Posted on: Saturday, August 28, 2004
Oldies radio 107.9 will be swapped by owner
By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer
Cox Radio Hawai'i is preparing to trade the oldies station at 107.9 FM, KGMZ, to Salem Media of Hawai'i. In return, Salem will turn over AM stations KHNR 650 and KHCM 940 to Cox.
Filings with the Federal Communications Commission to set the swap in motion are expected Monday.
The station exchange will give Salem an inventory of "family-related formats," said T.J. Malievsky, Salem vice president and general manager. The deal also will give Salem the maximum four FM stations in this market allowed by FCC regulations and bring Cox's FM holdings down from five to four.
John Matthews, program director and morning drive personality at the oldies station, will stay with 107.9.
The fate of other KGMZ announcers is uncertain, as are plans for the newly acquired AM stations. "We're investigating different formats," said Mike Kelly, general manager of Cox Radio Hawai'i.
For now, while it belongs to Salem, KHNR AM is simulcasting conservative news and talk with the newly named KHNR FM at 97.5 FM. That frequency was occupied by the legacy rock station KPOI until Aug. 15. The station broadcasting at 97.5 FM has changed hands twice this year, moving from New Wave Broadcasting to Visionary Related Entertainment to Salem. Visionary retained rights to the KPOI call letters and is using them for a classic rock station at 105.9 FM, now known as "KPOI The Big Kahuna."
KHCM is the lone country music station in Honolulu.
"The swap will take effect over the next two months," said Malievsky, who expects a green light from the FCC. "And we're taking the oldies format just as it is. It's really a good name in the community; we think it fits our family-friendly environment."
Salem now broadcasts Christian programming, talk shows, and traditional Hawaiian music on its stations.
Radio veteran Tom Moffatt, an original KPOI "Poi Boy" who has been doing a Saturday show on Oldies 107.9, said he has not been officially told about the swap or whether he'd still be involved in an on-air program. But he was optimistic: "I think it's for the good," he said. "It's good to have new blood. The station has potential."
KGMZ earlier this year eked its way into the Top 10 (at No. 9) of morning drive shows.
While operated by Cox, KGMZ has been owned by Honolulu Broadcasting. The late Charles Giddens, a veteran broadcaster, was station owner; his wife has retained ownership, with Cox operating sales and marketing, said Kelly.
"We simply exercised an option to trade," said Kelly.
When it takes over KHNR and KHCM, Cox will have two AM stations. Its four other FM stations are KINE 105.1 FM, KCCN 100.3 FM, KRTR 96.3 FM and KXME 104.3 FM.
Reach Wayne Harada at 525-8067, fax 525-8055 or wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com.
