AM station drops Japanese format

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

Country music is back on Hawai'i radio at KHCM, 940 on the AM dial, replacing Japanese talk and music.

That's good news for Charlie Garrett, a country music disc jockey and host, who launches a morning drive show from 5:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. starting next week. Garrett was a DJ with KHHN-FM and KDEO-AM/FM before those stations abandoned their country formats.

KHCM, formerly KJPN, is the latest acquisition of Salem Communications Corp., a Camarillo, Calif.-based broadcaster specializing in religious and family-themed programming. It kicked off a country format without fanfare on Thursday, yanking the prevailing Japanese-language shows.

The station signed Garrett yesterday; he'll add a local voice to the satellite-delivered country programming.

Salem's other island stations are KHNR-AM (960), with a news-and-talk format; KAIM-FM (The Fish), a Christian music station at 99.5; and KGU-AM, with Christian teachings and talk at 760. A fifth station, KAIM-AM, is not now on the air.

"We've dropped the Japanese programming with the (call letter) change," said T.J. Malievsky, general manager of the Salem conglomerate here. He had been working in TV on the Mainland, but has Island roots in radio, last serving at KPOI-98 Rock (97.5 FM).

That's bad news to KJPN listeners such as Paul Tanaka of Pu'unui, who misses his morning dose of Japanese programming with his coffee. "I used to listen to Ikuko Tomita, who interviewed various personalities in Japan," Tanaka said. "Then it all disappeared. Now there is only one Japanese radio station, KZOO."

"That's one reason for our format change," Malievsky said. "It was imperative that there would still be a strong Japanese presence in the marketplace. And there is (KZOO at 1210 AM). KIKU also does well on TV."

Through Labor Day, KHCM is airing an in-Japanese announcement, prepared by KJPN and targeting Japanese listeners, detailing the programming switch.

Salem acquired KJPN from International Communications Corp. last May at a purchase price of $650,000. It owns and operates 83 radio stations, including 57 stations in the top 25 markets, across the Mainland, and Salem also owns the Salem Radio Network, which syndicates talk, news and music programs to 1,600 affiliates throughout the United States.

Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8067.