After a year of investigative reporting, the Dateline story on Quixtar boiled down to the complaints of three former Quixtar Independent Business Owners (IBOs) – one of whom is a competitor – and ignored the hundreds of thousands of IBOs powered by Quixtar who are achieving their goals.

Quixtar may not be perfect, but we do a lot of things right, including our commitment to consumer protection. Quixtar rules prohibit statements that misrepresent the income potential represented by a Quixtar-powered business, and potential Quixtar IBOs are provided with average earnings information.

The Dateline show examined the training and support provided by Quixtar IBO leaders and the income they derive from those materials. As Quixtar informs all new IBOs, these materials are optional and covered by satisfaction guarantees. Quixtar also notifies IBOs that others earn income from these materials. In the end, individuals must decide for themselves if they find these materials of value.

Quixtar offers an opportunity, not a guarantee. In fact, research shows that most people get in Quixtar to make a little extra income, not attain great wealth. Our business works when Quixtar IBOs achieve their goals. If this business doesn't work for them, Quixtar would not have achieved this level of success.

We learned that two Dateline producers had registered as Quixtar IBOs and for months had been conducting undercover research for the Dateline story, which included using a hidden camera to videotape meetings and conversations with Quixtar IBOs. The Dateline producers did not identify themselves as working for Dateline, instead feigning interest in building a business powered by Quixtar. In late June, Quixtar was contacted by one of the Dateline producers, seeking response to a handful of questions. In the months since, correspondence with the Dateline producer continued to unveil, bit by bit, issues that might be part of the Dateline Quixtar story.

How we responded to Dateline
To ensure fairness, balance, and accuracy, Quixtar sought to cooperate with Dateline in the development of the story. However, Dateline's deceit in registering producers as Quixtar IBOs under false pretenses created suspicion on Quixtar's part that the story would not be a realistic depiction of its business. In addition, much of Dateline's "reporting" appeared to be lifted directly from the Web site of a Quixtar critic, who boasted online of his involvement in Dateline NBC's story.

Quixtar's management team also considered Dateline's record, including the infamous broadcast in which Dateline NBC rigged truck crashes. In late 1992, General Motors sued Dateline for defamation – the first defamation suit GM had ever filed. Dateline NBC apologized and admitted that using sparking devices to trigger a fire was a bad idea.

So, while Quixtar provided comprehensive written responses to Dateline in the hopes of creating greater awareness and understanding, it did not grant an interview. It was, and remains, our belief that Quixtar's perspective would be taken out of context to support Dateline's story line, regardless of the facts.

Dateline NBC has stated that because it provided the opportunity to be interviewed, and because they showed specific portions of letters Quixtar sent to them, they are not obligated to include a link to this response site at the Web site where the transcript of their story is shared publicly. And, despite Dateline claims of fair and balanced journalism, they continue to link to the Web site of the aforementioned Quixtar critic.

Responsible journalism and business
Quixtar does not deny Dateline NBC's right to air a story if the reporting is fair and balanced and if any opinions and criticisms shared are well-founded and placed in the proper perspective. Unfortunately, this story did not meet these benchmarks of responsible journalism.

Moreover, despite the misperceptions created by this story, neither Dateline NBC nor anyone else can deny Quixtar IBOs their right to free enterprise and to pursue their goals through Quixtar-powered businesses or through the legitimate sales aids and training programs some Quixtar IBOs purchase and market.