PNN INVESTIGATIVE REPORT: KKCR- A STUDY IN BROWN AND WHITE

PNN INVESTIGATIVE REPORT: KKCR- A STUDY IN BROWN AND WHITE

Introduction

In what can only be described at best as a cover-up, Kaua`i Community Radio station KKCR-FM’s governing Board of Directors (BOD) has issued a one page confusing letter to the Kaua`i Prosecutor Craig DeCosta apparently in place of a promised “investigation” of charges of racism, harassment and illegal suspensions/firings of programmers as well as other abuses reported last December and January.

In approving and issuing the letter KKCR’s BOD has disposed of their promised internal investigation of events- which included an incident of the beating by police of a young Kanaka Maoli (native Hawaiian) programmer at the behest of staff and board members- with a declination to “file charges”.

The letter, written and presented by BOD member Carl Imperato essentially says that even though they didn’t do it, if they did it was because they thought there was going to some kind of mob coming to do something, apparently unspeakable, citing an undefined “call to action”

Here is the letter:

August 9, 2008
Mr. Craig De Costs
Prosecuting Attorney
County of Kauai
3990 Kaana Street, Suite 210
Lihue, HI 96766
Re: January 3, 2008 Arrest Near KKCR Facilities in Princeville

Aloha Mr. De Costa,

I am writing to you on behalf of the Board of Directors of the Kekahu Foundation, the organization that is responsible for the operation of radio station KKCR in Princeville.

On the afternoon of January 3, 2008, the Kauai Police Department responded to a request for KPD’s presence to ensure that KKCR’s facilities, which are located on private property, would not be threatened by any activities that might occur as a result of a “call to action” that was planned by some members of the public at KKCR’s facilities.

In the course of events that followed, one of the members of the public, Mr. Hale Mawae, was arrested. The Kekahu Foundation Board of Directors has no knowledge of the events surrounding Mr. Mawae’s arrest, and has no grounds to offer any opinion on that matter. We do, however, strongly disagree with any assertions that have been made to the effect that the Kekahu Foundation’s Board, management or staff had any hand in the events that transpired between Mr. Mawae and the KPD.

Nonetheless, the Kekahu Foundation Board of Directors does recognize that many of the parties who participated in response to the “call to action” may have believed that they were acting in pursuit of the public interest, and that misinformation and miscommunication may have contributed to the misunderstandings on the part of many parties. Therefore, we believe that it would be in the general interest of the entire community for an amicable resolution to be sought in regard to the events that occurred on January 3. To that end, the Kekahu Foundation Board of Directors wishes to inform you that the Board does not desire to pursue any legal actions to which the Kekahu Foundation might be entitled in connection with the events of January 3, 2008.

In stating this, we also want to emphasize that we are appreciative of all the assistance that the Kauai Police Department has provided to KKCR and the Kekahu Foundation, both on January 3, 2008 and over the course of KKCR’s existence.

The letter apparently denies any involvement by KKCR in calling the police rather than allow the regularly scheduled programmers in to discuss doing their program. Yet a press release from County, prepared after PNN’s request for information on the beating and arrest, says the it was at the behest of KKCR’s Donna Giarmin, although it doesn’t mention her by name. And not only does a video tape of Princeville security guard confirm this but so do Giarmin’s own written admissions.

Giarmin has refused to talk about the matter with anyone and is expected back from the “leave” she took after station manager Gwen Palagi came back from her leave after all the incidents had taken place.

Since the Board has apparently refused to investigate PNN has obliged with this documented account. We read through more than a hundred written documents, accounts, news articles and blogs and their comments sections, the most pertinent of which appear in a 68 page document that accompanies this investigation. Not included are dozens of emails that were sent privately to and from various individuals which PNN has obtained and has used in preparing this report but has chosen not to include in the document file at the request of those who provided them because they were originally sent as “private” communications, though many in the community have possession of them..

In addition to the documents this report is also based on detailed accounts from dozens of people intimately involved on both sides. Most have declined to be quoted or publicly identified all due to fear of losing their radio programs or positions on the Board or Citizen’s Advisory Committee (CAB) or due to other relationships with people involved with the station. Every description and depiction described has been confirmed by multiple reliable sources.

Part 1 - Gathering Clouds

Though problems at KKCR go back to a theft of the station in the 1990’s shortly before the station went on the air, things boiled over in December of 2007.

Despite the BOD’s letter’s contentions documentation is conclusive in indicating that Giarmin, as acting Station Manager at the time, acted in concert with the true station manager Gwen Palagi, Staff member Dawn Jewell and Palagi’s business partner, Board Chair Harvey Cohen, as well as other board members and former and current staff to incite the events described below.

The ignition of the Dec. 17, 2007 incident was a witnessed racist attack on “Songs of Sovereignty” (SOS) producer Ka`iulani Edens-Huff by entrenched white programmer and former Board member Noel Brooks, who has had a history of anti-Hawaiian remarks, especially toward Edens whom he proceeded on the air every Monday morning.

After Edens and Brooks had a small shouting match in which Edens threw her personal headphones, the next Edens heard was an email from Giarmin suspending her by because, Brooks claimed, he was abused by Edens, unprovoked.

This cheery letter greeted Edens when she checked her email at the behest of others who knew before she did.
December 17, 2007

Aloha Ka`iulani,

I hope you're having a great holiday season. We recognize your contributions to KKCR, and appreciate the value and passion of your program. However, we are fundamentally committed to providing a safe, supportive and healthy environment for every volunteer and visitor to KKCR.

Due to your verbal abuse of a fellow DJ this morning (both off and on-air), as well as your disregard for equipment (throwing headphones), your DJ privileges at KKCR have been terminated, effective immediately.

It’s never OK to attack another DJ, volunteer or staff member, and it’s not OK to be careless with or damage station equipment.

For your information, this action was generated and supported solely by the staff, independent of input from volunteers.

Mahalo for your contributions to KKCR during the past months. If you have any questions, please contact me.

aloha,donna

The witness was her program associate Hale Mawae, the same kanaka maoli who was beaten while video taping the later “incidents” of January 3, and has plead “sovereign” to the charges of trespassing and resisting arrest. At the time of the beating he was on the side of a public right of way road between the Princeville Police substation and the golf course where the gates to KKCR are located- a road which Princeville and apparently the Police claim is private property, although no signs appear anywhere and the public drives upon it daily.

Neither Mawae - who was in the studio during the Dec. 17 incident and has confirmed the story told here- nor Edens was asked anything about the incident before the termination or for any supposed investigation. Neither, PNN has confirmed, was anyone else mentioned in this piece questioned except perhaps some staff and/or board members

The incident led to the charges of racism not just from Ka`iulani and Hale but from many programmers and others associated with KKCR who had seen the exclusionary policies in action.

And it wasn’t just local people that were excluded but those who sought to use KKCR as the community’s free-speech soap-box. They have been and continue to be not only ignored but actively rejected by an advertising operation that promotes the Hollywood Music industry as PNN and others have detailed in print and television over the past 15 years.

KKCR public affairs programmers Katy Rose and Jimmy Trujillo heard about the incident and decided to do something about it. Three days later they spent their entire call-in program on the matter. And the white privilege and resulting clique-rule at what is widely known among locals as “Haole radio in Princeville” was exposed as never before.

Here’s how Rose describes that day and some subsequent events http://kauaieclectic.blogspot.com/2008/01/musings-getting-clear.html


On Thursday, December 20, Jimmy Trujillo and I hosted our regular call-in program. After explaining to the listeners that Ka`iulani had been terminated, we opened the phone lines to the community to discuss the issue. We scrupulously avoided name-calling and finger-pointing, but we did not shy away from raising the question of how racism played into the events. At one point, a staff member was invited into the studio by Jimmy to offer up station management’s position. (This caused some confusion in the studio, as I was unaware that the staff member had been invited and interpreted her presence as an inappropriate incursion; later I did apologize to her for my attempts to limit her access to the microphone.)

It has been stated since that we were “fishing” for callers who agreed with us. I think this refers to the fact that at one point I mentioned that a particular caller was trying to get through, and invited her to call when the line became open (for some reason, only one phone line into the studio was open, instead of the usual two or three.) But those who have never been in the studio should understand that we do not “screen” callers, and that we do not use a “delay.”

The staff member, Jewell was enraged, ranting on and off air against Edens, Rose and Trujillo and, although technically “invited” by Trujillo was on the air at her insistence after first reportedly contemplating pulling the plug, which was the apparent reason for the acquiescence of Trujillo to one who, as proven later, held the power to terminate their program.

Rose continues.

On Monday, December 24th, several people felt moved to go to KKCR to protest for the re-instatement of Ka`iulani to the airwaves. It was no secret that we planned to demonstrate. There was no indication that this demonstration was ever intended to cause harm to the station premises or people therein. Yet, when we arrived, we found the station closed and locked down, all regular programming pre-empted, no staff present, and the Kaua`i Police Department alerted to our presence. Under warnings of trespassing, we agreed to move to a public area, at the intersection of Hanalei Plantation Road and Kuhio Highway. We held a peaceful sign-holding protest raising the issue of institutionalized racism at KKCR. A video, now on YouTube, was made of the protest. Our message was clear: we were not accusing individuals of bigotry, but pointing to the structure of KKCR as inherently exclusive and unaccountable to the community.

Although Videographer Koohan “Camera” Paik produced a video of the demonstrations she has chosen to remove it from public perusal after it was posted on YouTube. It included Ka`iulani scathingly speaking about the events and the blatant racism she experienced at KKCR from staff and some programmers.

The station meanwhile was playing canned music all day as their “Christmas Gift” to the community according to their web site that day with no mention of the events going on outside or the reason for the “pre-emption”, causing other programmers to complain when they were locked out without notice or reason.

More from Rose:

The following Monday, three of us arrived at the grounds of KKCR again. This time, it was to fulfill a request by Ka`iulani that Hale Mawae sit in as a guest host for the “Songs of Sovereignty” program. Again, the station was locked and empty. After waiting in the hope that staff would arrive at 10 am – the start of usual business hours – we left.

The following day, Jimmy Trujillo and I received emails informing us that our scheduled program for January 3 had been “pre-empted.” There was no explanation for this action, and we have yet to receive one. We have only the suspicion that we are being suspended for airing “dirty laundry” – which is not an FCC offense but a questionable station policy, considering that it is really the community’s laundry we’re talking about, and the community has a right to inspect it.

On Thursday, January 3, Jimmy and I and three supporters arrived at 3:30 to request that we be allowed to broadcast our program, and that we be given an explanation for our “pre-emption.” This time, we arrived to find a locked gate at the top entrance to the road which leads to the station. This gate is normally locked after 6pm and after 2 pm on weekends. I have a key to this gate, but a Princeville Security Guard denied us entry, and told us that the gate at the entrance to the station was also locked. Only specified people were to be allowed entry.

Police cars arrived, and we were told to move off Princeville property, which we did. Hale Mawae, however, was arrested shortly thereafter for walking along Hanalei Plantation Road, which is by all accounts a public right-of-way road. He was armed only with a video camera, which was confiscated and has yet to be returned. His arrest – which he did not resist - included an excessive amount of force, with three to four officers wrestling and pinning him to the ground. He suffered injuries and is facing charges for trespassing and resisting arrest.It became clear in the aftermath of Hale’s arrest that a staff person at KKCR had placed the call to police, apparently inflating the “threat” posed by our non-violent presence in the vicinity of KKCR. These kinds of calls, I should point out, tend to inflame police behavior.

The programmers brought in to host the program instead of Jimmy and I – Dave Gerow, Bill Rash, and John Gordon – spent the entire show discussing and taking calls about the current controversy. Bill Rash was heard to describe a “mob” trying to “storm the station.” Later in the broadcast, Bill Rash was heard threatening a caller to a fight outside the gates after the show. He was also heard to state that this particular community member had “no right to exist.” Another caller also challenged this particular community member to a fight “in a parking lot,” and was not met by any disclaimer or moderation by the programmers. A third caller aired his dislike of Jimmy and myself, which is fine, and mentioned that he felt we did not “deserve to use the name ‘Out of the Box’” for our program because of our departure from the spirit of original host Michael Van De Veer’s “vision” (also fine.) Dave Gerow and Bill Rash audibly and emphatically agreed with the caller’s assessment of their fellow programmers – a forbidden sign of disrespect according to KKCR protocol. To date, I have heard of no reprimand or consequences for these programmers.

Again, on Tuesday, January 8, on the “Kaua`i Soapbox” program, programmers spent the entire program discussing the current controversy with callers, and making false and confusing statements about the reasons for our suspensions. There has been no effort yet by management to clarify and correct this ongoing flood of rumors emanating from KKCR’s airwaves.

This raises an important question: is it only “dirty laundry” when you disagree with station policy?

Another video, this one by long time local videographer, media consultant and KCC Professor Edward Coll speaks the proverbial thousand words and is still posted online.

Mawae, also had a lot to say including describing another staff member, Dawn Jewell’s, actions much of which is confirmed by subsequent news and blog reports.

KKCR Closes "The Box!"
Aloha mai kakou, Katy Rose and Jimmy Trujillo's 1-3-08 set of their bi-monthly Thursday edition of "Out of the Box" from 4-5:30pm has been pre-empted by KKCR management in regards to their 12-20-07 show that is now in question by KKCR management because of on-air "dirty laundry" surrounding issues of systemic racism and prejudice at the station.

Having been a guest on both the 12-20 "Out of the Box" show now under question as well as a guest on Ka'iulani's 12-17 morning show, "Songs of Sovereignty" which is also in question. I can't help but reaffirm the belief in the issue of systemic prejudice and racism at KKCR. KKCR management and staff acted poorly upon these two separate shows raising this and other issues. I can validate with my own experience the system of prejudice the staff upholds as I have never felt welcome by the staff, having been ousted and made unwelcome as a guest voice on one radio show after the next, and in trying to become a potential volunteer at the studio on more than one occasion.

What makes the issue even more apparent was being a guest at KKCR where I was verbally and culturally attacked after being told to get out of the studio by Dawn Jewell on the Dec. 20th show. Jewell, who then followed me out to the parking lot to continue to her barrage of cultural attacks, engaging in conflict over the issues raised on-air of systemic racism at KKCR. She continued in defense of her own point of view and strongly acted in defense of the KKCR management who she was representing at the time and day of the "Out of the Box" show. Dawn Jewell, who is another member of the group who had a hand in the decision to terminate Ka`iulani via group staff e-mail, which added to the ongoing controversy of their country-club style politics and systemic prejudice against Ka`iulani.

Katy and Jimmy are to be "dealt" with upon the return of station manager, Gwen Palagi. This message coming from Donna Lewis as the voice of the staff, yet again. An interesting approach at pushing forward with their unconstitutional agenda of removing voices raising the issue of systemic prejudice and racism at KKCR, which has been strongly denied, ignored, and avoided at all cost.Avoidance to the point of shutting down the radio station and playing Hawaiian music from their digital music library in rotation for a period of more than 48 hours, two weeks in a row, during the normal airing period of "Songs of Sovereignty" to make up for the fact of being accused of systemic racism at KKCR against the Native Hawaiian community, and stating that this Hawaiian music rotation was their "gift of aloha." A gift of aloha that stemmed from the fact that they knew there would be a lot of listener's protesting the issue to see if Ka`iulani would be back on the air that following Monday morning.

Instead, playing Hawaiian music to make up for the severe lack of Native Hawaiian community volunteer presence at KKCR. Not only lack of Native Hawaiian community voice, but also a severe lack of Native Hawaiian music being played during normal weekly music rotations. A station which started during the early 90's when the vision and foundation of the station of Hawaiian activist, Uncle Butch Kekahu, was overthrown.

Overthrown by the same kind of self-governing board that has been allowed to perpetuate that self-privileged, country club style members only politics of bias prejudice. When truly KKCR was built with the effort to help educate people with the voice of Hawaiian Sovereignty through music, expression in voice, and in togetherness of the sovereign community Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian alike.

By continuing to avoid the issue and silencing the only voices brave enough to call out KKCR on-air, it clearly perpetuates the system that overthrew Uncle Butch Kekahu's vision and foundation of the station in the early 90's. Change can not be asked from the self-governing board who also put in place the majority of the staff currently in place upholding that system of in-house politics, it has to be changed by the willing voices of the sovereign community for change to happen now. Then we will say that "Songs of Sovereignty" host, Ka`iulani Edens-Huff, was just another brave voice who got a little too loud about the issues of prejudice, racism, social and cultural inequality at KKCR that she was dealing with internally and was silenced and made an example because sharing that message of oppression externally with others was too loud.

Because that is the truth...KKCR management is now labeling the racial issue as "dirty laundry" because of those on-air truths exposed at KKCR, and it is the same kind of in-house denial that supports and allows that system of prejudice to thrive and continue at KKCR...
E holo imua, e mau ka pono.In moving forward, we live righteously.

Hale Mawae
Eo Lono!

The incident and racism charges might have gone unnoticed but for Senior Kaua`i Correspondent Joan Conrow, who first reported on the daily-escalating revelations on December 26th and allowed for comments to corroborate all of Rose’s descriptions with Mawae, Trujillo and others confirming the story.

A complete list of all of Conrow’s blog entries and comments regarding KKCR are linked here.

Conrow wrote that Giarmin told her “We do have eyewitness accounts of last week's incident. The people were afraid Ka`iulani would blame them & retaliate - so they didn't want their names used. I told them I would be clear - the decision was the staff's. We also have at least 4 other incidents documented from the past several months.”

Of course no such witnesses were very produced and no one’s comments were sought by the KKCR Board’s “investigation”. Giarmin has not publicly made the claim again.

In Conrow’s blog Dec 31 blog she told the story of the second “pre-emption” of SOS.

And in the comments section Rose described in more detail the day when she, and KKCR co-founder Fred Dente accompanied Mawae- who was instructed by Edens to fill in for her Songs of Sovereignty program-.again went to the station.

This morning, Fred Dente, Hale Mawae and I arrived at the KKCR station at about 8:30 am to prepare for the "Songs of Sovereignty" program. Since the "termination" of Ka`iulani Huff is in dispute - in fact, it's been unclear since the station's original missive whether it's a "termination" or a "suspension" - Ka`iulani requested that Hale cover her slot until she returns from a vacation and meets with station management. Fred and I meant to accompany him for support.

To our dismay, the station was closed - no personnel on site and canned music playing - as it had been the week before when a group of us arrived to protest Ka'iulani's termination and the pattern of elitism and lack of community access to the station. We imagined that perhaps station management might arrive at 10:00 am - the start of normal office hours - so we waited away from the station grounds, at the gated entrance at Hanalei Plantation Road. To pass the time, we took video of each other talking about the problems at KKCR and the solutions we are trying to implement.

Alas, the only vehicles entering and leaving the area were those of people from the base yard near the station - no KKCR management, staff, volunteers or board members arrived. At around 10:00, a Princeville Security truck pulled up and the guard asked us what we were doing. When we told her we were waiting for the station to open so that Hale could go on the air, she mentioned that she understood that the station was closed today because "they thought there would be protests." After this revealing comment, she agreed to double check the station to see if anyone was there. She returned to let us know that the station was empty as far as she could tell.

Another interesting event occurred shortly before we left. We noticed a rental car enter the area and return after a few moments. The car pulled up to us and the couple inside asked us about KKCR being closed. They were filmmakers from Santa Barbara, they told us, and they had gone to the station to find Ka`iulani. They had heard that she would be a good source of information about traditional Hawaiian music and hula, which they were seeking for a documentary. They had heard about her termination but had hoped she would be back today. We helped them as best we could, promising to try to put them in touch with Ka'iu, and we all went our separate ways for the day.

We are saddened indeed that KKCR management has chosen to duck and seek cover by closing the station two weeks in a row to avoid an honest discussion about Ka'iulani's termination and other systemic problems at KKCR. We hope that community members will make their voices heard by calling and writing the station, and attending the upcoming Community Advisory Board meeting on January 23, at 7:00, at the Kapa`a Neighborhood Center.

In this time of renewed social movement on Kaua`i, an accountable community radio station is more important than ever!-Katy Rose

It should be noted that radio stations licensed by the FCC are required to keep the stations staffed and provide copies of many documents available to the public upon demand during “normal business hours”..

Although later this was allegedly reported to the FCC by part time Kaua`i resident Patrick Michaels - who also alleged many other things which were reported in the local newspaper and bantered and battered about on various Kaua`i web sites and blogs- it is unclear if there is a case pending before the FCC as Michaels said at the time

But after Mawae’s arrest the story hit big with a long piece in the local Kaua`i newspaper by Nathan Eagle.

And Eagle not only didn’t pull punches he took names and provided quotes that haunt KKCR’s staff and board to this day in a story that ridicules and refutes anything Imperato and the Board-with the exception of board member Marj Dente, Fred’s Wife and also a co-founder who voted no and said she “took exception to the third paragraph”- had to say in the letter to the prosecutor.

Because of it’s professional and factual nature and depth we will present the text in whole.http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2008/01/05/news/news02.txt

(note: Donna Giarmin is referred to as Donna Lewis- her maiden name- in this article)

KKCR station refutes racism claims

By Nathan Eagle - The Garden Island
Posted: Friday, Jan 04, 2008 - 11:07:50 pm HST
PRINCEVILLE — Several residents have banded to tackle alleged racism at KKCR after Kaua‘i’s community radio station fired a Hawaiian programmer last month and canned two talk show hosts this week.Protests late Thursday afternoon outside the Princeville station led to police arresting Anahola activist Hale Mawae, 24, for trespassing and resisting arrest.

Ka`iulani Edens-Huff, who hosted the popular but controversial “The Song of Sovereignty” program Monday mornings on 90.9 FM, was suspended “due to multiple violations of station policies and FCC laws,” KKCR Program Director Donna Lewis said yesterday.

“It’s really unfortunate that some mad folks are trying to spin this into a racial issue — it’s not in any way,” Lewis said.Huff, a former commercial radio DJ who has worked at KKCR since July 2006, said she was terminated for a tiff she had with another volunteer.

Noel Brooks hosts “Na Mele O Hawai`i” program that immediately precedes Huff’s segment. She claims he consistently ends late, preventing her program from starting at 9 a.m.

This happened on Dec. 17, Huff said, and “I threw a hissy fit in the studio.

“I told him I was tired of him acting unprofessional,” she said. “I unplugged his head set, tossed it aside and threw mine on the counter.”

The next day, she said, she came home to messages from friends asking why she was fired. Unaware of being terminated, she opened up her e-mail and found a letter from the program director sent the previous evening.

“We recognize your contributions to KKCR and appreciate the value and passion of your program. However, we are fundamentally committed to providing a safe, supportive and healthy environment for every volunteer and visitor to KKCR,” Lewis states in the letter.

“Due to your verbal abuse of a fellow DJ this morning (both off- and on-air), as well as your disregard for equipment (throwing headphones), your DJ privileges at KKCR have been terminated, effective immediately.

“It’s never OK to attack another DJ, volunteer or staff member, and it’s not OK to be careless with or damage station equipment,” the letter continues.

Huff called the charges over-exaggerated and unfounded.“I acted like a naggy wife complaining about a dirty living room and I got fired,” she said.

“I’m really ashamed I had a hissy fit ... but expressing your anger is not violence.”

She responded to KKCR management in a Dec. 18 e-mail.“You have been trying to get rid of me since I started my sovereignty show,” Huff states.

“Do you really want to take me on? ... I’ve been waiting for you racists.”Huff, 45, of Kapa`a, said she plans to finalize details to retain an attorney in Honolulu next week. She claims the station violated its policies, her rights and FCC rules.KKCR failed to contact Mawae, who witnessed the incident, or ask Huff for her side of the story before deciding to end her DJ privileges, she said.

But an e-mail from Lewis posted on Joan Conrow’s kauaieclectic.blogspot.com says there were multiple eye witnesses whose names were withheld for fear of retaliation.

“Every Monday I ask myself, ‘Is this my last show?’” Huff said. “I’ve had death threats, been bullied, intimidated, made to feel uncomfortable. It’s like picking open a deep wound every Monday.”

Huff had received “multiple warnings” from Larry LaSota, station manager at the time, and Ken Jannelli, program director at the time, Lewis said yesterday.

KKCR volunteer Katy Rose said Huff had a few “run-ins” with station managers who were concerned about the commentary she interspersed in the program.Huff started working in radio in 1999. She said she was furloughed from KONG FM and left H. Hawaii Media after a dispute with management over her use of Hawaiian words and speaking pidgin on air.

Rose and Jimmy Trujillo host a community call-in program called “Out of the Box” on alternating Thursdays.On their Dec. 20 show, they announced Huff’s termination and opened up the lines “for people who found value in her programming,” Rose said.

The hosts abbreviated calls supporting KKCR and fished for listeners eager to spread untrue racism claims about the station, Lewis says in a police report submitted yesterday.

KKCR sent the duo an e-mail Tuesday, saying their program scheduled for Thursday had been pre-empted.“There are several issues regarding your 12-20 broadcast we’d like to discuss with you upon return of the general manager,” Lewis states in the letter. “We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and look forward to clarifying some critical issues with you. I’m attaching an e-copy of the Volunteer Handbook for your files ... It’s an important reference.”

In her police report, Lewis says the show violated KKCR’s “dirty laundry” policy and “perpetuated misinformation.”

“We felt listeners needed to have the benefit of knowing what is going on and participate in the conversation,” Rose said.KKCR Station Manager Gwen Palagi will return next week, Lewis said.Rose, Trujillo, Mawae and several concerned residents decided to protest the terminations Thursday at the station.

The plan, Rose said, was to ask to host their regularly scheduled show, be denied, set a time to discuss the matter with management and leave.But when they arrived, Lewis contacted police and asked for assistance.

Officers responded and explained to the group that while they had a right to express their opinion, they could do so only in a public right of way. The officers pointed out exactly where KKCR/Princeville’s property ends and where the right of way begins, a county news release issued yesterday says.

Following the explanation, the group complied and moved over to the right of way.Shortly afterward, Mawae returned to the entrance of KKCR/Princeville. Police repeatedly told Mawae that he had to leave or he would be arrested.

Mawae refused and was arrested for trespassing and resisting arrest, the release states. He was taken to police cellblock and booked.

He later posted $170 bail and was released.Mawae, Huff, Trujillo and Rose said they remain concerned about the bigger picture — the station’s overall structure and lack of ethnic diversity.KKCR’s nine volunteer board members and five paid staff members are white.

“No kanaka has ever applied for a staff position,” Lewis said. “Every Hawaiian who has ever applied to serve on the board has been unanimously approved. The station and board strongly encourage members of the Hawaiian community to get involved in the station on all levels — staff, volunteer, board member.”

Rose said she and others who are increasingly concerned about the lack of community control over KKCR have met to discuss changes.

“Individual incidents like these are indicative of deeper problems that can be fixed structurally so we don’t run into them again,” she said.Every volunteer at KKCR is required to comply with the same set of rules — regardless of race, wealth, political position or popularity, Lewis said.“As with other DJs who have had their DJ privileges suspended in the past for similar violations, (Huff) may reapply to the volunteer program after a waiting period (of 90 days),” she added.

KKCR is searching for a responsible Hawaiian DJ to host the ‘The Song of Sovereignty’ program, Lewis said.

On the station’s Web site, kkcr.org, the staff posted a message about their mission.“KKCR supports the preservation, perpetuation and celebration of the Hawaiian culture and encourages members of the Hawaiian community to get involved by becoming part of the KKCR ‘ohana,” it states. “The station actively seeks volunteers to enhance and diversify its Hawaiian programming, including social, political, musical and cultural affairs.”

The protests over the past few weeks resulted in the first time in the station’s history that it has locked its gates, which Princeville Police advised, Lewis said. KKCR launched in the mid-1990s.

“As I unlocked the gate to let DJs through, I mentioned how strange it felt to close the gate,” she said. “It was so rusty from disuse that I could hardly get it closed — I had to ask the security guard if I could borrow some WD-40. We prefer the open-door policy and look forward to resolving the security issues so we can return to our normal routine of serving our amazing community.”


There was also an article in the Honolulu Star Bulletin in late January telling the whole state what happened.

Needless to say, the article was not cited as part of any investigation and apparently was not seen by Imperato or the Board’s Personnel Committee Chair Palo Luckett who, it was said at the last board meeting, also had a hand in and reviewing whatever was reviewed in the preparation and writing of the letter.

The “documentary” that was done by Paik contained interviews with Rose, Edens and others and made it clear that the issue was that there was a persistent harassment of any free speech, especially that of the Hawaiian sovereignty movement.

Various letters to the editor, but more so the comments sections of three blogs- Conrow’s Kaua`i Eclectic, Poinography from Doug White and the Disappeared News’ Larry Geller - are packed full of incredible soul-baring examinations of race in Hawai`i and the white-privilege exercised by the staff board and most of the programmers.

One of the best pieces was one on what racism and white privilege is was written by Rose and posted at Juan Wilson’s Island Breath web site,
It was directed toward the dozens of white programmers, sponsors and others connected to KKCR who, in writing and on the air protested their innocence of “being a racist” despite their knee-jerk support for an all white institution that had yielded an almost all white, non-controversial programming format and station itself.

PNN urges all readers to follow the link to the essay and all the comments linked here including one of our comments on white-privilege, race bias vs. racism

Part 2 Precipitation of the Precipitation

The Dec and Jan events further exposed the literal theft of the station in it’s formative days as PNN has detailed in print over the last 13 years and in the hour-long “Parxist Conspiracy” television report on the subject done in 1999.

The theft occurred when then board members Richard Fernandez- an L.A. music business big cheese and still a board member, programmer and the titular “godfather” of the cabal- and John Scott, an L.A. Disc jockey who claimed to have “discovered” Tom Petty, obtained a blank-check from the treasurer “for paint” and then drained the account and contacted their lawyer to change the bylaws. They now say that the Board itself- not the “subscribing” public as originally was the case- would select the board and be the only real “members” of the Kekahu Foundation.

Doug White who writes the popular Poinography blog from Honolulu had actually written about it in his blog in Nov. 2006 asking what people knew after he read a letter to the editor in the Kaua`i newspaper from Dente that is a pretty good short synopsis and snapshot more than a year before the situation exploded.

KKCR direction disturbing

Nov. 16 on KKCR I was listening to Greg Palast speaking of rigged and stolen elections, and disenfranchised voters. In the ultimate hypocrisy, a most disturbing “election” took place in Princeville on Nov. 8. The Kekahu Foundation, the governing body of KKCR FM radio, held its 11th consecutive illegal election of the Board of Directors, in my opinion. In their version of democracy, nine people vote themselves and their friends onto the board in a revolving door of favoritism, cronyism, selfishness and backroom decision-making. Of the four slots filled on Nov. 8, two are buddies of officers of the corporation and one is a long-standing boardmember who recently said in a board meeting: “What has voting rights have to do with democracy?” The fourth was filled by my wife, Marj, who has become indispensable to the board, even though she is married to me.

Ever since the hostile takeover of the board in 1996, the foundation has become more and more commercialized, privatized and unaccountable to its approximately 750 subscribing members. Over the years, there have been several attempts to restore the voting rights to the general membership, all of which were denied. Those voting rights were established in all the original foundation documents, and in the intentions of all the founders. In the weak moments of our early growing pains, a selfish and arrogant group of people took over the board, illegally changing definitions in the bylaws to remove voting rights of the general membership and establishing themselves in sole control. One of them is still on the board. To this day, there has never been an annual general membership meeting or a vote by the subscribing members, who have been reduced to being only cash cows and cheerleaders for fund-raising.

If you want to have more of a voice in the direction of our alleged community radio station, please sign my petition, which will force the board to convene a special meeting of subscribing members. If we’re going to change our world, we’ve got to take back control of our institutions.

White exposed once again publicly the way the whole local community was not just negligently ignored but was actively suppressed.

And it was done through a program of automatic acceptance for most whites, especially well-connected ones, and the insistence of the performance of demeaning work as a pre-requisite to be given, not a talk program but a strictly music show, especially for local people and more so for non-whites.

Many call it similar to a well known process called “The Stockholm Syndrome” also known as the “Patty Hearst Syndrome” where, through a system of degradation one can be made to agree and identify with their captors.

Ka`iulani Edens-Huff is “white” to the eye and was professional and nice and so they gave her the “Songs of Sovereignty program” They certainly didn’t seek out the Kingdom of Atooi or the reinstated Government for SOS.

And it should be pointed out then neither Edens, nor Rose, nor Trujillo nor many- including most the most entrenched programmers and board/staff members- were made to do “office work” or other volunteer activity before getting on-air positions.

And despite dozens of requests over the years from professional journalists and many dozens more from articulate community activists, none were allowed on the air and only a hand selected few non-controversial north shore white “unknowns” such as the late Michael Van de Veer and Karlos deTreaux were allowed on the air for over 10 years- and their time was limited to an hour each a week, later expanded to an hour and a half.

And other than those two programs and now a couple-a-three weekend programs- none done by born and bred Kauaiians that’s the extent of local public affairs programming.

And apparently at least 750 people like it enough to subscribe and pay their now $40 a year, although Rose has recently insisted on there being a recently instituted $20 limited income subscription.

Part 3 Downpour

So all of a sudden Ka`iu was breaking the rules- she spoke!... on a MUSIC program!... and worse she was talking about Hawaiian sovereignty and- gasp- seemed to be for it!

It should be noted that it was even more the content of WHAT she was saying that was cited in “complaints” made to her by staff about SOS prior to the De. 17 incident.

Ka`iu says that last year, shortly after the “talk” began to take on an “all of these islands are Hawaiian land and all you real estate agents are trespassing” tone, then-station manager and current BOD member Larry LaSota (who had been hired as manager while on the board) came storming into the studio on numerous occasions with his hair on fire about the fact that not only that she was talking on a music program, but disparaging and demeaning her statements and demanding she never do it again.

This became a regular routine according to Edens and others familiar with KKCR. Eventually program director Ken Jannelli joined in the fun, bursting into the studio and screaming upon hearing objectionable speech.

And their benefactor and long time defender of the theft of the station Noel Brooks made three. Every Monday morning..

Brooks left his rubbish all over the pace, went ten minutes into her program and demeaned the Hawaiian culture saying no one wanted to hear her sovereignty music because- and Ka`iu emphatically repeats often that he told her this- Hawaiian music wouldn’t be anything without Hollywood.

Following the incidents other stories began to emerge about discrimination against others of color and even the disabled by LaSota and other staff. With disregard for their complaints by the board, LaSota actually refused to accommodate a programmer who is in a wheel chair and another who is also physically disabled by even opening the gate for them much less accommodating their disabilities in the studio.

These prior incidents are on top of the fact that friends, business supporters and cronies- pretty much any connected North shore haole- were actually solicited for Board positions and given programs for life by Fernandez and Scott (who is now safely back on the mainland) and, eventually, those Fernandez had solicited- most of whom just wanted to breathe the air of someone who worked for Bob Dylan as his road manager.

And local people and the whole activist community were literally made to clean the toilets to get a chance to be on the air (and only play music) until January when KKCR announced they would hire a janitorial service.

Now new un-connected volunteers can spend their time answering the phones when the boss is “in a meeting” – which often meant they were hung over, especially when Palagi and Cohen were operating the bar all night every night at Princeville airport and advertising it on the air every chance they got.

The new 30-hour threshold after years of a “when we say so” policy of awarding programs to the subservient few, is now apparently in effect. But astonishingly enough not many - make that not any- locals would interminably stuff envelopes or trim the bushes until someone said “okay Samba- we’ll let you have a music program”.

And imagine that- when they put out a press release or announced on the air that they would now take dark skinned and other local people, nobody applied.

And if you were to read even recent statements from the board, programmers and staff– including in many of those private emails we have chosen not to include in the document file- especially those from Board member Sandy Broody who has made more on-air racist statements than anyone else (an accomplishment in and of itself)- you’d learn they can’t understand why local people are not flocking to their doors.

These seem to be the very people who think “haole” is a racist term, probably because they never heard it used to describe themselves unless the words “stupid f--kin’” preceded it.

Part 4- The Deluge... 40 days and 40 nights

The station was under siege. Rose and Trujillo’s and Edens programs were off the air. They community was outraged, except for a group of “I am not a racist” staff. programmers and advertisers left defending the institution despite it’s manifest use of white privilege in oppressing non-whites, not understanding that those “some of my best friends” statements weren’t helping.

Was the station going to back down and reinstate the KKCR 3 or would the station demand they adhere to some arbitrary and capricious unwritten made-up-on-the-spot rules as Conrow reported?

Palagi wouldn’t talk to the press and not even to Ka`iu, Jimmy and Katy. who were publicly asking for reinstatement and an apology to Ka`iu as a prerequisite to meeting.

The barbarians were at the gates but Palagi held firm- and she wanted them one-on-one, no witnesses. no tape recorders.

Palagi is notorious for her two-faced private meetings where often the single attendee was made to think they were at a different meeting when her version was later recounted.. We experienced this first hand in 2002 when, even after our 1999 program, we were recruited by deTreaux and trained by stiffer Dean Rogers on the equipment, did a demo and the last step was to meet with Palagi.

We went in expecting a time and date to start programming “the Parxist Conspiracy” on the radio but were met with ”Not you, not ever, get the f—k out”... after which she came out and said we threatened her.

Weeks went by without movement. Mediators at KEO were called in and blew it. Palagi stood firm- no Ka`iu, no Katy, no Jimmy, just week after week of apologists, Dave Gerow, deTreaux, Bill Rash and Sandy Broody airing the “sanitized for your protection” KKCR laundry every Tuesday and Thursday.

A list of 20 specific changes that needed to be made at KKCR was drawn up, widely distributed by email with input from and content agreed upon by about 20 people who were involved in trying to put the community back in community radio with open local public affairs programming for anyone, a member of the privileged-clique or otherwise.
Some called them conditions some called them demands.

There were 9 immediate and 11 long term changes listed:

Immediate

-Reinstatement of and apology to fired programmers Huff, Rose and Trujillo
-Recognition of an Independent Programmers Collective
-Full compliance with ADA and workplace laws.
-End to arbitrary and capricious management decision making processes -End to Board members on air and interfering and interacting with programmers
-End to all restrictions on and management interference with program content, speech and format for existing and future programs, including "airing dirty laundry" provisions, subject to FCC and legal requirements.
-A minimum of four hours of diversified local public affairs programming daily
-Cultural, ethnic and racial sensitivity training for all staff, board and volunteers
-End to the use of the demeaning commercial radio terms such as "DJs" rather than "programmers" to represent the changes in content and speech restrictions
-End to office volunteer work as a basis for awarding programs

Long term

-Election of all board members by membership
-Development of clear concise and transparent processes for programmer selection, staff recruitment and hiring and volunteer conduct.
-Reduced membership rates for the financially challenged.
-Development of procedures and technical capabilities for remote programming.
-Development of membership driven system for programming decision making
-Institution of genuine diversity outreach programs to all racial, cultural, ethnic and geographic groups.
-Minimum Hawaiian language proficiency requirements for board, staff, programmers and volunteers
-Elimination of financial dependence on "advertisers" (pay per mention) and advertising rate sheets
-Staff and board training regarding standards of non-commercial, listener-sponsored "Community Radio” stressing differences between community and commercial radio followed by compliance with recognized national standards
-An end to underwriting of specific programs and "rate per mention (advertisement)" sheets
-An end to content-related communication between underwriters and programmers

Everyone was “eyeball to eyeball”. KKCR’s staff and board seemed backed into a corner and were making wild statements further angering more and more people. Through letters and blogs the pressure built up to a point where victory actually seemed within reach for those who had fought to reclaim their free-speech outlet from the music industry and end domination by the all-white “settler” Princeville-clique of business owners and their minions and sycophants.

And then the central figures all blinked.

First Trujillo, then Edens, then even Rose decided getting back on the air and getting this behind them was the most important thing and poof they met with Gwen with no preconditions.

And as could be expected they were made to say they would not break the rules that never existed and they didn’t break, and to promise to never do again what they didn’t do to begin with.

The one thing they did get was a promise for a full investigation of the whole matter and situation at KKCR.

Part 5 - The Sun'll come out tomorrow

Although many keep insisting things are changing- or going to change- nothing on the list has been instituted except, we learned this week, a half rate for limited income subscribers.

As a matter of fact many things have gone from frying pan to fire.

No one on the staff or board was disciplined. There are still no written policies for personnel or programmers and Palagi continues to rule with an iron hand. As a matter of fact, in addition to it’s refusal to actually investigate the still all-white board has now re-iterated it’s all powerful self and rather than have any independent anything has directed staff to do whatever they want with polices, manuals and any other of the provisions they wish to deal with, however they want to deal with them

This document was approved at the same meeting the Imperato letter was approved and is chilling in it’s call from a clueless board for control by a still clueless staff.

Personnel Committee Recommendations
April 9,2008
Recommendations to Kekahu Foundation Board of Directors

1 The Personnel Committee will support the Station Manager in her efforts to revise the volunteer handbook by June 1, 2008 prioritizing the Grievance Procedure Policy, Delegation of Authority Policy and Drug Policy.

2 Review and update all job descriptions to ensure consistency with the strategic plan.

3 Review and update job expectations. Job expectations are those performance standards that will exist for every staff position. All job evaluations will be based on the standards

4 Annual job evaluation for Station Manager Position to be conducted by chairman of the Personnel Committee and Chairman of the KFBOD. Important to reiterate the commitment of the KFBOD to support the Station Manager and staff in all their efforts.

5 The Personnel Committee recognizes the need for an affirmative outreach program regarding the Board’s role in determining KKCR programming content. The nature and balance of KKCR’s programming are at the very heart of the Kekahu Foundation’s mission. It is therefore essential that the Board accept the ultimate responsibility for ensuring that KKCR’s programming mix supports the Kekahu Foundation’s strategic goals. Consequently, one of the objectives of the upcoming strategic planning process should be to re-examine the appropriate roles of the Board, the CAB, station management, and any other groups in ensuring that KKCR’s programming is aligned with the Kekahu Foundation’s goals.

Note that there is to be no public community input or even any mention of volunteers or programmers getting involved in anything regarding issues or management standards. . And note the lack of any specifics- it seems to say to staff that “the next time you screw up this bad in hiding what we are doing, you’d better have your arbitrary and capricious rules in writing”.

The last paragraph is a particularly notable mish-mush from a Board and Personnel Committee that remains in denial and perpetuates the wall around themselves.

The programming committee idea- especially an independent one, seems to be dead.

And another nail in the coffin of free speech community radio was delivered to many at KKCR just last week.

Here’s the letter from Station Manager Palagi

Aloha Comrades (sic),

Dove has resumed the responsibility of coordinating volunteer activities, including training and communications. He is also overseeing equipment maintenance. So, if you cannot do a show, contact Dove to let him know who is covering for you or to get help covering the shift. Or, if a piece of equipment is malfunctioning, let Dove know. If you are in an emergency situation that is impeding your ability (sic) to broadcast, please contact Dean. Please only call Dean if it is truly an emergency.

Donna has returned to health (hooray) and will be taking on the role of systems administrator. That means she will be working on keeping our computer systems updated and functioning and will be handling website content. If you have material or ideas for the website, contact Donna. Email her at donna@kkcr.org.

If you have underwriting questions, contact Dawn. She is here Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

If you have music questions, contact Ken. He is here on Mondays and Thursdays.

To reiterate, if you have equipment or program issues, contact Dove. He is here Monday through Thursday and during the Teen Show on Saturdays.

For emergencies, contact Dean.

For anything else or for any of the above if you cannot reach the listed contact person, call me. My schedule changes, but if you cannot reach me at the station, you can always call me on my cell at XXX-XXXX.

Regarding programming, while we research the possibility of establishing a program committee, any decisions that need to be made will be made by the staff collectively.

