Boise Entrepreneurs Claim Race Kept Product Off The Air TV Shopping Network Denies Allegation By Greeting Card Firm

Two black Boise businessmen have sued the shopping network QVC Inc. for $33 million dollars on grounds they were denied a shot at cross-country promotion because of their race.

But Rex Blackburn of Boise, the attorney for QVC, has repeatedly denied the allegations of brothers Chadwick and Clinton Strong in written exchanges with them over the last few months.

In the suit filed in U.S. District Court in Boise, the Strongs maintain their company, Creativity Unlimited Inc., which produces puzzle greeting cards, was denied selection as one of 20 Idaho products to be featured as part of QVC’s “‘97 Quest for America’s Best” promotion because they are black.

The suit alleged that of 440 products selected for the promotion from 22 states, only one was produced by a black entrepreneur.

But in responding to the allegation made as early as April 14, Blackburn said that since QVC is a profit-making company its product selection was driven by economic, not racial, factors.

He said criteria were based on factors that have historically influenced successful marketing, and none of those relates to race.

He pointed out that the QVC employee who headed the Idaho product selection team was black.

But the Strongs maintain that QVC judges disregarded the marketing criteria in the case of products produced by white vendors.