KHII-TV
An independent Honolulu television station with a secondary MyNetworkTV affiliation, owned by Nexstar Media Group.
Last updated August 31, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
KHII-TV is a commercial television station licensed to Honolulu, Hawaii, serving viewers across the Hawaiian Islands. The station broadcasts on channel 9 and is operated by Nexstar Media Group alongside KHON-TV, the market’s Fox and CW affiliate. KHII shares KHON’s facilities at Hawaiki Tower in downtown Honolulu, while its principal transmitter is located in Akupu, Hawaii. The station began broadcasting on February 7, 1988, as KFVE on VHF channel 5. It was the last full-power VHF station to sign on in the Honolulu market. During its early years, KFVE was a small independent station whose schedule relied on inexpensive syndicated programs, films, reruns of Hawaii Five-O, and Japanese television dramas. Its early promotional identity included the phrase “Hawaii is Watching us Grow.” The station later acquired programming from KMGT before that station moved toward religious programming. KFVE’s business position changed in 1993 when KHNL assumed management through a local marketing agreement. Operations moved into KHNL’s facility, creating one of the earliest examples of a local market station-sharing arrangement in the United States. The station also became an important outlet for University of Hawaii athletics, adopting the “Home Team” identity and carrying football, basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball, and other sports. KFVE became a charter UPN affiliate in January 1995 and added The WB as a secondary affiliation in December 1998. Raycom Media acquired the station outright at the end of 1999 after purchasing KHNL and its existing operating arrangement. In September 2002, KFVE ended its UPN affiliation and became the Honolulu market’s primary WB affiliate. Following the planned consolidation of UPN and The WB, Raycom announced in 2006 that KFVE would join MyNetworkTV. That affiliation began on September 5, 2006, and remains a central part of the station’s identity. A complex ownership and facility arrangement in 2009 moved KFVE’s programming from virtual channel 5 to channel 9 and placed the station’s operations under an agreement involving Raycom Media and MCG Capital. The transaction also involved a swap of station facilities and licenses associated with KGMB. KFVE subsequently operated under KGMB’s license while retaining its call-sign and programming identity for several years. In 2013, MCG Capital agreed to sell the station and its satellite licenses to American Spirit Media. Nexstar acquired the channel 9 license and associated satellite licenses in a transaction announced in 2018. The purchase was part of the restructuring required around Gray Television’s acquisition of Raycom Media and was completed in January 2019. Because Raycom retained the KFVE intellectual-property package, including the call letters and much of the branded programming, Nexstar relaunched the channel under the new call sign KHII-TV on January 28, 2019. The station retained its MyNetworkTV affiliation and took on programming formerly associated with KHON’s CW digital service, while the KFVE brand and related programming moved to a digital subchannel of KHNL. KHII’s schedule combines MyNetworkTV’s weekday prime-time block with locally produced news, syndicated series, films, infomercials, and occasional special-event programming. MyNetworkTV programming is generally carried from 8 to 10 p.m., allowing KHII to air a KHON-produced 7 p.m. newscast and other local or syndicated material earlier in the evening. The station also carries selected cultural and international programming, including Korean dramas added to its weekend schedule in 2015. Its current positioning is that of a locally focused independent outlet using a network affiliation, shared news resources, and broad syndicated programming to serve Hawaii’s television audience.
