Group urges TV station to pull AT&T ads

The Media Access Project, a public interest law firm that opposes AT&T's proposed merger with T-Mobile, is urging a Washington television station to pull AT&T's ads supporting the deal, arguing they are misleading.

In a letter to CBS affiliate WUSA, the group's policy director, Andrew Schwartzman, argues the ads contain "numerous misleading and questionable claims." In particular, he says AT&T has not produced enough evidence to support its claim that the merger will create as many as 96,000 jobs and lead to $8 billion of additional investment.

 AT&T makes those claims in ads airing in prime slots, including during professional football games.

Schwartzman points out that the study on which the estimates are based refers to 96,000 "job years," and not individual jobs. Additionally, he argues that the estimates do not account for job cuts that could result from the merger.

He says the television station should remove the ads because of its duty to serve the public's interest under its broadcast license agreement with the Federal Communications Commission. The letter points out that the FCC requires stations to "take all reasonable measures to eliminate any false, misleading or deceptive matter," including from advertisements.

AT&T slammed the Media Access Project for trying to restrict free speech.

“How odd for a group called the Media Access Project to be working to limit media access. Or free speech rights,” Jim Cicconi, AT&T senior executive vice president for external and legislative affairs, said in an email.  

The Justice Department has sued to block the planned merger, arguing that it would violate antitrust law by stifling competition. The FCC is also conducting its own review of the deal to determine if it is in the public's interest.  

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