Some want
Maui News to stay
family business

Three directors oppose
plans to sell it

By Rick Daysog
Star-Bulletin

Three directors of Maui News' parent company are opposing plans to sell the 99-year-old daily, saying they want to keep the business in the family.

Frances Ort, Stanley Ort and Meg Alvidrez said they plan to go before fellow board members of Maui Publishing Co. today to propose that they run the family-owned newspaper as an alternative to selling it.

The directors, a minority on the Maui Publishing 10-member board, said the company's announcement that it was exploring the possible sale of the 17,000-circulation newspaper could lead to the loss of an important local voice.

"We're really saddened by this," said Francis Ort.

Richard Cameron, Maui News publisher, declined comment yesterday.

Cameron said last week that the company has made no final decision to sell the newspaper.

But he has acknowledged the company is holding discussions with mainland newspaper companies. Maui Publishing recently hired Santa Fe, N.M.-based broker Dirks, Van Essen & Associates to explore a possible sale.

Industry sources believe the afternoon daily could sell for as much as $20 million.

Founded in 1900, the Maui News is Hawaii's last locally owned daily newspaper. J. Walter Cameron acquired the paper in 1940 and his family continues to control it.

Richard Cameron and his sisters Frances Ort and Meg Alvidrez are J. Walter Cameron's grandchildren.

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The Maui News