Akaku: Call for Resignations

Jay April is Vice Chair of Akaku cable access TV on Maui, and he is a good friend of ours. He has sent an important letter to the editor of the Maui News regarding the Akaku takeover. There is a lot of good information about Hawaii's history and legal status offered on Akaku, along with much other valuable programming, and it is important to protect this community resource. Read Jay's letter, and If you're on Maui, please try to show up at the next board meeting like he says, Friday, August 26 at 4PM at the Akaku studios at 333 Dairy Road. More info at SaveAkaku.org.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

I was an early adopter and pioneer of public access television in the United States and helped set policy for the concept nationally during the decade of the 1980’s. I have seen many turf battles but the one that continues to rage on Maui is by far the worst. It underscores the pathetic failure of progressive cable regulation in Hawaii, exposes our petty bureaucrats, shows the underbelly of raw political power, and allows the state’s monopoly cable operator, Time Warner, to laugh all the way to the bank.

It is with considerable dismay that I read the article in the August 20 issue of The Maui News whereby it was reported that Akaku Board Chair, Myles Inokuma has contributed to the further disintegration of the once highly respected public access TV station by physically assaulting another member of the Akaku Board. As if that were not troubling enough, the corresponding verbal assault offered by Sharron Courter, Akaku’s Treasurer, in the same article is about as low as it gets. Incredibly, she places blame for Inokuma’s unacceptable behavior on Akaku producers, members of our community who exercise their free speech rights by making the shows that air on Akaku, the very people whose diverse voices (you and me, folks) she has pledged to empower. Maui deserves better leadership from people who pretend to be stewards of our public media.

Mr. Inokuma , asserted after the fisticuffs subsided that each board member is, “ trying to do good for Akaku” and that there is no “wrong or right.”. Mr. Inokuma is mistaken. As every grade-schooler knows, there is such a thing as right and wrong and the wrong Mr. Inokuma and Ms. Courter have already done to Akaku through their actions are a matter of public record.

It was wrong for Mr. Inokuma to allow the attorney for Everett Dowling - no friend of public access and who is on record of vowing to shut Akaku down - to draft his (Inokuma’s) testimony before the legislature on bills that would devastate Akaku. Mr Inokuma's actions which happened without board knowledge or approval, in effect, supported the strategy of certain developers and the state’s failing educational establishment to accomplish a hostile corporate takeover of Akaku .

It was wrong For Mr. Inokuma and Ms. Courter to support and actively campaign for the MCC/DOE raid on Akaku funds without any contract or writing to support that position.

It was wrong for Mr. Inokuma and Ms. Courter to place Mr. Dowling on Akaku’s Finance committee and apparently share proprietary financial information with him and others without board knowledge in blatant violation of Akaku by-laws.

It was wrong for Mr. Inokuma to force, without proper review and approval by the board, a so-called, educational agreement drafted by Mr. Dowling’s attorney that steals millions from Akaku, has no accountability provisions, and does not guarantee one dollar or one minute of educational access programming or training to any students and teachers of Maui County in perpetuity.

It was wrong to misrepresent the will of the entire Akaku board before DCCA and, in concert with that derelict state agency, stack the Akaku board with illegitimate appointments who were not nominated or approved by the board, do not reflect the diversity of the community and who represent interests antithetical to public access.

It was wrong to abuse those newly acquired appointments to trump up enough votes to fire non-profit director of the year and Akaku CEO, Sean McGlaughlin without cause.

It is wrong to physically attack board members who know the difference between right and wrong.

It is clear from their actions that Mr. Inokuma and Ms. Courter are in no position to lead Akaku. On the contrary, their reign of terror has been a disaster for our community. I call for the immediate resignations of Myles Inokuma and Sharron Courter from the Akaku Board of Directors. If you agree, tell them yourself at the next board meeting, Friday, August 26 at 4PM at the Akaku studios at 333 Dairy Road.

Sincerely,

Jay April
Vice Chair
Akaku: Maui Community Television

Posted: Tue - August 23, 2005 at 09:55 PM

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Akaku: Call for Resignations

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