Spotlight: Star Advertiser, 40th Anniversary Honoree
During MADD Hawaii’s 40th Anniversary Year, we will feature an Honoree each month who was recognized at the anniversary event held at Washington Place on Feb. 12, 2024. MADD Hawaii honored those who have made a significant difference in the fight to prevent drunk and drugged driving and in furthering MADD’s mission in Hawaii.
Category: Media
Honorees: Honolulu Star-Advertiser, formally the Honolulu Advertiser and Star-Bulletin
This month, we are spotlighting the Media honoree, The Star-Advertiser. From the early days before MADD Hawaii became an official organization to this very moment, we have relied on the media to communicate our vital messages to the public.
In 1984, when Candy Lightner visited Hawaii to share her story of loss to both the public and the media, she spoke about how she used the media to amplify her voice. Her visit led to an appearance by Carol McNamee and Dr. Irwin on the new Perry and Price radio show, where Carol recalled being interviewed for an hour in a very tight space like a telephone booth. This marked the start of MADD’s strategy to engage the media in discussing the tragedies of drunk driving and the experiences of victims—a strategy that remains effective today.
Shortly after, two dedicated MADD volunteers met with George Chaplain, the esteemed Editor-in-Chief of the Honolulu Advertiser. Moved by Candy’s narrative and other local accounts, he initiated a powerful six-day series on drunk driving, with the first day’s coverage spanning two full pages.
In those early days, with both the morning Advertiser and the evening Star-Bulletin, we had double the opportunity to reach the public with crucial messages about impaired driving. In 2010 they merged and became The Star Advertiser.
Over the past 40 years, MADD has had countless memorable moments, often thanks to media coverage. We’ve seen nearly 40 legislative sessions focusing on changes in impaired driving laws and victim-related statutes, all reported extensively by the press.
One notable initiative was when MADD published DUI conviction rates for each of the ten District Court judges, a project spearheaded by a dedicated MADD Hawaii board member. This bold move generated significant media headlines and provided critical exposure for our cause.
More recently, the newspaper has played a pivotal role in highlighting the heart-wrenching stories of families who have waited over four years for justice after losing loved ones to drunk driving. In one case, a trial was delayed an astonishing 19 times, bringing attention to the frustrations faced by these families.
The Star-Advertiser remains an indispensable ally in revealing the grim realities of drunk driving crashes and sharing the painful narratives of those affected by drunk driving. We appreciate their longstanding commitment to public health, which continues to draw national attention to the critical need for safer roadways free from drunk drivers. This work is saving lives and preventing injuries.
Achieving a future without victims of drunk driving will require all of us to work in concert. As respected journalists, your credible voices help raise awareness that drunk driving can impact anyone, anywhere. Your dedication to community safety, through education and advocacy for responsible choices, brings us closer to a day when drunk driving deaths and injuries are relics of the past.
Thank you, Star-Advertiser, for your compassion and partnership in this vital mission.