List e-mailed to FCC Following a slew of allegations slighting the practices at KKCR, a Kaua‘i community radio station, one resident has forwarded a list of what he believes are broadcasting violations to the higher ups at the Federal Communications
List e-mailed to FCC
Following a slew of allegations slighting the practices at KKCR, a Kaua‘i community radio station, one resident has forwarded a list of what he believes are broadcasting violations to the higher ups at the Federal Communications Commission.
Among the concerns, sent via e-mail by Patrick Michaels, are accusations that the station overstepped its rights when it locked its doors Jan. 3.
A video posted on YouTube of the protest and gating of KKCR has furthered the controversy of the issue in online discussions; however, both sides remain split on whether KKCR was within its rights to lock its doors for security reasons that day, or if the rights of community members were infringed upon.
Michaels, a New Yorker and part-time Kaua‘i resident who says he has a background in broadcasting, claims the station put itself at risk by preventing the public from accessing it during business hours.
Michaels says that infraction alone could result in the station becoming vulnerable to being purchased should the FCC not take away its broadcasting license outright.
“They weren’t closed for business but weren’t available to the public,” Michaels said. “That’s against FCC guidelines.”
Michaels stressed that he didn’t file an actual complaint with the FCC but that on Jan. 3 he e-mailed a request for review of KKCR’s broadcast license.
In the e-mail, Michaels asks the FCC to “initiate a review of the license for that station, focused on FCC compliance.”
Michaels also states in the e-mail that KKCR violated FCC regulations by consistently failing to announce its call letters at the top of the hour. Included in his message is a link to the YouTube video that shows the station locked during business hours.
But KKCR Program Director Donna Lewis said the station was well within its rights during the Jan. 3 “lockdown,” as she called it, which followed the Dec. 17 termination of Ka‘iulani Edens-Huff’s DJ privileges.
Huff, a former volunteer, hosted “The Song of Sovereignty” radio program on Monday mornings.
Lewis said the closure was done with the intention of protecting the station’s FCC license.
“Our fundamental duties include to, one, protect the safety and security of volunteers and two, to protect our FCC license by preventing unauthorized access to airwaves and enforcing station policies and FCC laws,” she said.
Lewis added that protecting the FCC license meant keeping people out of the station, noting, “we did receive threats that people were going to go on the air. We are a commercial-free station. We’re not allowed to do a call to action.”
Palagi, who said she was off island during the protest, said Huff wasn’t fired, but that her privileges were terminated for “90 days,” noting Huff can “reapply” after that time has passed.
Palagi also said she is open to talks with Huff and that she has plans to speak with volunteers Jimmy Trujillo and Katy Rose this week. Both had been seeking on-air community input regarding Huff’s departure from the station.
In the meantime, Palagi said KKCR employees will continue to do what is required to be in compliance with FCC regulations.
Should the FCC find KKCR is out of compliance, “The station will comply 100 percent with all requests,” Palagi said.
• Amanda C. Gregg, assistant editor/staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or agregg@kauaipubco.com.
