DMA Statement: U.S. Supreme Court Denies Review of Do- Not-Call List

Louis Mastria 212.790.1529 Lmastria@the-dma.org

Jordan Cohen 212.790.1507 Jcohen@the-dma.org

NEW YORK, October 4, 2004 – The U.S. Supreme Court announced today that it will not review cases pertaining to the National Do Not Call Registry. The Direct Marketing Association (The DMA), the largest and oldest trade association in the world representing the telemarketing industry, reiterated that its members remain committed to respecting the wishes of consumers who have registered their household phone numbers on the list.

"The DMA’s members had decided earlier this year not to pursue further litigation against the National Do Not Call Registry," said John A. Greco, Jr., president & CEO, The DMA. "Our members include the vast majority of the teleservices industry, and they remain committed to respecting the wishes of those who have placed their household telephone numbers on the do-not-call list. Today’s decision changes nothing.

"Our members are pleased that the Federal Trade Commission has indicated that compliance with the registry has been exceptional, and perhaps more importantly, that consumers are acknowledging how seriously the industry regards their preferences," said Greco.

According to The DMA, the phone is a powerful marketing tool, with more than 66 million Americans having made purchases in response to a telephone marketing call last year. Teleservices will continue to generate billions of dollars in sales, and deliver millions of dollars in savings to the consumers that take advantage of shopping by phone.

The DMA’s members account for more than 80 percent of the telephone-marketing industry. Significantly, they include not only teleservices firms making calls on behalf of other companies, but also the vast majority of companies whose brands, products, and services are sold via telephone in the United States.

The case brought to the U.S. Supreme Court was not filed by The DMA.

The DMA is the leading trade association for businesses interested in interactive and database marketing, with more than 5,100 corporate, affiliate, and chapter members from the United States and 44 other nations. Founded in 1917, its members include direct marketers from every business segment as well as the nonprofit and electronic marketing sectors. Included are catalogers, Internet retailers, advertising agencies, financial services providers, book and magazine publishers, book and music clubs, retail stores, industrial manufacturers, and a host of other vertical segments, including the service industries that support them. According to a DMA-commissioned economic-impact study, direct and interactive marketing sales in the United States surpassed $2 trillion in 2003, including $134 billion in catalog sales and $41 billion in sales generated by the Internet. The DMA's Web site is www.the-dma.org, and its consumer Web site is www.shopthenet.org.

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