History
KHII-TV began as KFVE on February 7, 1988, broadcasting from Honolulu on channel 5. As a new independent station, it initially depended on low-cost acquisitions, syndicated series, movies, reruns, and Japanese dramas. The station gradually developed a Hawaii-oriented identity and acquired additional programming as other local outlets changed formats. In 1993, KHNL began managing KFVE under a local marketing agreement. KFVE’s operations moved to KHNL’s facility, an arrangement regarded as an early example of local station sharing. The relationship helped KFVE broaden its schedule and made it a significant outlet for University of Hawaii athletics. Under the “Home Team” identity, it carried a large package of collegiate sports, including football, basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball, and soccer. KFVE became a charter UPN affiliate in 1995 and added The WB programming in 1998. Raycom Media acquired the station in 1999. In 2002, KFVE dropped UPN and became a primary WB affiliate, using the “K-5, The Home Team: Hawaii’s WB” branding. The station later became part of the post-UPN and WB network transition. Raycom announced in March 2006 that KFVE would join MyNetworkTV, and the affiliation began in September of that year. The station underwent a major operational and channel change in 2009. Under a shared-services arrangement involving Raycom Media and MCG Capital, KFVE moved from virtual channel 5 to virtual channel 9, while the Honolulu market’s KGMB and KFVE facilities and programming relationships were reorganized. KFVE retained its branding and programming identity for a time but operated under the restructured license arrangement. The station continued to broadcast locally produced news and, until 2011, a substantial University of Hawaii sports package. University sports later shifted to a regional sports outlet, although KFVE continued to carry selected other collegiate events. MCG Capital agreed in 2013 to sell KFVE and its satellite licenses to American Spirit Media. In 2018, Nexstar agreed to acquire the channel 9 license and associated satellites. The transaction was connected to the need to address ownership limits arising from Gray Television’s acquisition of Raycom Media. Nexstar already owned KHON-TV in Honolulu and planned to consolidate KHII operations with KHON at Hawaiki Tower. The sale was approved in December 2018 and completed on January 28, 2019. Because Raycom retained the KFVE intellectual-property package, the channel received new call letters and became KHII-TV. The previous KFVE identity, syndicated material, and Hawaii-focused specials moved to a KHNL digital subchannel, while KHII retained the MyNetworkTV affiliation and received programming associated with KHON’s former CW digital service. KHII currently operates as an independent-style station with a secondary network identity. Its schedule includes MyNetworkTV’s prime-time block, KHON-produced local news, syndicated series, movies, infomercials, and selected international programming. A 2019 schedule change added a simulcast of KHON’s morning program and a weeknight 7 p.m. newscast, followed shortly by weekend simulcasts of KHON evening newscasts. The station’s digital broadcast facilities and associated Hawaiian satellite stations enable coverage beyond metropolitan Honolulu.
- 2019
Station becomes KHII-TV
[1]Nexstar completes its acquisition and relaunches the channel as KHII-TV on January 28, retaining MyNetworkTV programming.
- 2011
Regular University of Hawaii sports coverage ends
[1]KFVE broadcasts its last University of Hawaii sports event on May 15, after which regular coverage moves to the OC Sports Channel.
- 2009
Channel identity changes from 5 to 9
[1]A shared-services and facility restructuring moves KFVE’s virtual channel and programming operation to channel 9.
- 2006
MyNetworkTV affiliation launches
[1]KFVE joins MyNetworkTV on September 5 following the dissolution of the UPN and WB network arrangements.
- 2002
KFVE becomes a primary WB affiliate
[1]The station ends its UPN affiliation and adopts a WB-centered identity.
- 1999
Raycom acquires KFVE
[1]Raycom Media acquires the station outright after previously managing it through its relationship with KHNL.
- 1998
The WB is added
[1]KFVE begins carrying The WB as a secondary affiliation.
- 1995
UPN affiliation begins
[1]KFVE becomes a charter UPN affiliate under the K-5 UPN Hawaii brand.
- 1993
KHNL assumes management
[1]KHNL begins managing KFVE through a local marketing agreement, with KFVE operations moving into KHNL’s facility.
- 1988
KFVE begins broadcasting
[1]KFVE signs on February 7 as an independent station on VHF channel 5, becoming the final VHF station to launch in the Honolulu market.
Products and positioning
A Honolulu-based independent television station combining MyNetworkTV programming with local news, syndicated entertainment, films, and Hawaii-oriented special programming.
