Saturday, June 29, 2013

Musings: On Media Relations

“Come on,” I said to the dogs, though they never need urging to go anywhere. “It's gonna be a beautiful sunrise.” And it was, with gauzy clouds turning the color of a blood orange and the ones covering the sun getting that red-gold gilt around the edges and still others forming towering cumulus columns that hovered on the horizon while a double rainbow arched mauka and iwa flew silently overhead.

So started a new day on Kauai, and at The Garden Island, too, where publisher Casey Quel Fitchett was fired yesterday — an event publicly celebrated under the “breaking news” headline: Ding dong, the witch is dead! (Click on image to enlarge.)

The article, which was quickly taken down from the paper's website, sarcastically ridicules the “positives” associated with Oahu Publishing Inc.'s (aka Star-Advertiser media monopoly) purchase of the paper:

You may also have noted we've grown in the number of pages, increasing both outsourced editorial content and ads that help readers save precious dollars without requiring any local investment by the company. For the first time since their accounts were lost to OPI on Quel Fitchett's watch, Kmart and Longs advertising inserts are once again part of your Sunday TGI, because Quel Fitchett losing those contracts to OPI's Midweek is what strengthened OPI while weakening TGI enough to make the purchase possible.

Our foremost goal is to produce a newspaper that makes Kauai proud without actually investing in the product. How are we doing so far?”

I think we all know the answer to that one, sadly.... 

Oh, well, I'm sure OPI can round up somebody from South Dakota who has always wanted to live on Kauai to take Casey's place. Most likely a man, since OPI is such an old boy's club. Yup, owner David Black couldn't find even one wahine to round-out his all-male board of directors. What's up with that?

Meanwhile, OPI's MidWeek Kauai is going through a change as well, with writer Amanda Gregg and her hubby, deputy housing director and former deputy planning director Imai Aiu, headed for Boston. Guess now we'll never know why Imai approved all those vacation rentals even though the owners failed to prove they were eligible for a non-conforming use permit.

But OPI and Obama aren't the only ones worried about and clamping down on whistle-blowers and leaks. Kauai County has issued its own media relations policy that channels everything through the mayor's office. 

Under the First Amendment-stifling directive — approved by County Attorney Al Castillo — all county employees are forbidden to “proactively distribute information or initiate discussions with media representatives concerning County issues without first consulting with the County of Kaua`i Communications Team – and in particular, the Public Information Officer (PIO).” It goes on to state:

Spokespersons, staff, and members are not to give statements “off the record.” Any discussions, whether in an informal or formal setting with media representatives, will be considered on-the-record (even if the media representative says that the discussion is “off the record”).

It doesn't specify what punishment will befall those who deviate from “the process." Perhaps they'll be sentenced to sit through 10 County Council meetings without a smart phone for diversion.

I understand the role and value of a PIO, and in all fairness, the “communications team” — Beth Tokioka, Mary Daubert and Sarah Blane — is efficient and responsive. But surely managers making $100,000+ per year can be trusted to talk the party line to reporters. 

And what of those agencies — county council, auditor, KPD, prosecutor — whose staff are technically county workers, though they're not under the purview of the mayor's office? Does all the information from these departments have to be vetted by the mayor's office, too, even though he's their political enemy?

Whether it's Obama or Bernard, it seems we'd be better off if people focused more on doing the right thing, as opposed to tightly controlling the information that's released to the public. Because it is our government, after all.

While we're talking about doing the right thing,  the Department of Hawaiian Homelands yesterday nixed Eric Knutzen's plan to lease Anahola homelands to harvest and cultivate trees for his wood chip-burning plant. For years homesteaders have been protesting their lands being leased to non-Hawaiian grifters. 

Finally, DHHL listened. Or, rather, five of the eight commissioners did.

38 comments:

Anonymous said...

"And what of those agencies — county council, auditor, KPD, prosecutor — whose staff are technically county workers, though they're not under the purview of the mayor's office? Does all the information from these departments have to be vetted by the mayor's office, too, even though he's their political enemy?"

I would really like to know the answer to this. It's a very good question. For example, the Prosecutor is elected not appointed, therefor not under the Mayor's thumb, with that said...i don't think information from these departments need to be vetted by the Mayor's Office.

Anonymous said...

Why does the County need three people to do media releases?

Anonymous said...

To keep the Mayor looking good! Anybody interested in running for Mayor? Good food, good pay/benefits, like-minded people, endless talk story, TV spots, people suck up to you, and on and on!

Joan Conrow said...

Dear 10 am: Beth sent me this reply to our question:

The Council and Auditor are not asked to observe the process. However they generally ask us to disseminate whatever they're putting out.

