Wall St Journal slams telecommunications act

[dan.strassberg@att.net]

I don't know whether nonsubscribers can access articles 
at the WSJ Web site. My information comes from a look at 
the print edition of yesterday's Journal (5/3/2001) 
Pages B1 and B4. The Journal devotes almost two full 
pages to a critical review of the effects of the Law. 
None of the articles deals with the effects on over-the-
air broadcast services, but the story titles will give 
you the flavor:

The Big Telecom Disconnect (headline for the group of 
stories)

Reform Act Hasn't Delivered Promises to Consumers (That 
should be "Delivered on," but space contraints sometimes 
force headline writers to take liberties with the 
language.)

Complaints Rise as Phone-Service Problems Mount

Everybody's Got a Solution For Industry's Woes

... and the carryover heads on Page B4

Telecom Act Doesn't Deliver on Promise of Price Relief

Crossed Lines, Messed-Up Bills Lead to Increase in Phone 
Complaints

Everybody's Got a Solution--That's the Problem

Editorially, the Journal is bastion of political 
conservatism, but the paper's reporting is arguably 
second to none. So whether this special coverage's focus 
is an attempt to lay the blame on the Democrats or to 
hand out brickbats without discriminating, I won't be 
able to say until I've read it all.