Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live At Daybreak
'Do Not Call' on Hold
Aired September 25, 2003 - 06:37 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: The national "do not call" list is on hold, at least for now. A judge has blocked efforts aimed at shutting out telemarketers, but lawmakers are putting up a fight.
Our Skip Loescher joins us live from Washington with the latest on this.
Skip -- what happened?
SKIP LOESCHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Here's what happened. Millions of Americans thought they might be getting a break on telephone solicitations beginning next Monday -- make it next Wednesday. But as it turns out right now, they may have been wrong.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LOESCHER (voice-over): It's just what the telemarketing industry wanted to hear.
TIM SEARCY, AMERICAN TELESERVICES ASSOCIATION: We're very pleased. I mean, it's obviously a great deal for us that the industry is going to receive a bit of relief.
LOESCHER: The relief comes from a federal court in Oklahoma, which ruled that the Federal Trade Commission does not have the authority to decide what commercial messages people receive or don't receive.
BOB WIENTZEN, DIRECT MARKETING ASSOCIATION: We really don't think that the federal government should act here on behalf of consumers.
LOESCHER: The industry claims the list would cost $40 billion in lost business and two million jobs. But members of Congress say it's an idea too popular to ignore.
REP. BILLY TAUZIN (R-LA), ENERGY COMMERCE CHAIRMAN: It is something that Americans -- 50 million Americans have said they absolutely want the advantage of.
LOESCHER: And millions of Americans signed up to keep telemarketers from calling them, or face a fine.
JOHN DINGELL (D), MICHIGAN: The American people do not want these miserable calls. They regard them as a particular annoyance when they're eating dinner. And as I have observed earlier, they're as popular as a skunk at a church picnic.
LOESCHER: The "do not call" provision was due to take effect October 1. That's next Wednesday. The FTC hopes the ruling will be overturned by a higher court, and members of Congress say they'll take action if necessary.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
After all, when more than 50 million people say they want something to happen, then politicians, members of Congress will try to give them what they want.
We're live in Washington. I'm Skip Loescher.
Carol -- back to you.
LIN: All right, thank you very much, Skip. We'll see what happens.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired September 25, 2003 - 06:37 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: The national "do not call" list is on hold, at least for now. A judge has blocked efforts aimed at shutting out telemarketers, but lawmakers are putting up a fight.
Our Skip Loescher joins us live from Washington with the latest on this.
Skip -- what happened?
SKIP LOESCHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Here's what happened. Millions of Americans thought they might be getting a break on telephone solicitations beginning next Monday -- make it next Wednesday. But as it turns out right now, they may have been wrong.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LOESCHER (voice-over): It's just what the telemarketing industry wanted to hear.
TIM SEARCY, AMERICAN TELESERVICES ASSOCIATION: We're very pleased. I mean, it's obviously a great deal for us that the industry is going to receive a bit of relief.
LOESCHER: The relief comes from a federal court in Oklahoma, which ruled that the Federal Trade Commission does not have the authority to decide what commercial messages people receive or don't receive.
BOB WIENTZEN, DIRECT MARKETING ASSOCIATION: We really don't think that the federal government should act here on behalf of consumers.
LOESCHER: The industry claims the list would cost $40 billion in lost business and two million jobs. But members of Congress say it's an idea too popular to ignore.
REP. BILLY TAUZIN (R-LA), ENERGY COMMERCE CHAIRMAN: It is something that Americans -- 50 million Americans have said they absolutely want the advantage of.
LOESCHER: And millions of Americans signed up to keep telemarketers from calling them, or face a fine.
JOHN DINGELL (D), MICHIGAN: The American people do not want these miserable calls. They regard them as a particular annoyance when they're eating dinner. And as I have observed earlier, they're as popular as a skunk at a church picnic.
LOESCHER: The "do not call" provision was due to take effect October 1. That's next Wednesday. The FTC hopes the ruling will be overturned by a higher court, and members of Congress say they'll take action if necessary.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
After all, when more than 50 million people say they want something to happen, then politicians, members of Congress will try to give them what they want.
We're live in Washington. I'm Skip Loescher.
Carol -- back to you.
LIN: All right, thank you very much, Skip. We'll see what happens.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
