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Website Operator Plans to Continue Publishing Internal Ford Documents

30 August 1999

Autoline Detroit: Website Operator Plans to Continue Publishing Internal Ford Documents

    DETROIT, Aug. 27 -- Robert Lane, the webmaster for
blueovalnews.com, said he is ready to go to jail before he will turn
sensitive, internal documents over to the Ford Motor Company.  Lane talks
about how he received these documents from Ford employees on the public
television program Autoline Detroit, which is produced by Blue Sky
Productions.
    Though Ford is now trying to obtain an injunction against the web site,
Mr. Lane also says he believes he will ultimately prevail and will re-post
those documents.  He says he is fighting to protect his freedom of speech as
guaranteed under the First Amendment.  Mr. Lane received a great deal of
internal information from Ford employees about future product plans and
quality problems, not just in the United States, but other places in the world
as well.
    Robert Lane will appear this Sunday on Autoline Detroit with host John
McElroy.  Guest journalists on the program include Fara Warner of the Wall
Street Journal, Greg Gardner of Bloomberg News, and JoAnn Muller of Business
Week.
    Autoline Detroit airs each Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. and again on
Monday morning at 7 a.m. on Detroit Public Television.  Streaming video of the
program is available at http://www.theautolink.com.  Autoline Detroit is
underwritten by General Electric, Meritor, Emhart and Visteon Automotive
Systems.