Modeling Agency News
FTC Wins Permanent Injunction Against Talent Broker
"A federal District Court in New Jersey has issued a permanent injunction against a New Jersey seller of child-modeling services, at the Federal Trade Commission's request. National Talent Associates (NTA) and its president, Jerome P. Ashfield, had been charged by the FTC with misrepresenting their ability to place children in high-paying modeling and acting jobs, in violation of a previous consent order. The court also ordered the defendants to pay a $160,000 civil penalty. The court order stems from FTC charges filed in June 1996 against National Talent Associates, Inc. and Mr. Ashfield. NTA is headquartered in Fairfield, N.J., and has offices in the Philadelphia, New York, Chicago and Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan areas."1
1. "FTC Wins Permanent Injunction Against Talent Broker," FTC, May 26, 1999.
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1999/05/talent4.shtm
(National Talent Associates, Civil Action No. 96-2617)
You Outta Be In Pictures
"... STONE PHILLIPS: What parent hasn't looked into the eyes of a young child and thought, `she belongs in TV commercials,' or `he ought to be on the cover of a kids' magazine?' Dreaming about making your child a star is one thing, but plenty of parents do a lot more than dream. For those mothers and fathers, a lot of hard work lies ahead. And if anybody tells you they know a shortcut to stardom, watch out. Tonight, in a DATELINE Hidden Camera Investigation, chief consumer correspondent Lea Thompson shows us how expensive the lesson can be, when parents are sold on their own children's charms. Unidentified Woman 1: Can you smile? Smile. LEA THOMPSON reporting: (Voiceover) It's audition time and the competition is fierce. Fifty babies vying for the cover of Child magazine. (Babies and small children having pictures taken; mothers and babies; Child magazine cover; person stapling picture to paper) Unidentified Woman 2: I just think she's so pretty. And she's dainty and petite. Unidentified Man: Who wants a big cookie? THOMPSON: (Voiceover) These parents are all sure their baby is really something special. (Father and mother with babies; babies being photographed; mother and baby). Unidentified Woman 3: Beautiful baby, yeah."1
1. "You Outta Be In Pictures," Dateline NBC, Apr. 22, 1997.
(National Talent Associates)
FTC Charges Talent Broker: Ability to Place Models and Actors Challenged, Company Violating Previous Order
"The Federal Trade Commission has charged a New Jersey talent broker and its president with misrepresenting their ability to place children in high paying modeling and acting jobs and with violating a previous FTC order that barred them from doing so. The Commission has asked a federal district court to award civil penalties of up to $10,000 for each violation of the previous order and to require that the defendants post a performance bond before resuming work in the talent brokerage business. National Talent Associates, Inc., (NTA) headquartered in Fairfield, N.J., also does business in Philadelphia, Pa., New York City and Long Island, N.Y., and Chicago, Il. Jerome Ashfield, named as a defendant, is its president."1
"The FTC has asked the court to impose civil penalties on the defendants, to enjoin the defendants from future misrepresentations and to require that they post a performance bond which they would forfeit if they violated the injunction. The complaint was filed at the FTC’s request by the Department of Justice in U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, in Newark, June 4."2
1. "FTC Charges Talent Broker: Ability to Place Models and Actors
Challenged, Company Violating Previous Order," FTC, June 10, 1996.
2. Ibid.
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1996/06/talent.shtm
(National Talent Associates, Jerome Ashfield, Civil Action No. 96-2617)
National Talent Associates Inc.
"The Federal Trade Commission has reopened and modified a 1975 consent order with National Talent Associates Inc., amending the provisions that tell the company what disclosures it must make to consumers about its success in obtaining paid employment for clients. The company sells five-year contracts, for about $300, to parents of young children. Under the contracts, the company ar ranges to have the children photographed annually for five years and then submits the photographs to talent agencies for consid eration as models. About two percent of the children under con tract with National Talent obtain paid modeling jobs, according to the company's data."1
"Under the modified consent order, some information the Commission considers less significant will be eliminated from the disclosures National Talent makes to prospective clients. The order retains the requirement that the company provide the essen tial information, including the number of children signed to con tracts, the number and percentage of these children who obtained paid employment and their earnings. The modified order extends the time period the statistics must cover from two to five years, corresponding to the number of years in the contracts. In addition, under the modified order National Talent may not make any claims about prospects for success under its con tracts that contradict the information it must disclose. Nation al Talent must also maintain records to substantiate the infor mation it discloses to consumers."2
1. "National Talent Associates Inc.," FTC, Jan. 28, 1986.
2. Ibid.
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/predawn/F86/natltalmod.shtm
(National Talent Associates)
FTC Charges Talent Agency Violated Order by Misrepresenting its Ability to Locate Modeling Jobs for Children
"The Federal Trade Commission has charged a talent agency and its officers with violating a 1975 consent order by misrepresenting its ability to place children in paid modeling positions. The company will pay a $150,000 civil penalty to settle the charges under a consent decree filed by the Department of Justice to day in federal court at the request of the FTC. The decree is subject to court approval. The 1975 order settled charges that National Talent Associates Inc., of New Jersey and Illinois, misrepresented its expertise in finding modeling positions and its past success record."1
"In 1974 the FTC issued a complaint charging National Talent Associates and its officers with misrepresenting their ability to place children as models and entertainers. In 1975 the company signed a consent order permanently prohibiting misrepresentations of its ability to obtain modeling positions for its clients, requiring it to disclose specified information and providing customers with a three-day cooling-off period. In 1979 the Commission charged National Talent Associates and its officers violated the 1975 order by misrepresenting the placement and employment figures and gross annual earnings of their clients. A consent judgment settling the charges required the company to pay a $25,000 civil penalty and also permanently prohibited it from violating the 1975 order."2
1. "FTC Charges Talent Agency Violated Order by Misrepresenting its
Ability to Locate Modeling Jobs for Children," FTC, Oct. 2, 1985.
2. Ibid.
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/predawn/F85/natltalent.shtm
(National Talent Associates)
Model Scams Book
Don't be a victim!
