included ads for area apartments and hotels, a bank, an academic and football schedule, and an eight-page newspaper with articles about MSU that included ads for movie theaters, Branson shows, Dillard's and an adult store called Adam and Eve.
Nothing in the packet contained an MSU logo or symbol, nor was there a printed endorsement from MSU.
In a press release Friday, the university provided a list of requests it's made to Gannett. They are:
- That Gannett send a letter of explanation and apology to those who received the packets.
- That Gannett send a similar letter to advertisers.
- That the News-Leader publish and post online an explanation and apology.
- That no more packets are sent bearing MSU's name.
"We hope to resolve this in terms set forth in the release," Smart said.
Smart has talked with an attorney for Gannett, and it was unclear Friday what the outcome might be.
"Gannett didn't intend there to be any confusion over the origins of the Student Welcome Pack mailing," said Don Wyatt, executive editor of the News-Leader Media Group. "We intend to work with the university to make it right."
The packets were sent out by Student Welcome Pack Inc., a Florida company affiliated with the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper.
To attract local advertisers, SWP worked with the News-Leader's advertising staff, which secured contracts and sent them to Florida. According to MSU, the packet was received in mid-May by about 4,000 college-age students in the area.
Smart said the university had received nearly a hundred phone calls about the material -- mostly with concerns about the Planned Parenthood ad.
"There are a lot of people in this part of the country that have very strong moral Christian views about abortion, birth control and Planned Parenthood," he said. "It's just not something that we would have put our name on or be associated with."
Though the News-Leader has only worked with SWP on this occasion, the company has worked with local advertisers near 30 universities for years.
No comments:
Post a Comment