KKEA on verge of all-sport transition

By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Staff Writer

Radio station KKEA (1420 AM) will complete its conversion to Honolulu's only all-sports format by the beginning of next month, a station official said.

"This is the completion of a process that has been taking place for a couple of years," said Don Robbs, KKEA general manager.

The station, which holds rights to University of Hawai'i-Manoa sports, will replace its food, entertainment and Hawaiian music programming with additional sports by the start of September, Robbs said.

"It is just that these programs, as much as we like them, are no longer compatible," Robbs said. "All those people — Allan Awana, Jo McGarry and John Heckathorn — who hosted those programs will stay with the station in some other capacity as contributors of special programs."

The new offerings will include an expanded menu of local sports, Notre Dame football and increased ESPN programming, Robbs said.

"We'll be adding shows that touch on water sports, martial arts, makule sports, you name it," Robbs said. "We want to have some programs for all those special groups, but they would be the one-hour-a-week shows."

The station recently added "Da Kine Sports Show" to take in sports such as softball, bowling and kite-flying, "to service an audience we haven't covered to this point," Robbs said.

He said KKEA is also working with the Hawai'i Sports Network, which owns some high school rights, about bringing an expanded prep selection to the station.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.