TheBuzz
TheBuzz
A new advertising environment awoke radio listeners expecting to hear Japanese-language programming yesterday. Change is on the air
Under new ownership, KJPN-AM 940 flipped to country music under new call letters -- KHCM; its target audience is adults age 25 to 54.
California-based Salem Communications Corp. agreed to buy KJPN from Honolulu-based International Communications Corp. for $650,000.
In Hawaii, Salem also owns and operates KAIM-FM, KHNR-AM and KGU-AM.
General Manager T.J. Malievsky said the programming beamed in from Colorado-based Jones Radio Network is the best of country music from the past 20 years, and "if there is local country music, we'll find it."
KGU Program Director Jack Waters has been named production director of the new station.
With no recruitment advertising yet in place, Malievsky interviewed two applicants yesterday and plans for a mixture of full- and part-time staffers to be on-air by Labor Day weekend.
Country music has not been a financially viable format since the 1980s with KDEO, which was also at 940-AM.
More recently, KKHN-FM at 102.7, "Double-K Country," was short-lived.
"The reason (it failed) was that it was an FM that got its brains beat out," Malievsky said. AM is "the only place where (country music) will find its home."
On the FM band
Rich West and Beau Hodge took their dress rehearsal as the new morning team on classic rocker KAHA-FM 105.9 to the air today, following the signing of their contracts yesterday.The two were co-workers at the old "98 Rock" (97.5 KPOI-FM) but never did an air shift together, according to General Manager Jeff Coelho.
"We've had a blast all week and it should be a good show," he said.
They were still mulling over a name for the broadcast.
West joins "The Big Kahuna" from KPXO-TV and will provide creative and production services for the station while Hodge has a pool-cleaning business which he will maintain, Coelho said.
The station is close to hiring talent for the mid-day and afternoon drive shows and the air staff should be solidified by Labor Day weekend, he said.
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