Isle radio deals
shift the FM dial
KPOI shuts down and its call
letters convert to the Big Kahuna
Historic Honolulu rock station KPOI-FM 97.5, "The Rock You Live On," is off the air. The short-lived 1980s and 1990s hits format of KHUI-FM 99.5, "Bob-FM," is also gone.
The stations' new owner stopped broadcasting on both stations at 6 p.m. Friday and new programming was signed on later that evening.
KPOI, KHUI, KQMQ-FM 93.1 and KDDB-FM 102.7 were sold by New Wave Broadcasting LP in May for $11 million, in a two-part deal.
Following the close of the financial transactions on Friday, Maui-based Visionary Related Entertainment LLC took possession of KQMQ, "The Q," and KDDB, "Da Bomb," while California-based Salem Communications Corp. assumed ownership of KPOI and KHUI.
The KPOI call letters have been associated with rock 'n' roll since the station signed on, on the AM radio dial, in the late 1950s.
The call letters will migrate to Visionary's Honolulu classic rock station, which will be rebranded a "heritage rock station" to be known as "KPOI The Big Kahuna, 105.9," said John Detz, president of Visionary, in an exclusive interview with the Star-Bulletin. Detz plans to expand the play list to incorporate some of the more modern rock played by KPOI.
Salem's new station at 97.5 FM is simulcasting the conservative news and talk programming of KHNR-AM 650. KHNR-FM is the first FM talk station in Hawaii, echoing a mainland trend.
Starting tomorrow the KHNR simulcast will include a locally generated 6 to 9 a.m. news, traffic, weather and information block anchored by Chaz Ontai on weekdays.
KHUI has returned to the traditional Hawaiian music format that New Wave dropped in September.
Former 97.5 personality Fil Slash will join the new KPOI from 6 to 10 p.m. on the air and at promotional events.
Visionary is adding 11 other New Wave employees to its statewide stable, including air staff from KQMQ and KDDB and some sales and back office personnel.
The remaining air staff of KPOI is looking for work, but KHUI's demise left nobody unemployed as it was staffed by its sister stations' personnel.
Leo Baldwin, terminated by New Wave at the end of July, will return to "Da Bomb" as program director.
Former KHUI air personality and program director Mahlon Moore has been running www.breezeofhawaii.com, an Internet-only Hawaiian music radio station since January. Salem has contracted Moore to serve as a programming consultant and voice talent.
KHUI's Monday-to-Friday on-air lineup will feature longtime radio personality Jacqueline "Skylark" Rossetti from 6 a.m. to noon, Chaz Ontai from noon to 6 p.m. and Kahikina de Silva from 6 p.m. to midnight. She hosts a Hawaiian music program Sunday nights on KTUH-FM 90.3, the student-run University of Hawaii station.
Salem is expected to announce an additional station swap tomorrow, but Vice President and General Manager T.J. Malievsky declined comment, calling the deal confidential.
Salem now owns eight Honolulu radio stations. The deal boosts Visionary's Hawaii holdings to 14 stations, the same as Pacific Radio Group Inc., also based on Maui.
Malievsky orchestrated KPOI's demise from the dial but was also the general manager that built the station to prominence as "98 Rock" in the 1980s.
In 1987 Malievsky became a born-again Christian.
"I left KPOI to go do work in the kingdom of God as a Christian broadcaster and now KPOI is back in my hands. We're going to do something more redemptive than the foul stuff (that has been on the air)."
"I am pleased, as the architect of 98 Rock, to shut it down," Malievsky said.
Separately, Salem also closed on the purchase of the building at 1160 N. King St. The vacant building that once housed KPOI will require reconstruction for offices and studios. "It'll take us a year to get in there," Malievsky said.
Visionary is building three additional studios in its offices at 765 Amana St., which should be ready in mid-October, Coelho said. In the meantime KQMQ and KDDB will continue to broadcast from the former New Wave studios at 1833 Kalakaua Ave.
