I initially got an email, then phone call from this number, re the possibility of having a video produced by Insights with Hugh Downs, if we paid $22,900 plus $3000 filming at my location cost. Promise to have video distributed on YouTube, nationally on public TV and well as regionally and told their distribution budget was $1.3 million. Apparently this company regularly changes their name and as of Sept 2009, was soliciting under the name Insights.
Go to: http://floridapayforplayexposed.blogspot.com/
for more information on this kind of SCAM.
PBS posts the following:
Q. Does PBS have any affiliation with programs produced by Vision Media Television (or VM Television)?
Q. I've been contacted by a TV producer who claims that he will feature my company in a national public television program in exchange for a fee. Is PBS aware of this?
A. A number of businesses have contacted PBS to ask us about our relationship with the producers of various television programs carrying titles such as Giving Back, Learning About, and The National Report Series. According to representatives of these businesses, the producers have offered to feature the representatives' businesses in a television program and indicated that the program will be made available on national public television. Based upon representations made to them by the producers, the businesses were led to believe that the producers were associated with PBS and that PBS intended to distribute or otherwise endorsed their programming.
PBS wishes to clarify that it is not associated with and does not endorse, distribute programming for, review underwriting for or otherwise have any business relationship with the following production companies: VM Television, Vision Media Television, Paradigm Media Group, PMG, PMGTV, Infinity Media Group, Roadshow Productions, Family Television Studios, United Media Communications Group, American Review TV, Business Break TV, Event Media TV, Global Television Studios, VT Media, Vision Media, VT Media Productions, Heroes of Hope, Giving Back, Platinum Group, Healthy Path, Eco Planet TV, and Business Trends. PBS does not oversee the production or distribution of any programs associated with any of these companies.
If you are solicited by a production company that claims or implies an association with PBS, please notify PBS.
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Caller: Insights with Hugh Downs
Received a series of calls requesting to speak with our Executive Director regarding the series Insights with Hugh Downs that is supposed be aired on PBS as well as various cable networks. They said they wanted to include us in their series on Drug Treatment Programs hosted by Martin Sheen and directed me to their website www.insightshd.com which is a very nice and compelling sight. Then he told me that our investment needed to be approximately $26,000 which was a red flag for me. The name of the caller was Jay Silva and he denied ever working with our organization in the past although we did invest nearly $25,000 approximately 5 years ago with a company called PMG who did make a 9-minute video for us of mediocre quality but never delivered on any airtime anywhere and upon investigation we found out that their claims of putting on a show called Learning About with Michael Douglas were false. The man calling himself Jay Silva is very persistent and became agitated the more questions I asked.
Latest name in this same tired scam is Public Television Distributors, Inc. And yes, their newest face is Martin Sheen. They are calling the show In Focus, but it is the same old song and dance, you pay big bucks for no guarantee of anything ever airing.
Additionally, they have purchased a staggering number of domain names, started a Facebook and a Google +, and even made themselves a Wikipedia entry in an effort to appear legitimate, but be assured, In Focus with Martin Sheen is a SCAM. Repeat, InFocus with Martin Sheen is a scam! Not a report on a scam, an ACTUAL scam. Do not give money to Public Television Distributors, Inc and their show, they guarantee you nothing as return on a more than $20,000 investment.