Untold Stories

[pumpkinboy]

Re: Untold Stories

I'm not a Hannemann or a Harris or a Fasi supporter.

I don't like politicians in general, I don't trust most of them.


Anyway, I'd also like to see a comparison of the city budget and the size of government, the total number of gov't employees and their salaries during the Harris admin vs. the Hannmann administration.

What I've read recently is that Hannemann has filled a lot of vacant, unfunded positions recently....and that it will be up to the taxpayers to foot the bill.

I don't know, so you tell me, are those positions needed?

I keep hearing that mantra that Hannemann USED to say to reporters...

"Nice to have, versus NEED to have."


So, are those workers and now funded positions really needed?

Some investigative reporting would be nice.

[unidentifiedstar]

Re: Untold Stories

I agree, pumpkinboy. I would add that more investigative reporting in Hawaii is a need to have, not a nice to have. Unfortunately, the corporations that own the newspapers do not understand that, nor do they want to.

[pumpkinboy]

Re: Untold Stories

Agreed unidentified.

Sad but true.



I'd also like to see a story done on the slow, snail-like pace of the Hawaii Supreme Court when it comes to issuing rulings on cases.

What do these guys do on an average day?

How many hours a week do they work and how much do they make if you break it down per hour?

If they do work so much, how difficult is their job that it takes seemingly forever for a ruling.



So slow...the rulings come down.

Unless of course, you're dealing with the SuperFerry.

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Untold Stories

I would add that more investigative reporting in Hawaii is a need to have, not a nice to have. Unfortunately, the corporations that own the newspapers do not understand that, nor do they want to.

What they understand is a P&L statement.

To look at some long-term trends: Everything is driven by money. Perhaps more so then it used to be. The problem is labor costs as a percentage of all costs have steadily gone up. Investigative reporting is probably the most expensive, as it takes time to research and it may end up in a non-story. Much more cost effective to sit and wait for someone to call and report/tip on something happening. Otherwise the newspaper as a investment ends up "under-performing".

At least that's my guess. I'd like to be proven wrong.

[pumpkinboy]

Re: Untold Stories

What they understand is a P&L statement.

To look at some long-term trends: Everything is driven by money. Perhaps more so then it used to be. The problem is labor costs as a percentage of all costs have steadily gone up. Investigative reporting is probably the most expensive, as it takes time to research and it may end up in a non-story. Much more cost effective to sit and wait for someone to call and report/tip on something happening. Otherwise the newspaper as a investment ends up "under-performing".

At least that's my guess. I'd like to be proven wrong.

My friend told me about Jacqueline McClean, and how she was doing a great job as KGMB's investigative reporter.

She won 3 awards in one year, I think they were all Emmys

So what happens? I heard she was supposed to have a special commercial on her achievement aired, but for some reason it was nixed.

She left KGMB for the mainland not long after. I'm not sure that was the reason, but she was a kick-butt investigator who, according to my friends who knew and worked with her, ALWAYS produced a good story.

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Untold Stories

Many, many years ago, a TV station in Denver secretly followed some public workers around. It started with the pothole paving crew. On the day they followed then, they put in over time but only actually did work for about an hour.

Major MAJOR fall out over that. I think the mayor ended up resigning.

[TuNnL]

Jackie McLean

My friend told me about Jacqueline McClean, and how she was doing a great job as KGMB's investigative reporter.

She won 3 awards in one year, I think they were all Emmys

So what happens? I heard she was supposed to have a special commercial on her achievement aired, but for some reason it was nixed.

She left KGMB for the mainland not long after. I'm not sure that was the reason

I’m sure that wasn’t the only reason. I’ve heard she did a lengthy on-camera interview with Malia Zimmerman, the now infamous founder of hawaiireporter.com, shortly after the Jennifer Toma-Bainum scandal.

As far as I can tell, that story never aired. If I was a kick@ss investigative reporter, I would be more pissed about that.

[MixedPlateBroker]

Re: Untold Stories

Hmmm. AT&T finally rolls out HSDPA (3.6Mbps wireless Internet) in Hawaii (at least here in 96816) and not a peep? Must be the PR machine is making sure the bugs are ironed out first. I for one was stoked to see "H" pop up in place of the "E" (for EDGE) on my phone after 12 last night. I confirmed the much-faster speeds after some sleep and a reboot.

Anyone else out there spock that?