Barnes and Noble 11-27-04



		NAC Action Alert BARNES & NOBLE November 27, 2004

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******************************************************************** NATURIST ACTION COMMITTEE ACTION ALERT ****************************************************************** http://www.naturistsociety.com/NAC/ ****************************************************************** Copyright 2004 by the Naturist Action Committee, which is responsible for its content. Permission is granted for the posting, forwarding or redistribution of this message, provided that it is reproduced in its entirety and without alteration. DATE : November 27, 2004 SUBJECT: Barnes & Noble TO : All naturists Dear Naturist, The Naturist Society (TNS) has learned through one of its distributors that Nude & Natural magazine will no longer be accepted for retail sale by Barnes & Noble, Inc. Other naturist periodicals are also affected by the giant book seller's decision, which Barnes & Noble says is a response to "the concerns of our customers." Meanwhile, magazines like Playboy and Penthouse are unaffected by the new position and will continue to be sold. The selective focus on naturist magazines for total removal from an enormous national newsstand is a dangerous and outrageous turn of events. The Naturist Action Committee is asking you to write to the Chief Executive Officer of Barnes & Noble to express your outrage. DISCUSSION Barnes & Noble, Inc. is the largest retail book seller in North America. The company operates 647 Barnes & Noble, Bookstop and Bookstar stores and 195 B. Dalton bookstores and Doubleday Bookshops throughout 49 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. The giant retailer will record close to 6 billion dollars in sales during 2004. Public newsstand sales of Nude & Natural magazine are an important outreach to those who are not naturists. Although a certain small number of curiosity seekers may purchase the magazine hoping to spot something salacious, they will find themselves quickly disappointed. The target audience for newsstand sales is the genuinely inquisitive individual who seeks to learn more about naturism. Naturists are harmed by Barnes & Noble's selective denial of access to a valuable audience through its large commercial channel. Through a spokesperson, Barnes & Noble has said that it is responding to the wishes of its customers. The corporation will not identify the particular customers or group to which it is responding and has declared that it will not discuss details of its distribution and stocking decisions. There is speculation that the move came as a result of a staged objection, not to Nude & Natural magazine itself, but to a different publication of the same genre. Two other periodicals were eliminated at the same time from the retail shelves of Barnes & Noble: H&E Naturist and Travel Naturally. The decision to deny naturist publications a significant channel to the public must not be accepted quietly. NAC ASKS YOU TO CONTACT THE CEO OF BARNES & NOBLE The Naturist Action Committee requests that you write to the Chief Executive Officer of Barnes & Noble, Inc. E-mail is fast and efficient, but NAC has become aware that it will almost certainly be ignored in this case. We ask that you send your comments by conventional mail to: Mr. Steve Riggio CEO, Barnes & Noble, Inc. 122 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10011 WHO SHOULD WRITE? NAC is asking ALL CONCERNED INDIVIDUALS to write. WHAT SHOULD I SAY? When you write, be sure to give your name and address. Anonymous correspondence is typically ignored. Be polite. Carefully express your outrage and your resentment, if you wish, but avoid threats and name-calling. In your message, state very clearly that you OPPOSE the decision to remove Nude & Natural and other naturist periodicals from the newsstands at Barnes & Noble stores. SOME POINTS TO CONSIDER 1) Please use your own words. Cookie-cutter letters are far less effective than genuine personal sentiment. 2) The decision is unwise, unfair and discriminatory. 3) The term "censorship" applies more accurately to a policy or action of a government, not the choice of a commercial company. But when the company is as large and pervasive as Barnes & Noble, it's difficult from a practical standpoint to distinguish its exclusion of naturist publications from outright censorship. 4) If it's about nudity, the decision to remove Nude & Natural magazine while continuing to sell Playboy and Penthouse is inconsistent and hypocritical. 5) Book sellers have the right to choose which books and periodicals they sell, but when the largest book seller in North America allows pressure from a special interest group to force selective elimination of an entire category, it amounts to a dangerous commercial manipulation of thoughts, ideas and philosophies. 6) In your letter, please request very clearly the return of Nude & Natural magazine to the newsstand shelves at Barnes & Noble. WHAT ELSE CAN I DO? Barnes & Noble is somewhat sensitive (if not predictably responsive) to inquiries and comments made by customers at its local retail outlets. If you want to do more, visit a Barnes & Noble store in your community and ask the manager to explain why naturist periodicals will no longer be available there. You won't be given an answer, but if the question is asked enough, that fact will be reported to corporate headquarters. WHAT IS NAC DOING? The Naturist Action Committee is working closely on this issue with The Naturist Society. Legal action is always an option in cases of apparent restraint of trade, but in the initial stages, consumer outcry is often a far more effective tool. NAC understands both. PLEASE HELP NAC HELP NATURISTS THROUGHOUT NORTH AMERICA** The Naturist Action Committee exists to advance and protect the rights of naturists throughout North America. NAC is a volunteer nonprofit organization that relies on the grass roots participation of those who understand that individuals working together can make a difference. NAC has no membership roster on which to assess dues, and it relies completely on voluntary contributions from concerned and involved naturists like you. Monitoring lawmakers and coordinating action across North America is expensive. Won't you take a moment to help NAC by sending a generous donation? You may send your donation to the address below, or you may call toll free (800) 886-7230 during normal office hours to donate by phone using your MasterCard or Visa. NAC PO Box 132 Oshkosh, WI 54903 Thank you for choosing to make a difference! Naturally, Bob Morton Chairman and Executive Director Naturist Action Committee ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Naturist Action Committee (NAC) - PO Box 132, Oshkosh, WI 54903 Bob Morton - Executive Dir. - <ctnudists@aol.com> Online Rep. Dennis Kirkpatrick - <naturist@sunclad.com> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Top \| Return to Current NAC Action Alerts \| Return to NAC Home Page \|