A Public Misinformed

August 13, 1998

Mr. Mark Findlay Via Facsimile to 814/456-0292
WLKK News Radio 1400
18 West 9th Street
Erie, PA 16501

Dear Mr. Findlay:

I only heard a very brief segment of your show yesterday (8/12/98) concerning theft of cable and was dismayed by what I heard. It is my professional opinion that you are doing your listeners a disservice by recklessly advising them not to respond to correspondence once they have been identified as being involved in cable signal theft., or
otherwise encourage them to steal from the cable company. Whether or not you agree with the cable company in terms of its rates, programming, ownership, or operation is irrelevant. Your obvious bias against the cable company has seemed to cloud your sensibilities when it comes to the law as related to theft of service.
    While I do not intend to address your situational ethics and morality, I would like to respond the more pertinent issue of cable signal theft. The fact is, theft of cable service is illegal and in the Erie market alone, is responsible for the loss of over 1 million dollars per year in revenue. Possessing, selling or using any instrument, including but not
limited to “black boxes” is illegal under the PA Crimes Code section 910 and theft of service is defined under section 3926. Federal law also addresses this issue under 47 USC Section 302. Over the past two years, I have identified numerous people engaged in various levels of cable theft. Some were simply caught stealing cable services for their
own private use. Others, on the other hand, have been caught selling hundreds and even thousands of illegal converter boxes, making tens of thousands of dollars of unreported income. In many instances, they were involved in other criminal activity unrelated to cable theft. In all cases, however, the cable company and its legitimate subscribers are
the victims as this is not a victimless crime as you would like your listeners to believe.
    I am not so naive to think that anything that I could write or say would change your view of this issue. However, I will state on the record that I am continuing my investigation on behalf of Cablevision. Those individuals who are identified and caught engaging in this criminal activity will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law under
the appropriate state and federal statutes.
    Additionally, civil remedies will be pursued as allowed by law. If you choose to advocate or even encourage your listeners to steal cable service, use illegally modified converter boxes, or engage in other criminal activity, I suggest that you balance your solicitation with the legal facts presented herein.


Very truly yours,


(Via Facsimile)
Douglas J. Hagmann, Director
Licensed Investigator
Hagmann Investigative Services, Inc.

8/14/98: In response to the above and in his apparent inability to discuss factual matters on an intellectual basis, Mr. Findlay resorted to name calling during his 8/14/98 broadcast. He illustrated his integrity and ethics by calling this author an idiot as well as an "anal probing goof" during his show.