Visionary expects to keep the call letters but sell the station to Salem Communications when the FCC approves the transactions. Approval is expected in early August.

Because the KPOI call letters are being retained by Visionary, there is speculation that the KPOI name will be transferred to another frequency, though Visionary is not releasing details of its plans at this time.

The transition is connected to a shakeup in the ownership of Hawai'i radio, with New Wave moving out of the market.

"KPOI still is the best call letters in the state; it has to come back," said radio veteran Tom Moffatt, who was one of the original on-air Poi Boys in the 1950s when the station broadcast on an AM frequency, and who helped pioneer Top 40 and the FM album track format with the station through the 1970s.

KPOI dominated the airwaves through the 1960s and '70s, though its power has diminished. In recent years, the station has failed to make the list of the Top 10 most-listened-to stations, as measured by Arbitron ratings.

At www.hawaiithreads.com, where Web surfers chat online about media developments, posters have been pondering and lamenting the imminent change. "No KPOI? Ouch! Das what you call one major bummer," one said.

FCC regulations allow owners to hold no more than four AM and four FM stations in a market. Visionary already operates one AM and two FM stations on O'ahu.

To stay within the FCC limit, Visionary will keep only two of the New Wave stations it's buying: KDDB 102.7 FM and KQMQ 93.1 FM.

KPOI and KHUI 99.5 FM are being sold to Salem Media of Hawai'i, a subsidiary of California-based Salem Communications, for $3.7 million, pending FCC approval.

"There will be absolutely no changes with respect to Da Bomb (KDDB 102.7 FM) and KQMQ (93.1 FM)," said Visionary president John Detz of the two stations he is retaining in the sale. However, he was not at liberty to discuss programming changes at the two New Wave stations he is turning over to Salem.

Detz said it would have been possible to operate KPOI for one year under an FCC waiver, but that didn't fit into Visionary's plans.

"That's short-term," he said. "We believe radio is part of the community and requires long-term commitment."

After finalizing its transactions with New Wave and Salem, Visionary will have a network of eight stations on O'ahu — that's one more than Texas-based Clear Channel Communication's seven. Visionary, which also owns five stations on Kaua'i and four on Maui and the Big Island, will be the largest broadcasting conglomerate in Hawai'i.

Salem has filed with FCC requesting the call-letter change to KHNR at the 97.5 FM frequency. KHNR-AM, also owned by Salem, will continue at 650 on the dial, said T.J. Malievsky, Salem vice president and general manager.

Programming for KHUI 99.5 FM, now called "Bob FM" and formerly known as "The Breeze," also remains up in the air. Malievsky said he couldn't discuss programming or other matters because of confidentiality agreements.

Salem operates conservative talk and Christian music stations nationwide, including Christian radio station KAIM 95.5 FM and conservative talk station KGU 760 AM on O'ahu.