Fake Paper Protests WTO Talks

Pranksters protesting next week's meeting of the World Trade Organization sabotaged copies of Wednesday's Seattle Post-Intelligencer by adding a four-page "wrap" with fake stories offering an anti-WTO spin.

"Boeing to move overseas" trumpeted the headline on the lead story, which claimed the state's biggest employer is relocating to Indonesia. Joe Hill, a union organizer who was executed by firing squad in Utah early in the century, got the byline.

Other front-page headlines: "Clinton pledges help for poorest nations," "Economists fear global epidemic of underpollution" and "Monsanto patents food chain."

Letters to the editor included one headlined: "Having a conscience is technical barrier to trade," reflecting protesters' concerns about the WTO's authority to override laws of its 135 member nations if they hinder trade.

The P-I's managing editor, Ken Bunting, said the fake editions got into coin boxes on ferries and around Seattle and even into a few stores.

The newspaper was concerned that the fraudulent front was so well done, some readers might have thought it was the real deal - despite the missing "r" in Seattle Post-Intelligence.

The newspaper reported the guerrilla publishing effort to police.

The P-I has not yet determined how many papers got the wrap, but a news release from "a group of media literacy activists called Wake Up!" said thousands of copies of the "special supplement" were distributed.

The statement adds: "While a few of the articles are fictional ... the underlying concerns are far too real."

Contact telephone numbers provided on the news release ring through to fax machines or to a voice mailbox for a free fax and e-mail service.

More than 130 nations are expected to attend the trade talks, including China and possibly Cuba. The meeting opens Tuesday.

By Peggy Andersen
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