CONSUMER NEWS

Wireless Solicitations Targeted: The Federal Trade Commission charged three companies with running fraudulent telemarketing schemes designed to raise money for investments in the fast-growing wireless TV industry. The FTC charged Chase-McNulty Group Inc. of St. Petersburg, Fla., and Digital Interactive Associates Inc. of Denver with making false statements to investors about the costs and risks associated with applying for federal licenses to own and operate businesses in the interactive video and data service industry. IVDS technology, still being developed, will enable consumers to send and receive data from TV sets using wireless technology. In the other case, the FTC alleged that Satellite Broadcasting Corp. of Irvine misled investors when it told them it had already acquired rights to market direct-broadcast satellite programming. DBS technology allows consumers to directly receive video and sound programming using a satellite dish and decoder box.