KHNL

KHNL is a television station licensed to Honolulu, Hawaii, and identified with virtual channel 13. It is an NBC affiliate and also carries programming from Telemundo, serving viewers across the Hawaiian Islands through its main transmitter and a network of rebroadcast facilities. The station is owned by Gray Media and is operated alongside CBS affiliate KGMB as part of the Hawaii News Now news and production operation. The stations share studios on Waiakamilo Road in downtown Honolulu, while KHNL's transmitter is located in Akupu, Hawaii. The current channel 13 lineage began on July 4, 1962, when KTRG-TV went on the air under the ownership of the Watumull family. The station initially operated as an independent outlet with syndicated programs and selected local productions, but financial difficulties limited its schedule and operating scale. In 1967, Richard Eaton's United Broadcasting Company acquired the station, changed its call letters to KIKU-TV, and developed a programming identity centered on Japanese-language programming. KIKU became an important broadcaster for Hawaii's Japanese-speaking community and also attracted a broader audience through sumo wrestling and Japanese popular culture programs, including tokusatsu series such as Android Kikaider, known locally as Kikaida. A new ownership group, Mid-Pacific Television Associates, acquired KIKU-TV in 1979. Although TV Asahi held a minority interest in the partnership, the station moved substantially toward English-language general entertainment in 1981. Japanese-language programs continued for many years, but their share of the schedule declined as management responded to changing demographics, audience habits, and the cost of imported programming. The station also expanded local news and sports coverage. University of Hawaii athletics became an especially significant programming category, helping the outlet compete in the Honolulu market. In 1984, general manager Rick Blangiardi led a major repositioning. The station adopted the KHNL call letters, derived from Honolulu's airport code, and presented itself as a local news alternative and a free-movie channel. It invested in production facilities and local sports coverage while restructuring its news operation. King Broadcasting acquired KHNL in 1986, and later that year the station became Hawaii's first Fox affiliate. Its distribution footprint expanded beyond Oahu through translators and related full-power facilities on Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii Island. KHNL moved from Fox to NBC on January 1, 1996. The change followed the planned sale of longtime NBC affiliate KHON-TV to a Fox-related ownership structure, which set off an affiliation realignment in Honolulu. KHNL had begun building a local news department in 1994, and its first newscast under the Hawaii News8 identity launched in April 1995, ahead of the NBC switch. The station subsequently developed a broader news presence, although early ratings performance was uneven. Ownership changed again when the Providence Journal Company was acquired by Belo in 1997. Belo later divested KHNL, and Raycom Media acquired the station in 1999. In 2009, Raycom consolidated the news operations of KHNL and KGMB under the Hawaii News Now identity. This shared operation combined the resources of the NBC and CBS affiliates while retaining separate network programming and station licenses. The arrangement strengthened the combined news operation's ability to compete in Hawaii's local television market. Gray Media acquired Raycom in 2019 and became KHNL's current owner. Today, KHNL's brand is built around NBC network programming, local and regional news, weather, sports, digital publishing, and community information. Its principal public-facing news identity is Hawaii News Now, while KHNL remains the NBC station designation used for programming, regulatory, and distribution purposes.