The Prosecutor welcomes our support and works with us in most instances to put out releases. Sometimes we offer assistance in developing the message, but mostly we disseminate it for them and work with media on their behalf if there are corrections or clarifications to be made.

The last time I checked the Charter, the police department fell under the Office of the Mayor and/or the Police Commission, depending on the circumstance. Judge Valenciano recently ruled the Mayor does have authority over day to day operations, which is where media responses would fall.

And mahalo for acknowledging the good work of Mary and Sarah. They are dedicated professionals and I'm extremely blessed to have them on our team.

Anonymous said...

Interesting. I wonder if this release is more to keep Chief Perry's leash tight so he won't start taking out of turn again.

Anonymous said...

Casey got what she deserved and what she dished out to others.

Anonymous said...

For instance that particular lady in human resources who told Joan about Jake applying at KPD, and who leaked all kinds of other stuff to Joan about certain pay raises during the election. Hm?

That lady should probably be fired.

Anonymous said...

Joan - was that actually posted on TGI's website? Unbelievable. Heads will roll. Dennis Francis and his many mistresses will not let that go without heads rolling.

Joan Conrow said...

Yes, 12:03, it was actually on the website.

And 11:53, you really should keep your nasty insinuations to your Anonymous self, because they're wrong.

Anonymous said...

"It is incumbent upon the PIO to ensure that the department head(s)
to which the inquiry pertains have
been notified in the event of an inquiry and to agree upon a response." What if they don't agree with the PIO's response?

Anonymous said...

Much of what was said in the TGI "article" is - although sarcastic - unfortunately true. Having worked at TGI during Casey's leadership, I can tell you without hesitation that she is the most disrespectful, nastiest, poorest leader I've ever encountered in my entire career (and the majority of TGI employees - both current and former - have said the same). OPI has many issues of their own (including some horribly unethical leaders), but I must say that axing Casey is one of their best decisions so far.

Anonymous said...

Joan, you tell 11:53 to "keep your nasty insinuations to yourself, because they're wrong." Excuse me, but isn't this the same Joan Conrow who has repeatedly asked the question, "How can TVR owners claim to have had TVR income while also claiming the homeowners exemption?" Your insinuating - and worse, falsely accusing - homeowners of committing EITHER tax fraud OR submitting fraudulent TVR applications. Whats especially disturbing about your insinuations is that, for one, the answer is easily found on the real property page of the kauai.gov website, where it explains that the exemption can be granted even if the home is unoccupied by the owner for many months of the year - which would leave plenty of time for that owner to have TVR guests for at least 30 days a year - without committing the fraud your "question" presumes must be occurring.
It's one thing for an anonymous poster to harmlessly insinuate something that no one is going to be paying attention to - its another thing for a widely-followed blogger - and award winning journalist - to be falsely accusing TVR owners of committing fraud.

Anonymous said...

Close that loophole!

Anonymous said...

And round 5 of Mayor versus Chief begins.
Lets all get behind a 1% GE tax increase so we can pay our County to sue itself again.

Anonymous said...

FRAUD! I have one right next door to me and the owners have more exemptions than I do so think before you post!

Anonymous said...

Is Imai running away?

Anonymous said...

Imai was likely run out by the current administration. I'm no legal expert, but Casey could probably successfully sue TGI for defamation.

Anonymous said...

would be easy enough to find out who leaks to joan. Someone should sue joan and the "unknown" leaker then find out in her deposition who's is illegally filtering information to her.

Anonymous said...

The pay raises that Joan posted are public records. Don't know about Jake's application but that info could have come from someone who knew someone who knew someone who knew Jake. Don't you want to know if someone gets a huge raise with taxpayer dollars when they don't deserve it?

Anonymous said...

Jake should sue the county and Joan and out the leaker.

Anonymous said...

Kauai government needs some whistleblowers.

Anonymous said...

I find it really sad and shameful that so many people have so much time to post so many negative statements about their neighbors and fellow Kauai residents and homeowners-where's the Aloha? everyone seems to take such joy in finding fault-what if it were about you or your family?
Why not try to focus on the positive reasons why we are all on Kauai-and shame on you for pitting neighbor against neighbor-try to find the good side of things and support each other-nothing good can come from attacking people-

Anonymous said...

Yeah everything is great in paradise. Just turn a blind eye to what is really happening.


See no evil, hear no evil, and say no evil. Another UNSOLVED bites the dust.


