954-379-4387

My company also got a call.  It's obvious from so many people's experience that this is a scam.  Bottom line... you don't call and say you want to interview somebody, and them charge them money.  That = scam .  There is nothing they can say (and obviously they post here and pretend to be happy customers) to make it legit.  SCAM

I took the call from a gentleman named bob chenoff producer of the Inside Business Report. I thought it was very weird that they would call a company of my size, which I have 20 employees. After speaking with him about my company and the industry and so forth he told me there was a scheduling fee of $19,700. I was a little thrown back at this but I have done something like this in the past. Its not a scam per say its more like a marketing opportunity/educational piece. There website looks very legit and I'm a huge Fred Thompson fan. I can't see Mr. Thompson associating himself with a scam type of company. unfortunately my marketing budget is spent for the year but it sounds like a decent opportunity.

Having built my business from the ground up, I can tell you that positive public perceptions need to be carefully crafted. Your "truth" is evasive as we have been very happy with the outcomes of our experiences with this organization. And we talked with others who have worked with them prior to getting involved.

Caller 'Georgia' claimed to be calling on behalf of Robert Mutter of Inside Business Review who is "doing a piece on..." for TV hosted by Fred Thomson. this group charges rediculous sums of money for a short TV spot on some obscure show. This call is nothing more than a scam. After 5 mins of her banter and attempting to schedule a phone appointment, I asked her directly if this was a solicitation, she immediatly hung up. Numbers used are 954-509-7241 and 954-379-4899 in the Deerfield Beach, FL area. THIS IS NOTHING MORE THAN A SCAM AGAINST SMALL BUSINESSES!!! PS. They obtain your information from trade show appearances.

These people hit me up once before and it took a time-wasting phone call to figure out they were selling placement. It was clear that they were pretending to be real media, and they called me today again, even though I made it very clear the first time (last year) that I have zero interest in their service.

U.S. Media Television does good work. If you don’t believe me, check out the segment they did for us: www.mnwesttechnology.com.

Hi.  I think this is a scam in that they act as if they are doing a story and are really pitching you on a $20,000 pay to appear fee.  I think it may have some value to appear but for that kind of money it is ill advised.  I also feel that this is a black eye for Sen. Thompson.  Senators should not be baiting authors and appearing as if they are legitimately interested for a real story when no such story exists.

I got a heads up from an SEO friend when I told him I was being interviewed to appear on TV. Evidentally they surf FaceBook businesses hoping to land new pigeons and than try and extract $25,000.00 or more from them. However there is a new twist. They are now using Terry Bradshaw as the potential show but they weren't smart enough to change their phone #s. 954-379-4896 is one of them.

I got a heads up from an SEO friend when I told him I was being interviewed to appear on TV. Evidentally they surf FaceBook businesses hoping to land new pigeons and than try and extract $25,000.00 or more from them. However there is a new twist. They are now using Terry Bradshaw as the potential show but they weren't smart enough to change their phone #s. 954-379-4896 is one of them.

You obviously work for them or where "planted by them. I got a heads up from an SEO friend when I told him I was being interviewed to appear on TV. Evidentally they surf FaceBook businesses hoping to land new pigeons and than try and extract $25,000.00 or more from them. However there is a new twist. They are now using Terry Bradshaw as the potential show but they weren't smart enough to change their phone #s. 954-379-4896 is one of them.

You obviously work for them or where "planted by them. I got a heads up from an SEO friend when I told him I was being interviewed to appear on TV. Evidentally they surf FaceBook businesses hoping to land new pigeons and than try and extract $25,000.00 or more from them. However there is a new twist. They are now using Terry Bradshaw as the potential show but they weren't smart enough to change their phone #s. 954-379-4896 is one of them.

OK, so I have seen all the posts and I did pay the money for my company to be "spotlighted."  So far I thought the experience has been very positive, but all these posts have made me question if I made a mistake.  The 5 min video looks good so far and we are scheduled for airing in 8 weeks.  All cynics please hold comment till it does air.  I was never under any illusion that this would be free.  In fact many compnanies DO pay to air segments like this so it did not seem out of place.  I am not ready to call this a SCAM.  In conclusion, there are disclaimers that state the markets you selected to have your segment aired may not air it due to content and timing.  That I thought was a bit strange.  I will post again and provide a link to my company's site once it is posted.  For 20K to get a high quality video edited is a bit pricey but if it air's on TV, and I can promote it as "as seen on CNBC or CNN" then it may add a bit more punch than just a video we produced.  I don't work for their company either for those ultra cynical.  The names many of you have referenced are all the same, which makes me somewhat dubious, but I'll reserve final judgement till I see if this airs or not.

This is nonsense, pay to play. The so-called "producer" (in this case "Doug Fenimore") pretends that they are interested in your company from an editorial standpoint.  They'll call back a couple weeks later and say they're "up against scheduling deadlines."

This is nothing but an advertising solicitation and a lousy one at that.  NO ONE EVER PAYS FOR LEGITIMATE EDITORIAL COVERAGE.

BTW, this company exists under several names and numbers but it's the same nonsense.

Now its Georgia Rhodes and Stan Gottfried - $19,700.  Jokers just wasted my time.

This is a scam, period. No legitimate editorial outlet EVER offers "pay for play" opportunities. I've booked our executives on FOX national news, CNN, every major daily paper in the country and all the Los Angeles area networks.

Here's why it's a scam:

1. They'll ask to have an "informal conversation" with your top executive because you are a leader in your industry and they want to come up with some story topics. (Legit news already knows the story they want to tell, and also, they realize how valuable executives' time is.)

