Foundation Critical of Philadelphia Inquirer forAdvertising Apology; Family Planning Ad Received...

Business Editors

LOS ALTOS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 4, 2000

The David and Lucile Packard Foundation -- the second largest philanthropy in the United States -- criticized the Philadelphia Inquirer for an apology that the paper ran on Sunday about the placement of an advertisement

The ad was part of the PLANet campaign to raise awareness, understanding and support of international family planning. It is a collaboration among some of the most prominent organizations advocating for women, children and the environment: CARE, National Audubon Society, Planned Parenthood(R) Federation of America, Population Action International, and Save the Children.

The Inquirer ran an apology to its readers for placing the family planning ad in a story about Mother Katherine Drexel, which said, "The Inquirer apologizes to anyone offended by the placement of the advertisement."

"It's surprising that the Philadelphia Inquirer would apologize to readers about an ad providing information about international family planning. Polls have shown that 92% of Americans agree that everyone should have the right to determine their family size. Their readers probably agree that these are services that save the lives of women and children and enhance the health of families," said Dr. Sarah Clark, director of the Packard Foundation's Population Program.

Dr. Clark continues, "The Inquirer's apology implies that all of their advertising must support the content of the stories. This is not characteristic of the newspapers I know."

The David and Lucile Packard Foundation is a private family foundation created in 1964 by David Packard (1912-1996), co-founder of the Hewlett-Packard Company, and Lucile Salter Packard (1914-1987). The Foundation provides grants to nonprofit organizations in the following broad program areas: conservation; population; science; children, families, and communities; arts; organizational effectiveness; and philanthropy. The Foundation makes grants at the national and international level. The Foundation's assets were approximately $17 billion as of June 30, 2000. Grant awards totaled approximately $411 million in 1999, and the Foundation expects to make grants of approximately $500 million in 2000.