ArtBell.com CD-ROM

7/2/2001

STATEMENT ISSUED TODAY BY PREMIERE RADIO NETWORKS , INC

For the past two years, a scurrilous email disparaging Filipino people has been circulating on the Internet purporting to be from nationally syndicated radio talk show host Art Bell. The email is a hoax.

Premiere Radio Networks, Inc., syndicator of Coast to Coast, Art Bell’s very successful overnight radio program, has, for many months, posted a notice on www.artbell.com denouncing this email and revealing it as fraudulent. Every email sent to the Art Bell web site in response to this vicious attack on Filipinos, is individually answered with the information that Mr. Bell is not the author of the statement, nor do the contents in any way reflect his views.

Despite these best efforts, the email continues to circulate. On Sunday, July 1, 2001 it was picked up by a columnist in a Philippine newspaper, who printed parts of the email and attributed it to Art Bell. Today, July 2, the same paper printed a lengthy retraction which began, “Nevada-based radio talk show host Art Bell is in no way connected to a ‘malicious and vile email’ that insults Filipinos and that has been attributed to him.”

The retraction was a response to a letter sent to the paper by Gerard Fox, Mr. Bell’s legal counsel, which read, in part, “Even a cursory glance at Mr. Bell’s website or an inquiry sent to Mr. Bell would have established the e-mail was a fraudulent Internet posting not written by Art Bell”.

The retraction stated, “The Inquirer apologizes for its failure to investigate the source of the e-mail. It regrets the error.”

In a statement posted today on www.artbell.com Premiere Radio Networks is requesting any hard evidence anyone may have about the author that would allow the company to identify him or her and hold them accountable. The email originated on a computer at the University of California at San Diego.