Owner of KHON
and KGMB slapped
with $18,000 fine

Recent high-profile federal fines against broadcasters have been for saying things that should not have been uttered aloud on the air and showing things that ought not to have been exposed. But sometimes a federal fine is for something that isn't there.

After a random inspection, the Federal Communications Commission fined the parent company of Honolulu's KHON-TV and KGMB-TV a combined $18,000 for failing to interview enough people for job vacancies and for failing to keep sufficient public records documenting the number of candidates its recruitment efforts produced. That meant the company was unable to "ensure that it was effective in achieving broad outreach ... for a period of 18 months," the FCC said in a statement.

A member of the public should be able to inspect a broadcaster's public file, as the name suggests. In this case, on March 7, the feds were inspecting the stations' compliance with equal employment opportunity rules, which should have been reflected in the public file.

An Aug. 24 notice from the FCC cited scary numbers, such as a maximum penalty of $325,000 for a single continuing breach of the commission's rules.

However, since the guidelines don't specify base amounts for equal employment opportunity violations, the FCC used the schedule of fines relating to the keeping of public files.

"We take all of our FCC obligations seriously," said Kate Snedeker, media relations director for Indiana-based Emmis Communications Corp., which owns both stations.

"Through an internal audit, Emmis became aware of this situation. Once we realized the problem, Emmis took immediate steps to correct the situation, including better training of our hiring managers."

The company has 30 days to pay the fine or request a reduction of the amount. Emmis' course of action will be decided by its legal department, Snedeker said.

Pure decadence

Three of the local luxe accommodations are on the Big Island, including the Bird of Paradise Bungalow at the Bungalows at Mauna Lani Bay, the Presidential Villa at Four Seasons Hualalai and the Fairmont Gold Presidential Suite at the Fairmont Orchid. On Oahu, honors went to the Vera Wang suite at Halekulani.

Fourteen of the suites that the magazine highlights outside Hawaii cost more than $10,000 a night.

Who rents these places? "Our readers are spending on average $147,000 this summer on hotels, resorts and spas," said Douglas Gollan, president of Elite Traveler.

The magazine's editors sought input from celebrity travelers including fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger, Mikimoto Pearls Chairman Toyohiko Mikimoto and hip-hop executive Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter.

Never heard of Elite Traveler? Perhaps that is because the magazine is distributed aboard private jets and mega-yachts.