Channel 13 was one of Honolulu's original television allocations, but it was slower than the other principal channels to attract a lasting operator. Henry J. Kaiser obtained authorization for KHVH-TV, which began broadcasting on May 5, 1957, from the Hawaiian Village Hotel. It was Hawaii's first color television station and operated as an independent movie-oriented service. Kaiser later combined the operation with KULA-TV, leaving channel 13 without a continuing station identity. The present station lineage began when David Watumull, through Hawaiian Paradise Park Corporation, obtained a construction permit for channel 13 in 1962. KTRG-TV began broadcasting on July 4 of that year after technical problems delayed its first transmission. Its schedule included syndicated entertainment and local productions such as The Challengers and a Hawaii version of Romper Room. The station struggled financially and at times operated only part-time. Richard Eaton's United Broadcasting Company acquired KTRG-TV in 1967 after a contested regulatory and legal process. Eaton changed the call letters to KIKU-TV and installed a format built around Japanese-language programming. KIKU served Hawaii's Japanese-speaking audience while also reaching non-Japanese viewers with sumo wrestling and Japanese television series. It introduced color broadcasts of sumo in 1969 and subtitles on Japanese-language programs in 1970. Tokusatsu programs, especially Android Kikaider, became notable parts of the station's identity. In 1971, KIKU moved its studios to Puuhale Road. Mid-Pacific Television Associates purchased KIKU-TV in 1979. The ownership partnership included local and mainland investors and TV Asahi, which held a minority stake. Beginning in 1981, the station expanded its broadcast day and shifted toward English-language general entertainment. Japanese programming remained in selected time periods and continued into the early 1990s, but its role gradually diminished. The station also launched regular newscasts and increased its signal coverage. The change reflected shifting language use and audience demographics, although it drew criticism from some older Japanese-American viewers and community representatives. Rick Blangiardi became general manager in 1984 and carried out a significant operational and brand reset. The station dropped much of its existing news operation, upgraded programming, increased local sports coverage, and adopted the KHNL call sign. University of Hawaii athletics and other sports telecasts became important audience and revenue drivers. King Broadcasting acquired KHNL in 1986, after which the station joined Fox. Its coverage expanded through island translators and associated facilities, including service on Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii Island. Japanese-language programming continued in limited forms, including sumo coverage, before leaving KHNL's schedule in 1993. The Honolulu network landscape changed after Fox-linked SF Broadcasting agreed to acquire NBC affiliate KHON-TV in 1994. KHNL began preparing a local news department and reached an affiliation agreement with NBC. Its news operation launched in April 1995, and the station changed from Fox to NBC on January 1, 1996. The move gave NBC a new Honolulu outlet but initially required KHNL to build audience recognition and news-market strength. The Providence Journal Company acquired King Broadcasting in 1992, and Belo acquired Providence Journal in 1997. Belo later sold KHNL to Raycom Media in 1999. Raycom subsequently combined KHNL's and KGMB's news resources in 2009, creating Hawaii News Now. The shared operation allowed the two stations to coordinate local news production while preserving their separate NBC and CBS network identities. Gray Media acquired Raycom in 2019 and remains the station's owner. KHNL now operates as an NBC affiliate serving Honolulu and the wider Hawaiian Islands, with local news, weather, sports, digital publishing, and network programming forming the core of its public role.

1. 2019Gray Media becomes owner

   Gray Media acquires Raycom Media, including KHNL and its associated Hawaii News Now operation.

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2. 2009Hawaii News Now is established

   Raycom consolidates the local news operations of KHNL and KGMB under the Hawaii News Now brand.

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3. 1996KHNL becomes an NBC affiliate

   The station changes network affiliation from Fox to NBC on January 1.

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4. 1995Local news operation launches

   KHNL launches local newscasts under the Hawaii News8 identity on April 17.

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5. 1986King Broadcasting acquires KHNL and Fox affiliation follows

   King Broadcasting purchases the station, which becomes Hawaii's first Fox affiliate later that year.

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6. 1984KHNL name adopted

   The station changes from KIKU-TV to KHNL and emphasizes local sports, upgraded production, and general entertainment.

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7. 1981Station shifts toward English-language entertainment

   KIKU-TV substantially increases English-language general entertainment while retaining selected Japanese programming.

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8. 1979Mid-Pacific Television Associates acquires KIKU-TV

   A partnership of Hawaii, California, and Japanese investors, including TV Asahi, takes ownership of the station.

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9. 1969Color sumo broadcasts begin

   KIKU-TV begins presenting its popular sumo wrestling broadcasts in color.

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10. 1967KIKU-TV identity begins

    United Broadcasting acquires the station, changes its call letters to KIKU-TV, and establishes a major Japanese-language programming service.

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11. 1962KTRG-TV launches

    The Watumull family launches the present channel 13 station lineage as KTRG-TV on July 4.

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12. 1957KHVH-TV begins broadcasting on channel 13

    Henry J. Kaiser's KHVH-TV begins operation from the Hawaiian Village Hotel and becomes Hawaii's first color television station.

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A Hawaii-focused broadcast news and entertainment station combining NBC network programming with locally produced news, weather, sports, and digital coverage through the Hawaii News Now operation.

