[HCDX]: Latest MW News From Hawai'i

[DXFool@xxxxxxx]

Hello from Hawai'i!  And yes, this is the correct spelling; it is related to 
other Polynesian place names such as Savai'i island in Samoa, 'Avaiki in the 
Cook Islands, and Havaiki in Aotearoa (New Zealand).  Here's some of the 
latest mediumwave radio news from Hawai'i, of interest primarily to other 
Pacific Rim DXers.

	It's been four weeks since KQMQ-690 Honolulu went off the air.  The 
station reception said that the station was temporarily shut off while its 
owners, New Wave Broadcasting, moved it and its FOUR sister FM stations 
(KQMQ-FM 93.1, KPOI-FM 97.5, KORL-FM 99.5 and KKHN-FM 102.7) into new 
quarters in Waikiki.  This is the second time KQMQ-AM/FM has moved its 
offices in the past fifteen years, and kind of curious since Waikiki has some 
of the highest rents in the state, meaning stations usually move OUT of 
Waikiki.  Ironically, the new digs are about a block from the longtime site 
of KPOI-1380's building and tower on The Ala Wai.   New station address is 
1833 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu 96815.
	
	Incidentally, New Wave recently purchased KORL-FM (not to be confused 
with the old KORL-650, now KHNR) and dumped its tourist-oriented format of 
tourist info and a curious mix of CHR, R&B hits, contemporary Hawaiian music 
and Japanese hits.  Until a permanent format is installed, KORL-FM has been 
airing AC, Beatles-only, and now reggae and Rap (as in the late comedian Rap 
Reiplinger).  And for history buffs, KQMQ-AM used to be Top 40 mainstay 
KKUA-AM; it purchased KQMQ-FM from the former owners of KGMB-AM/TV in the 
1980s and later switched the callsign.

	And it's been over a week since KUAU-1570 Ha'iku, Maui returned to 
the air.  Yes, RETURNED.  The station went totally silent last August, 
plagued by an irregular schedule and a lack of advertising.  Hey, 500 watts 
doesn't exactly pull in sponsors!  I spent a day on Maui in Feb. 1998 and 
KUAU was on for only half the day.  Although it's back on, it's still in a 
testing mode; sometimes it's on at night (as monitored at 1330 UTC May 10 and 
1130 May 11).  This is probably to justify retaining the FCC licence.  Don't 
try calling the station; an answering machine is connected 24/7 and is 
usually taking calls for owner Richard Miller's timeshare business.  And the 
e-mail address was discontinued earlier this year.  Best bet is regular mail 
to 490 'Ulu Malu Road, Ha'iku, Maui 96708.

	According to Melvin Ah-Ching's Hawaii Radio and TV Guide, KNUI-900 
Kahului, Maui switched from a combo format of AC and oldies music to just 
Hawaiian music, "the home of Aloha Classics."  KNUI used to be the Hawaii 
outlet for Dick Bartley's weekend programs.  KNUI-AM and sister stations 
KNUI-FM, KNUQ-FM (licensed to one island but broadcasting from another, just 
like KONI-FM!), and KMVI-AM/FM were purchased by Lahaina Broadcasting, owners 
of KPOA-FM and KLHI-FM.   That would leave Lahaina and Visionary Related 
Entertainment (KAOI-AM/FM, KDLX-FM) the only multi-station owners in Maui 
County.

Finally, more fallout from the shutdown of the Mutual and NBC news 
services--KIPA-620 Hilo has switched from NBC to ABC-Direction.  This follows 
the station dropping Westwood One's Bruce Williams.

That's all for now.  Special thanks to Patrick Martin for providing part of 
the mailing list.

And oh yeah, Na Leo Pilimehana's on the AC charts!


--Dale Park, KH6DX5P
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