HAWAII'S BROADCASTERSSERVING EVERY LOCAL COMMUNITY
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From management to part-time employees, all staff members of stations KCCN-FM, KINE-FM, KKNE-AM, KRTR-AM/FM and KPHW-FM in Honolulu, Hawaii, contributed to the stations’ support of the "Great Aloha Run," which generates funds for charities throughout the islands. The stations encouraged listeners to join their team during early registration by offering free station t-shirts to anyone who signed up. In addition to running promotional announcements and providing music at the three-day race exposition, the stations fanned out on the course on race day and provided music to keep the runners going at multiple spots. KRTR provided a live broadcast from the finish line. Since the race’s inception, more than $7.8 million has been raised to support community organizations.
From families working to restore summer camp cottages to students refurbishing buses into homeless shelters, volunteerism is alive and well in the islands, thanks in part to the efforts of KITV-TV in Honolulu, Hawaii. The station airs public service announcements (PSAs) about the Aloha United Way’s Volunteer Hawaii online tool, where residents who want to volunteer and organizations that need volunteers are matched up. In addition, the station broadcasts a two-minute news package profiling a volunteer or volunteer opportunity broadcasts every week and hosts an annual luncheon to honor those who have given their time to one of the many local charities. According to the Aloha United Way, when PSAs and news stories air, traffic to www.volunteerhawaii.org usually jumps by 200 to 300 percent. With KITV’s support, 8,000 community members now use the tool to volunteer each year. "We could never have gotten the kind of public notice we have without KITV," said Susan Doyle, president and chief professional officer of Aloha United Way." It has been unprecedented for us and made our volunteer program a success."
After Florida, the Hawaii islands have the second oldest population in the United States, which is why KHON-TV in Honolulu, Hawaii began "The Elderhood Project." Now in its second year, the project provides informational resources for the aging population and their families. Segments air every Thursday during both the morning and 5 p.m. news and have covered a variety of topics, including long-term care, elder abuse, identity theft, nursing home qualifications, wills and trusts, and finances. To gain insight on what information seniors need most, the KHON news team meets regularly with an advisory panel, which includes the Counsel on Aging, the University of Hawaii and The Hawaii Caregivers Coalition. Every November, during National Caregiver Month, the station launches its Family Caregiving Awards Program to recognize those who are taking care of the elderly. A winner is chosen from each county in KHON’s viewing area and is featured in a news segment. "KHON is a leader in our community for being the first television station to dedicate news segments and public service announcements about issues facing seniors. We are truly grateful to The Elderhood Project for raising awareness, helping families to plan for their long-term care needs and for inspiring people to advocate for themselves," said Wes Lum, assistant specialist for the University of Hawaii Center on Aging.
Providing a light in the dark for residents on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, local Hawaiian television and radio stations KHNL-TV and KSSK-FM in Honolulu, Hawaii, responded to an island wide blackout. The late- December blackout not only knocked power out for residents, but also for local business, including the news stations. As KHNL dispatched news crews throughout the island to get information out to viewers on neighboring islands, KSSK radio announcers were the first to go on air at 6:30 p.m. to calm listeners, especially those listening in their cars as the immediate concern was alleviating dangerous driving situations. Additionally, KSSK took phone calls from worried listeners inquiring about the cause and duration of the blackout. KSSK simulcast its broadcast on its seven affiliated radio stations and stayed on air until power was restored at 2 a.m. the following morning. During the emergency broadcast, KSSK radio announcer Michael W. Perry told listeners, “For those of you who have never been through an island-wide power outage here, we have an interesting situation in that we are an island, to restate the obvious, and we can’t tap into anybody else’s grid and we’re on our own, which means we’re gonna have to go for it as best we can and gradually get everything on.”
For the staff of KWXX-FM, KPUA-AM and KNWB-FM in Hilo, Hawaii, supporting the American Heart Association is truly a matter from the heart. When the founder of the broadcast group passed away from a heart attack a few years ago, his son, General Manager Chris Leonard, made a commitment to help others. He wanted to do more than encourage the stations’ listeners to become involved; he wanted the station to actively participate. All three stations became annual media sponsors of the American Heart Association’s Hilo Heart Walk. Hundreds of promotional spots and live mentions are used to encourage residents to form teams each year. Combined, the stations donate at least $10,000 worth of airtime. Experts in heart disease appear on the stations’ public affairs shows, and the stations’ Web sites provide information to listeners on how to get involved. In 2008, morning show personality D.C. from KNWB hosted the walk, which raised more than $140,000. Leonard, who has been the top individual fundraiser for the walk for the past two years, spoke at the American Heart Association’s Community Leader Luncheon about how heart disease has touched his life on a personal and professional level. "My hope is that someone else doesn’t go through what I’ve gone through," said Leonard. "If we only reach a handful of people, it is worth it. But I think we are reaching far more than that."
Showing what aloha spirit is all about, KGMB-TV in Honolulu, Hawaii, has been the media sponsor for the Hawaii Foodbank Annual Drive for nearly two decades. The station supports the organization with public service announcements year round and runs a heavy schedule of announcements starting six weeks prior to the foodbank’s main drive each spring. A large portion of the station’s Web site is dedicated to promoting the effort. On the day of the drive, every KGMB staff person is involved. Live segments are broadcast all day and portions of each newscast air from the collection site. In 2008, the drive resulted in 550,000 pounds of food and $450,000 in donations to feed families throughout the islands. "KGMB does an outstanding job of filling the stomachs of islanders in need and feeding their hope," said Polly Kauahi, director of fund development for the Hawaii Foodbank. "We aren’t able to do it without them. They have been a partner since day one. It’s their airtime, their time, their talent – it’s everything."
When two women in the community were tragically killed by domestic abuse during the first 17 days of 2008, morning show host Ed Kanoi from KGMZ-FM in Honolulu, Hawaii, knew something needed to be done. The first step involved broadcasting an interview with Carol Lee, executive director of the Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The broadcast raised awareness of the problem, gave discussion to how violence was affecting the community and proposed ways in which people could address it. Lee also was interviewed on the public affairs shows of sister stations KHUI-FM and KHCM-FM. A public service announcement (PSA) featuring Lee and resources for those needing help runs regularly on all seven stations in the Salem Media of Hawaii radio cluster. "As a result of the PSA, we have received dozens of calls from individuals who want to become part of the solution," said Lee. "Salem Media is helping us reach thousands of individuals who can work with us to make Hawaii’s communities safer."
For more examples of how Hawaii’s local radio and TV broadcasters are serving every local community, please contact the Hawaii Association of Broadcasters .