• Hawaii News NowLocal television news2009

  The shared local-news identity used by KHNL and KGMB. It produces news, weather, traffic, public-affairs, emergency, and digital video coverage for audiences across Hawaii while the two stations continue carrying different national network schedules.

• NBC network programmingNetwork television1996

  KHNL's principal network offering since January 1996, consisting of NBC entertainment, news, sports, and special-event programming distributed to viewers in the Honolulu market and throughout its island coverage area.

• Japanese-language programmingEthnic television programming1967

  A defining historical service of the station during its KIKU-TV period. The schedule included imported Japanese programs, subtitled series, sumo wrestling, and tokusatsu shows. The amount of Japanese-language programming declined after 1981 and disappeared from KHNL's schedule in the early 1990s.

• University of Hawaii sports coverageSports broadcasting1984

  Local and regional sports telecasts, particularly University of Hawaii athletics, became a major part of KHNL's programming strategy during its independent and Fox eras. Sports helped the station distinguish itself from competitors and attract viewers beyond its entertainment schedule.

• 2009Consolidation of KHNL and KGMB news operationsStrategy

  Both stations were owned by Raycom Media, which sought to combine local news resources while preserving separate network affiliations.

  What changed. Raycom placed the stations' local news production under the Hawaii News Now identity.

  Aftermath. The combined operation became a stronger challenger in Hawaii's local-news market, particularly through the existing audience of KGMB's news service.

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• 1996Switch from Fox to NBCStrategy

  The proposed sale of Honolulu NBC affiliate KHON-TV to a Fox-related ownership group threatened to move NBC programming to another station.

  What changed. KHNL launched a local news department and became an NBC affiliate on January 1, 1996.

  Aftermath. KHNL obtained a major network affiliation but had to build a new local-news audience and compete with established Honolulu stations.

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• 1986Affiliation with FoxStrategy

  King Broadcasting acquired KHNL and sought to develop its first independent-station property.

  What changed. KHNL became Hawaii's first Fox affiliate and expanded distribution across the islands.

  Aftermath. Fox programming and University of Hawaii sports helped KHNL improve its competitive standing in the Honolulu market.

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• 1984KHNL rebrand and operational restructuringStrategy

  The station remained an independent outlet and was seeking a clearer competitive identity in Honolulu.

  What changed. General manager Rick Blangiardi changed the call sign to KHNL, reorganized the news operation, upgraded programming, and increased local sports coverage.

  Aftermath. The station developed a stronger local-sports and general-entertainment profile before joining Fox.

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• 1981Shift from Japanese-language programming to general entertainmentStrategy

  KIKU-TV's owners assessed changing language use, audience composition, and the economics of imported Japanese programming.

  What changed. The station doubled its broadcast day and moved most of its schedule toward English-language general entertainment while retaining Japanese programs in selected periods.

  Aftermath. The move broadened the station's general-market positioning but disappointed some older Japanese-American viewers and reduced its role as a dedicated Japanese-language broadcaster.

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• 2019Gray Media acquires Raycom Media

  Gray Media completed its acquisition of Raycom Media, bringing KHNL and the Hawaii News Now operation into Gray's television station portfolio.

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• 2009Raycom consolidates KHNL and KGMB news under Hawaii News Now

  Raycom combined the local news operations of NBC affiliate KHNL and CBS affiliate KGMB under the shared Hawaii News Now brand while maintaining separate network affiliations.

  Product launch
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• 1996KHNL switches from Fox to NBC

  KHNL became Honolulu's NBC affiliate at midnight on January 1, 1996, following a market-wide affiliation realignment triggered by the sale of KHON-TV.

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• 1995KHNL launches a local news department

  The station launched its local news operation in April 1995 under the Hawaii News8 identity, preparing for its subsequent network affiliation change.

  Product launch
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• 1986KHNL becomes Hawaii's first Fox affiliate

  Following its acquisition by King Broadcasting, KHNL affiliated with Fox and expanded its regional distribution through translators and related facilities.

  Other
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• 1984KHNL adopts the KHNL call letters and repositions as a general-entertainment independent

  Under general manager Rick Blangiardi, the station changed its call sign from KIKU-TV to KHNL, reorganized its news and programming operation, and emphasized local sports and general entertainment.

  Other
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1. KHNL
2. Hawaii News Now