Gannett Telemarketing Calls Settlement Checks Mailed

Top Class Actions viewers report that they are starting to receive checks in the mail from a Gannett telemarketing calls class action settlement worth $163.91.

The Gannett class action lawsuit alleged that the media and marketing company failed to get prior consent before inundating consumers with unwanted advertising calls.

The plaintiffs claimed that the company violated federal consumer protection laws, specifically, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act, or TCPA, is a federal law enacted by Congress to stem the onslaught of telemarketing calls disturbing consumers at all hours of the day.

Under the TCPA, consumers must provide their prior express consent before a company can contact them via phone, text, or fax. The law also sets up restrictions on the use of automatic dialing systems, and robocalls.

The TCPA further established the Do Not Call Registry that allows consumers to list their number if they do not wish to be contacted by advertisers.

Gannett runs more than 80 daily newspapers, including USA Today. The class action lawsuit contended that the company made unsolicited telemarketing calls to consumers’ cell phones. The plaintiffs claimed that the unwanted communications affected thousands of consumers. Further, Gannett allegedly failed to honor consumer requests to stop calling.

In addition, the Gannett telemarketing calls class action lawsuit states that the company also used an automatic dialing system to make sales calls.

In the end, Gannett agreed to pay $13.8 million to settle the class action lawsuit. Under the terms of the class action settlement, the company also agreed to update its advertising policies and further train those responsible in compliance with the TCPA.

Class Members include those who received Gannett telemarketing calls to their cell phone using an automatic dialing system and/or prerecorded voice without prior express permission between Jan. 2, 2010 and Aug. 4, 2016.

To make a claim, Class Members must have provided the cell phone number that received the unwanted Gannett telemarketing calls.

The deadline to file a claim in the class action settlement was Nov. 5, 2016. The court issued final approval of the settlement on Feb. 1, 2017; however, an appeal was lodged. The appeal reportedly resolved in February 2019.

Congratulations to our Top Class Actions readers who submitted a valid claim and got PAID! If you missed out, sign up for our free newsletter to receive updates on new class action lawsuits and settlements. You can also check out which class action settlements are still accepting claims in our Open Class Action Settlements section. 

The lead plaintiffs and Class Members are represented by Rafey S. Balabanian, Benjamin H. Richman, and Eve-Lynn J. Rapp of Edelson PC and Stefan L. Coleman of the Law Offices of Stefan L. Coleman.

The Gannett Telemarketing Calls Class Action Lawsuit is Clark and Schlossberg v. Gannett Co. Inc., Case No. 16-CH-06603, in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois County Department, Chancery Division.

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Join a Free TCPA Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you were contacted on your cell phone by a company via an unsolicited text message (text spam) or prerecorded voice message (robocall), you may be eligible for compensation under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

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