2. They don't let you talk to the producer to find out more about the story. (Legit news producers are the ones who call about the story in the first place.)

3. They ask you for payment. (No legit news outlet EVER does this. And if they do, there's hell to pay.)

4. Their shows "air" on many networks, including CNN, Fox Business, Fox Sports and Discovery. (Usually shows are on just one network, until they are in reruns, like "I Love Lucy.)

5. Terry Bradshaw is not a newsman. 'Nuff said.

There's nothing wrong with having an infomercial -- it's that this company doesn't tell you until you're hours and hours into it that they require payment.

They had the gall to call us back two years after we told them not to call us again, or to direct any inquiries to our advertising department.

did some research and this is what I found.
Now they are US media with show hosts like Terry Bradshaw, MarryLou Henner and Fred Thompson

The company was called PTG studios, Platinum Television Group, New line Media and the latest DBA name to avoid detection is Encore television group. This company is located in Broward county Fl and is run by Paul Doug Scott, Jack Schwartz, Nick Veser or Angelo Ferraro. They all use fake names of course by now as if you research on Ripoff report .com or even listen to one of these scam calls at www.miraviroc.com, you will know what the call they tried to set up with your companies were about before you had to go through the BS just to hear the price tag of thier phony service. Call any televison network they say they air on, the network will never have heard of them, or warn you against them. Ask them if you do engage in a call with these snake oil salesman to speak to at least 4 clients they claim to have worked with that are happy with the results of their grossly overpromised and underdelivered "television shows they produce" which only means they hastily put one together, after they have found no less than 5 sucker sompanies to fall for their well written scripts and they all paid anywhere from $19,700 to 38,700 and even in some cases for supposed "dedicated" half hour specials to one company, over $100,000. Of which they keep no less than 80% as profit. The worst enemy to this company is one they call that has the intelligence to ask logical questions about their credibility. They have several pending lawsuits for what amounts to fraud on the websites of the Broward county courts and the Attorney General of the State of Florida's website. Currently, Greg Gumble was lied to and is currently suing the company, whatever name it is going by this week, and it's owner Paul Dough Scott. Although he is the owner, his ex-partner Walter Burton of Lighthouse Point, Fl got out and continued to recieve "buy out" payments for subsequent years because he no longer wanted to be dragged into court with Paul Doug Scott. To this company, settling lawsuits with companies they have scammed that persue their $ back, or want retribution, is just part of doing this kind of disreputable business. I write this so to warn any companies they have had an appointment setter set up a "front" which they call the initial call with a company "DM" or decision maker with a telemarketer in an cubicle with a headset that calls themselves a "Creative Director" or "Associate Producer" or some made up title. Then after a "guest" on a show that if you were to ask them to see one that is currently airing on television or will in the near future, they will double talk around it and offer to send you a video clip or DVD in hopes that will be enough for a comapny not to push them into admitting they have nothing airing or they will say it is in another part of the country right now which thy cannot see. The fact that Paul Doug Scott is the owner, his lacky Jack Schwartz is the real operational head now, since Paul Doug Scott is listed in so many lawsuits and on internet scam watchdog websites. Watch out for him as he is the slickest of them all. They know full well they are fooling people which is why they pay well or give out "spiffs" which are bonuses for the most sales to quell any conscience that after months or years of working for them, salespeople just look the other way. Once the companies they brought into the "studio" have paid, they are forbidden to speak with them again. At least until the first one calls in to complain to them personally that no one will take their calls, or nothing has been done for them once they have paid for this "segment on a show" that is sold as going to air 50 to 100 times both nationally or regionally on high profile television networks that never happens. Or if it does, it airs once or twice in some nowhere Iowa market and delivers nowhere near the millions of households they say it will. I write all of this becase this company mocks justice and laughs at the fact they have made millions of dollars getting away with this for over 10 years.

I agree. i get this company calling me at least 5 times a year with a different show. this time its today in America with terry Bradshaw. Whats next? stay away!

i just recieved the same call. This time from an Ann Smith? really? calling on behalf of an Angelo Ferraro and Today in America show? they are relentless. They call me with a different scam and different names 4 or 5 times a year.

I am a marketing director for an international energy company. About a year ago, we did a segment with the show Inside Business with Fred Thompson after receiving an initial call from an assistant named Britt for one of the show's producers. We were approached about being "considered" for a story on energy efficiency and new emerging technology.

While we were extremely skeptical over the money that the show said would be our responsibility to be part of the story, we do over $2 billion in gross revenue per year, so the fee that the show charged was not a huge hit towards our marketing budget.

While we had to pay what the company called a "scheduling fee" of $19,700, ultimately our company decided that the financial commitment was worth it on our part due to several benefits that we saw, specifically the ownership rights to the segment after it's completion and having some creative control over the content of the show's scripting and editing process. While this may bring us business from the show, the benefit we see is the ability to hardcopy the show and use in marketing materials.

I understand the perception that these calls may be unreal or bogus or a scam. I can only speak for our company and that we found a benefit to us. While many companies may find the financials unacceptable or too high, we found that a piece featuring our company as a leader in our market and Fred Thompson as the host was worth it FOR US.

I cannot speak for anyone else, but we were given everything we were contractually promised as well as we as a company lived up to our end of the contract as well. Saying anything about this company or show without having actually done business with them is both unfair and bad business.

Hey Steve,

How about being specific about your "experience" at their "studios"?  Where were the studios?  Do you have an actual physical address?  Who did you meet with?  What did you discuss?  And what did you do during your time there?  Be specific--names of people you met with, a website for the company (this is 2010 and we all have websites no, don't we?).  Convince me and everyone else that you're not a SHILL.  Seriously, do you think we're all that gullible?