Let Yellow Pages do the talking

Your section on directory publishing was a vehicle for overt lobbying by the vested interest (MW November 24). We cannot let this pass without correcting some of the many inaccuracies. Yellow Pages’ 30 years of success does not “stem largely from its ownership by BT”. We operate at arm’s length from BT and have no privileged data access, telecoms facilities or tariffs.

The term “Yellow Pages” is a registered trade mark in most developed countries, except the US. It is not a generic in the UK as we take steps to maintain our registrations. Yellow Pages was never franchised. Classified directory publishing has never been a protected monopoly.

The international comparisons are misleading. In terms of classified directories, the UK is more developed than most European countries.

Geoff Hurst

Group product manager

Yellow Pages

Reading

Yellow Pages was asked to give full and fair comment. It chose to confine itself rigidly to a press statement – Editor.