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TheBuzz Erika Engle |
National nomination
for young Hawaii
classic rock stationIt's a first for rock radio in Hawaii. Honolulu's KAHA-FM 105.9, "The Big Kahuna," has been nominated for a Radio and Records magazine radio Station of the Year award; it is the first Hawaii rock station to receive such a nomination and may be the only Hawaii station of any format to receive a nomination from the industry publication.
"It's a testament to the hard-working staff," said General Manager Jeff Coelho.
The nominations come from subscribers of Radio and Records who work at radio stations, record companies and other related businesses, said Radio Editor Adam Jacobsen.
The nominations will appear in the April 25 edition of the weekly magazine.
"This is not necessarily a popularity contest where the air personalities can tell listeners to go to a Web site and litter an in-box (with e-mail). That's not how it happens at all," he said. "This is a commendation by the radio station's peers by the record and radio communities."
The station launched its classic rock format July 5 after playing patriotic music during the Independence Day holiday. Its previous format of alternative rock had been called "Lava Rock."
"The station has had a phenomenal launch, perhaps one of the best ever seen in the classic rock format," Jacobsen said.
Radio ratings periods are 12 weeks long, but KAHA's format was in place for only nine weeks of its first Arbitron survey for summer 2002.
In its target demographic of men 25 to 54 years old, "The Big Kahuna" debuted in a tie for No. 5 with KRTR-FM 96.3 garnering a 5.8 percent share of radio listeners. In the next ratings survey for fall 2002, KAHA and KRTR jumped into a tie for No. 2 with a 7.3 share. "Lava Rock" had been ranked No. 19. The next Arbitron survey will be released Tuesday.
Since the format's launch, KAHA's Connecticut-based owner, Maverick Media Inc., has agreed to sell it and sister stations KUMU-AM/FM to Georgia-based Real Radio of America LLC for $5.2 million.
KAHA is competing against five mainland stations for the R&R award. Voters' ballots will be tabulated by California-based accounting firm Miller Kaplan Arase & Co. LLP. Results will be sealed and secret until the June 20 awards ceremony during the Radio and Records convention in Beverly Hills.
Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin.
Call 529-4302, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached
at: eengle@starbulletin.com