STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3543

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  H.C.R. No. 87
                                        




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which
was referred H.C.R. No. 87 entitled: 

     "HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING LIBERTY NEWSPAPERS TO
     CONTINUE PUBLICATION OF THE HONOLULU STAR-BULLETIN AND TO
     ACTIVELY SEEK A BUYER TO PRESERVE TWO INDEPENDENT DAILY
     NEWSPAPERS IN THE COMMUNITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to support the efforts to
maintain the operations of the Star-Bulletin and to secure a
buyer for the newspaper.

     Your Committee finds that the closing of the Star-Bulletin
will have a widespread and adverse impact on the State, including
the loss of jobs, the potential exodus of residents seeking
employment outside the State, and potentially higher costs for
businesses that buy advertising in the newspaper. 

     Further, the State will lose a separate and independent
editorial voice in the community, and the breadth and quality of
news coverage will be affected.  The community will no longer
have access to diverse points of view in the daily print media
that is vital to the participation of an informed citizenry in a
democracy.  Therefore, the continued operation of the
Star-Bulletin is important to the social and economic well-being
of this State and should be supported.


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3543
                                   Page 2


     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to
this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose
of H.C.R. No. 87, and recommends its adoption.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Commerce and
                                   Consumer Protection,



                                   ______________________________
                                   BRIAN KANNO, Co-Chair



                                   ______________________________
                                   BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Co-Chair

 
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