Petrelis Files

Forwarded Message:

Subj: Re: [AEGiS] NEW YORK TIMES
Date: 5/7/2004 2:14:52 PM Central Daylight Time
From: mary@aegis.org
To: bobby_armstrong@att.net
Sent from the Internet (Details)

Dear Bobby,

Thank you very much.

I didn't post Michael's contacts at the Times. I've included them below:


>Catherine Mathis
>VP, Corporate Communications
>The New York Times Company
>212-556-1981 (office)
>917-593-7425 (cell)
>mathis@nytimes.com

Arthur Sulzberger Jr.; asulz@nytimes.com

Sulzberger, I believe, is the
Chairman of the Board.

Again, thank you for your support in this endeavor.

Warm regards,
Mary Elizabeth

-

At 11:42 5/7/2004, you wrote:
>Dear Mary Elisabeth,
>
>I passed your message on to our gaypoz group in the hopes that among our
>subscribers there may be some who hold The New York Times stock and will
>support Mr. Petrelis.
>
>I have also passed this information on to a friend who is an Executive
>at CBS Entertainment and is/was the Chair of the AIDS Service center in
>Pasadena, California.
>
>He may also know folks who are stockholders in The New York Times. He
>may own stock himself!
>
>I shall also pass this information on to friends at my own Anglican
>parish, St. Bartholomew's, Park Avenue and 51st Street, New York.
>
>Thanks for you good work!
>
>Bobby
>
>Robert K Armstrong
>New York City
>List Administrator and member of the Board of Directors
>Positive Lists, Inc.

>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Mary Elizabeth"
>To: "aids"
>Sent: Friday, 07 May, 2004 13:26
>Subject: [AEGiS] NEW YORK TIMES
>
>
> > For the past 12 years AEGiS has tried unsuccessfully to obtain the
>right to
> > reproduce, archive, and disseminate New York Times staff-produced
>articles
> > relating to the AIDS-pandemic.
> >
> > This past month AEGiS received a vote of confidence from Michael
>Petrelis,
> > when he attended a New York Times stockholder's meeting to protest
>lack of
> > corporate accountability.

From the transcript of the meeting:
> >
> > "MR. PETRELIS: Finally, an issue very dear to me, because I had to
>borrow
> > the money to buy stock in this Company and borrow the money to come
>here. I
> > can't afford to buy former AIDS and HIV stories on The Times's
>Website. I
> > go to a Website called Aegis.[org]. It's run by a Catholic nun in
> > California, and The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, all
>make
> > their HIV/AIDS stories available to her for free, especially for AIDS
> > patients like me who are on Social Security disability who can't
>afford the
> > fee, if you want an old story from The Times. I've had some problems
>with
> > Times's AIDS stories, but for the history of the AIDS epidemic, The
>Times
> > should make the stories available to us. We should be able to look
>without
> > fee at stories by Gina Kolata, for example. So please, consider making
>the
> > AIDS archives available to Sister Mary Elizabeth for free.
> >
> > "CHAIRMAN SULZBERGER: We will indeed, and we will get back to you on
>those
> > other questions you posed, as I promised we would when we were
>talking.
> >
> > "MR. PETRELIS: So you'll e-mail me?
> >
> > "CHAIRMAN SULZBERGER: Yes, we'll get you something. As you know, it's
>been
> > a busy day. I have your e-mail in my queue, I printed it out and we'll
>get
> > back to you."[snip]


> >
> > The approach taken by Michael Petrelis was, indeed, novel. He had
> > purchased a small amount of stock in the New York Times, giving him a
>voice
> > at the annual stockholder's meeting.
> >
> > Within hours of reading about Michael's action, another stock holder
>wrote
> > asking that due consideration be given to his request, and that the
>Times'
> > due grant permission to AEGiS.
> >
> > If you own stock in the New York Times, I urge you to write to the
>board
> > president, and ask him to grant Mr. Petrelis request. If you know
>someone
> > that holds stock in the Times, ask them to write.
> >
> > Together, we CAN, make a difference!