Will iHeart’s Honolulu Tower Need To Move?

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By Adam R Jacobson
RBR + TVBR


kssk-amFor nearly 32 years, a radio tower that holds the transmitters for the AM side of Honolulu’s No. 1 radio station — and four other stations — has stood at 450 feet near the corner of Dillingham Blvd. and Kokea Street in Honolulu.

Now, it may need to be moved under orders from the state of Hawaii.

That’s because “improvements” to Honolulu Harbor include new cranes, which is tied to the Aloha State’s efforts to increase cargo capacity at the port.

Additionally, the relocation of the radio tower would give plans taking off from Honolulu International Airport a wider flight path.

Tim Sakahara, spokesman for the Hawaii Department of Transportation, tells the ABC affiliate that the tower move is actually done with the continuation of broadcasts, in the event of an emergency, of iHeartRadio‘s Class B KSSK-AM 590.

KSSK-AM uses the tower for its non-directional Class B at 7,500 watts, which reaches Kauai, the western side of Maui, and the west side of the Big Island of Hawaii. KSSK-FM is atop Palikea Ridge on a tower at some 2,200 feet above sea level and is not impacted by the pending tower relocation.

“We want to make sure that KSSK, the primary emergency alert station, stays operable and there is no lapse,” Sakahara said to KITV-4, the local ABC affiliate, on Friday.

There is no immediate need for iHeart to move the tower: Hawaii DOT says it has five years to make the move, and it will cost taxpayers $5 million.

That’s good, because there’s no alternative tower site at the moment, Sakahara said. However, Hawaii DOT has 20 potential sites on a short list. As the DOT sees it, the tower’s idyllic location involves at least 10 acres of flat land, far from the airport and close to the leeward side of Honolulu, so the current signal contour for KSSK-AM is not impacted.

KSSK is not the only iHeart station impacted by the tower move, however. Also broadcasting from the site near Costco is CHR/Rhythmic KUBT-FM “93.9 The Beat,” Talk KHVH-AM 830, and “FOX Sports Radio” KIKI-AM 990.

Chuck Cotton, iHeart/Honolulu’s President/GM, tells RBR + TVBR that it is ultimately up to iHeart to decide on a new tower site, and that many that were offered do not pass muster with the company.

One other station is on the tower: KHRA-AM 1460 “Radio Korea,” which is owned by KMC Communications.

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