KIKU
From Free net encyclopedia
KIKU-TV is an independent television station based in Honolulu, Hawaii. Currently, KIKU-TV broadcasts on UHF Ch. 20, Time-Warner Cable 9/Digital 89 (Oahu), Time-Warner Cable 10/Digital 89 (Maui), Time-Warner Cable Digital 89 (Kauai, Big Island), Hawaiian Cable 12, and Oahu Wireless 37. Most of the televised content is multicultural programming catering to the large Asian community in the Hawaiian Islands. With the cable broadcast in place, KIKU-TV can be seen on all the major islands.
Programs come in Japanese, Cantonese, Mandarin, Ilokano, Korean, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and English. Japanese programming is its most popular genre, licensing the content from some of Japan's major TV networks, including TV Asahi, Tokyo Broadcasting System, NHK and NTV.
For the Japanese content to reach the majority demographic of Hawaii, KIKU-TV partners with various companies to provide English subtitles.
Not to be confused with the current KIKU, the market's original KIKU-TV broadcasted on channel 13, and started out as KTRG-TV in 1962, (then owned by the Watumall Broadcasting Company). KIKU-TV's first broadcast aired on July 4, 1962. The TV station was sold in 1966, changing its call letters to KIKU-TV.
The original KIKU-TV was quite popular with Hawaii's children throughout the 1970s, televising several Japanese tokusatsu shows, including Kamen Rider V3, Kikaida, Rainbow Man, Ganbare Robocon, and Sentai Go Ranger.
The Cushmans of San Diego, in partnership with TV Asahi and ten local investors, formed Mid-Pacific Television Associates and bought KIKU-TV on April 9, 1979. Japanese programming was pared-down and moved to late evening; KIKU-TV switched to a "kid vid" format, scoring success with "The Children's Hour" and "Professor Fun."
Separately, on February 12, 1980, KHAI-TV was officially registered with the FCC on channel 20.
In 1984, KIKU-TV was renamed KHNL-TV. In 1986, KHNL-TV was sold to King Broadcasting Company of Seattle, Washington, a large privately owned television company. Along with the purchase, KHNL-TV became the local affiliate for Fox. However, KHNL-TV still retained its Asian roots, and continued to broadcast content -- mostly sumo matches -- from those countries.
In 1992, King Broadcasting was sold to Providence Journal Broadcasting Corporation and its financial partner, Kelso & Company. Some major changes occurred at KHNL-TV as a result of the purchase, including the conversion of its local affiliate status from Fox to NBC.
In October 2003, General Manager Gregg Mueller leaves KIKU-TV. Gregg was with KIKU-TV since 1980.
After many years together, KIKU-TV and acting President Joanne Ninomiya end their partnership in early 2004. Today, KIKU-TV produces their own English subtitles programs in-house.
In the Fall of 2004, KIKU-TV became a secondary affiliate of the UPN television network. This marked the return of UPN programming to Hawaii after a two-year absence; KFVE dropped its affiliation with UPN in September 2002 to become a full affiliate of The WB.