Network television · 2006
MyNetworkTV programming
KHII carries the MyNetworkTV weekday prime-time block as its principal network offering. The station generally schedules the block from 8 to 10 p.m., rather than the network’s conventional earlier time period, to accommodate local news and syndicated programming. Sports and special events may occasionally delay or preempt network content.
Broadcast news · 2019
Local news
KHII carries local news produced by sister station KHON-TV, including a weekday 7 p.m. newscast and selected simulcasts of KHON’s morning and weekend evening broadcasts. Earlier versions of the station, under the KFVE name, carried news produced by KHNL, including 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. editions.
Television programming
Syndicated entertainment
Syndicated series occupy a substantial portion of KHII’s weekday schedule outside the MyNetworkTV block. The station’s programming mix reflects the economics of an independent-style local outlet and includes entertainment series, reruns, and other acquired content.
Television programming
Films and special programming
Movies are a recurring part of KHII’s weekend afternoon schedule. The station also carries occasional local sports, special events, and Hawaii-oriented programming when these items take precedence over regularly scheduled network or syndicated content.
Sports broadcasting · 1994
University of Hawaii sports package
Under the KFVE identity, the station was a major television outlet for University of Hawaii athletics and at one point presented more than 100 events annually across football, basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball, and women’s soccer. Regular coverage ended in 2011 after sports programming shifted to OC Sports Channel.
Brand decisions
2019
Relaunch the station as KHII-TVM&ABackground
Nexstar acquired the channel 9 license and related satellite licenses, while Raycom retained the KFVE intellectual-property package.
Action taken
Nexstar changed the call sign to KHII-TV, consolidated operations with KHON-TV, retained MyNetworkTV, and transferred the former KFVE brand and associated programming to a KHNL digital subchannel.
Aftermath
KHII became an independent-style MyNetworkTV station with KHON-produced news and a schedule of syndicated programming, films, and local specials.
Reported transaction value. $6.5 million (2018 announced acquisition)
2009
Implement the Honolulu channel and facility swapStrategyBackground
A shared-services arrangement involving Raycom Media and MCG Capital reorganized the ownership, licensing, and operations of several Honolulu stations.
Action taken
KFVE programming moved from virtual channel 5 to channel 9, while the station’s operational relationship with KGMB and KHNL was restructured.
Aftermath
KFVE continued broadcasting under its established identity for several years but operated within the revised channel and licensing structure.
2006
Adopt MyNetworkTV affiliationStrategyBackground
The planned shutdown of UPN and The WB created a need for new network affiliations among affected stations.
Action taken
Raycom selected KFVE to join MyNetworkTV, with the affiliation beginning in September 2006.
Aftermath
KFVE continued as a MyNetworkTV outlet while retaining a schedule supplemented by local programming, syndicated series, films, and special events.
Recent events
- 2019
KFVE relaunched as KHII-TV[1]
M&A · Product launch · Leadership change
Nexstar completed the transaction and relaunched the channel under the KHII-TV call sign. The station retained MyNetworkTV programming and began using news and other resources associated with KHON-TV.
- 2018
Nexstar announced acquisition of the channel 9 license[1]
M&A
Nexstar announced a purchase of KFVE and the licenses of satellite stations KGMD-TV and KGMV from American Spirit Media as part of a Honolulu-market ownership restructuring.
- 2013
American Spirit Media agreed to acquire KFVE[1]
M&A
MCG Capital filed to sell KFVE and its satellite licenses to American Spirit Media.
- 2009
KFVE programming moved to channel 9[1]
Other
A shared-services and facility arrangement involving Raycom Media, MCG Capital, KHNL, KGMB, and KFVE moved the station’s programming and virtual channel identity from channel 5 to channel 9.
- 2006
KFVE announced as a MyNetworkTV affiliate[1]
Product launch
Raycom Media announced that KFVE would join MyNetworkTV as part of a broader affiliation arrangement involving former WB and UPN stations.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/khii-tv · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled