Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Musings: Media Monopoly

Dawn found us on the mountain trail, where the grass was sparkling with dew and rosy wisps crowned jagged peaks. And then the sun rose, a red ball at my back that gave the dogs and me brief shadows before it was consumed by a quilt of thick gray.

The Garden Island, meanwhile, has been consumed by Oahu Publications, which already owns the Star-Advertiser and MidWeek. So now that growing media monopoly has a lock on our island's print media, promising to push it further into vacuous homogeny. 

Funny, how the Star-Advertiser doesn't care enough about Kauai to post a reporter here or cover the island, but its parent company can't wait to gorge on our advertising revenues, as it currently does with its cash cow, MidWeek Kauai.

If the Star-Advertiser is any example, I suspect the first step will be a gag order on any coverage that is critical of GMOs or the military, or supportive of Hawaiian independence. 

Then the next step will be a pay wall on the website, which means people will actually have to pungle up cash to read yet another letter to the editor from James “Kimo” Rosen. 

There's never been a better time to support your local bloggers, folks, and truly independent media like Honolulu Weekly

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

TGI doesn't report that 14 people locally will lose their jobs. Thanks, OPI. We can tell you really care about us.

Anonymous said...

"Our sole concern is for our readers, and we want them to know that we will continue to put out the best newspaper possible, reflecting the local issues and concerns of Kauai residents." --Casey Quel Fitchett

She's kidding, right? She can't actually believe any of that!!

Anonymous said...

My only use for TGI has been reading the "Frank and Ernest" comic strip anyway.

Anonymous said...

I am surprised there is not another newspaper or weekly on Kauai. Maybe this is an opportunity for one to start up.

Another independent Hawaii new source is http://www.hawaiireporter.com/

Anonymous said...

"Our sole concern is for ......the MONEY we are going to make from endorsements and advertising GM seeds and other multinational billion dollar companies.... and cutting the Staff on Kauai."

Dr Shibai

Jeff said...

Newspapers are all toast and the small weaker ones go first. They didn't buy it in monetary terms, they kept it from being closed down by Lee. It was that or nothing.

Anonymous said...

There goes free viewing on the Internet. They are gonna definitely charge the public! Hopefully there's gonna be real journalism on Kauai, instead of the crap that we get now.

Anonymous said...

Jeff -- Oh, so now you're trying to tell us that OPI is our savior? lol

They most definitely did buy it in monetary terms. There's no altruism at work here.

Anonymous said...

Papers are run as a business, without money there is no paper.
Unless one of you can buy it back and run it at a loss??

Anonymous said...

People worry about losing their guns--- it's way more dangerous when one company monopolizes all print media in the state.

Anonymous said...

Gotta love Kimo Rosen's letters to The Garden Island news.

Star-Advertiser actually appears to be a supporter of the military.

What probably will get dinged are the hot blooded editor's special interest stories around weed, dramatic tales, and wasted ink on anti-law enforcement opinions.

Wonder if inflamatory letters to editor such as the likes of M.M. will be plucked out.

Will be interesting to see what changes come about.

Anonymous said...

Gotta love Kimo Rosen's letters to The Garden Island news.

Only if you're Kimo. The rest of us, not so much.

Anonymous said...

It's better than the old owner closing it down. If they expect us to pay to view it online, they better make a substantial investment in good reporters and a real editor. Well intentioned reporters but no one guiding, checking, editing, proofing, substantiating, directing, supervising or managing. It would be nice if Civil Beat expanded to Kauai.

Anonymous said...

For Kauai is now the only local Kauai paper. Barbara Bennett has done an amazing job at developing soimething of Kauai and For Kauai. Credit where credit is due. But still very sad about tgi.

Anonymous said...

Kimo I can live with. But that old turd Mickens rabbiting on and on and on is too much to bear.

I rather doubt anyone is gorging on local ad revenues. With a 9000 circulation, the paper can't be making much.

Anonymous said...

Pay to read WHAT online?

Recycled AP stories or reprints from NYT 2 days ago? Plus the Happy Camper?

Paywall it all you want. Who'd miss it except the parrots.

Dawson said...

>"Our sole concern is for our readers, and we want them to know that we will continue to put out the best newspaper possible, reflecting the local issues and concerns of Kauai residents." --Casey Quel Fitchett

She's kidding, right? She can't actually believe any of that!!<


The scary thing about corporate sycophants is that they actually do believe their company's groupthink is reality.

Elaine Albertson said...

I'm a bit conflicted on this one...hate to lose the jobs for 14 people, but on the other hand TGI has, for a number of years, been anything but a real newspaper. The "good ol' boy" system keeps it from really going after the truth, allowing sleeping dogs to not only lie, but decompose in plain view (as in unsolved murders and corruption).

I would not pay anything to read it online. So much for the public having a way to know what's going on.

Anonymous said...

Let's not forget the "lapse" in coverage by TGI during Shay's antics.

Anonymous said...

Why did TGI protect Shay from all of her criminal actions??

Anonymous said...

The POHAKU program was equivalent to the County of Kauai Furlough SCAM.

A commission against corruption on Kauai will be able to identify the people in the judicial system and all county and state positions that are abusing their positions. Federal investigations and federal prison sentences for these people will eventually deter collusion.

There comes a time when people becone fed up with the powers shenanigans. It is time to take down Kauai's home grown terrorists and yes it means all of the GOBAG and all the aunties that work for the courts.

Anonymous said...

Ditto that Jan. 22, 5:21 PM