Prodigy faces big shake-up, new strategy
Article Abstract:
Prodigy Services Co is in the midst of a major shake-up that will take away power from officials in charge of programming the information service and give it to marketers. At least six top programmers have left Prodigy, including senior VP Henry Heilbrunn. Eventually, Prodigy may cut its work force by as many as 1,100 employees. Industry observers say President Ross Glatzer wants to make Prodigy more responsive to rapid changes in consumer communications technologies. The company may not post a profit before 1994 or 1995. Sears and IBM, the two companies that co-founded Prodigy, are having their own problems and can ill-afford to keep investing money in the information service. Prodigy officials want to extend the service to other media beside personal computers, such as cable television.
Publication Name: The Wall Street Journal Western Edition
Subject: Business, general
ISSN: 0193-2241
Year: 1993
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Prodigy computer network bans bias notes from bulletin board
Article Abstract:
Prodigy Services Co, in a new policy stemming from complaints made by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), bans bigoted and racist messages from its electronic bulletin board. The ADL first sent a letter of complaint regarding five messages in praise of Hitler and the Holocaust to Prodigy Chmn Theodore Papes on Jul 31, 1991. Seven similar messages were also sent to the press. The company, in the name of free expression,, defended the allowance of such messages on its network. Another ADL complaint was then sent to Prodigy co-owner IBM in Sep, 1991, which drew a personal response from Papes stating that Prodigy rejects messages that are beyond 'reasonable expression.' Prodigy has since expanded its 'definition of offensiveness', and will implement its new guidelines immediately.
Publication Name: The Wall Street Journal Western Edition
Subject: Business, general
ISSN: 0193-2241
Year: 1991
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Prodigy network defends display of anti-Semitic notes
Article Abstract:
The Prodigy network is under criticism for allowing the transmission of explicitly antisemitic notes while having projected a policy of forbidding 'obscene, profane or otherwise offensive references.' Its response to a recent accusation by the Anti-Defamation League was that though the comments in question may be repugnant, they fall within Prodigy's guidelines. Prodigy created a controversy in 1990 when it banned a group of users that were protesting Prodigy's policies. It also created a furor when it killed messages from collectors asking for 'Roosevelt dimes' and 'Winston Churchill memorabilia,' mistaking the purpose of the messages.
Publication Name: The Wall Street Journal Western Edition
Subject: Business, general
ISSN: 0193-2241
Year: 1991
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