However, upon approaching the podium, the 87-year-old Kheel said that he was instead "pleased to announce a triumph for the first amendment."

"The Earth Times is being distributed today at the World Economic Forum," said Kheel. The 20 or so reporters gathered in the Florentine Room of the hotel included Richard Richtmyer, a business editor from CNN, Carsten Volkery from Spiegel Online, CBC, Canada's public broadcaster, and camera crews from ABC and NY1.

Kheel explained that when the paper went to press on the eve of February 4, the headline "Forum bans Earth Times distribution at the Waldorf" was accurate, though the Waldorf has since rescinded its decision. "Why would such an important organization with such tremendous outreach take time out to ban The Earth Times?" Kheel asked the audience.

He noted that the publication's distribution went uncontested from Wednesday through Saturday, until the paper's controversial headline "Media Apartheid" appeared on Sunday morning. The cover story, written by Roman Rollnick, "accurately reported the media 'caste system' set up" by the Forum in which "some publications are favored over others," Kheel said. He stated that the story wouldn't have been printed without legitimate evidence of such violation, but that a Waldorf worker actually told a newspaper distributor that she was "instructed by the World Economic Forum to bar The Earth Times from being distributed" at the hotel. Kheel went on to say that he filed a complaint with the New York Press Club, an organization whose main function is to "protect the access of media to important stories."

If there is another Davos in New York--"and we do hope there is,"--it should be transparent and open to the press, Kheel said. "This is a call for a solution for all press--not just favorite press--to have access to the WEF," he said. "That's what this is all about. One great media event where things of interest are said about the world."

In response to a reporter's question about the nature of the "action" cited in the press release, Kheel explained that the only action planned was the filing of the complaint with the New York Press Club. A reporter from Portugal asked for more information about the Press Club, and Kheel clarified that "it doesn't have the force of law, but it investigates and reveals facts."

"We are here to solve a problem, not to make noise," Kheel insisted. "We are terribly concerned about our first amendment right after having paid for distribution."

Other reporters asked about the history and circulation of The Earth Times, and whether Kheel had been compensated for the $2,100 loss incurred when the publication, which pays $1.50 for each copy distributed to each of 1,400 rooms at the Waldorf, was banned. "We haven't reflected on the cost to us," Kheel retorted. Pranay Gupte, The Earth Times' Editor-In-Chief, lauded Kheel for his positive association with the Forum and its founder, Klaus Schwab. Both men seemed pleased that the publication was now being properly distributed.

"We think the message was received," said Kheel, who added he believed the Forum lifted the ban because The Earth Times printed a complaint. "We've reported a success for free speech here today."