We missed it when Access Humboldt dropped the f-bomb on TV the other day, but apparently some concerned viewer who’d tuned in to watch the Kinetic Race got an earful. As a result, Access Humboldt Executive Director Sean McLaughlin issued the following apology:
Access Humboldt’s mission is “Local voices through community media,” and our goal is to be accountable and maintain the highest possible ethics. That is why all our Board of Directors’ meetings are open to the public and we maintain open and transparent records.
It’s very important that we take responsibility and keep our community informed. So, I’m writing this note of apology to the community.
On Memorial Day, near the end of our exciting three days of live coverage of the Kinetic Grand Championship, we aired some music with bad language that was inappropriate for young listeners. This was a regrettable error caused by a lapse in our editorial process. Music with adult language should only be aired in “safe harbor” times when content for adult audiences is allowed.
We strive to protect freedom of opinion and expression while respecting our communities’ desire to limit adult content, and our policies are designed to manage the time, place and manner of presentation for community-sponsored programs. On Memorial Day we failed to meet our own expectations and we apologize to our community for this error.
For more information about Access Humboldt, check our web pages at accesshumboldt.net.
Sincerely, Sean McLaughlin, executive director Access Humboldt
This article appears in DA Trials.
As Queen Pres III and she whose phone number was listed all over Kinetic posters and website, I got the phone call that alerted us to this issue. I have to give super props to the Stream Team, who immediately contacted the studio crew and got the music changed.
The Stream Team rocked the Kinetic coverage! Thanks to Access Humboldt, Stream Guys and News Channel 3 for all the Glory!
But $@*% the Times-Standard, right?
I see an issue when AH is located on the Eureka High campus. When you give a bunch of our local brain-dead teens access to a TV station, things will go like this.
Even the Blue Ox radio station isn’t located on the mill site. They know better. But then AH isn’t exactly known for having any brains or quality control of any kind…
As the announcer for the broadcast I was there when the word came through that there was music of a questionable nature. Queen Monica approached me with the information which I then disseminated to our on-site engineer and as far as I am aware he called the studio and had the situation rectified.
Having been in the middle of the entire production chain that brings Humboldt County and the World Kinetic coverage on Access Humboldt, Channel 3 and the Internet I can say with authority that there are MANY things that can go wrong. From a sketchy microwave link to a shorted audio cable to a glitchy camera or insufficient upload bandwidth for the live stream.
I give thanks to the 40+ volunteers from StreamGuys, Access Humboldt, Channel 3 and others who put in countless hours to bring the broadcast to the world and our community and hope that the community at large understands that due to the enormity and complexity of the production occasionally thinks might go slightly awry.
Should anyone want to know more about the science and mechanics of putting on a 3 day live event please contact me at kinetic.herald@gmail.com
For The Glory!
I was surprised at the rap then REALLY surprised at the language. I honestly didn’t know who to even call so I’m ashamed I didn’t think of letting Monica know. All I know is “Thanksgiving Brown” is not on my iPod nor will it be. Yikes!
A group of dedicated people broadcast this amazing Kinetic Grand Championship live for three days almost straight. People in the Hindu-Kush mountains could watch the race if they wanted to (and if they were up high enough). It streamed live on the web at a global level reach.
Access Humboldt staff and volunteers were right alongside The Stream Guys and News Channel 3, and everyone worked their fingers and toes off. I am incredibly inspired by everyone who focused on this effort, including the racers and race organizers who assisted us at every location with energy, interviews, and encouragement.
The broadcast team made judgment calls to the best of our abilities and understanding on the fly. Some of these choices were very public to viewers, some decisions were never noticed by the viewers. If the broadcast team had been afraid of making mistakes, we would never have done the work in the first place. A three day long field broadcast is epic in any context, and it is inevitable that mistakes are made. I think that is how we learn.
I am proud to have been part of this amazing, massive, local grassroots effort to use video technology to document, illustrate and embrace the amazing culture that is Kinetics, and to provide that experience to a large audience, many of whom cannot get out to see the race, most of whom have no idea what kind of effort was put in.
Our community of media is so lucky to be on the cutting edge of community and effort and the flexibility and responsibility that comes with it.
Word up Access Humboldt, Word up Stream Guys, and word up News Channel 3.
Access Humboldt exists to promote Kinetic. There’s really nothing else worth watching on it the rest of the year. It’s odd that so much went into it while children in Eureka went to bed hungry last night.
No glory, just a chance for the local socialites to stick their faces in the public eye yet again.
I am leaving Humboldt due to being too embarrassed by my home county.
So Ryan Sundberg appeared on the Access Humboldt debates and interviews, but wouldn’t appear on the North Coast Journal debate. Boo hoo. Sounds like sour grapes to me coming from the Sims gang.
OK..so poor song choice. But AH did a good job with this huge event and the community should be thankful that there are people who care that someone besides giant corporations can be seen/heard on media.
Enjoyed watching the stream from east of the Mississippi. You all have a really cool town.
The Journal has never run one positive word about Access Humboldt. Ever. Just do the Google search and see for yourself. Sims and company are inherently hostile to free speech and public access.
if you think you are sorry wait till the community find out what the pukes in office there in arcata did to the unity in the community. recall comming no matter what and a lot of new friends are comming to change the dynamics of humboldt . it is high time we do a clean out of the braindead folks and media that have been runnig this here line and alowed MAXXAM to survive , we can do better.
patrick d lancelin
santa cruz news net
owner operator