Just the way the GOBAG want it. All the while people go missing, girls/woman gets raped, kids get raped by their elders, drugs destroy the community, drug front businesses and drug dealers pay for protection, another illegal TVR operates on AG and non VDA area, no bid contracts get awarded, fake furloughs go unchallenged, gas theft gets washed away, Bike paths are built for no logical reason, while roads eat away your tires and mess up your vehicles, cops work for the syndicates, militias terrorizes citizens, judges and lawyers conspire to committ crimes against citizens, Admin does what the hell ever they want, council helps cover up their campaign funding white collar criminals, and so on and so on.


This is what our shameful neighbors, fellow Kauai residents, and homeowners are doing.


And you want us to keep quiet about it?

Anonymous said...

Kauai has to create a non profit whistle blower liaison office that goes directly to the federal government.

Dawson said...

"Kauai has to create a non profit whistle blower liaison office that goes directly to the federal government."

There are two direct connections to the feds already: your telephone and your computer.

FBI Honolulu: (808) 566-4300

http://www.fbi.gov/honolulu/contact-us/contact

Anonymous said...

to 1052am- I didn't say ignore the problems-but just don't get so caught up on the negative side of things that you forget about the positives and try to work together-not against each other- how can we find solutions and common ground-
is it really as grim as you portray it? I don't think so-this blog is just a way of feeding the frenzy rather than finding the best way to all get along-
I was here for 2 big hurricanes-and when that happened it brought out the best in people rather than the worst as this blog seems to be doing-neighbor helping neighbor-no matter who you were or where you come from-just sayin......

Anonymous said...

Sure there is a lot room for improvement on many fronts, but to move here from somewhere else and feel it's your place to attack personally, demonize if you will, people who are from here (some for many generations) because you don't agree with what or how they're doing things is pathetic. Joan, you do great work in bringing to light much that needs to be, and it is very true your recent observation on the smallness of the KKCR/blogeshere bubble. The vitriol with which some of your commentators post is sad, really out touch with a place like this and shows just how far from home some of them are.

Anonymous said...

I know that route and I have gone that route.


There are many people on Kauai that are afraid to utilize these avenues.


Did you know that out of the 4 main islands of Hawaii, Kauai is ranked number 1 in violent crimes. Kauai has the least population amongst the 4 main islands and the closest to us is the Big Island that has 2.5x more people.


You wonder why? We do not have big brother on island watching over these corrupt public officials and syndicate cops.


Kauai (est 70k pop) ranks number 1 in unsolved murders with a population 14x less than Oahu (est 1 million pop).

Research some facts, educate the people, identify the problems, then find solutions- that's Kauai needs and wants.

Anonymous said...

You really don't understand what we are facing here on Kauai. I respect the dialogue but we have major problems here.


Did you know that right now we are being infiltrated by real cartels. I mean the most dangerous threat to the United States and now Kauai are here.


You all don't understand that our public officials have sold us out. The uncles, aunties, braddahs, and titas. All for money,drugs,power and control.

Dawson said...

"...this blog is just a way of feeding the frenzy rather than finding the best way to all get along..."

You don't try to "get along" with corrupt politicians. You try to get them exposed, indicted, arrested, tried, convicted or otherwise exorcised from the body politic, and in a manner that sends a warning to like-minded successors.

Anonymous said...

Ahmen brother!

Anonymous said...

If we're airing the dirty laundry, has anyone looked into WHO really runs the prostitution ring on the west side? Hint: they have badges. Who runs the north shore drug trade (or at least gets paid to protect and look the other way)? Hint: they have badges. Yes, there is corruption here and I don't get the sense that the masses care. Shhhh, talk about Aloha and all the positive. All the while the land and people are literally and figuratively getting raped.

Anonymous said...

Kauai is going the way it's going because that's the way it was and is intended to go. The way the big rich power elite mapped it out from way back. Not the way a bunch hippie organic screamers are clamoring for. But maybe, hopefully, if enough noise is made the desecration of the Hanalei river ridge can be stopped,

Anonymous said...

Plantation owners didn't care much back then what they did, as long as they made money. You think it's all that different now? When they tell you not to worry, check your wallet and your vitals

Anonymous said...

..2:45 you got it way wrong

Kauai is going the way it's going because that's the way it was and is intended to go... Did you ever hear of the North Shore Plan? It was not "hippies" who made that plan, but respected people .

Anonymous said...

Director of Finance Wally Rezentes
Deputy Parks Director Imai Aiu
Managing Director Gary Heu

WHO'S NEXT?????

Anonymous said...

Imai was deputy housing director, not deputy parks director.

Anonymous said...

To my knowledge, this policy has been in place for a long time, this just puts it in writing. Any public agency will want media to go through its public affairs arm, how can anyone fault CoK for doing what is considered best practices for public affairs and media relations?

And there's a lot more that goes into government communications than media releases.