Mahalo,Gwen

All your favorite perpetrators are back and- hooray- Donna Giarmin is back from her reported “nervous breakdown” or whatever it was and so are all your favorite defenders of the realm from Dawn Jewel and Dove Little- who was quite vocal among the “I don’t have a racist bone in my body” crowd- to Ken Jannelli, who had been an instigator of the precipitating events directed at Edens when he was among those who would storm into the studio with racist remarks.

And the staff may talk about putting together a programming committee to rubber stamp any arbitrary and capricious orders we may issue.

The board is even more of a joke than before. Harvey Cohen, Gwen’s business partner and head of the board has left but not to worry- he’s been replaced with another white north shore haole guy.

All though the episode the party line has been that “we wanted local people to participate but none of them would- where are they all?” or comments to that effect. Well after driving away anyone who came by that didn’t suck up to staff and schmooze the board now we hear they’re going to do outreach- which consists of people going on the air and saying they’d like to have more diversity.

At this point the experiences of the local community have been so bad and word has gotten around so well that the only way they are going to get any local people in there is to drag them in kicking and screaming and beg them to participate with programming.

As for the board- same smell. With two exceptions in over 15 years they have never accepted anyone for the board who they didn’t personally recruit, other than the two who were persistent for many years and through many openings, sucking up to board members along the way.

If they really wanted to get local people involved on the board it is painfully apparent they need to actively persistently and genuinely apologize to the local community and personally ask- over and over until they succeed.

But, as if to illustrate that point a prominent member of the local community with non-profit and even radio experience- Jimmy Torio- has announced publicly on both his radio program (from which he is retiring after 10 years on KQNG, commercial radio) and a letter in the newspaper as well as in dozens of email and conversations that he would consent to serve on the board.... if asked, for all the reasons stated here.

But the current opening on the board is up for grabs because, according to all members of the BOD and CAB we have spoken to this in the last few weeks, Jimmy “can apply” if he wants to but he has not been approached by anyone on the Board, despite the fact that that is how every board member but two has found their way into a governance position.

Not only that but they have apparently started a bogus whispering campaign that Jimmy has done something awful and will be arrested for it any time now. Despite the fact that we heard it from 6 people closely associated with KKCR none will tell us the source or even the content of the anonymous unsubstantiated claim.

Torio has aired “the KKCR issue” unbarred on his program and is a known free-speech advocate and is known for a no-tibia kind of persona. He has also said he supports and recognized the validity of many of many of the charges and issues for change.

Jimmy’s no dope- we’ve known Torio for 35 years. He knows he’d be a token and won’t be the icebreaker if he’s not wanted. It’s not a coincidence he had a program- one far more probing, provocative and “controversial” than anything on KKCR and done it on commercial radio .

It should be no wonder no one will ask him- they don’t want him.

One local dissident offered this explanation: “He’s may not be enough of a ‘coconut’”- local slang for “brown on the outside, white on the inside.”

But some claim that there is hope especially those of the CAB which has been pushing to get back the vote for the so-called “members” who pay the money but actually are not members of anything when they pay their $40.

The original by-laws defined members as those that pay a yearly subscription and then vote for the board of Directors and on by-law changes . But Fernandez and Scott got their lawyer to rewrite them to make the only official “members” those that are “members” of the Board, disenfranchising the real members and taking away their ability to vote the BOD out, becoming a self perpetuation insular organization.

Even to this day, right on the front page of the web site- KKCR calls those who pay their money “members” And now they have announced that soon one lucky member will win a big contest and become a real member- a member of the Board of Directors.

Actually the CAB has for almost 10 years worked to get the board to “give it up” and return to Democracy. And every year the board has yawned and adjourned.

But one of the CAB members Marj Dente finally got a position on the Board after 10 years of lobbying and this year, not three as the original compromise said but one position will be given to a person elected by the “subscribing” members due to her efforts

And guess what?- restrictions may apply

The current board members have just had to be a legal resident of Kaua`i- a requirement of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting grant KKCR operates with- but that’s it. No other requirements.

All but two of the board members since the takeover have been hand selected by the board at the time of their appointment and some have even lived and worked on the mainland while maintaining a residence and residency here. One even had to leave the Board when it was revealed they didn’t actually maintain residency in Hawai`i (which, according to local election law only means you “intend” to make Hawai`i your residence).

The new “elected” member must however, must be a “member”- by which they mean a “subscribing member” which previously only gave you the right to give money- and according to their web site be one for six months to both vote and, according to sources, run.

It’s been reported at BOD and CAB meetings that there may be more requirements but, as usual, nothing is in writing and could even be decided by the board between now and November when the grand prize is awarded to one lucky subscriber.

Racism? What racism? Free Speech- you got it- we allow everyone to join the backbiting world of getting and keeping a musical vanity program. Change? We’re doing it – can’t you see... check back in another 10 years and we’ll give you an answer.

Hey- we’re going to get some rules and maybe write them down someday- we’re working on it as we speak so shut up and sit down.

Thank you massah.

Many think it’s hopeless- even if members became “members” all the people who are members now actually support the 95%-music, vanity-radio format. Those who don’t like the situation just don’t give them money.

Those who are members now obviously like it the way it is. So do the sponsors who are little more than advertisers who can’t have a “call to action” in their advertisement if they want to call them underwriting messages (no one at KKCR apparently ever “got it” even when it was extensively explained to them last December the only rule the FCC has that mentions a “call to action” is one regarding advertising on non-commercial licensed stations saying you can say “we have shoes at our store” but can’t say “come down to our store and buy shoes” )

But in Dec. Lewis stated that it was the reason for not only the suspensions of Trujillo and Rose but why she called the cops- because she was afraid of another “call to action”.

And insanely enough Imperato’s letter still mentions this “call to action” that Giarmin, Jewell, Palagi, Jannelli and LaSota said jeopardized KKCR’s license, saying no one could call for anything- whether to come to church or protest the Superferry.- an absolutely insane notion for employees and managers of a “free speech” community radio station.

But that may be the least of what they “don’t get”

The KKCR membership drive is in full force and even Rose has stated she hopes to see 200 new subscribers. And every single person we spoke to in this investigation wants to see the stations fundraising and membership drive succeed.

We on the other hand can’t see why on earth anyone would encourage this kind of behavior by giving them money. If anything we’d like to see 200 people call in and pledge not to renew their subscriptions unless and until the station immediately addresses the reforms listed above and the long term goals are well on heir way to being the Kekahu foundation’s norms.

The next CAB meeting is this Wed. Don’t bother to be there- .I doubt Butchie would even if he could.

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